WEAPONS CACHE 101

[ZenDog]

Seems like this might be the right place for this topic. I have been avidly following the guns? what guns? thread here at TGO and there are a lot of good ideas and differing opinions.

If you think someone is coming to take your weapons and you do not have the means to stop them from doing so, the topic of weapons caching might be worth considering and researching.

Got this in an email a few weeks ago from warriortalk.com

WEAPONS CACHE 101

I don't believe in burying weapons. Still, I have received so many emails about this that I guess I need to mention something. Whatever you do, you need to keep at least one weapon set (pistol and rifle) with you along with the accompanying ammo. But for those with extensive arsenals who want to secure them better and outside of the "gun safe" method, read on.

To cache means to hide something. You don't learn to cache the sorts of things we are talking about in police academy, you learn it from criminals. A true cache, like we are discussing, should be able to lay undetected for years.

There may be varying levels of caches as well. An E&E (escape and evasion) cache will contain a complete getaway kit in addition to a pistol and maybe a folding stock AK, that while well hidden, can be grabbed up and used in a blink of an eye. Think of that as a hidden bug out kit. Such a cache will contain stuff to fight with, stuff to treat injuries with, stuff to eat, and stuff to use to change your appearance. A few $100 bills would be a good idea too. All of that can go in a small backpack (except for the AK).

I don't think anyone has interest in the cache of "sports guns", so we will focus on the cache of fighting weapons such as assault rifles and combat pistols. Remember to make certain to leave no fingerprints on any cache item. All caching must be done with latex gloves on and those of you with hairy arms, wear long sleeves taped at the cuffs. Free market guns (private party anonymous purchases) are better for this than those whose numbers are married to you.

Remember that it is not enough to dig and bury as the "fresh grave" in your front yard will only draw attention. You need to "hide" it. Look at three broad categories: rural caches, urban caches, and underwater caches.

Rural Cache - In the countryside, cache options abound. Needless to say that a cache can be located on your property, but look to cache stuff either on someone else's land, or in public land. Look for old piles of metal or used up farm equipment. These make great places as few snoopers will want to move a bunch of rusty junk around. And all that metal wreaks havoc on any technical search methods. Abandoned farmhouses, ruins, and foundations provide countless hiding places, as do small caves, old mines, and even graveyards. Just look for places where people would tend to not want to go, or places that would be overlooked. It is a good idea to GPS the coordinates and memorize them like your birthday.

The Urban Cache - In cities you must be more creative. You need to find a quiet dark out of the way corner were you can remove some tile or blocks or panels to create an improvised vault. Remember, make it look nasty and few people will put their hands in there.

The Underwater Cache - Arms may be sealed into a big PVC pipe, then sunk. The Swiss did this during WW2 as a fallback in the event Hitler's forces invaded

No matter where your cache will be located, you should go to great pains to make sure that it remains sealed and moisture proof. A large PVC pipe works fine, but I am more in favor of a large Pelican Case. Remember that if your cache is damaged by nature, you will have wasted your time. A Pelican case can not only be made water proof, but is as strong as steel.

A chunk of dry ice dropped into a watertight package and allowed to "steam off" before sealing will purge out the rust producing oxygen. Silica desiccant bags are also necessary -specially for an ammo cache. Where possible, for long term storage seal the lids with a bead of silicone glue.

Where tight space is a consideration, as in urban caches, you may have to merely wrap your weapons in plastic. In this case use the biggest thickest heavy duty lawn and garden bags you can find. After placing the arms inside, suck out all the air you can, twist the end, and duct tape the hell out of the entire bag.

Memorize the location of your cache. Take compass readings and GPS coordinates as well as the use of landmarks. Keep an eye on it regularly by simply driving by if nothing else. Be alert to construction around your cache. If you see signs of activity, or the survey stakes go up, move it out immediately. When you look for a cache location, consider that you will need an excuse for being near it. This is easy in rural areas but slightly more complicated in the urban environment.

When returning to a cache, do some counter-surveillance. Move through the area looking for anyone or anything out of place, or anyone who may be staking it out, or even a new "utility box" which may contain a remotely operated camera. When making a final approach, don't walk right up to it. Just as discussed in Roger's Ranger Rule Book, "fish hook" your trail, double back and observe your own path in to check for followers. This may take some time, but is well worth it.

