Lockable File Cabinet

[ASHDUMP]

What is everyone's consensus that a lockable file cabinet is considered a secure container?

I'm looking into ways to keep a fire arm at work permanently at my desk.

Lets consider that this is approved with my place of work.... please no smartass comments.

Lets also consider I work in a cube farm. It would be easier for me to keep the file cabinet locked versus having a clam shell style gun safe in one of the drawers.

Any other recommendations?

 

[Dip Dungles]

Do you and only you have the key or does the business also have a key? If your it then you should be GTG as it's a locked container.... IANAL but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express numerous times.

 

[drgrant]

Lol not sure if serious, anyone can read the number from the front of the lock and get a key on ebay for $5, not sure I'd be wanting to lock my gun in there. And you don't even have an office? (eg, that you can lock) Why not just keep it on body?

-Mike

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Just keep it on you like the rest of us do. Jack.

 

[ASHDUMP]

Do you and only you have the key or does the business also have a key? If your it then you should be GTG as it's a locked container.... IANAL but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express numerous times.

Lol not sure if serious, anyone can read the number from the front of the lock and get a key on ebay for $5, not sure I'd be wanting to lock my gun in there. And you don't even have an office? (eg, that you can lock) Why not just keep it on body?

-Mike

Both great points. Yes, I'm the only person with the lock. Yes, I suppose anyone could get the number off a key somewhere and hit up eBay for a spare.

I was looking at it like the gunvault I keep next to my bed at night. Someone who breaks into my house during the day could rip that off the back of my nightstand too....

No one has offices in our company. Everyone is in the wide open. Would prefer to keep a firearm at the desk locked than on my person while at work.

 

[ASHDUMP]

....and back to my original ask.

not looking for a lawyer to confirm. More of a discussion at this point. Is a file cabinet that locks considered a secure container?

 

[ASHDUMP]

Gun Magnets

Found this.... boy I see a lot of fail with this but maybe cool for people who have nice large safe rooms. I definitely ain't sticking that thing on a wall in the open like the video shows!

 

[one-eyed Jack]

My policy is to never lock up a gun that may be needed in a hurry. Jack.

 

[Coyote33]

Mount the magnet under your desk, if it is out of view (around corner of partition, for example). Then leave it there during day, and pick up and bring home at day's end.

No locking drawers on your desk?

 

[drgrant]

Why wouldn't it be, at least on paper?

-Mike

 

[cockpitbob]

Here's the text of the law:

Section 131L. (a) It shall be unlawful to store or keep any firearm, rifle or shotgun including, but not limited to, large capacity weapons, or machine gun in any place unless such weapon is secured in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device, properly engaged so as to render such weapon inoperable by any person other than the owner or other lawfully authorized user.

Your locking file cabinet should be fine. However, if you piss off a cop that is in a bad mood he'll use the legal process to punish you by arresting you even though you're going to be found innocent (months and thousands of dollars later).

 

[qqac]

Lol not sure if serious, anyone can read the number from the front of the lock and get a key on ebay for $5, not sure I'd be wanting to lock my gun in there. And you don't even have an office? (eg, that you can lock) Why not just keep it on body?

-Mike

A lockable file cabinet is good enough to meet the letter of the law, which is all any gunowner in MA really cares about anyway. Sure, anyone can read the number on the lock and easily get a key, but practically every other "approved" tamper resistant lock, box, or safety device is just as easily defeated, as has been proven time and again (by a potato, sliver of foil, thump on the ground by a 3 year old, etc.).


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erGOJxQIf5c

2013 SJC case:
"Statutory and regulatory references to acceptable containers include safes,8 weapon boxes,9 locked cabinets,10gun cases,11 lock boxes, and locked trunks of vehicles.12 A leading secondary source, Law Enforcement Guide to Firearms Law (20th ed. 2012), published by the Municipal Police Institute, Inc.,13 states that a securely locked container can include a soft gun case secured with a padlock, “as well as an expensive gun safe,” and that even “glass front furniture style gun cabinets are acceptable providing that they are capable of being locked.” Id. at 93.14

In sum, these references are sufficient to establish a common understanding and practice regarding the secure storage of firearms in locked containers, against which to measure conduct proscribed under the storage statute. As such, they dispose of the defendant's vagueness challenge. Commonwealth v. Orlando, 371 Mass. 732, 734, 359 N.E.2d 310 (1977) (law not vague if it requires person to conform his conduct to imprecise but comprehensible normative standard); Commonwealth v. Jarrett, 359 Mass. 491, 496–497, 269 N.E.2d 657 (1971) (uncertainty as to whether marginal offenses are included within coverage of statute does not render it unconstitutional if its scope is sufficiently definite).

This is not to say that locked containers beyond those types referenced in statutes do not qualify as secure under the storage statute. Ultimately, the matter is one of fact for a properly instructed fact finder to determine at trial."

 

[Len-2A Training]

Every corporation that I worked at had a company locksmith with duplicate keys for every lock. Most file cabinets have the key number engraved on the lock face. Any locksmith can duplicate the key with that number, so it might be legal but it might also be risky.

