Gun Cabinet, yes or no and why..

[Mark@]

I've struggled with this for many years.  Now that my airgun collection has grown, I'm thinking of a gun cabinet for the upstairs.  Until now, all powder guns go in the safes.  I lock up all ammo, including pellets. 

Some concerns are visitors seeing the guns, identified for theft, etc.  Truth is, you can't be in my gameroom for more than 2 minutes and recognize that a hunter or shooter lives there.  Any delivery guy could have told doznes of people about scopes, etc.  Still, a glass cabinet has airguns or firearms on display.  That said, some folks might confuse the AGs for real guns.  Maybe that makes them uneasy about sending their grade school kids over to play with mine...maybe not.  My younger kids are shooting now and I want them to comfortable around it.

I'm sure it depends on geography, but do you have or not have a cabinet and why? 

Do you display AG or powder guns?

[Kailua]

Better safe then sorry.  Have two grandboys living with me 3yrs and 1yrs old.  I have the same thoughts as you have.  Need to keep the air guns safe when they are older.  These boys are rascals.

[Wheelman88]

I have a gun cabinet for all my guns, air and powder burners.My 13 year old has too many friends around.I don't want to have to explain an accident or theft.

[SAADE]

Gun closet here, 1/8" steel sheet under drywall both sides of walls, 4 hinge steel fire door with 2 dead bolts with 3 inch bolts in hinge jam and 2 more in door jam, all steel door casings and jam. All AGs & PBs are inside closet. No one gets in, nothing gets out.

Home protection guns come to "bed" at night, or go with me CCW during the day.

[mikem5000]

All my guns are in cabinets...the powder guns in my walk in closet in a gun safe and my Ag's in my wooden display in my bedroom along with my Xbow's. All out of reach from my nephew and his friends that come over once in a while. NowI'm working on another cabinet in my spare bedroom for Ag's ....seems that one is on its way to getting full too

[daveshoot]

Two safes, no cabinet. Have a two-year old so "failure is not an option". The P-rod is on top of kitchen cabinets she cannot reach but it may need to go away soon. I would certainly like a wall safe to keep a ready rack near the door, but I don't want anything out where she, friends, and burglars have easy access.

I would love to have a secret room where I could display stuff in the decor I prefer (guns) but I think it is a foolish vanity in my situation.

[william71743]

I've got a gun cabinet here and I need more room . I've never had any problems with the kids and they are grown now . Thinking about moving it into a spare bedroom, and putting a lock on the door . You are defiantly better off not to display them to very many espally strangers.

[william71743]

BY THE WAY ! ! !

[Mark@]

Strangers aren't a real issue, since my gameroom is off the beaten path of the house.  Only guests would ever see it.  Strangers never make it past the living room.  I say gameroom, but even when kid's friends are over, they are sent to the familyroom, or the basement.  So I'm thinking it might not be much of an issue.  Honestly, the gameroom door, when open, hides my current safe.  When people are in the gameroom and I close the door the safe is in plain view.  I can't fit into the sliding door closet, because I have an older Stack-on type that houses a few 22lrs and a ton of ammo.  I lock that closet as well, though the lock simply keeps honest folks out.

As the kids get older, and they invite friends, I guess I need to decide if I will open the gameroom up to them, or just keep making improvements to the basement.  My wife likes the idea of the gameroom being more for adults anyway and my poker table takes up a good bit of room their.  Wow, it's sounding more like a mancave isn't it?

[Ol'DeadEye]

I looking at a Stack-On steel gun cabinet for my airguns for about $200.
Can't justify a full fledged gun safe as insurance would cover fire or theft loss,  but the cabinet would keep snoopers and opportunists away from them.  No glass front for peering eyes.

I'm old and have no youngsters around to worry about.  Nice place to keep things organized and with some sealant and desiccant will keep moisture away from them.
I'll put in my office closet, bolted to the wall and floor and then mount my valuables (title and papers) safe on top of it.

[LeadHead]

I have a LARGE Liberty safe that I bought from Cabela's dirt cheap, and at 650 lbs. I bolted that boy to the floor. If a tornado ever hit Commiefornia this thing is the only thing that will stand upright and untouched amidst all the debris.LOL. I like others put all my PB's as well as my AR's in there with the pellets, but keep my 1377 and my 3 go-to's(NPSS .22, Mossberg Chain Saw 12g, and SW1377) within reach. When I go somewhere for long periods of time I take my guns out of the gun cab and put them in my gunsafe. Not taking chances!

[Onebaddj]

I have all my pb's and high end airrifles in a safe with all my ammo and important papers. Im about to buy a cabinet for my airrifles and ammo to go in because im running out of space. None of my stuff gets put on display or showed off. Ive had my collection stolen once because my wife was leting kids play in my basement where they were locked up. Well somebody told their older bro or dad cause they came back poped locks and away my guns went. Now their all in steel 600 lb safe instead of individual hard cases or crates. You may also get an insurance discount. Id go with a steel cabinet or a full blown fire proof safe.

