Just ordered a gun locker

Cropduster172

Cropduster172

Joined
Apr 20, 2021
Messages
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While I have a secure locker for my handguns, I've never had anything to at least minimally secure my rifles and shotgun. In the course of painting and remodeling the small walk-in closet in one of our spare bedrooms...which is where I kept my long guns, I decided it was time to find a better secure home for them. So instead of keeping them in their respective bags with the magazine pouches and straps, I ordered this from Amazon.
Comes in about 2 weeks.

Amazon.com
I'll keep those guns in the basement and screw this unit into some exposed studs in one of the unfinished storage rooms. While there's something to be said about the convenience of grabbing and going with the bags propped in the corner of a closet, we do have a curious granddaughter over now and then.

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Astro14 said:
I am always in favor of better storage. This looks like it ships “flat pack” like IKEA furniture and you put it together. Not a safe, per se, but certainly enough to prevent curious grandchildren from discovering your guns, or from a smash and grab burglar making off with your guns.
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Precisely. It's sheet metal with a fairly robust locking system that's either digital keypad combination or manual key. We're pretty distant from any significant crime areas, got two dogs of which one thinks he's a tough guy, a decent alarm system and I'm retired law enforcement. Breaking in to our place would be an unfortunate choice.
 
Wise decision. For decades, I stored my guns in an old fashioned wooden gun cabinet, with a glass windowed door. A few years ago I also decided it was time to make sure my firearms were secure from curious grandchildren, and bought a gun safe.

Protecting my grandchildren is my #1 priority, for having a gun safe. My #2 priority is keeping my guns out of the hands of thieves. I would hate to ever have one of my guns used by a criminal, in committing a crime, particularly if a victim was injured. A distant #3 priority is protecting my firearms in a house fire.

While my gun safe does have insulation, and has a fire rating, I am totally aware that in real world situations, gun safes rarely protect guns from a house fire, well enough for them to be usable after the fire. So I can see why you chose a gun locker over a gun safe.
 
BHopkins said:
Wise decision. For decades, I stored my guns in an old fashioned wooden gun cabinet, with a glass windowed door. A few years ago I also decided it was time to make sure my firearms were secure from curious grandchildren, and bought a gun safe.

Protecting my grandchildren is my #1 priority, for having a gun safe. My #2 priority is keeping my guns out of the hands of thieves. I would hate to ever have one of my guns used by a criminal, in committing a crime, particularly if a victim was injured. A distant #3 priority is protecting my firearms in a house fire.

While my gun safe does have insulation, and has a fire rating, I am totally aware that in real world situations, gun safes rarely protect guns from a house fire, well enough for them to be usable after the fire. So I can see why you chose a gun locker over a gun safe.
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Many of those glass door cases are really nice pieces of furniture but they are an attraction for those that shouldn't touch them.
 
Cropduster172 said:
Many of those glass door cases are really nice pieces of furniture but they are an attraction for those that shouldn't touch them.
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I have one I keep my old military rifles in (bolt action) just because it just looks so nice in a den.. No ammo around though so worst that could happen is a 10lb rifle falling on someone. I have a regular gun safe I keep most things in. Only time that gives me pause is when someone else's kids are in the house, but we steer them away from that room.
 
This thing arrived today. 8 days early to the Amazon seller's credit and in perfect condition. Enough Styrofoam to raise the Titanic. Now it's a DIY assembly type thing and the Chinese instructions are mostly useless, but if you have a lick of DIY common sense and a little experience assembling IKEA crap....all good. Think I'll place it on top of an 8" block since there's HVAC stuff, water heater , condensate pump,etc..in the same room.


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Took about 1.5 hours to assemble and place on a 8" block to keep it above any potential leaks in the furnace room as the water heater and other plumbing is in their. Fit and finish is pretty good. It's not a safe but I don't want a safe. It's secure and screwed to a steel stud.
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Cropduster172 said:
Precisely. It's sheet metal with a fairly robust locking system that's either digital keypad combination or manual key. We're pretty distant from any significant crime areas, got two dogs of which one thinks he's a tough guy, a decent alarm system and I'm retired law enforcement. Breaking in to our place would be an unfortunate choice.
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Sounds like me. I have 3 of those same sized metal cabinets since I don't have a ton of guns. Didn't want/need a safe and one sized for all my stuff would be hideously expensive, not to mention heavy. I have dead space behind a walk-in closet that I made a false wall for the cabinets along with storage space for all the ammo. LOTS of ammo 😁.
 
