Another gun safe question/capacity

• Aug 16, 2016

• #1

Cypress94

Senior Member

And thanks everyone who helped out with my last safe question; I think no matter what, I'm going to insulate my garage door!

This has to do with true capacity. I'm looking at buying a Liberty Lincoln 35. My question is, exactly how many long guns will it hold, if half the safe is set up for long guns and the other side has shelving? I have about 12 long guns right now and would like to have more some day, but I don't want to outgrow it from the day I buy it. Am I answering my own question, is it going to cut my storage in half? My wife wants the storage for jewelry and other things too, and I know if I don't give in a little I have no chance of getting a new safe!lol. Thanks as always!

 

• Aug 16, 2016

• #2

L

Luckybuck

Senior Member

My experience is if you have scoped guns (rifles) you will only get half the storage that manufacture advertises.

 

• Aug 16, 2016

• #3

Dub

Senior Member

You'll be buying a second safe soon with a small model. I ran into this problem.

 

• Aug 16, 2016

• #4

NCHillbilly

Administrator

Staff member

I have been known to keep 18 guns in an 8-gun safe.

 

• Aug 16, 2016

• #5

northgeorgiasportsman

Moderator

Staff member

NCHillbilly said:

I have been known to keep 18 guns in an 8-gun safe.

Click to expand...

What is this witchcraft?

 

• Aug 16, 2016

• #6

ryanh487

Senior Member

This is exactly why I don't have a safe yet. I know I need more along the lines of a 52 or 64 gun model and I don't have the space for it in my current house. Next house will be built with a 10x10 concrete room and a vault door.

 

• Aug 16, 2016

• #7

northgeorgiasportsman

Moderator

Staff member

ryanh487 said:

Next house will be built with a 10x10 concrete room and a vault door.

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Same here. As soon as this house sells, I'm getting started.

 

• Aug 16, 2016

• #8

W

WayneB

Senior Member

NCHillbilly said:

I have been known to keep 18 guns in an 8-gun safe.

Click to expand...

professional tetris player?

 

• Aug 16, 2016

• #9

Cypress94

Senior Member

Yeah it may be a case of go big, or go home. Can't wait to see the wife's face lol. This is gonna cost me!

 

• Aug 16, 2016

• #10

SC Hunter

Senior Member

I bought a cannon 80 gun and have guns on one side and ammo,cash and paperwork on the other. It's big enough for what I need now but eventually I'll have to start squeezing guns in there carefully. I buy more guns than I truly need!

 

• Aug 23, 2016

• #11

GA native

Senior Member

Buy the highest capacity you can afford. Well... unless you are never going to buy another gun.

I can tell you from my experience, that you subtract 30%. A 12 gun cabinet will actually hold about 8 long guns. Without scratching furniture.

 

• Aug 23, 2016

• #12

Bam Bam

Senior Member

NCHillbilly said:

I have been known to keep 18 guns in an 8-gun safe.

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X2, Use Gun Socks and Pack'em in there like Sardines!

 

• Aug 24, 2016

• #13

redlevel

Senior Member

I think a good strategy is to buy a medium capacity safe now, and figure on buying another in a few years. I did that, mostly of necessity, because I really couldn't afford a monster safe. I bought a ten-gun Treadlock first, then another 12 gun safe about ten years later. I like the idea of having a couple of safes in different locations. One is in my home, the other in a secured, insulated outbuilding. Now, I'm considering another smaller safe in order to spread the risk a little more. I don't have room for some of my less expensive guns.

Another factor; unless you have a true walk-in, even with the larger safes, access to the guns in the rear is going to be difficult.

 

• Aug 24, 2016

• #14

frankwright

Senior Member

I agree with all the above. A 48 gun safe might hold 48 lever action Winchesters if you don;t use any of the shelves and don't put anything else in it.
This Rod system makes storing more easier. You just glue or staple the velcro to the top shelfe and then put a plastic rod down the barrel and stick the rod to the velcro. You don;t need any racks and can put guns anywhere.
I built a small step to use with short guns like AR's.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modpe...qTypRHW2Hgkt7yhqluObSp22LyVyLVH2-0aAsnN8P8HAQ

 

• Aug 24, 2016

• #15

I

ishootlittlebucks

Senior Member

Not that you want to start out with a safe that's too small, more of a tip for someone that has outgrown their safe. I wanted some shelves but didn't really need half the space to be shelves. I rebuilt my interior. I built 1/3 into shelves. I also stopped them short in the front so I can get a row of long guns all the way across the front. That way, instead of 2-3 in the front, I have 5. If I remember right, mine is 27x30. I have spots for 19 long guns (I can actually fit a gun in each spot) and still have about 10" of shelves. Even after expanding, I still filled it up pretty quickly.

I wish I would have gotten the kind that holds a row of guns on the door. The less you have to move them around, the less you will bang them up.

 

• Aug 28, 2016

• #16

D

deers2ward

Senior Member

Bam Bam said:

X2, Use Gun Socks and Pack'em in there like Sardines!

Click to expand...

That is definitely the way to max it out...tradeoff because I really like to go look at mine. That light comes on when I open the door and I can see each one without having to touch anything.

OP, get the biggest you can afford. You will fill it up with something. See if you can swing the 50. Make sure to anchor to the foundation as well as long as you aren't planning to move anytime soon

 

• Aug 28, 2016

• #17

Rich Kaminski

Senior Member

How many guns do you need to hunt the animals in North America? I think the following will do it: 300 Win Mag, 30-06, sks, 243, 22, Black Powder, 1 pump & 1 semiauto shotgun, and then a few O/U shotguns for clay shooting. Then add in your handguns. Just my opinion.

 

• Aug 28, 2016

• #18

mossyoakpro

Senior Member

Bam Bam said:

X2, Use Gun Socks and Pack'em in there like Sardines!

Click to expand...

X3...I have nearly 40 in a 24 gun safe. I took all of the shelving out and stack them in there. Of course the ones I intend to use are all up front where I can get them.

There is a product that I can't recall the name of that has velcro and rods...you put the velcro on the roof of your safe then the rods go down in the barrels and you can stand them up in the middle of the safe. It doubles the capacity of your safe.

I'll try and locate the product and post it....I've had it for a long time and my memory doesn't serve me like it used to.

 

• Aug 28, 2016

• #19

D

deers2ward

Senior Member

Rich Kaminski said:

How many guns do you need to hunt the animals in North America? I think the following will do it: 300 Win Mag, 30-06, sks, 243, 22, Black Powder, 1 pump & 1 semiauto shotgun, and then a few O/U shotguns for clay shooting. Then add in your handguns. Just my opinion.

Click to expand...

That doesn't have anything to do with how many guns one should need secure storage for....

When you grow up around them like I did, hunting was just a part of life and the guns were the tools. I have quite a few guns that were once my ancestors..both sides of the family and multiple generations...And honestly, those are ones I use the least but value the most. They are family heirlooms.

Someone could be a collector too.....some folks might be into a certain caliber and want a Kimber, winchester, cooper, weatherby, browning, etc. in that caliber just because.

 

Last edited: Aug 28, 2016