gun cabinet build.

[Mark Stewart]

Hi all. I have been ordered (by the wife ) to make a gun box/cabinet for all my toys. The thing is I'm not exactly sure how deep to build it. it will be about 34" across. I'm gonna frame it out of 2x4's and the out side not sure of just yet. Any thoughts?

 

[JackLeg]

Mark, this isn't what your OWMBO is going to want to hear, but here goes anyway!

I would only put firearms into a "gun cabinet" that you don't mind losing. Losing to theft or fire. Thieves relish the sight of a nice, glass front gun cabinet! Almost as easy as taking them from your closet! And, in the event of a fire, the gun cabinet and your "toys" are a goner!

Not very encouraging, am I? But, I hope you see the realism in this.

Get yourself a good quality gun safe with at least a 30 minute fire rating (mine is a Fort Knox) and you'll never regret the decision. And, you'll be able to hand your quality firearms down to your grandchildren.

Build the OWMBO a nice hutch or corner cabinet. You'll both be happier!!

Just my 2CW!

:notworthy:

 

[CrealBilly]

I once built my father in law a gun cabinet with unbreakable locking glass doors (although I'm sure you could break the wood door frame easy enough though). He proudly displayed it for a while. Until they allowed his convicted felon son to stay with them for a while. When the Marshals called and said they were coming to question his son about something. He quickly moved the gun cabinet guns and all to a neighbors house ahead of the Marshals visit. Why he did this I'm not sure but I guess it was a out of sight out of mind thing - who knows??? When he brought it back he put it in a back room hidden from plain sight.

To me I got the feeling that I just created a big headache for him because it was no small gun cabinet and I guess after spending a bunch of time, money and effort to make a really nice gun cabinet as a gift for him. It really was not worth it in the long run after all.

I'm with Reg on this one, buy a gun safe and make the wife a do dad cabinet instead.

 

[Raymond]

Mark, I agree with both Reggie and Jeff - buy a good gun safe and build the wife something she wants/needs. You will come out ahead on the deal. Keep your eyes on estate auctions and tax lean sales - you can always find a good gun safe for a lot less than new and normally in great condition.

 

[JimD]

To me it depends on what sort of guns you have. My son has more guns than I do, lives in a worse part of town, is often gone for several days, and has a lot of pistols. He has a safe. I have only guns for hunting. Nothing expensive and nothing small and easily portable. I have never owned a safe and don't plan one. I had a locking cabinet in my closet in the last house and may put one in this one. I mainly want to keep the guns out of the hands of the grandkids. If a thief wants to steal things, I don't think my guns would be their top target. But if they are, it is not a huge thing. I also shoot left handed so my bolt actions go that way. That probably decreases the value on the black market too. Long way of saying I think it depends. Expensive small guns probably belong in a safe. Big hunting guns need to be protected from kids or others who don't know what they're doing.

Depth also depends on the guns. I think the last one I made was about 12 inches deep. I used the space between the studs for part of it. I put the guns against a wall and measured how deep the cabinet needed to be.

 

[Frank Berry]

I had two gun cabinets in my home and both were full as well as wall racks. Every time I went away for more then a day or two I found myself very nervous about break ins and started to scatter my guns all over the house in hiding. Some went between the mattress and box springs of two different beds, some went on top of the closet shelves, some pistols were shoved into the suit jacket inside pockets. I finally gave up and got rid of the cabinets and wall racks and bought a 90 minute rated gun safe that would hold everything I had including the ammo reserves. Since having the safe in my home I felt 100% confident that they had the best protection possible because the safe was unable to move. I have never had an attempt of theft, but I do have peace of mind knowing they are all safe. I was worried about not being able to see my collection without opening the safe and looking in, but soon got over it and like peeking in the safe once a week. I love a great looking wood gun cabinet, but I also love the peace of mind knowing the guns will be in my home when I return from a trip. I think the OP got some real good advise about getting the safe. Give it some serious thought.