[junkyspace]

I have my guns bike chained to a "gun rack" through the triggers.  However, I need to get a safer option.  My wife has put the true hold on spending, so I might just go around looking for the ghetto gun safe (used upright freezer) that I'll just add a padlock and latch to.

[VINNY]

My airguns are in cabinets, and wall racks, but not my pb's. They are hidden for now but I will be getting a locking metal cabinet for them like the Stack on above. I have a "gun room" for it all and it is locked, but if someone really wanted in, well..
The pb cabinet will not be in the gun room, but bolted in a wall well hidden.

The kids are all gone so no people here to see them unless I show them.

[makenzie71]

Little bit of everything.  There's firearms throughout my home.  A home protection weapon stays in my nightstand, clip out and inaccessible to the kids.  Depending on what I'm working on, there may be an air rifle out, though ammunition is inaccessible and operating the gun is beyond anyone in the home aside myself.  The powder guns remain locked under combination in the garage.  I leave very little in common viewing areas, but theft and meddling isn't a big concern out in my area.

[Onebaddj]

Junkyspace, thats actually a pretty stinkin good idea! Get an old fridge put a bunch of beer stickers and stuff on it and a pad lock with a little plate inside to reinforce the lock area and its a pretty camoflaged gun safe. Great idea!

[RedFeather]

Stack-On's are, for me, a better choice.  The gun cabinets look great but offer little in the way of security.  Yes, the Stack-On is not a Ft. Knox but it still gives the usual snatch and grab burglar enough disincentive.  What someone said about gun cabinets - You might be careful and not talk up the fact that you have guns but it only takes someone like your wife's bridge partner telling her friends that So and So's husband has all kinds of pretty guns to put you on the radar.

As to just hanging them on the wall, I've been burglarized.  If it's valuable or something I wouldn't want to end up in the wrong hands, it's locked up.

[Mark@]

Junkyspace, thats actually a pretty stinkin good idea! Get an old fridge put a bunch of beer stickers and stuff on it and a pad lock with a little plate inside to reinforce the lock area and its a pretty camoflaged gun safe. Great idea!

I'm not so sure about that.  I like things to breath.  Airtight is a problem and here's why.  If inside the "fridge" gets hot, cold, hot, etc., guns will gather moisture and without fresh air, they won't dry, they'll just rust.   I don't see the any dehumidifier fighting that either, unless you're controlling the temperature in the entire room. 

A lot of folks wrap model trains in bubble wrap and stuff them in a closet or worse a loft or attic.  Well, the trains can't breath and moisture ruins them.  I take a piece of wax paper and wrap each train to protect it from rubbing against others, but I leave the ends open so they can breath.

Insead of a fridge, try finding an economical safe on Craigslist. 

[junkyspace]

Junkyspace, thats actually a pretty stinkin good idea! Get an old fridge put a bunch of beer stickers and stuff on it and a pad lock with a little plate inside to reinforce the lock area and its a pretty camoflaged gun safe. Great idea!

I'm not so sure about that.  I like things to breath.  Airtight is a problem and here's why.  If inside the "fridge" gets hot, cold, hot, etc., guns will gather moisture and without fresh air, they won't dry, they'll just rust.   I don't see the any dehumidifier fighting that either, unless you're controlling the temperature in the entire room. 

A lot of folks wrap model trains in bubble wrap and stuff them in a closet or worse a loft or attic.  Well, the trains can't breath and moisture ruins them.  I take a piece of wax paper and wrap each train to protect it from rubbing against others, but I leave the ends open so they can breath.

Insead of a fridge, try finding an economical safe on Craigslist. 

I wouldn't just use the raw fridge.
1) Remove the compressor
2) Remove the racks
3) Clean the interior, line it with softer material.
4) Punch some holes in it for airflow.
5) Secure it with a latch.

There's more to it that just slapping a gun in a fridge

For me the concern is more for safety from kid's friends coming over than for burglars.

[Mark@]

Gotcha.  Agreed on the safety of the kids.

Regarding burglars and"advertising", let's face it, the list of folks who know we have guns is very long:

Mailman, FedEx, UPS, mail handlers, package handlers, anybody who sees the BassPro sticker on our truck. 

I was a letter carrier for 3 years.  It was a boring job and to keep entertained we'd play guess that package.  The veteran carriers could hold a card up to their forehand and guess how much cash was in it 

We're getting Pyramid Air, Cabelas, Midway USA catalogs, etc.   Trust me, the secret is out.  I do my best to be discreet, but it is what it is.  I just can't make my mind up on the darn cabinet!