An ordinary sofa might hide a pull-out bed or some drink holders, but a new piece of furniture from Heracles Research Corporation is designed to store an arsenal that John McClane would envy. Besides offering a comfy place to sit and watch TV, the CouchBunker conceals a large gun safe and provides some handheld shields with bullet-resistant cushions, just in case you find your living room under siege.
Heracles Research has had some experience with creating inventive anti-theft devices in the past, with previous products like the Bed Bunker and the Burglar Blaster. According to the developers, the CouchBunker is comfortable enough to act as a regular three-seat sofa or even a guest bed without giving any outward appearance of what it contains – though anyone who goes fishing for loose change might be in for a surprise. Removing the couch cushions exposes the safe's door, which is tightly secured with two Mul-T-Locks and a key.
The gun safe itself measures 78 x 29.5 x 14 in (198 x 75 x 36 cm), which the company claims is enough to hold up to 30 rifles with room left over for some ammo, smaller guns, or any other objects you want locked up. Just the safe alone weighs a hefty 650 lb (295 kg), bringing the total weight of the CouchBunker to a whopping 900 lbs (408 kg). So you're going to need either a forklift or a team of strong friends to get it into your living room. The interior of the safe is also lined with a fire wall that's rated for two hours of heat protection.
As a bonus, the company is offering bullet-resistant panels that fit onto the underside of the seat cushions and are capable of stopping a .44 Magnum round, even at point blank range. With the 20 x 24 in (50.8 x 61 cm) plates installed, each cushion is designed to act as a personal shield by pulling them out and gripping the attached handles on the sides.
The CouchBunker has clearly been designed with firearm enthusiasts in mind, but it could also save quite a bit of space if you have some other valuables you want to keep protected. If you need some extra storage, Heracles Research has also built an accompanying ottoman with its own hidden vault, as well as a light weight CouchBunker for boats and RVs.
The company is currently offering the CouchBunker in three distinct styles and a wide variety of colors. Prices range from US$5,036 for the fabric-covered Mesa model to the $7,968 leather Bridgeport version. The optional bullet-resistant plates for the cushions cost an additional $499 a piece.
Check out the video below to see a rep from Heracles Research demonstrate one of the CouchBunker's cushions stopping several bullets with little trouble.
Source: Heracles Research Corp.