 

[LuvDog]

It probably conforms to the law. Since even gun safes and approved lock boxes can get replacement keys from the manufacturer. Most have some code or SN on them similar to the key code on a tumbler for a file cabinet.

The question I would have is about other people having acces or keys in the off hours... such as cleaning staff or building services. Would you be worried about theft?

 

[Buck F]

I have a bulldog spring loaded under desk mounted safe. They discontinued that version but the google machine will show you other under desk mount options. Perhaps look at one of them. I would have zero problem storing a gun in a locked file cabinet temporarily while in the office. Don’t overthink it.

 

[Coyote33]

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/7mu9dx/ron_swanson_escapes_the_parks_and_rec_office_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

 

[Brewer]

Hedge your bets with a quick-access safe inside the cabinet. If ever you're defending yourself in court you can argue this is designed for gun storage. Might even save you going to court because someone can't make a spare key without your authorization. You can also have a remote on a lanyard around the neck/in the shirt for rapid activation.

SLIDER SERIES

 

[Chevy 2 65]

Every corporation that I worked at had a company locksmith with duplicate keys for every lock. Most file cabinets have the key number engraved on the lock face. Any locksmith can duplicate the key with that number, so it might be legal but it might also be risky.

Also a master key. One key to unlock them all.

How it should be stored.

 

[Buck F]

After re-reading your post, if you're looking for a more permanent solution for leaving a gun at work, I’d suggest one of the small car safe type devices inside a locked desk drawer or perhaps tethered to something a little more solid. I carry to and from work and will put the gun in the pop out under desk safe if I’m going to be at my desk. I also have a large safe full of guns at the office so if for whatever reason I don’t carry to work or need to leave carry gun overnight I put it in the big safe (plus have an alarm system and video monitoring).

 

[FAS1]

If you think the file cabinet is a good place, then you could double up on the security and bolt a handgun safe inside.

 

[Parker Duofold]

Every corporation that I worked at had a company locksmith with duplicate keys for every lock. Most file cabinets have the key number engraved on the lock face. Any locksmith can duplicate the key with that number, so it might be legal but it might also be risky.

I worked in the office furniture business for years. I was constantly changing out locks and keys for customers. Typical call was something like "employee was fired/let go/retired" and they needed to get into the file. Then they wanted a new lock and key. I had (in fact still have) master keys and lock plug removal keys and can be into your file cabinet in seconds.

All of that said I think securing your firearm in a locked file cabinet is OK. Just don't let other employees know.

 

[ASHDUMP]

I just purchased another NanoVault 300. I'll secure it in my file cabinet. No one will know its there.....

This will also help me on most days when I need to drop my kid off at school.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Check Ebay and Craigslist for a used GSA file cabinet. You can often get deals on one with older locks (generally an S&G mechanical group I or a Kaba-Mas X-07) that may not meet current GSA requirements but are not going to be breached without considerable effort.

 

[AHM]

Every corporation that I worked at had a company locksmith with duplicate keys for every lock. Most file cabinets have the key number engraved on the lock face. Any locksmith can duplicate the key with that number, so it might be legal but it might also be risky.

Is it legal to deface the engraved key number?
Asking for a friend...

 

[Len-2A Training]

Is it legal to deface the engraved key number?
Asking for a friend...

Due to some folks getting into my desk and stealing or leaving stuff (half-smoked cigar) at a couple of companies, I just changed the wafers so that the key that matched the number no longer opened that desk. Solved my problems.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Is it legal to deface the engraved key number?
Asking for a friend...

The only possible illegality would be if the key was someone else's property.

 

[AHM]

The only possible illegality would be if the key was someone else's property.

(I meant "scratching up the face of the lock cylinder", like it was a stolen gun).

 

[RKG]

Choosing a lockbox for a firearm involves two largely unrelated subjects: (1) meeting legal requirements and (2) providing real security. I address only the latter.

Virtually any (and perhaps truly any, I'm not sure) lock can be picked. (Even a Medeco.) All you need is the right tools, the right skills, and enough time. Security with respect to locks is usually evaluated, not on whether it can ultimately be picked, but rather on how long it would take a skilled picker to pick it. The rule of thumb (for which there is no magic formula or basis) is that a crook won't spend more than 8 minutes hovering over a lock he is trying to defeat for criminal purposes.

Most purpose built pistol boxes, virtually all lockable filing cabinets, and even lockable desk drawers use cheap cam locks employing 4-wafer wafer locks, 4-pin pin tumbler locks, or tubular locks. These can all be picked, almost always in less than 1 minute (and for the most part, in a matter of seconds) and require no skills.

So, if your concern is meeting legal requirements, or maybe just keeping out casual snoops and cigar butt droppers, buy one of these boxes. If you are concerned about real security, consult with someone who actually knows about such things.

 

[Picton]

I’m with the “don’t overthink it” crowd.

Throw the sucker in there. Put a dirty t-shirt on top of it. Nobody will touch it.

 

[rudiewhitebwoy]

It must be legal, I see Dwayne Pride on NCIS New Orleans do it all the time.
I couldn't find an image, but I found this;
Why does agent Pride, NCIS New Orleans, put his gun in a file cabinet?
Don't get me started on his upside down Brown Eye carry.