Description: Safe gun storage is a vital part of a gun ownership culture. In this article, we cover the most popular gun storage solutions, together with their pros and cons.
Gun ownership isn’t only about opportunities. The responsibility that is given together with a gun exceeds all other benefits it brings. Gun literacy is pivotal for ensuring the safest environment for all parties involved, gun owners and people around them. Gun storage is one of the aspects of gun literacy that people sometimes neglect. GRITR Sports deems it important to remind people of how crucial it is to store your firearms securely. In this article, we cover the most popular gun storage solutions.
Gun Safes
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about storage and safety is safes. A gun safe is a secure storage solution for firearms, ammunition, money, and all other personal belongings you want to keep secure. Gun safes may come in different sizes, shapes, and designs, depending on their intended use and the number of guns you have. As a rule, it is a metal box with a door, lock, and handle that can only be opened with a key or combination code.
The ultimate protection is one of the biggest advantages of gun safes. Theft, fire, child curiosity – the safe can prevent all sorts of hazards and complications from reaching your gun. As some firearms are too big to be stored in regular moderately-sized safes, it’s vital to get a dedicated gun safe. There you can safely store your firearms, be it something as big as M4 rifles or small like Ruger LCP Max. Some gun safes, however, have compartments for storing documents, jewelry, and other similarly-sized items, so you won’t have to sacrifice the safety of other things of value.
Gun safes aren’t perfect, of course. There are some cons to consider before installing one. Gun safes aren’t known for being the most affordable safe storage solutions. The sky’s the only limit here, though you can easily find cheaper safes. Regardless of their price, all gun safes are challenging to move and install as they can be heavy and require professional installation.
Lastly, there is one thing worth keeping in mind all the time. Only people whom you consider responsible and trustworthy should know where the key lies or what the combination is. The cases of neglectful ownership are not unheard of, and so are the cases of children finding their parent’s guns.
Gun Cabinets
If you want your firearm collection to please your eye every time you come by it, then a gun cabinet might do the trick. It typically has multiple compartments and shelves to accommodate various types of guns or ammunition. In contrast to gun safes, cabinets are rarely used for storage purposes only. Often vital parts of rooms’ interiors, gun cabinets combine being status-showing pieces of furniture and secure storage solutions. Glass doors are the most popular choice for gun cabinets, yet more discreet options are also available.
Despite their seeming accessibility, gun cabinets are not deprived of security measures. They have locking mechanisms that ensure only authorized users can access firearms. Those are usually restricted to regular key locks, but a lot of valuable things are protected by these humble guardians.
However, installing a gun cabinet can be tricky, especially if you have limited space or need to secure it to a wall or floor. Here, all the regular rules for handling big furniture are equally applicable. It’s crucial to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and make sure that your gun cabinet is well-anchored. Obviously, no secrecy can be achieved with this solution. Everybody who enters your house will see your impressive collection. Let’s hope none of them will bear ill intentions.
Gun Cases
Gun cases are the most widespread and popular choice for gun storage as they offer both portability and protection for firearms. Typically, gun cases are made of hard, durable materials such as plastic or metal and are equipped with padding or foam to prevent scratching or any other damage to the gun. They come in various sizes and shapes, offering flexibility for storing different types of firearms. Some of them are big enough to store two long guns simultaneously.
One of the main advantages of gun cases is their portability. Since you’ll inevitably need some sort of container to carry your firearm to a shooting range, a gun case might very well seem like the best solution. Safely store your firearm at home, then bring it out for a walk to a shooting range – all using the same container. Looks like a win-win to us.
There is one noticeable drawback, however. Gun cases are not the safest storage solution for guns. They are much easier to open than gun safes, and offer less protection in general. Gun cases might work as storage solutions for owners of a single gun, but if you have a collection, opt for something more capacious.
Trigger Gun Locks
One of the safety storage measures that gun owners tend to forget about is a trigger guard lock. These locks are designed to fit over the trigger mechanism of your firearm, rendering it inoperable until disabled.
Trigger guard locks come in a variety of designs from keyed or combination locks to programmable options. The most notable difference between them is the speed of unlocking. Biometric locks, that work utilizing the user’s fingerprint, are the fastest to unlock, but they are also the most expensive.
The main benefit of using trigger guard locks is increased safety. They make for a great complement to any of the storage solutions we’ve covered. With a trigger guard lock in place, you can be confident that even if somebody breaches your defenses, they won’t be able to use the gun.