 

[CrealBilly]

I remember a next-door neighbor at one time had a safe for all his guns. He would set the number dial on a number and when he went to open the safe he would know if someone had been messing with as the indicator would be on a different number.

 

[jcz]

I have a gun safe and a wooden cabinet. I keep most of the guns and ammo in the safe. I keep the hunting guns in the gun cabinet during hunting season. I love the cabinet because my cousin made it for me many, many years ago. But I love the peace of mind the safe gives me.

 

[Mark Stewart]

Its my fault that this whole thing started. I am not looking for a safe in fact I have or shall I say had one. I'm not worried about break-ins that's why I pay home owners insurance. and for those of you that have safes let me tell you this unless you are spending 3-6 k on a safe its really not all that safe. The reason I ask was not to start a debate but to find a suitable answer. on a depth. for a few guns mostly carbines and a couple of shot guns. Sorry to rant but it seems like I do that a lot lately. Oh and no glass front to much trouble for what I'm after. Just a simple cabinet nutting fancy mostly made of Pine.

 

[Jeff]

The reason I ask was not to start a debate but to find a suitable answer. on a depth.

You've made your intent clear and that's no problem. So far it's been well meaning advice on a cabinet vs a safe, but that's history now.

Here's an interesting discussion that's relevant to your depth question. You have mostly carbines and shotguns, open sights or scopes? That can affect the depth.

It kinda looks like 12-16" deep is a good rule of thumb. :dontknow:

https://www.gunandgame.com/threads/need-ideas-for-a-wooden-gun-cabinet.170/

 

[CrealBilly]

Unless there is some kind of locking mechanism to lock the barrel to the back of the cabinet to allow for vertical placement. I found for long guns it need to be at least 16" deep to allow for back lean and length of the gun being stored. Scopes can complicate things.

Have a look here for ideas ---> http://www.amishcountryproductsandmore.com/guncabinets.html?gclid=CLGnguiWgs4CFQ-maQodZVED0g

 

[Jeff]

Unless there is some kind of locking mechanism to lock the barrel to the back of the cabinet to allow for vertical placement. I found for long guns it need to be at least 16" deep to allow for back lean and length of the gun being stored. Scopes can complicate things.

Have a look here for ideas ---> http://www.amishcountryproductsandmore.com/guncabinets.html?gclid=CLGnguiWgs4CFQ-maQodZVED0g

What a hoot and good timing. I was just looking at that site and was going to post it.

 

[JackLeg]

My apologies! :notworthy:
No offense taken. All is well! Good luck on the build!

Its my fault that this whole thing started. I am not looking for a safe in fact I have or shall I say had one. I'm not worried about break-ins that's why I pay home owners insurance. and for those of you that have safes let me tell you this unless you are spending 3-6 k on a safe its really not all that safe. The reason I ask was not to start a debate but to find a suitable answer. on a depth. for a few guns mostly carbines and a couple of shot guns. Sorry to rant but it seems like I do that a lot lately. Oh and no glass front to much trouble for what I'm after. Just a simple cabinet nutting fancy mostly made of Pine.

 

[nn4jw]

Well, I hate to feed the debate at this point but...

I, too, have homeowner's insurance and I'm not concerned about recovering the cost of my firearms if they get stolen. What I am most concerned about is those firearms being in the wrong hands after that break in. By definition, they'd then already be in the hands of criminals.

My home has never been broken into. My son's, a half mile away, has. Makes my own concerns a little more immediate.

But, everyone has to make their own decisions about this sort of thing.

 

[Rwe2156]

Well, I'LL answer the question: 12".

 

[Jeff]

Well, I'LL answer the question: 12".

Why is 12" definitive and absolute?

 

[CrealBilly]

I'm the pot calling the kettle black here. But this thread has got me thinking about firearm safety and security. It's my right to keep and bear arms (see my tag line) but with that right (as with any right) there is responsibilty.

It's not that I'm concerned with insurance. it's more of what can be done when the firearm is stolen that concerns me. Firearms are for protection. God forbid someone would shoot you, a family member or someone else with your own gun that they stole.

