Month: September 2021

More and more Americans are choosing to purchase firearms. Gun sales rose to record numbers in 2020 and inevitably, not every first-time firearm buyer lives in a house. Having a gun in an apartment is fairly similar to having a gun in a house, but there are some unique considerations for storage and safety that you should keep in mind.

Here are some tips for having a firearm in an apartment:

Check Your Lease Agreement

The legality of keeping a gun on rented property can be complex. A few states do have laws that prohibit landlords from banning guns but most, including Arizona, don’t have any laws regarding this matter. This means that in general, landlords can choose to ban firearms from their property. Government-assisted housing is a different story and generally cannot ban gun ownership.

If your lease agreement has a clause banning guns, you should talk to a lawyer for clarification on what your options may be. Please be aware that we are not able to provide legal advice.

If guns are allowed in your apartment, be sure you are aware of any regulations for carrying your weapon in shared areas.

Make a Home Defense Plan and Store Your Gun Accordingly

A home defense plan ensures you are prepared for the worst-case scenario. Although you will hopefully never need to use this, it’s important to have one. This is true whether you live in a house or an apartment and you should consider your living situation when making your plan.

Your storage should align with your home defense plan so that your gun is easily accessible if you ever need it. This doesn’t mean your gun should be unsecured (for more on this, see our next tip), but make sure you can reach it quickly. A biometric safe can be helpful for this.

Keep Your Gun in a Safe

It can be tempting to leave your gun unsecured if you live alone, but a gun safe is a good idea for several reasons. In an apartment, it is often possible for maintenance to come into your living space in an emergency, even if they cannot contact you first. Having strangers aware that you have a gun in your apartment can put you at risk and a safe helps you avoid this situation.

Additionally, a safe is important to protect your gun in case of a robbery. Firearms are popular targets for thieves. If you live on the first floor, the risk of theft increases, so keep this in mind.

Securing Your Safe in an Apartment

Many homeowners choose larger, heavier safes that can store multiple guns and other valuables. These are so large that thieves cannot easily pick them up and move them. However, you may not be able to have such a heavy safe in your apartment if you are not on the first floor. You should check the weight restrictions to be sure. Some safes are large enough to be difficult to carry away while still fitting within weight restrictions, and this may be a good idea depending on your situation.

If you have a smaller safe, the general recommendation is to bolt it to the floor or wall. Again, the goal is to ensure thieves cannot simply take the whole safe with them. In apartments, however, there may be restrictions on drilling holes that can prevent you from doing this.

You do have a few different options depending on what works for you. Some gun owners recommend pulling up some carpet in a closet area and drilling the safe into the floor here since it is easier to fix when you move out. You may also be able to drill holes in the wall and repair them before you leave, which is usually relatively inexpensive. Be sure you have a plan before you start so you don’t cause more damage than anticipated and end up on the hook for a large bill. Finally, you may be able to secure a safe to a large piece of furniture instead of to the wall or floor.

Buy Guns and Storage Solutions at The Hub

The Hub is your one-stop gun shop and we have an extensive selection of firearms and accessories, including safes.

Shop in Tucson, Lakeside, Phoenix, or at our online gun store.

The development of gunpowder and firearms played a key role in changing how wars were fought. The history and evolution of the gun is fascinating. Firearms, directly and indirectly, influenced the rise and fall of global empires.  Below is a brief history of the progression from primitive to automatic firearms.

Early History

While it is strongly debated, the Chinese are widely believed to have developed the first early gun in the 10th Century. These rudimentary weapons consisted of a metal or bamboo rod to hold the gunpowder. The recorded evidence of these “fire spurting lances” detail their use during the Jin-Song wars within the Song Dynasty era from 960 to 1279. During the same era, the Chinese also used an early form of the cannon, marking the first use of gun powdered-based weapons and artillery.

European Advancement

Europeans started receiving gunpowder along the Silk Road trade route from China during the 13th Century. They first used this in cannons, then developed early types of firearms which use a wick to ignite the powder through a hole in the barrel. This process often took two people to fire the weapon. These firearms were inaccurate, had a very slow load time, and were heavy.

Inventors were constantly refining early guns to solve these problems.

In the 1400s, the first mechanical device for firing a gun was developed, the matchlock. This device holds the powder in a flash pan which is ignited by an s-shaped arm that holds a match. When the trigger is pulled, the match is lowered and ignites the powder that is held inside the gun. This invention allowed for greater accuracy and needed only one person to fire the weapon.

In the late 1400s to the early 1500s, firearms advanced again with the development of the wheel or rose lock. This replaced the wick on the gun and instead produced the spark mechanically. These guns were expensive to produce and therefore never gained in popularity over the cheaper matchlock.

