Low Cost Gun Safe Alternative

[billt]

As an owner of 4 gun safes, one high end, (Liberty). One middle of the road, (Cannon). And 2 low end, (Stack-On), I can happily report on an excellent, low cost alternative to what I personally feel are overpriced gun safes. When you get down to basics gun safes are going to protect your collection from kids. Insurance statistics show that 90% of residential burglaries are by kids under the age of 16, and most are in the home for less than 2 minutes. Most any suitable "safe" will protect you from that. Fire protection is relatively worthless because again, insurance stats show water damages far more homes than fire. No gun safe I've ever heard of is waterproof. In that regard every safe in New Orleans was totally worthless to it's owners.

I just purchased one of these "On-Site" tool boxes from Greenlee.

 http://www.greenlee.com/cat_docs/Storage08_lowrez.pdf

#2472

These are very strong and have recessed wells for 2 padlocks that cannot be reached once locked. Mine is 72" long and 24" square. I have it in my living room, and once it's covered with a nice couch throw, or bedspread you don't even notice it, or can tell what it is. Another plus is it allows for horizontal storage of weapons which prevents oil from running down the bore into the stock at the tang area. They are very spacious inside and I lined the bottom of mine with 28, 25 pound bags of lead shot, (700 pounds) so it cannot be moved. This coupled with the weight of the box itself along with the firearms makes it all but impossible to move. If you are handy and can work with wood, you can make some very nice felt lined wooden racks for your guns which allows you to store them without cases. These boxes can be purchased from Home Depot or Lowe's very reasonably compared to traditional gun safes, and work every bit as well, and will give as much or more cubic feet of storage. I'm very happy with mine.







This is it uncovered with both locks in place. I purchased 2 Master Lock Padlocks with Boron Carbide Shackles which you cannot even see once they are installed.  Bill T.

[Hazcat]

Nice window seat! 

[PegLeg45]

Solid idea, Bill.
You could even make wood panels to cover it and make it look like a large blanket chest.

[TAB]

Solid idea, Bill.
You could even make wood panels to cover it and make it look like a large blanket chest.

that would be very easy,  you could even build a seat top out of foam rubber and some fabric.

[billt]

Solid idea, Bill.
You could even make wood panels to cover it and make it look like a large blanket chest.

I plan to do more with it, but I just got it in place over the holiday weekend. If you are creative it has all but limitless possibilities. I'm tired of dropping 2 grand+ for gun safes.  Bill T.

[Sponsor]

[Hazcat]

that would be very easy,  you could even build a seat top out of foam rubber and some fabric.

That's what I was hintin' at with my 'window seat' remark.  

[shooter32]

Took me a couple of minutes before I scrolled down far enough to see the greenlee box.  Nice collection

Great idea Bill.

[TAB]

I plan to do more with it, but I just got it in place over the holiday weekend. If you are creative it has all but limitless possibilities. I'm tired of dropping 2 grand+ for gun safes.  Bill T.

buy them used, you can buy a 3k safe for less then grand, you just have to move it.

I'm a 3 safe household...  did have 5 at one point.

[PegLeg45]

that would be very easy,  you could even build a seat top out of foam rubber and some fabric.

I like to do a little woodworking, on a hobbyist level, but I thought you would be the go to for something like this.

I thought about doing that with one of the smaller boxes, or either building my own out of 1/2" plate and covering it with maple veneer a few years back, but never followed through. Bill has reintroduced my interest.


There is also a company out there now making wood panels to cover 'store bought' gun safes.

[TAB]

What I would do is build a 3 side box out of good ply with mitered corners, a single strecher along the back.  mill up so drarwers and doors( maybe just doors have to play with scale), tack them on the front.  then use add a top that was slight oversized with sold trim around it( hide the ply)  and off the shelf base around the bottum.  a foam top is easy as well.

total cost would be about $150 if you were to make it out of oak.  The average DIY should be able to get it doen in 2 weekends.