If you’re a gun owner who’s looking around for the best storage for your guns, you’ve come to the right place. The next step after buying guns is to store them properly. This is not only for securing the guns but people who have collected different guns throughout their lives also want to put a spectacle with them.
There are many options for gun storage but gun cabinets and gun safes are two of the most popular choices. At this point, the gun cabinet vs safe debate seems like an argument with no conclusion. Personal preference is the primary consideration in the choice but there are lots of other factors that come into being, while discussing gun cabinets and gun safes and which one is best for you. Stay with us till the end to know the difference between gun safe and cabinet, so you can buy the best gun storage for your home or garage.
Getting to Know about Gun Cabinet and Safe
We’re here to provide an extensive study on gun safe vs gun cabinet.
Gun Cabinet
1. What is a Gun Cabinet?
A gun cabinet looks exactly like a kitchen cabinet but you can store and keep your firearms on display inside it. A safe gun cabinet usually comes with lockable glass doors, so you can use your gun collection as decor while securing it. You can store your rifles, shotguns, handguns, ammunition and other tactical weapons in it. You can custom-design your gun cabinet. You can get your cabinet with adjustable or fixed legs. Some gun cabinets have modifiable compartments and some are fixed.
You’ll find gun cabinets with foaming but we suggest you don’t go for these models. The foaming causes rust in the guns due to the moisture absorption and withholding. Gun cabinets are made from solid wood, pine wood or oak wood.
2. Gun Cabinet Advantages
- A gun cabinet is more visually appealing than a gun safe. You can put the cabinet as a decorative item on your living room
- You can easily move this lightweight cabinet
- Gun cabinets are available at a lower price range
- With a few wood working tools and moderate knowledge you can make your gun cabinet all by yourself.
3. Gun Cabinet Disadvantages
- A gun cabinet won’t save your firearms from catastrophes like fire or flood
- It doesn’t offer much security against theft
- You can’t install an electric lock on it like the steel safes since gun cabinets are made of wood
Gun Safe
1. What is a Gun Safe?
You’ll see another common internet debate on gun safe vs regular safe. But the regular safes are not designed for storing guns or provide the security that a gun safe is designed to do. A gun safe is a more secure option for storing firearms. Its hard texture stands like calamities like fire and flood. A gun safe comes with metal construction and powerful lock system to provide the greatest security for your guns. The latest gun safe models come with different locking mechanisms like a biometric lock, dial lock, and electronic code.
There’s another layer of defense in the gun safe. This is known as the bolting mechanism. This adds extra strength to the defense of the safe. The safe has a 10-12 gauge steel lining. No one can break into the safe with drilling. A gun safe also comes with fire prevention.
2. Gun Safe Advantages
- Comes with strong steel wall, so it resists any sort of assaults, at least, for a few minutes
- Protects the firearms and valuables on the inside of the safe from fire or water damage
- The safe is not easily moveable, so the thieves can’t do too much with it
3. Gun Safe Disadvantages
- A safe isn’t as visually pleasing as a cabinet. You can’t use the safe as part of your home decor
- The price is too high
Gun Cabinet vs Safe: Comparing the Two
Now, we’ll compare the two storages thoroughly, so you know whether you should get a gun safe or gun cabinet.
1. Capacity
Gun cabinets are available in different sizes. You can store 5-32 guns in a gun safe cabinet, depending on the price you’re willing to pay. If you need to store more than 32 guns, it’s automatically assumed that you can pay a little more and get yourself a gun safe. You can also get gun safes in all the sizes. If you need to store a lot of guns, a gun safe might be the best option if it meets your budget. There are both gun cabinets and gun safes for storing a single gun.
2. Budget
The budget is where you’ll see the difference between a gun cabinet and a gun safe. A gun cabinet costs a lot less than a gun safe. Since the material used in a gun cabinet isn’t as high quality as a gun safe and it doesn’t provide as much security, a gun cabinet typically costs a lot less. Good gun cabinets are available around $100 and they can cost up to a couple of thousands depending on the size, the wood used in the cabinet and the locking mechanism. You’ll get viable gun cabinets in $200-$300.
The cost of a gun safe is almost double of a gun cabinet. Although you can find gun safes starting from $50, they’re not as reliable. The good gun safes start from $400-$500 price range. The cost of a gun safe, too, depends on the steel quality, size of the safe and locking mechanism.
3. Material
There are varieties of gun cabinets in terms of material. The gun cabinets are usually made from wood or sheet metal. The newer cabinets are mostly steel-made and have higher durability. No matter which material is used in the gun cabinet, it’s not designed to withhold too much force. It can stand against minor knocks or bumps.
The gun safes are made from solid and heavy-duty steel. It’s designed as such that it can withhold excessive force and abuse. The higher your budget is, the greater your gun safe material will be. The high-end gun safes are drill and theft-proof.
4. Security
If you’re still confused about gun security cabinet or safe, this is where a significant difference comes between the two. Whereas the gun cabinets are designed for putting on a spectacle of guns, gun safes are solely designed for safety. The gun safes come with electronic, biometric, combination and RFID locks. The gun safes also have live bolts and hinges to prevent prying.
5. Fire and Water Proof
There’s hardly any gun cabinet model that comes with water and fireproof features. But almost all the gun safes come with fire and waterproofing features. However, this also depends on the money you’re paying for your safe. Even the low budget gun safes can provide, at least, ample of protection against water and fire. If you want more security, you’d have to go for the high-end gun safes.
What You Need to Look Out for While Getting a Gun Cabinet
- Don’t get a gun cabinet that has any type of foaming or cushioning
- Only but the ones that are made out of “solid wood”
- Check if the door is evenly swinging and firmly closing
- The locking system needs to be smoothly operable
- If the cabinet has drawers, make sure they’re smooth to open and close
What You Need to Look Out for While Getting a Gun Safe
- Look for a gun safe with a thick wall. 11 gauge is the ideal thickness of the wall. The lower the gauge, the thicker the wall
- Buy a gun safe that is, at least, twice the size of what you think is necessary for your guns
- Get a gun safe that’s heavy. The sturdiness of the gun safe depends on the safe’s weight
- Make sure the gun safe has hinges on the inside. External hinges aren’t too safe since its easy to cut open.
There’s no ultimate winner in the gun cabinet vs safe debate. Gun cabinets are great for using your gun as decor and mild safety. Generally, people who own an antique collection of guns are more likely to get a gun cabinet for displaying their collection. But if you want to have optimum security for your guns, there’s no alternative to gun safes.