Early in the 16th Century, German gunsmiths in Augsburg began cutting spiral grooves inside the barrels of the guns. Similar to fletching feathers for an arrow, it allowed for the bullet to obtain a spin and maintain its directional course improving its accuracy

During the late 1500s, a lid was added to the flash pan design to keep the powder from being exposed to the elements. This lid must be moved manually when firing which made the gun slow to shoot.

To solve this problem, the flintlock was invented. The flintlock was designed to push the lid and ignite the flint at the same time. This invention became popular for over two centuries and led to the invention of muskets and other long guns with this design.

American Ingenuity

The flintlock design remained popular through the American Revolution. It wasn’t until the Industrial Age that machining tools were used by Samuel Colt to mass-produce multi-shot, revolving firearms.

In 1836, Colt invented a gun that could fire multiple bullets without needing a reload. This revolver had machined, interchangeable parts which were much less costly to repair or replace.

During the same time, American gunmakers were rapidly developing firearms for the Civil War and for use by the military and lawmen such as the Texas Rangers. Iconic firearms makers Samuel Colt, Samuel Wesson, Horace Smith, and Oliver Winchester all began work on their own styles of revolvers, cylinder rifles, and metallic rimfire cartridges.

The Model 1866 lever-action repeating Winchester rifle was used in the American West and its popularity continued with the Model 1873. In 1903, Winchester introduced the first automatic rifle that became widely used.

Guns from this era continue to influence firearms designs to this day and the 1800s saw the development of iconic firearms like the repeating rifle, six-shooters, shotguns, machine guns, and automatic pistols.

In 1892 automatic firearms were developed by Joseph Laumann, however, the Borchardt pistol of 1893 was the first one that had a removable magazine in the grip.  This design became standard and was rapidly used by Browning, Luger, Mauser, and Colt models.

Firearms at The Hub

If you are interested in learning more about firearms, our professionals are here to help. We have everything you need before and after you buy a gun and we have a large selection of firearms to choose from.

To browse our firearms, visit us in Tucson, Lakeside, Phoenix, or online.

Concealed carry can help ensure you are ready to defend yourself in the worst-case scenario. If you choose to carry, you should make sure you have the necessary skills and preparation to do so safely and effectively. This article includes some of the most common concealed carry mistakes that beginners make so you know what to avoid.

1. Drawing Attention To Your Weapon

When you first start to carry a concealed firearm, it may feel uncomfortable. This can lead you to draw attention to your weapon by fidgeting, walking unnaturally, adjusting its position, or moving your clothing.

Drawing attention to your weapon can be dangerous. It can also make others nervous and can cause uncomfortable situations that could be avoided.

To help avoid this, experiment at home to find the carry method/a> that works best for you. Take into account the style of clothing you wear and what feels most comfortable. Buying a high-quality holster also helps, which brings us to our next point.

2. Using a Low-Quality Holster

You likely put a lot of effort into choosing the right gun for your needs. Putting a similar level of care into choosing a holster is important. You’ll be using your holster every time you carry your weapon, so it needs to be comfortable, durable, and secure.

Depending on the type of gun you have, you may want to get a custom holster for that model. In any case, you should be sure that the holster keeps your gun firmly in place and protects the trigger.

3. Not Maintaining Your Gun

It’s important to clean your gun regularly so you can trust that it is ready to work if you need it. Ideally, you should do this after every time you use your gun. You should also check for damage regularly and if you notice any issues, take the weapon to a gunsmith right away.

4. Being Unaware of Gun Laws

You should know all relevant laws when it comes to carrying your firearm and using it in self-defense. Taking a concealed carry weapon (CCW) class can help with this. You may also want to look into getting concealed carry insurance to ensure you have access to a lawyer if you ever need one.

5. Not Getting the Proper Training

Since Arizona is a constitutional carry state, you don’t need any training to carry a concealed weapon. However, it can be helpful to take a permit class anyway. As we mentioned above, you will have the opportunity to learn about important gun laws.  You can also take advantage of CCW reciprocity.

In addition to getting a CCW, there are other types of training you can pursue, from one-on-one lessons to group classes. No matter which option(s) you choose, it’s important to make sure you fully understand how to operate your gun. You should also train regularly at the range in addition to any classes you take and make sure your skills stay sharp.

Choose The Hub For Your Concealed Carry Needs

The Hub is your one-stop gun shop and we have everything you need for concealed carry. We offer CCW classes, firearms training, a physical range and a MILO virtual range at our Tucson location, and, of course, a large selection of handguns.

Visit us in Tucson, Lakeside, or Phoenix or shop for guns and accessories online.