There are a lot of sick minded people out there these days - don't believe me just turn on the news.

Don't take your right for granted - take responsibility instead.

Fact: nothing is ever 100% secure but common sense tells us a safe is more secure than a wooden cabinet.

Thanks for starting this thread - it's made me think which is a good thing. Now I'm feeling like buRCilding a gun cabinet for my FIL was a well intentioned mistake.

Anyways here are a few pics of the gun cabinet I made for my FIL. It's QSRO with ERC drawers. And loosely built from popular mechanics design ---> http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a96/1273026/

 

[Rwe2156]

Creal - well you got me to thinking, too because I have a couple guys who want me to build them a display cabinet.

So IF someone breaks in and IF the cabinet can be opened easily enough, that's an issue.

Bottom line I believe in freedom so it's their decision, not ours.

Why is 12" definitive and absolute?

Its not. I just wanted to give a short answer since the posters didn't.

Its based on plans that I have + I think it looks better to have a little space there.
Just needs to be deep enough to house a rack + the width of the gun butt will work.

 

[Mark Stewart]

I'm the pot calling the kettle black here. But this thread has got me thinking about firearm safety and security. It's my right to keep and bear arms (see my tag line) but with that right (as with any right) there is responsibilty.

It's not that I'm concerned with insurance. it's more of what can be done when the firearm is stolen that concerns me. Firearms are for protection. God forbid someone would shoot you, a family member or someone else with your own gun that they stole.

There are a lot of sick minded people out there these days - don't believe me just turn on the news.

Don't take your right for granted - take responsibility instead.

Fact: nothing is ever 100% secure but common sense tells us a safe is more secure than a wooden cabinet.

Thanks for starting this thread - it's made me think which is a good thing.

Just my .02 as my older brother was once quoted as saying "Locks are for honest people" they are to keep good folks like all of you here from taking something that's not yours. To my point a coworker of mine had a nice safe you know the kind with the three steel rods that come out of the door in to the cavity. He took his wife to dinner and was gone probably 2 hours came home to find that the safe had been destroyed., peeled from the back and emptied. well over 10K worth of guns and ammo gone. Along with a nice coin collection. the guns he had in the cabinet were still right where the were when he left unlocked and standing. the funny thing was that they were the ones that had real value. as for responsibility. I hold no responsibility for what others do the same as if I loaned you a car and you accidently hit and kill someone. so what others do is not my responsibility. I know that most of you will disagree on this point but its just the way my poor feeble brain functions. I thank all who have chimed in on this and say yep you are probably right. and hope all have a good day.

 

[CrealBilly]

Just my .02 as my older brother was once quoted as saying "Locks are for honest people" they are to keep good folks like all of you here from taking something that's not yours. To my point a coworker of mine had a nice safe you know the kind with the three steel rods that come out of the door in to the cavity. He took his wife to dinner and was gone probably 2 hours came home to find that the safe had been destroyed., peeled from the back and emptied. well over 10K worth of guns and ammo gone. Along with a nice coin collection. the guns he had in the cabinet were still right where the were when he left unlocked and standing. the funny thing was that they were the ones that had real value. as for responsibility. I hold no responsibility for what others do the same as if I loaned you a car and you accidently hit and kill someone. so what others do is not my responsibility. I know that most of you will disagree on this point but its just the way my poor feeble brain functions. I thank all who have chimed in on this and say yep you are probably right. and hope all have a good day.

One thing I learned in life - a man is going to do what a man is going to do.

I made the mistake of showing my FIL a popular mechanics magazine article containing the plans for the gun cabinet I linked to in the post above. He said he would really like something like that. His words stuck in my head for several years before I built the thing for him as a surprise... but honestly I never really thought it through very well... my FIL is showing signs and has tested positive for Alltimers now. and for cost of the gun cabinet I built for him I could have just bought him a gun safe and I think I would have been ahead of the game, both financially and in terms of piece of mind...

Just trying to share my experiences with you is all... take it for what it's worth and maybe all of .02 cents.

I've said more than enough on this subject and I'll be quite now - thanks...