redkow97 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Fully mobile daughter and desire to expand my firearms collection has me considering ways to keep my guns locked up. Currently I just keep everything in range bags and tool boxes in my bedroom closet. Nothing is stored loaded, but I also do not store the gun with my bolt locked open. What I'm debating is building a sturdy wooden cabinet, or purchasing a metal cabinet. Both would lock. The wooden cabinet could be custom built to match my bedroom furniture, or built tough & ugly if I hide it in a closet. I know this will not stop determined thieves, but a bulky gun safe is not in my budget, nor does it fit the décor of my bedroom - and that is where I want to store my firearms, so I have access to them in the (admittedly unlikely) event of a home invasion. From a security standpoint, this would only be designed to stop kids (mine and her friends) or truly inept thieves (working in the criminal justice system, this covers a significant portion of the gun-stealing population...). At that point the debate comes down to whether I want something tough & ugly built into the corner of my closet (screwed into the wall studs so the whole cabinet can't easily be removed), or if I want something closer to my bed, also screwed into the wall studs, but more decorative looking to match the bedroom set. The main drawback with that is that it's out in the open, and warrants attention. I would plan to put faux drawers on the cabinet door, but I can't think of any way to cleanly hide the lock(s). So a few basic questions for the group: 1) is a cheap metal cabinet better?2) do you think it's dumb to have the cabinet out in the open when 'hiding' it in the closet is a viable option? This isn't intended to be a monstrosity of a piece - I would just want a couple of shelves for handguns (no more than 4) and ammo, and then room for 2-4 rifles. I'd use pretty thick wood - at least 3/4" just so that it's solid and substantial enough to take some abuse from an amateur. Corners would be reinforced with angled metal, and I might even consider plating the interior with cheap sheet-metal and short wood-screws to hold the wood together better if someone starts beating on it, and maybe make the whole thing more resistant to fire. I'd want room for a fire-box to store ammo as well. I'd probably throw personal items like social security cards and birth certificates in there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcat6183 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) If you have Menards up there, they have the cheap metal Stack On/Sentenial brand "safes" for like 79-99 on sale. I think Vances down here runs them for 79 bux year round at all their stores. Stop in there on the way to Circleville. I have that bolted to the floor and wall, then added a top cabinet that was like 59 that is mounted to the wall and the top of the unit both. Actually thanks for reminding me, I need to add more lag bolts into the floor tonight, just because I want to and got some with my garage heater. It's going to be WAY cheaper to just buy one, than build one, plus take less time, and probably be more secure, especially for the price. Oh and also mine is in the closet next to our bed. The wife had to give up a few feet of rail space but I gave her 2 closets so she had to agree to this regardless. I am not having the majority of my guns more than 5 feet from my bed. Granted I have multiple others around the house, but still. Edited February 24, 2015 by madcat6183 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bark615 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 What he said ^^^ You will blow through $100 worth of materials on a DIY project. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo72 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 I have one of the cheapo stack on cabinets. I put a metal latch on it in addition to the built in lock. I put a combo lock so that if my kid grabbed my keys he wouldn't able to get in. It won't stop a determined thief but it might stop a smash and grab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted February 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 what about fire boxes for ammo? what do you guys use so there aren't 5,000 rounds of 22lr flying at the fire department if the house goes up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted February 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 is this what you're talking about? http://www.menards.com/main/safes/pistols-up-to-14/stack-on-security-plus-8-gun-cabinet-6-6-cu-ft-keyed-lock-green/p-1720306-c-19101.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo72 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Yes. That is very similar to what I have. It reminds me of a gym locker. It's not very thick steel but it does the trick unless your kid routinely uses a pry bar and hammer. is this what you're talking about? http://www.menards.com/main/safes/pistols-up-to-14/stack-on-security-plus-8-gun-cabinet-6-6-cu-ft-keyed-lock-green/p-1720306-c-19101.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myhondas Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) Another option would be something like this...... http://www.gunsafes.com/Modular-Safes.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiA37CnBRChp7e-pM2Mzp0BEiQAlSxQCFcL6Lbvry-kQzmdjJBZrUW64B4PSwdzAAg8jEkZqyUaAj_18P8HAQ I have seen a number of different options like these in the American Rifleman Magazine. Edited February 24, 2015 by myhondas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gump Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Ammo won't be flying if there's a fire. It just kinda pops. No energy behind it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcat6183 Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Yeah thats kinda what I have but its a 10=12 gun one, forget. I know they are cheap though, like uber cheap. heck I think Ebay sells them actually. But seriously, Vances on the south side of Cbus right off 270, when you come down to Circleville you'll pass it, they are the cheapest for those unless Menards is on sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 I just question the security of a flimsy metal cabinet... I feel like a decent wooden cabinet would actually be more secure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 alright, you've convinced me. I am really trying not to be the guy who just keeps the thread alive until somebody tells him what he wants to hear... I would really like an excuse to buy a table saw though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted July 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 Time to make a purchase. I'm between the stack-on 8 rifle metal cabinet that's been linked multiple times above, and an in-wall model that holds 2 rifles and a little else. The only advantage to the in-wall model is that it doesn't take up space in the closet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smccrory Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 Has anyone ever bought a safe or cabinet they thought 6 months later was too big? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myhondas Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 Has anyone ever bought a safe or cabinet they thought 6 months later was too big?not in this lifetime...always find that you got it slightly tooooooo small Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo72 Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 Maybe if you get divorced shortly after and loose half yer shit. Has anyone ever bought a safe or cabinet they thought 6 months later was too big? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smccrory Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 Maybe if you get divorced shortly after and loose half yer shit. True story. Then you recoup for a bit and fill it back up again... :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted July 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 i'm going with the 8 or 10 gun cabinet. I almost ordered online, but the one that is $89 online is "ready to assemble," which, while I trust myself to assemble it well, means it's subject to deconstruction by someone motivated... The next step up is $130 online or $90 at Fin Feather & Fur... may as well drive down and pay the tax on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedytriple Posted July 16, 2015 Report Share Posted July 16, 2015 Gander has a double door stack on thats on sale pretty cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aforrest4 Posted July 16, 2015 Report Share Posted July 16, 2015 My safes are always too small. Can't fit enough stuff in them. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buck_i Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 I bought this one at the beginning of the year: http://www.menards.com/main/home-decor/furniture/safes/long-gun-safes/sentinel-trade-18-gun-black-convertible-steel-security-cabinet-with-key-lock-12-cu-ft/p-1720308-c-19101.htm I got it for a little less than that because it was on sale. I like it a lot. You can either set it up to hold 18 long guns, or add a divider in the center with shelves on one side. This worked best for me because I could store my long guns on one side, and my handgun and ammo stash on the other. Plus I've got a little room to expand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gump Posted July 19, 2015 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 My safes are always too small. Can't fit enough stuff in them. LOLTruth /\The bodies start to liquefy eventually. Always line it with trash bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted November 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2015 stumbled upon this thread and realized that while i was talking about a 2-rifle cabinet, I ended up buying one that can fit up to 16 rifles I still need to screw it into the wall and set up the shelving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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