shortyb said:
Sounds like me. I have 3 of those same sized metal cabinets since I don't have a ton of guns. Didn't want/need a safe and one sized for all my stuff would be hideously expensive, not to mention heavy. I have dead space behind a walk-in closet that I made a false wall for the cabinets along with storage space for all the ammo. LOTS of ammo 😁.
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Yeah. I stocked up on ammunition years ago when 9mm was $8-$9/box. Sometimes cheaper. I bought cases of 9mm,.223, .22 and some .45.
Bought some of those plastic storage shelves from Home Depot and I keep it all in the same furnace room as the new gun locker. In hind sight, I wish I had stocked up more on .38, which I'm finding lately is expensive and minimal selection.
Best deal I found lately was $15/box from Target Sports USA...limit of 5 boxes per customer. Not great stuff either. 4-5 duds in 2 boxes. I think it's New Republic brand. Have shot a ton of their 9mm with no issues. But the .38...👎👎
 
Cropduster172 said:
While I have a secure locker for my handguns, I've never had anything to at least minimally secure my rifles and shotgun. In the course of painting and remodeling the small walk-in closet in one of our spare bedrooms...which is where I kept my long guns, I decided it was time to find a better secure home for them. So instead of keeping them in their respective bags with the magazine pouches and straps, I ordered this from Amazon.
Comes in about 2 weeks.

Amazon.com
I'll keep those guns in the basement and screw this unit into some exposed studs in one of the unfinished storage rooms. While there's something to be said about the convenience of grabbing and going with the bags propped in the corner of a closet, we do have a curious granddaughter over now and then.

View attachment 262318
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Looks like a good value gun storage unit to protect firearms from unintended usuage and to deter thieves without spending a fortune . Bolt it up to a couple of studs inside the back of your clothing closet would be pretty ideal .
 
ChrisD46 said:
Looks like a good value gun storage unit to protect firearms from unintended usuage and to deter thieves without spending a fortune . Bolt it up to a couple of studs inside the back of your clothing closet would be pretty ideal .
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I bolted it to a steel stud in the basement storage room.
 
Cropduster172 said:
Took about 1.5 hours to assemble and place on a 8" block to keep it above any potential leaks in the furnace room as the water heater and other plumbing is in their. Fit and finish is pretty good. It's not a safe but I don't want a safe. It's secure and screwed to a steel stud. View attachment 263395View attachment 263396
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Do you have metal studs in your house? Not 2x4 lumber?
 
In the event that the digital lock malfunctions, does it come with a backup key? I have big, 202 kilo gun safe with a digital lock, and began malfunctioning after about two years of use. Thank God I can remove the face plate and use a physical key to get into it.
 
burbguy82 said:
Do you have metal studs in your house? Not 2x4 lumber?
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Only in the basement where it was finished sometime after the home was built and long before we moved in 5 years ago. So it's a poured concrete foundation, they spaced the steel studs about 12" in from the foundation walls and put fiberglass insulation in that dead space and drywalled it. It's also those insulated, acoustic drop ceiling panels. I can crank up my home theater system and the neighbors will hear nothing. One window in the furnace room where the gun locker is. It's behind the outside AC unit. Two unfinished storage areas are standard 2x4 framing. Live on a golf course.
 
Jeffrey said:
In the event that the digital lock malfunctions, does it come with a backup key? I have big, 202 kilo gun safe with a digital lock, and began malfunctioning after about two years of use. Thank God I can remove the face plate and use a physical key to get into it.
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One backup key for the combination lock for the rifle compartment and one for the smaller cubby up top plus a battery powered jumper pack if/when the combination lock batteries die.
 
Cropduster172 said:
Only in the basement where it was finished sometime after the home was built and long before we moved in 5 years ago. So it's a poured concrete foundation, they spaced the steel studs about 12" in from the foundation walls and put fiberglass insulation in that dead space and drywalled it. It's also those insulated, acoustic drop ceiling panels. I can crank up my home theater system and the neighbors will hear nothing. One window in the furnace room where the gun locker is. It's behind the outside AC unit. Two unfinished storage areas are standard 2x4 framing. Live on a golf course.
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i was going to suggest a wood backer behind you safe, if it was just metal studs.
 
Cropduster172 said:
Good thinking Running a 4' 2x4 or even 1x3 locks up the studs laterally. I could run it above the locker without moving it.
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Sure, as long as your safe is not just being held in by a sheet metal screw....... was my point. No structural metal studs can get a screw ripped out easily.
 
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