Gun safes are built to be tough and secure, even during strong impacts or accidents. That’s great for protecting your firearms—but it also makes them very hard to move. Because of their heavy weight and bulky size, many people choose to hire professional movers for the job.
Still, if you’re up for the challenge, it is possible to move a gun safe yourself. You just need to plan things out carefully, get the right tools and have a few extra hands to help. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to move a gun safe the smart and safe way—without stressing yourself out.
Gather Your Equipment
Even the smallest gun safes can weigh about 200 pounds. Medium-sized ones can go up to 1,000 pounds and the biggest models might weigh even more than that. Moving something this heavy isn’t easy—you’ll need the right tools to get the job done safely. Some of the key items you’ll need include:
Appliance Dolly
A regular dolly won’t cut it for moving a heavy gun safe. You’ll need an appliance dolly instead. These are built stronger and can usually handle up to 1,000 pounds or more. Most appliance dollies also have built-in straps or brackets, so you can secure the safe tightly and keep it from moving or tipping while you roll it.
Furniture Sliders
These are small round pads made of plastic or rubber that go under the safe’s corners or legs. They make it easier to slide the safe across the floor without scratching your hardwood or tearing up your carpet.
Ratchet Straps
These straps help keep the safe tightly attached to the dolly. You can crank them to tighten and lock the safe in place, so it doesn’t wobble or shift while moving.
Moving Blankets
These thick blankets are used to cover the safe and protect it from getting scratched or scuffed during the move.
Plastic Stretch Wrap
After covering the safe with moving blankets, you can use plastic wrap to hold them in place. It keeps everything secure and stops the blankets from slipping off.
Wooden Planks
These can be used like ramps to help you move the safe over steps or bumpy areas. They make it easier to roll the safe smoothly without getting stuck.
You don’t have to use them but it’s a good idea to wear work gloves and steel-toed boots. Gloves protect your hands and help you keep a solid grip. Steel-toed boots can protect your feet in case the safe accidentally drops or slips.
Plan Your Route
Gun safes are big and heavy which makes them hard to move around. If you don’t plan your path ahead of time, you might end up scratching walls, breaking door frames or damaging your floors. Check your safe’s size and weight in the owner’s manual. If you don’t have it, you can measure the safe yourself or look up a digital copy online.
Remember, the size listed by the manufacturer might not include the handle—especially if the handle was added after delivery. If the handle sticks out a lot, the front of the safe could be wider than the back. Make sure to factor that in when planning your path through the house.
Measure all the doorways and hallways to make sure the safe can fit through them. Sometimes the straightest route isn’t the smartest one. Try to avoid tight, steep or twisting staircases—they’re not great for moving heavy items and can make it harder for others to help steady the safe. Most stairs can hold around 100–200 pounds per square foot which is usually fine. But if you’re unsure whether your stairs are strong enough, it’s best to check with a structural expert or look up local building codes.
Prepare Your Safe
Once you’ve planned your moving path, the first step is to empty the safe completely. This will make it lighter and also stop anything inside from moving around and causing the safe to tip. After taking out all firearms and ammo, wrap the safe in moving blankets and use stretch wrap to keep them in place. The blankets do two jobs—they protect the safe from scratches and also help prevent damage to your home if the safe bumps into walls or furniture.
Lift Your Safe onto the Dolly
Never try to move a gun safe by yourself. Even the smaller ones need at least two people. Bigger or heavier safes might take four or five people to safely lift, lower and move them. Once the safe is wrapped and ready, carefully lift one end and slide the dolly underneath.
If your safe is in a tight spot, place furniture sliders under it and carefully slide it into the middle of the room. This will give you enough space to get the dolly underneath. Once the safe is on the dolly, use ratchet straps to hold it in place. You might need two or three straps, depending on how big the safe is.
Move Slowly & Steadily
Take your time when moving the gun safe. Go slow and stay in control, even when you’re just going down a straight hallway. Have someone walk in front to guide the way, watch for obstacles and help keep the safe on track.
Good communication is super important. Talk through the plan with your team before you start, so everyone knows what to do. If you ever need to lift the safe, make sure everyone uses proper form—keep your back straight and lift with your legs to avoid getting hurt.
Load It Onto the Truck or Trailer
Some pickup trucks can carry a small gun safe but using a moving truck is usually a better and safer option. Moving trucks are built to handle heavy loads and often come with ramps or lifts to make loading easier. Most moving trucks can carry between 2,600 and 10,000 pounds, and their ramps usually support 2,500 to 4,000 pounds.
That weight limit should be enough for most gun safes but it’s a good idea to double-check with the rental company just to be safe. If the safe causes any damage, you could be held responsible. After loading it onto the truck, use ratchet straps to tie it down securely so it doesn’t move or tip over while driving.
Move It into Your New Home
Once you get to your new place, just follow the same steps in reverse. Carefully lift the safe onto the dolly, strap it in and roll it inside with your team’s help. Be sure to measure doorways and hallways first to make sure the safe will fit through. When you reach the spot where you want to place it, use furniture sliders to help position it exactly where it needs to go.
Remove the plastic wrap and take off the moving blankets—and that’s it! Since gun safes are tough to move around, it’s smart to handle them first. Try to move the safe in before your other boxes and furniture or at least make sure the path is clear so there’s nothing in the way that could cause an accident.
Professional Gun Safe Movers
STI Moving & Storage Inc is a full-service moving company that can take care of everything—from planning and packing to loading, transport and delivery. Our team is trained and equipped to handle heavy items like gun safes safely and efficiently. No matter how tough the job is, we’ve got the experience and tools to do it right.
Get in touch with us today for a free quote!
