Gun Safes | Handgun Storage | GunVault
Gun Safes | Handgun Storage | GunVault
Placement in Safe
I recommend that handguns be placed in the top half of the Gun safes, at eye level if possible. This makes it easier to see what you’re looking for. Additionally, in the case of a flood or water leak, if your handguns are stored well above ground level, there’s a much better chance they’ll stay dry and rust-free. Many locksmiths tell us that water damage is more common with gun safes than fire loss, particularly with safes stored in a basement or storage area below ground level. And remember, even in the case of fire, your safe may end up “ankle-deep” in water once the fire department has done its job.
Gun Rugs and Corrosion Protection
Buy a Bore-Store for each one of your handguns. These are inexpensive and come in a variety of sizes to fit everything from a Walther PPK to a 10″ barreled .44 Mag Hunter. Bore stores cushion your pistols and revolvers–keeping them safe from nicks and scratches. The synthetic fleece fabric is treated to inhibit rust, and the fabric wisks moisture away. I have never seen any rust form on guns I’ve kept in Bore-Stores. Conversely, I’ve had rust start to form on dies kept in plastic boxes. For $7-$9.00 per gun, a Bore-Store is the best investment you can make. Don’t store your precious pistols in plastic gun cases lined with synthetic foam–these can actually “lock in” harmful moisture.
Sliding Gun safes Drawers
While racks are convenient, I think the best way to store handguns is in pull-out horizontal drawers. Handguns, even big magnum revolvers, are relatively thin, so they fit easily in a drawer. A 3″-high drawer makes very efficient use of space and offers four-sided protection against nicks and scrapes. Drawers also keep your handguns out of plain view, and can be separately locked. (This is especially important if you have kids.) While it’s nice if the drawer interiors are carpeted or cloth-lined, if you use Bore-Stores this isn’t that important.
Handgun Racks
A variety of handgun racks are available for in-safe storage. Choose from wood, acrylic, or plasti-coated tubular metal. I’ve used the latter in my safes and they are hold all types of handguns (both semi-autos and revolvers) very securely. I’ve found that some of the wood racks crowd the gunvault too close together. The tubular-type racks, available in four- or six-gun versions, give adequate spacing. In fact, if (as I suggest), you keep your pistols in Bore-Stores the spacing is just about perfect. One other nice thing about the metal racks is that they can be stacked together to clear up space when they’re not in use. Another interesting tubular rack is the 12-gun, “double-decker” Rack’Em? design available from SportsMansGuide.com for $27.00.
Gun-Racks.com makes a nicely-crafted, double-tier wood rack with slots for 12 handguns. Rayon-covered, it is gentle on your guns’ finish. This two-level rack showcases a large handgun collection nicely. However, it does take up a lot of space in the gun safes.
On-Door Storage
If you’ve run out of space to store your sidearms inside the safe, there are a variety of means to mount handguns on the door. These support the gun front and rear very securely; your guns won’t shake loose as you open and close the door. That can happen with simple peg mounts that hang handguns by the trigger guard. (If you use pegs, make sure they are mounted at an upward angle or have a 90-degree bend at the end).
Another door-mount system uses fabric holsters fitted with “hook and loop” material on one side. This attaches directly to a carpeted door. I don’t like such door holsters for a couple reasons. First, the nylon holster can, over time, abrade the finish of a high-polish blued handgun. Second, the nylon absorbs moisture which can promote rust. Third, over time, if you rearrange the holsters, the Velcro can lose its grip. Most of these holster designs have an open muzzle. So, if the holster works loose as you’re inserting the gun, or if the Velcro fails to hold, the crown can be damaged when the gun hits the ground. Keep that in mind if your safe is in a garage or basement with a concrete floor.
Storage in Foam-Lined Gun Cases
Many handgun owners like to keep their guns in the foam-lined cases provided by the factory, or similar aftermarket products. This is a VERY BAD IDEA. That gray foam inside the case is a moisture magnet. It will soak up water vapor and hold it close to the gun, creating a perfect environment for rust to spread. I have one wealthy friend whose gun collection includes a dozen very expensive Colt Single Action Armys. He stored them inside foam-lined Doskocil cases. When I visited him recently I noted (to my horror) that many of his precious Colts were rusting INSIDE their plastic cases. To prevent this, use a good corrosion inhibitor such as Eezox or CorrosionX, and store your guns out of the box, preferably inside a breathable Bore-Store gun sock.
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Thank you.
Chris Guerra
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article compliments of: 6mmbr
Filed Under: Blog • Gun Safes • Private Security Products
