Homemade Gun Storage
Proper storage of firearms accomplishes three important items: it reduces the opportunities for unauthorized people to access them, it protects them from wear and tear, and it reduces clutter. There are special gun safes that are available, but they tend to be on the expensive side, and they can oftentimes weigh much more than is feasible for a smaller dwelling.
DIY gun storage with low cost material and easily followed ways to put it together can prove to be a problem solver.
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Things You'll Need
- One steel storage cabinet
- Heavy duty clasp lock with smooth headed bolts/matching nuts
- Electric drill with drill bit matching bolt diameter.
- High quality combination or padlock
- (optional) Sufficient drywall to cover insides of cabinet
- (optional) Drywall cutter
- (optional) Measuring tape
- (optional) Dismantled wine racks
- (optional) All purpose glue
- (optional) Vinyl wood veneer covering
Instructions
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Determine how much interior room you'll need based upon the amount of guns expected to be stored. Obtain a sturdy, two door, vertical steel supply cabinet that will hold that amount, plus leave room for future expansion. These cabinets normally come with three shelves.
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Remove the bottom two shelves that hamper the placement of long guns. The top shelf can be kept for handguns, ammo, and other supplies. If desired, cut drywall into matching sections for the inside of the cabinet and glue to the interior walls. This will give a small measure of fire protection.
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Maintain good order in the cabinet by adding racks to store the long guns. One easy and inexpensive option is to find and dismantle an old wine rack and attach the parts which held the wine unto the inner sides and back of the cabinet. The indentations used to hold the neck of the wine bottle are often the perfect size to snuggle the barrel into, allowing the firearm to stand upright in the cabinet instead of leaning against the wall or other guns.
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Cover the exterior of the cabinet with vinyl wood veneer or other type of paneling if a look other than metal is desired.
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Drill holes into the front doors about two thirds up the height of the cabinet. Attach both sides of hasps to the doors with bolts and nuts, ensuring that the smooth end of the bolt faces outwards.
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Thread a lock through the hasp with the doors closed and lock.
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Tips & Warnings
For extra security you can drill a dozen two-inch screws through the back of the cabinet and into wall studs.
If you live in a damp climate a gun-safe dehumidifier is a good, inexpensive investment.
If you cannot find a wine rack that fits your needs then a simple support can be made by cutting one inch "v grooves" into a 2X4 and attaching that to the inside as a holder for the barrels.
Low-cost used storage cabinets can often be found advertised on the Internet.
When handling firearms safety is always paramount.
No storage is completely secure. Use several layers of protection for your firearms, such a burglar alarms, security lighting, and good quality door locks.
References
- Photo Credit lady with a gun image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
