Firearms can be a touchy subject and indeed, a hotly debated one in recent times, and I’m sure the subject of building a weapons cache – which is contained in this article – won’t help to cool the fire of this topic.
No matter where you stand on firearms, one thing is crystal clear. It is absolutely your right to own one (at least in this country), and it is also absolutely a person’s right to be able to defend themselves.
I think it goes without saying that firearms help to level the playing field between two parties, which is why one side usually doesn’t want the other to have them. While this is one part of having a weapons cache, there are other reasons I will talk about later.
In this article I’ll be covering the following:
- What is a weapons cache?
- Why would you want weapons caches?
- Indoor versus outdoor caches
- How to make a cache
What Is A Weapons Cache?
To make sure we are all on the same page here is a simple definition of a weapons cache:
Several or more firearms, weapons, and ammunition are stored away or hidden away.
Weapons that are stored in plain sight such as a gun safe or depots aren’t always thought of as a cache per se. Usually, a cache is thought of as a secret and out of sight, which is the characteristic that this article will focus on.
Why Would You Want A Weapons Cache?
This section won’t be terribly long because your reasons for wanting a weapons cache are your own. Also, while I’m not promoting the building of a weapons cache for any nefarious reasons, there are two main purposes for caching weapons:
- As a means of resupplying
- To keep a weapon or guns out of sight from people who would want to harm you and your way of life
If you look at history, you will see these reasons played out with people needing to resupply perhaps after fleeing their homes or to keep such supplies out of sight from people with evil intentions.
While firearms are certainly a favorite item to have in these caches, keep in mind that other items and tools can be stored in them as well.
Indoor Versus Outdoor Caches
There are basically two places to have a cache of weapons: either indoors or outdoors. There are a few differences and methods between these two locations, so let’s just jump right into it.
Indoor Weapons Caches
As I mentioned earlier, a cache is typically in a secret location and out of sight. This means weapons hanging on the wall or stored in a big ol’ gun safe sitting in the corner aren’t usually thought of as a cache.
If you are a do-it-yourself type of person, there are a ton of possibilities inside a home in which a cache can be stored. Such as under floorboards, ventilation systems, and secret rooms just to name a few.
If there is enough space underneath the flooring for the items you want to hide, this would probably be one of the simplest solutions that most people could easily accomplish.
Another relatively simple way would be to create a secret compartment for items, say behind a hanging mirror or cabinet. Installing false bottoms inside of drawers isn’t all that difficult either, just saying.
Other interesting solutions to hide items on a smaller scale include hollowed-out books, inside of food containers, or inside of fake appliances like clocks or display panels. I once knew an old timer who kept a .38 special tucked away in a decaf coffee can sitting on the shelf. Nobody he knew ever drank decaf so there was never a reason to get in the can unless there was a need for it.
Go Professional
In case you’re not a do-it-yourself type of person and you want something straight out of Hollywood, there are professional services that specialize in this sort of thing.
And if I’m being honest, some of these products are pretty cool and clever.
Almost all of them that I have seen are functional pieces of furniture with hidden compartments that can accommodate a single pistol or many weapons, including multiple pistols and long guns. The secret compartments can be accessed by simply pulling them out, unlocked by a magnetic key, or if you want to go high-end, some of these compartments are motorized and can be activated with the push of a button or voice activation.
Here are some videos of these products in action. From coffee tables to dressers, almost any kind of furniture that you can think of can be outfitted with these compartments.
Caching Weapons Outside
When it comes to finding a location for a cache, most people are probably going to think about putting it outside, and – more specifically – burying it.
There are options for outdoor caches that don’t involve digging, such as placing a cache inside a hollow tree or a cave. Places like these are much easier to access for you when you need to but they are also much easier for others to access as well.
The safest bet is to bury a cache and when doing so there are a few things to keep in mind.
The first is how deep the cache should be. Obviously the deeper you go the more work it will be to bury the cache and retrieve it. By burying it shallower, it will be quicker to place the cache and dig it up when you need it but you run the risk of others finding it easier either accidentally or intentionally.
Around two feet is a good goal to store most caches. Don’t forget to consider other environmental factors in the area as well. For instance, it would not be a good idea to bury a cache in dangerous zones where there is a chance of flooding, avalanches, rocks slides, or mudslides. It would be quite a surprise to get to your weapons store only to find they have been buried under several feet or more of earth, water, or snow.
The next thing you want to think about is location. It’s not a good idea to put a cache on public property and you need to have permission to put it on private property.
Once this has been figured out, the dig site should be out of sight of bystanders. That means you don’t want to be digging a hole close to a roadway, houses, or paths with foot traffic.
Of course, you also need to think about if you are going to only have one location or more than one location for a cache. Are you storing one weapon or many weapons? Is one a quick response cache and one a long-term cache?
Now how are you going to keep track of your cache?
Well, you could write down directions, but somebody could find those directions.
You could mark the locations on a map like an adult treasure map, but again, someone else could use that.
To me, the best method would be to have an identifiable landmark nearby that you can keep in mind relative to the cache’s location.
The two first ideas of writing or marking down the locations can be utilized but create some kind of code system that only makes sense to you.
How To Make A Cache
The following two ideas can be utilized indoors, but they are mainly for outdoor use. Caches that are stored outside or buried are going to be exposed to the elements and these types of caches are usually stored for longer periods.
Considering that most weapons are made of metal, the first thing you want to do is thoroughly clean the item. Then give it a healthy coat of oil that is appropriate to that type of metal. It would also be a good idea to put other equipment in a cache as well. Items like gun cleaning supplies, to help clean up the tools and keep them maintained, or additional magazines, and ammunition.
Next, tightly wrap the tools up in a plastic bag or resealable bag with a couple of desiccants and possibly oxygen absorbers included in the bags.
Ammunition cans
Ammunition cans are a popular type of container to use for caches. They come in various sizes and the metal ones are quite durable. They also usually come with a rubber gasket around the lid, which helps to keep the box sealed.
Smaller ammo cans will accommodate some handguns, other small weapons, and, of course, ammo. Larger boxes or totes can be used in place of ammo cans but keep in mind the durability of the container, not only doe it need to be able to withstand the elements but also the dirt, soil, or rocks that will be layered on top of it.
PVC Pipe
PVC pipe is another popular option for creating caches because the materials involved to make one are relatively cheap. PVC pipe is a waterproof container and is quite durable considering that it is used underground all of the time.
Other than the above reasons, another appealing reason to use PVC is that the size of the cache can be customized for small items or small and longer items, like a rifle. However, a rifle may need to be broken down to fit so don’t forget any tools that you may need.
Wrap up
A weapons cache’s purpose is for resupply and a measure of protection against a power group. Keep the force multiplier on your side by knowing how to keep a weapon or gun safe.
Always take great care in storing weapons, guns, and ammunition, so that individuals that should not have access to them and kids are kept safe.
Thanks for reading and stay prepared.
