Storing your guns

[paulwes83]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but technically, aren't airsoft guns "uncontrolled firearms" and therefore subject to the same laws as a controlled/restricted/prohibited firearm with regards to storage?

[Enthusiast]

@paulwes83
I think in theory you are right.

The way you stored your guns should change if you have kids in your house.

[siggypoo]

I don't presume that my experience is SOP, but here's what happened one eve:
Mid winter a cop came to our door, asking if we'd seen kids hanging around our yard. Seems they'd done a few B&Es in the area. Without thinking I invited the officer in. It was mid-winter.
The officer saw the SIG on the left arm of the couch, and the Scar on the right side. Pointed and said, "dafuq?"
I said, "airsoft, go ahead and check em out".
I backed away near the TV and the officer walked over and fondled them for a moment.
She said, "that's kinda cool", and put them down. Asked me to notify them if I saw kids hanging around. I invited them to visit the back yard to look around, and that was the end of the experience.

[waylander]

To the best of my knowledge we do NOT fall under the same laws for storage but all my gear is stored in a locked room in the basement with the window covered because 1. I have small kids, 2. because I don't want anyone seeing them and thinking I'd make a good target for a B&E. Bit ambiguous....

These air guns are exempt from the specific safe storage, transportation and handling requirements set out in the regulations supporting the Firearms Act. However, the Criminal Code requires that reasonable precautions be taken to use, carry, handle, store, transport, and shipped them in a safe and secure manner.

Similar story to siggypoo, buddy of mine came home to actually interrupt a break in at his place.... he called the cops, they came over to do an investigation. Nothing was taken and his airsoft stuff is stored/displayed in the open, no locks, not behind locked doors and the cops said he should probably hide them better then left it at that.

[TurlteRaph]

I spoke with a friend of mine who is a RCMP about Airsoft storage .He told me that they are not going bust people who do not store their 'toy guns' improperly unless public safety is affected.

That being said, I store mine in a gun case without the battery and mag.

[siggypoo]

Seems, in the end, you're free to store them as you like, while being conscious of the casual onlooker. If you hope to get into real steel, you'd do very well to treat airsoft as real, if only to help cement the healthy mindset behind proper real firearm storage. Same if you have children.
Myself, I quit real steel in favour of airsoft. I've no kids. Except for storage, I do treat airsoft same as real.

To summarize: any precautions you are comfortable taking will only improve your experience with airsoft. A precaution taken will not ever detract from the experience.

[DICE Airsoft]

Treat them like real firearms, and keep them either locked up in a locked room, or in a gun safe. Keep them unloaded and the chambers clear as well.

[localfreerider]

I had a experience where the police raided my friends apartment, it was like a 10 car call surrounding the block with tracking dogs and everything. They came looking for a mutual acquaintance of ours (more like a moron we happen to know) over some domestic disturbance he had. When the police cleared the apartment looking for the perp they found my buddy ar15 (airsoft) on his gear bag in the corner of his bedroom, and called out to the other officers that they found a firearm, all of us were yelling NO, NO, AIRSOFT! AIRSOFT! :P They checked the chamber to make sure and were actually pretty cool about everything giving the circumstance. Pretty fucked up night though!

[Fubujubu]

Only considered a firearm when used in a crime. This is so they can throw a possible 10-15 year sentence at you instead of the old possible 5years l.

As for storage. There are no laws.

[BrendanL]

I keep mine in the basement just leaning against the wall where I have my PC and other gear. My gun safe is for my real guns, not toys.

[fretwire]

I store my rifles in their bags leaning against the wall in my bedroom.

My pistols are in Plano cases stored in a cupboard. Neither are locked and neither need to be because I don't have kids in my place.

The gas is much riskier so I keep that out of the way where it won't be exposed to heat or knocked around, but still not locked. LiPo batteries can also be dangerous so I keep those wrapped in bubble wrap separately to be sure they don't short out and burn my place down.

I don't even lock up my non-PAL pellet guns, which is arguably not the brightest idea.

I don't have any powder guns but if I did they'd be locked away (probably double-locked with trigger locks as well) and I'd do my best to avoid having any ammo in my place (or keep that locked up away from the guns).

I keep things out of view just because if you look at these things they do actually look real and I don't want people who come visit walking away wondering what it is they saw.

The BBs are another matter and that's where the big risk is with my place. I have two cats and if I leave a BB bag out it's pretty much guaranteed that at some point in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT one of my cats will go after the bag and i'll hear a 'thud' followed by the sound of thousands of little plastic balls rolling around.

Makes the next morning a real pain!!!

Actually the cats are probably the main reason I keep the guns in their bags/cases because cat hair tends to collect the most in places you won't want it to.

[Deejay2401]

Originally Posted by fretwire

I store my rifles in their bags leaning against the wall in my bedroom.

My pistols are in Plano cases stored in a cupboard. Neither are locked and neither need to be because I don't have kids in my place.

I do the same. Rifles in gear bags or large duffels under the bed/in the closet, pistols and my MP7 in cases in my bedside cabinet.

Originally Posted by fretwire

I keep things out of view just because if you look at these things they do actually look real and I don't want people who come visit walking away wondering what it is they saw.

I'm the same. I live with someone very against weapons, and the last thing I need is a constant argument about weaponry, whether "real" or not. I treat them as real, as they CAN cause bodily harm, even if not necessarily lethal.

Originally Posted by fretwire

The BBs are another matter and that's where the big risk is with my place. I have two cats and if I leave a BB bag out it's pretty much guaranteed that at some point in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT one of my cats will go after the bag and i'll hear a 'thud' followed by the sound of thousands of little plastic balls rolling around.

Makes the next morning a real pain!!!

Actually the cats are probably the main reason I keep the guns in their bags/cases because cat hair tends to collect the most in places you won't want it to.

Dear GOD, this. My cat is an ASSHOLE. Loves to chase springs, BBs, pins, anything that is small enough for him to move with a paw. The last damn thing I need on a daily basis is to be walking on a floor covered in BB gravel.

[HeadlessChicken]

I now have a little workshop room where I keep all my guns hung on the wall (on safe and mag out of course). And the room thus can be locked.

[Deejay2401]

Originally Posted by HeadlessChicken

I now have a little workshop room where I keep all my guns hung on the wall (on safe and mag out of course). And the room thus can be locked.

I'm insanely jealous of you guys with dedicated airsoft armories. Ask Siggypoo, he'd vouch for us both being the kind of guys where - coin permitting - we'd have rooms set up like the armory in Kick Ass. Guns on EVERY WALL.

Hell, even a space in a basement where I could have a corner dedicated to shelves for my gear, plate carriers, and guns would be fantastic.