Gun Safe vs Lockable Cases

[lazyMlazyK]

I know of some rifles and shotguns (somewhere) that need better storage. The small safe that was in use is kaput and not worth spending the money to fix. I'd rather not spend a bunch of money (that I don't have) on a large safe that needs three/four guys to move, takes up space that I don't have, and would require me to support the floor from underneath on my manufactured home. I recently purchased an Eylar hard case for my competition rifle, and it's built like a tank. It's large enough, I think I could fit two standard hunting-style rifles or shotguns per case. They're also lockable, which would keep them out of small kids' hands (my main goal here). Also, moving them from one location to another someday wouldn't be near as big of a job as moving a huge, heavy safe.

If a guy oiled the guns up well enough for storage, and put a desiccant pack in each case to keep the air dry, do you see any disadvantage to using hard cases for safe storage, other than the possibility of theft? I'm kind of liking the idea.

 

[CJ6]

You can buy a small safe for about the same price as 3 GOOD lockable cases.......

 

[3Sigma]

What about a cabinet? You can bolt it down, but is movable.

Kid protection is good and it can't walk away with a thief like a case.

 

[lazyMlazyK]

What about a cabinet? You can bolt it down, but is movable.

Kid protection is good and it can't walk away with a thief like a case.

I've thought about that, but I don't really have a good place to put a cabinet that can't be seen from the road outside my house.

 

[3Sigma]

I put mine in a closet when I lived in a house with a slab.

 

[LuvDog]

Storage in a case long term with the foam is asking for corrosion problems. Get a metal lockable cabinet - doesn't even have to be a gun cabinet. Get a Husky or Craftsman or office supply cabinet that locks.

 

[No.343]

What do you want your gun safe to do? I wanted mine to mainly protect my children from themselves. I like 3Sigma's solution.

 

[mac86951]

Storage in a case long term with the foam is asking for corrosion problems. Get a metal lockable cabinet - doesn't even have to be a gun cabinet. Get a Husky or Craftsman or office supply cabinet that locks.

Or a stack on flat-pack cabinet; you assemble it and its lockable. Challenge with all of them is what is the environment seal and how good is it for humidity control purposes.
I'm 50/50 on the subject and tagging in for other opinions, with the understanding that my little ones know how the angle grinder works and they're too young/dumb to be afraid of it.
Foam material construction is not super well advertised and a robust desiccant solution would be needed for cases and even then the long term contact of foam to various finishes can produce different results.

-Mac

 

[M-61]

Someone on here will know….
There’s closed foam and open foam. One is a virtual sponge and the other is not. Don’t have any for storage but have read some heartbroken people opening a case to find everything rusted when the rifles were stored in the wrong case.

 

[Will Henry]

When my wife and I lived in a manufactured home (about 50 years ago) there was enough space on the runners, behind the built-in drawers, for three or four rifles per drawer. Apart from that, I like false walls and concealed locks. WH

 

[joshb]

If you use the cases, get some of these. They work!

 

[garapan]

How about a metal box for shotguns specifically designed for them? It seems to me that this is an ideal option at an affordable price, which can be the solution to your problem.

I saw the shotgun security box for sale at The Safe Keeper where you can also find accessories for protection against moisture.

 

[Forum Boss]

Don't use the hard cases with the foam interiors for long term storage if you have blued guns. I have a friend who had a large collection of Colt SAAs and some classic S&W blued revolvers. He had them in individual foam-lined pistol cases. Over a dozen rusted badly. I recommend protecting the metal with Eezox or other top-quality anti-corrosion product, then use one of the anti-rust bags or BoreStores. All my pistols are in BoreStores inside a safe.

Even 1/4 mile from Pacific ocean in a garage safe, these stayed rust free. Those VCI bags shown above look effective. And the Silver-style bags from Brownells also work.

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[TTE]

I've thought about that, but I don't really have a good place to put a cabinet that can't be seen from the road outside my house.

put a sheet over it .... plenty of ways to disguise it

 

[Uthink Uknow]

Let your imagination run wild

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