Gun Safes & Safe Firearm Storage

There are many aspects to being a responsible firearm owner. We have to be sure that when we’re handling firearms, we’re following firearm safety practices to ensure that everyone around us is not in danger of being hurt. We also have to be sure that if you loan your firearm out for others to use that they themselves are responsible and will also practice the 4 cardinal gun rules while they have your firearm.

The same can also be said for when we’re not using our firearms. We should always be actively avoiding the nightmare of our firearms being unlawfully or unsafely used by someone else without our permission. That goes for kids in the house, your guests or friends and burglars alike.

Just as no one would want their young child to be able to access a sharp knife of any kind unsupervised, it’s the same with guns. Teaching children firearms safety is imperative for any home environment that has guns and children under the same roof. The best practice is to keep your guns locked up, especially if your kids are too young to understand or be trained. Should a loaded firearm be within reach of small children, it is easy for avoidable accidents to occur. Unfortunately, this scenario of young kids accidentally shooting themselves has happened on multiple occasions, and it happens all too often.

Even if you don’t have children in the home, there are plenty of other reasons  why it is better to secure your guns. Now don’t misunderstand, we know that an unloaded and locked away gun is basically useless in the event you have a home intruder. In that case it is a balance of risk that you must decide how much you’re willing to take on versus how much risk you can actually mitigate.

Personally I keep unused guns stored and locked away but I always have a loaded pistol close by at night and it actually sits in its IWB holster. I also have a loaded rifle in a quick access biometric safe that I can reach in seconds if necessary. There’s just no reason for me to have all my guns out in the open where anyone could trip over them or be easily seen by visitors or random strangers should they come peeking through my windows. A lot of robbers don’t spend too much time when they’re breaking and entering into a home. Typically they’re in and out in minutes so if you make it too difficult for them to steal your guns and ammo they might just leave it and take your TV instead. Would much rather replace a TV than the other way around.

Some of my friends don’t even know that I’m a gun guy let alone what I do for a living and honestly, I kind of like it that way. There’s security in anonymity. It’s the same line of thinking for why many people won’t open carry just because it’s a little too out in the open and just isn’t tactical.

TYPES OF SAFE FIREARM STORAGE

So how do we ensure that our firearms are properly stored while they’re not being used? Luckily, today’s market has a vast amount of options that are available and can be easily purchased online.

GUN SAFES

These safes are a great option if you have several firearms, or other items, that you don’t want to go missing. Safes that can be bolted to a floor or to a wall give firearm owners a huge breath of relief because they know their safe (probably) isn’t going anywhere. These safes are typically owned by those who have a lot of items they want to keep secured, and by having their safe bolted to their home’s foundation or to a strong wall, it makes it exponentially difficult for those who want to try to steal the safe as a whole to succeed. That being said, anyone who has the right tools from Home Depot and enough time can definitely crack open just about any gun safe or heavy duty safe for that matter.

QUICK ACCESS SAFES

These safes are super cool because they have a biometric scanner that allows you to program fingerprints into its memory. This way you don’t have to remember a code, combo or pattern and the safe can be programmed to allow multiple people to open the safe but of course only those that you personally select. It will depend on the make and model of the safe, but for some of these safes you can program several tens of fingerprints into the system. There are small portable versions of these made for cars, travel, and larger floor safe styles as well. Biometric safes are best for emergencies where you need to quickly access your gun but don’t want it just hanging out in the open for anyone to see or grab.

COMBINATION SAFES

Combination locks are a classic and popular option because it requires that someone to actually remember a combination of numbers to open the safe. This combination is programmed by the safe owner, so they will have to teach it to anyone else interested in being able to access the safe. Mostly found in bigger, floor mounted safes, you get the satisfying feeling of opening a vault door to access your collection with these big boys.

FURNITURE SAFES

These safes are typically smaller, but you can find some expensive or custom made ones as well to fit larger guns, rifles to be hidden in plain sight. We think these are fun and look cool in the movies but practically speaking it’s not hard for guests to accidentally discover that your furniture has “secret” hidden compartments. It just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to us.

If the purpose is to hide your gun, it does that, but not well. If the purpose is to have quick access to your guns that may not necessarily be the case. If anything, these furniture “safes” are really just gun storages that may not be the safest but the goal to be hidden in plain sight is understandable.

VEHICLE SAFES

One of the most vulnerable times for your firearms is during transportation. That's why a company called Boss Strong Box has created vehicle safes to keep things secure on the go. Whether you're looking for a compact safe to keep a handgun, or a full size safe to store a rifle, they offer the best options on the market to secure your firearms in your vehicle.

In-Wall and Floor Safes

Wall safes can have a very “extra” vibe to them probably because of how large they are and hoe they’re often used in movies. But they’re actually super cool despite the fact that they take a lot of work to set up. These safes can be cheap but they can also be incredibly heavy duty and expensive. The cheaper ones can be had for less than $200 and simply use an electronic digital number pad to lock similar to the ones used in hotels. As you go up in price you might find some that only have combination dials or perhaps even a biometric scanner.

The reason why wall safes are the hardest to set up is because whether you plan on putting that safe in the floor or in the wall, you actually have to carve out that space for the safe to properly fit flush with the wall and be easy to hide. Let’s say you do cut open your wall - be sure to miss your studs, any wiring or cables and your plumbing lines!

Gun Cables

Most gun manufacturers just give free gun locking cables with your purchase at this point because many states have some sort of safe storage mandates requiring firearms to be sold with a locking device that would make a gun unable to be fired. These cables are actually quite handy. You can loop them through the magwell of any handgun, rifle, or shotgun. If the barrel of your handgun is short enough you can loop it through there as well. Gun cable locks can also be used to tie down the handles of small gun cases though premade holes as a small, but useful deterrent to keep away any opportunists looking to snag your boom stick.

What is a good gun safe?

How do you determine what makes a good gun safe? Well, you can take a look at what the safe is made out of to see how tough it is. Some common considerations include the length of time that the safe would remain “fireproof” before being compromised in the event that the place your safe is being kept is engulfed in flames. Of course, there’s also the price to keep in mind, the complexity of the locking mechanism, how difficult would it be to “crack”, or how long does it take to open to access your guns. There are lots of safes built and designed for different purposes. Maybe you’re looking for one that can comfortably fit the most amount of guns. In the end, it’s going to depend on your intended use and available budget.

What are the best gun safes made in the USA?

These are some of the best safes money can buy that are made in the USA. If you can’t afford them, check out what other gun safes these brands have to offer because there are more affordable models as well:

• SecureIt Answer Series Model 12
• Liberty Fatboy Jr
• Browning Prosteel Prestige
• Fort Knox Maverick Safe

PURCHASING YOUR OWN FIREARM

When it comes time to purchase a firearm, whether it’s your first or your fifth, come to the people who know how to help. At  80 Percent Arms, we know how to help our clients find the perfect firearm for them, and we are confident you will leave satisfied with your purchase. Our employees are knowledgeable and eager to help, so call us today or visit us online to start the process of buying your next firearm today!