Gun Rooms

[Lever357]

Even if you have a gun room, and had the guns in a rack, do they not still have to be secured with an armoured cable running through all the trigger guards??

[dromia]

Not any more than you need to do that with the guns in a steel cabinet.

[JWR]

My Armoury is in an upstairs bedroom. It was part of an extension so has three "external" walls, the fourth plasterboard wall was covered in 1" square steel mesh.

The room is over the garage so the garage ceiling was also covered in the same mesh. I fitted all the mesh myself. The ceiling in the armoury has a trembler alarm to detect ingress through there.

The window is fitted with bars and the door is solid cored wood faced with steel sheet fixed with unscrewable screws secured by covered access padlocks.

The whole thing has a monitored alarms system fitted in addition to the house alarm.

Before going ahead I held a "site" meeting in the bedroom with people from firearms certification, the alarm installation company and the engineering company that made and fitted the window bars and the door and its steel frame. This ensured that issues could be thrashed out and people were all signing from the same hymn sheet.

Word of advice, don't try and be clever arguing semantics over the guidance.

Both you and firearms certification have the same desired outcome, securing your firearms.

So talk things through, listen to what they say looking for clarity not certainty and arrive at an agreed written specification.

Regardless of how "anti gun" you feel your certification officer may be you will, at the end of the day, have to get their sanction so always best to work with them. Getting their interpretation of the guidelines and then looking to arrive at a solution that will secure your firearms adequately for both of you.

Thank you, this was helpful. I am not looking to argue with them as I know this wont help anything. I have made contact with a different local FEO who will actually help me with this enquiry rather than brush it off as impossible like the other one did. Ill make sure to get them all to confirm it in writing first, and inspect it in person before I cover over the mesh.
The room will have no windows which should make things easier, and the vibration detecting alarms sound like a great idea too.
I still wish I knew why they want 2 different kinds of mesh!

[GeeRam]

I still wish I knew why they want 2 different kinds of mesh!

Where do you get that from...?

[dromia]

I didn't cover my mesh.

People come and people go and things change. I didn't want a firearms certification of the future actually wanting to see the mesh that was now covered in plaster board.

You hardly see it anyway it covered by racks and firearms.

[Daryll]

This all familiar and relevent for me... I'm currently planning an extension to what will be our retirement house, and I want a Gun Room where guns are on racks rather than in cabinets.

I've given the Architect a copy of the Firearm Security Handbook, so hes working to that. I've checked with the local Constabulary and they have confirmed that they go by the Handbook.
They also gave me the number of the FEO for that area, and I've messaged him to discuss the fine details... still waiting for him to get back to me..

Mine will have 2x 300mm former external cavity walls, and 2x 240mm concrete blockwork walls, solid floor, so only the ceiling should need wire mesh.
The confusing part is the door... Googling "gun room door" several companies come up selling doors that "have been approved by constabularies", but they don't comply with the specs in the handbook...??

Something else to ask the FEO...

[JWR]

I still wish I knew why they want 2 different kinds of mesh!

Where do you get that from...?

Firearms Security Handbook 2020
Page 35 - Section 29(a) specifies “expanded metal mesh” in relation to wall security.
Page 37 - Section 39 specifies “weldmesh” in relation to ceiling security.

[JWR]

This all familiar and relevent for me... I'm currently planning an extension to what will be our retirement house, and I want a Gun Room where guns are on racks rather than in cabinets.

I've given the Architect a copy of the Firearm Security Handbook, so hes working to that. I've checked with the local Constabulary and they have confirmed that they go by the Handbook.
They also gave me the number of the FEO for that area, and I've messaged him to discuss the fine details... still waiting for him to get back to me..

Mine will have 2x 300mm former external cavity walls, and 2x 240mm concrete blockwork walls, solid floor, so only the ceiling should need wire mesh.
The confusing part is the door... Googling "gun room door" several companies come up selling doors that "have been approved by constabularies", but they don't comply with the specs in the handbook...??

Something else to ask the FEO...

I’ll be interested to hear how that goes! What area are you in?
I have a used industrial steel door in a steel frame that exceeds the requirements for cabinets, so I’m hoping when they inspect that they will be happy for me to use it.

[Daryll]

This will be in North Norfolk...

I'm fully expecting that the door will be the single most expensive part of the whole extension..!