Finally, walk right past your cache and make it appear you are doing something, or unloading something into an adjacent area. This is simply a ruse for the event you are compromised. If you are contacted at this point, your adversaries may not find the true cache, and your "cover for action" is believable. Only when you are truly sure of your safety should you go to the cache and unload it. Consider leaving tell-tale secret marks which will tell you if anyone has disturbed and replaced your cache. It is a favorite trick of security forces to put tracking devices into cached weapons in order to follow the guerrilla back to his base and catch the entire band.

A tell-tale may be a bit of thread or a pebble etc. placed in such a way that if the cache is disturbed it will break or fall out without the security forces noticing it.

Having written all of this, I want to make a point - I don't like the idea of caching weapons for the reasons most folks will do it. Freedoms are not given, they are taken. And once possessed, they cannot be taken away while the original owner lives and is willing to kill and die to keep them. We would be a different nation if those who live here today had not forgotten that lesson of yesterday.

Gabe Suarez

Suarez International USA, Inc.

One Source Tactical

info@suarezinternational.com

Office 928-776-4492

Edited January 28, 2009 by ZenDog
forgot to include a couple of links

[Guest Astra900]

Great post.

While you may not agree with the reasons for doing so, I'm sure you are wise enough to see the need to do it anyway. We all talk and type of our don't tread on me attitude, but how far will it go, before you fire your first shot?

It's kinda hard to make my point, I think I insulted someone on another thread for this very thing (and I'm sorry). Will anyone ever get the ball rolling? I don't think so, not until much, much later.

The need to stash a few things will become even more apparent in the next few years.

Once again great post, there are so many ways to stash things, it's endless. If you ARE going to bury stuff, be sure to pile some old car parts or something around. You'll need enough junk around the site to deter "THE MAN" from wanting to dig. When his metal detector goes crazy and there's a dozen old brake discs and an odd motor or two, even a handful of loose nuts and bolts (Remember the lawn mower though!!!) he'll be more likely to move on.

Personally I prefer plain sight hiding. Do some research on how the Jewish people hid from the nazis, that should get some creative juices flowing

[Mark@Sea]

If its' time to bury them, I'll already be famous.

[BrasilNuts]

If its' time to bury them, I'll already be famous.

With todays media I think it would be more like infamous.

[The Average Joe]

Gads!

I'm making mental notes like crazy:hyper:.

+1:up: great post ZenDog and great follow up Astra900.

It really makes you think which pistol/rifle combo you want to cache away.

It also makes you say to yourself...this is only something you see in the movies.

Only the heavy-hitting, higher-up spies do this crap...But how long before it comes down to the little guy...a.k.a. The Average Joe.

[Guest Astra900]

Gads!

I'm making mental notes like crazy:hyper:.

+1:up: great post ZenDog and great follow up Astra900.

It really makes you think which pistol/rifle combo you want to cache away.

It also makes you say to yourself...this is only something you see in the movies.

Only the heavy-hitting, higher-up spies do this crap...But how long before it comes down to the little guy...a.k.a. The Average Joe.

So does that mean you wanna split the cost of a length of 6" schedule 80 PVC?:rofl:

[The Average Joe]

So does that mean you wanna split the cost of a length of 6" schedule 80 PVC?:rofl:

Hey, I'm thinkin' crawl space burial and hidden wall panels.

I could really get inventive.

[Guest bkelm18]

Freedoms are not given, they are taken. And once possessed, they cannot be taken away while the original owner lives and is willing to kill and die to keep them. We would be a different nation if those who live here today had not forgotten that lesson of yesterday.

Truer words have never been spoken.

[Guest rockbottom12]

for a backyard cache, (adapted from geocaching) take a log, c and make it stand upright, cut about 4-6inches from the top (think lid) you can drill a hole in the top and place a peg to hold the upper half in place. (ex dowel rod) then hollow out uder where the lid would be. then you can make it look more natural by using motor oil to darken the fresh cuts. place it till it looks like a stum and perhaps place the rest of the log with it laying down to add to the effect.

if you are really going to do this check into geocaching it will give you great ideas.

[The Average Joe]

if you are really going to do this check into geocaching it will give you great ideas.

+1:up:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1735279/posts://

This link goes pretty well with what ZenDog posted.

I did a general search with "firearm cache".

Lots of articles and supplies online.

Edited January 28, 2009 by The Average Joe
found more info.

[dunndw]

If its' time to bury them, I'll already be famous.

heh...amen brother, That's sig line material