In-Home Storage Options:
 
When storing at home:

(1) Unload firearms before storage

(2) Store ammunition and firearms apart and safely


There are four main ways to safely store firearms and ammunition in your home:

1. Gun Cabinets or Safes

Here are some local options for gun cabinets or safes:
Store: Location: Price: Miles from New London:
Ace Hardware
Mo-Fr: 7a-7p
Sa: 8a-6p
Su:9a-5p 		257 Newport Rd, New London, NH 03257 ~$1000 1 mi
Pinnacle Sports
Mo-Fr: 10a-6p
Sa: 10a-4p		 22 Coitview Dr, Newport, NH 03773 $150+ 12 mi
Tractor Supply
Mo-Sa: 8a-9p
Su: 9a-7p		 419 Main St, Claremont, NH 03743 $120+ 23 mi
Pros
  • Best form of security
  • Can store firearms of many sizes
    •
  • Best method against general theft
Cons
  • Large
  • Heavy
  • Can be expensive
    •


2. Gun Lock Boxes

Here are some local options for gun lock boxes:
Store: Location: Price: Miles from New London:
Walmart
Mo-Su: 6a-11p		 14 Bowen St, Claremont, NH, 03743 $20 21 mi
Tractor Supply
Mo-Sa: 8a-9p
Su: 9a-7p		 419 Main St, Claremont, NH 03743 $40-200+ 23 mi
Staples
Mo-Fr: 8a-8p
Sa-Su: 9a-7p		 254 Plainfield Rd., Lebanon, NH 03784 $35-80 28 mi
Pros
  • Less expensive
Cons
  • Can be stolen or taken apart
  • Too small for some firearms
  • Won't fit a larger firearm collection

Look for TSA approved ones


3. Cable or Trigger Locks

Here are some local options for cable and trigger locks:
Store: Location: Price: Miles from New London:
Sunapee Police Department
Mo-Fr: 8a-4p		 1388 US-4, Danbury, NH, 03230 $6 11 mi
Gungewam Outfitters
We-Th:1p-5p
Fr-Sa: 9a-5p
Su: 10a-5p 		1388 US-4, Danbury, NH, 03230 $6 11 mi
Walmart
6a-11p 		14 Bowen St, Claremont, NH, 03743 $6-40 21 mi
Dartmouth Hitchcock
24 hours		 ED; Molly’s Place at the Family Center FREE 27 mi
Alstead Police Department
Call 603-835-6277 for availability		 15 Mechanic St., Alstead, NH 03602 FREE 35 mi
Cheshire County Sheriff
Mo-Fr: 8a-4p		 12 Court St., Keene, NH 03431 FREE 48 mi
Keene Police Department
Mo-Fr: 8a-3:30p		 400 Marlboro St., Keene, NH 03431 FREE 49 mi
Pros
  • Easy to use with most firearms
  • Can obtain for free or low cost
Cons
  • Key must be stored separately
  • Some may be easier to break


4. Disassembly
Pros
  • Works with most types of firearms
  • Can remove firing pin, bolt, or other vital components
Cons
  • Some firearms cannot be taken apart
  • If taking apart more than one firearm, you need to keep track of which parts go with which firearm
Tips
  • YouTube has disassembly videos for most firearm types and models
  • Gunsmiths, gun shops, or shooting ranges can help



Out-of-Home Storage Options:


There are two main out-of-home ways to safely store firearms and ammunition:

1. Friend, family, or neighbor
Pros
  • Quick and easy way to get firearms out of the house
  • Firearms are stored with trusted person
Cons
  • Can make it hard if you want to use them

Check that the person is allowed to have a firearm and does not live with anyone who might not be safe around it


2. Police Departments

Here are some local options out-of-home storage options
Name: Location: Price: Miles from New London:
Lebanon Police Department
Lebanon residents only		 36 Poverty Ln., Lebanon, NH 03766 FREE 26 mi
Alstead Police Department
Alstead residents only		 15 Mechanic St., Alstead, NH 03602 FREE 35 mi
Windsor County Sheriff's Department 62 Pleasant St., Woodstock, VT 05091 FREE 41 mi
Cheshire County Sheriff 12 Court St., Keene, NH 03431 FREE 48 mi
Keene Police Department 400 Marlboro St., Keene, NH 03431 FREE 49 mi
Pros
  • Police departments may store your firearms temporarily
Cons
  • Not all police departments offer this service



© 2026 Dartmouth College. All rights reserved. This website presents research conducted at Dartmouth College in collaboration with Dartmouth Health for clinical quality improvement purposes. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission of the creators. Content is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always seek the advice or help of a qualified health care professional with any health-related questions. Plan and Protect is not affiliated with any organizations, storage locations, or hotlines presented. Plan and Protect was informed by Lock and Protect. © 2019 UCLA. Lock and Protect is licensed under the UCLA Academic Software License for academic/nonprofit research use only. Lock and Protect is a derivative work of Lock2Live®, which is a copyright protected program out of the University of Colorado and is a registered trademark of the University of Colorado. This work was supported by the National Institute Of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01NR021638. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.