I have some gun-loving friends who have whole rooms dedicated to their guns. In effect, the room is their gun safe. Others have big, heavy and expensive gun safes where they store all of their toys.
What if you don’t have the money or space for a large gun safe? You might want to consider a few of the gun safe alternatives below – they’re some of the best cheap gun safe alternatives we could find. Some of these would serve as a great camouflage gun safe.
So, what are the best gun safe alternatives out there right now? If you can’t shake off this question from your mind, you are not alone.
There are lots of different options for gun enthusiasts who know about the positives of having a secure, fireproof safes but do not, or cannot, get on for one reason or another.
There could be many reasons why someone wouldn’t want to purchase a traditional firearm safe for his or her home.
Remember, these safes have a couple of drawbacks in spite of their numerous benefits. For some gun collectors, these negatives may outweigh the positives and hence the need to find alternative storage solutions for their guns.
It is no secret that pistol and rifle safes are quite expensive. They can run into thousands of dollars if you want a decent one with enough storage for your guns.
The sizable models can also be quite heavy and difficult to transport to a 1st floor apartment or higher.
If you are looking for alternative storage for your guns, you are not alone. Millions of gun owners all over North America are opting for innovative ways to store their rifles, handguns, shotguns, and ammo.
Here are a few of the low cost gun safe alternatives we came up with… if you have more ideas, leave a comment below.
Steel Gun Lockers
Steel gun lockers are one of the most popular security safes relied upon by millions of gun owners.
These gun lockers are manufactured from industrial-grade steel. There are lots of quality models available from popular brands such as Stack-On.
If you want a fair bit of protection from smash and grab burglaries this may be perfect for you. These lockers also offer protection for your guns away from kids and intruders not hell-bent on getting inside your safe.
Metal gun lockers are not the most secure in the world but you get real value for your money. At the price range of around $120-$150, you won’t need to break the bank in order to snap up one.
It is recommended that you anchor it on the floor if you want serious protection. These lockers are designed to screw into every type of floor and feature studs from the inside which makes them difficult to pry.
The integrated locks prove to be fairly break-proof and also serve as another line of defense against thieves.
Contractor’s Job Box
A Contractor’s Job Box can offer some substantial protection for your guns, ammunition, and other valuables.
This is the box used by building contractors to store all their expensive power tools under lock and key. If you have ever been to a building site then chances are you have seen one of these without taking notice.
A contractor’s job is one of the best firearm safe alternatives for those who need premium protection for their guns. They are typically manufactured from 16-gauge steel which is fairly difficult to break into.
These boxes can withstand brute force attacks from sledge hammers and other hand tools used by thieves.
There are lots of places where you can find a quality Contractor’s Job Box. Just walk into your local Wal-Mart and you should find one.
For the best price, compare prices from a few pawn shops in your locality and you will be amazed at some of the options out there.
Kitchen Cabinets
When was the last time you managed to look on top of your kitchen cabinets? Chances are you have never even looked there.
So how many thieves do you think will bother to check what you have up there? It also happens to be one of the last places kids will look if you are worried they will find your guns.
This is what makes the space on top of your kitchen cabinets one of the most awesome areas for storing your guns securely.
The good news is that you won’t have to spend a single penny to get good storage for your weapons (but, out of caution, if you have children in the home you shouldn’t store your guns loaded unless they’re in a speed vault – especially in the kitchen!).
You get to hide a couple of rifles, shotguns, and other long guns on top of your kitchen cabinet.
Other gun owners typically find creative ways to make concealed compartments inside their kitchen cabinets for holding a few guns. However, this is usually used for the storage of handguns and revolvers due to space constraints.
Closet
If you are looking for a gun safe alternative then you probably don’t live in the most crime-prone area. Reinforcing your closet can turn it into one of the best storage areas for guns.
You can do this by getting a couple of 2×4’s bolted on the sides. Then you construct a door from ¾-inch plywood which has been glued and screwed together.
It is important to utilize extremely large strap hinges and 2 deadbolt locks to give your guns optimum security.
A reinforced closet will be hard to break into especially if you find the tightest corner of the closet.
Even if burglars attempt to pry it open, they will face a lot of resistance. There’s a high probability that they’ll give up before getting any luck with it.
Pantry or False Wall Panel
A pantry and false wall panel can also be relied upon to store your guns instead of a traditional firearm safe. There are a couple of steps to follow to get amazing success if you decide to go down this route.
The first step is to get out the sheetrock from the ceiling and inside walls. If there is an existing power outlet then cool, just get a plug base for continuous use so you can plug in an oscillating fan to keep your guns dry.
If not, putting some wiring in first makes it easy to plug in a bulb or oscillating fan to reduce humidity in the safe.
The next step is to get a thick gauge wire to cover the inside 2x4s and ceiling. Don’t forget to cover the ceiling and floor as well.
Then cover the wire with quality plywood with at least ½-inch thickness. Make sure the plywood is paintable.
The door frame should be reinforced to ensure that it has hinges on the inside. Add a steel door with quality locks to get yourself quality protection for your guns.
The Bottom Line
These gun safe alternatives stated here can be great options if you can’t afford a firearm safe right now.
Traditional security safes are not the only storage option for guns; at least we all know that now. The alternative storage options stated here can give a fair bit of security for your weapons.
Just look into them in order to decide if any will work for you.
