What size safe ?

Hidalgo

Hidalgo

Well-known member
I am going to purchase a new safe in the next few days. Other than the obvious "buy the largest you can afford" answer, what size safe do you folks recommend in relation to the number of firearms it will house. Let's say that it will contain 15 rifles ... all with scopes. No pistol or ammunition storage needed. What I want to avoid (to a certain degree) is having to move 6 guns to get at the one I want.

Thoughts and advice appreciated.
 
The ratings are for "maximum" storage, which never seems to work out. For 15, I would say to jump up to 20something anyhow? Depending on what brand/quality you are talking about, its only a few hundred bucks to double that with the middle of the road brand? Food for thought. Ymmv
 
I have two that were design to hold 22 but really only hold 14 scoped rifles. Anyway, fixing to buy a 3rd as I have over 10 that are not in a safe,
 
I have a lot of guns in chassis with big optics and they take up about twice the space as what a safe company list, meaning they hold about half of the claimed max so keep that on mind.

Another important thing to remember is fire rating, look for something that has a minimum rating of 1200 degrees for 45 minutes IMO, 60 or more even better.
 
I would get a safe twice as big as you think you will need. I have a couple different safes and just put the rifles I rarely shoot in the back of each safe. My regulars are not as difficult to access. Around December I'll inspect and clean my deer/elk rifles and then rotate them to the back of the safe for a few months.
 
You already said it. Never enough space. Get the largest you can afford. On the wife end of things you can sell her on the idea of that's where the Jewelry can go and important papers. Passports , etc........
 
Plan on cutting the number the safe says it can hold in half if you have scoped rifles. AR handles take up a lot of room too. I have all of my ARs on one side on a slight angle to help with the door of the safe hitting the handles. It gets to be like Tetris a lot of the time. I'd definitely have neoprene scope protectors if you're loading it up full. It's hard to slide the scopes in/out without hitting the bolt of the rifle next to it when it's jammed full.
 
Take this for what it is worth. But the way that I figure what a safe can hold is as follows.
1 shotgun to 1 space in the safe maybe 1 to 1.5
1 standard rifle with scope to 2 spaces in the safe
1 ar15 with scope to 2.5 spaces in safe
1 prs rifle with big objective scope to 3 spaces in safe
This has been pretty close for me.
 
the "ratings" on safes are for unscoped long guns. like a shotgun collection or something. or lever guns with just irons.

so if you need to house 15 long guns with optics, you're gonna be tighter than a bugs borthole in a "30 gun" rated safe, especially if a selection of them ar AR style rifles, or chassis style rifles with their necessarily higher optics mounts, as well as pistol grips.

this is coming from someone who owns a "27-30 gun" safe - 30x20x56" - ive got a couple unscoped long guns in there (a single shot 22, couple shotty's, that kinda thing) and several less than your 15 scoped rifles, a couple loose scoped uppers and she's packed. like i have to move multiple things outa the way if i wanna get to other things - unless what i'm grabbing happens to be in the very front - level of packed.

i dont even think i can squeeze an extra upper in there between them.

if you need a good visualization..šŸ˜šŸ˜

750215PhoneBoothrg-456x675.jpg


i got a screaming deal on it used, so i cant complain, but i'm really wishing i would have gotten something closer to a 40x24.


so yea... go big. you wont regret it.
 
Cmon, Plant, you ain't even trying, ya got lotsa unused space in there. ;) Don't know what the rated capacity is, as I couldn't see the slots to count them but mine is 30X24" w/population of 28 which currently includes a few visitors. Get one out of the back row, no way; can't even see the back row. Front row reserved for frequent fliers.I think I even see a little wasted space in that telephone booth.:ROFLMAO:
 
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