Gun Safe Size

emmagator

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
216
Location
Glide, Or
I hear many guys saying rule of thumb is to get a safe that is twice as big as the number of guns that you have. But i dont have a ton of room to put a large safe.

I have 10 scoped rifles and 15 nonscoped rifles and shotguns. Can i get by with a 30-40 gun safe? I dont necessarily mind having to move rifles to get to rifles in the back, as i dont access them often. Let me know if you have real world experience fitting guns into a smaller safe.
 

CorbLand

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
7,824
Like tents, they never fit what they say they will. I have a 16 gun safe that I have maybe 8-10 guns in and I couldnt fit another one.
 
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
875
Location
PA
It depends the quality of the guns and glass. If you are stacking old 12s and .22s they can lean against one another. If you are looking to keep everything nice you'll probably want to size up. Have you looked into a safe for your nice rifles and a cabinet for everything else?

I have a Secureit cabinet which keeps the kids and some criminals away from them, a fire would be a total loss. The nice thing about the secureit cabinets are the ability to disassemble for easy moving. Overall it works for me.
 

JeffP_Or

WKR
Joined
Jul 1, 2020
Messages
357
Location
PDX
Agreed with the above. Depending on configuration, 25% over what you think you'll put in it will probably be a minimum.
I would definitely look at configuration - many safes note a set number but looking at them and how they lay out one would be hard-pressed to make that work as Flatlander points out - especially if you don't want to empty out the safe each time you want that one gun in the back. Length of stored firearms [long smoothbores or LR rifles vs. AR's or bullpups - slings, scopes, bipods etc] can play a role as well depending on shelf configuration etc.
If you can look at a buddies safe or check one out at a shop that actually has something stored in it, you'll begin to see shortcomings. Plus, don't forget about other 'stuff' that will find its way into the safe - wife's jewelry, important paperwork etc....they do fill up fast!
 

Ljstew57

FNG
Joined
Jun 20, 2021
Messages
11
If they are stacked too close, makes it hard to get them out without banging other guns
 

cod007

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Messages
259
I started out with a midsized safe and it was filled w stuff b4 I could blink an eye. A few yrs later while I was away working, wife contacts me to let me know of a big safe sale going on at local sports store. I told her get the biggest one they got! Both safes are now full.
They are used for more than just guns. Important papers, jewelry, binos, some ammo, etc, etc. Can’t have too much safe space!
 

SGW

FNG
Joined
Nov 6, 2019
Messages
15
Get the biggest safe you can afford with a good fire rating. Fire rating depend on how close your local fire department is! Good luck.
 

SteveCNJ

WKR
Joined
Jul 1, 2017
Messages
1,071
Usually safes use half for rifles and half for shelving. Even if you took all of the shelving out you would never fit all of your guns in without them hitting each other. Go to a sporting goods store that sells them and check out the interior dimensions.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
 

bobinmi

WKR
Joined
Aug 31, 2016
Messages
485
Location
Michigan
when I worked in sporting goods I always told people that safe's are like pole barns. No one has ever said "I wish I had a smaller safe"
 
Joined
Feb 21, 2017
Messages
1,808
Location
Colorado
when I worked in sporting goods I always told people that safe's are like pole barns. No one has ever said "I wish I had a smaller safe"
except while loading them into the truck to move!

I think that the only way a 40 gun safe could hold 40 long guns would be if they were all un-scoped single shot shotguns. You might consider a bigger safe for most of your stuff and a smaller one for the stuff you use more frequently. For example, my smaller one is the one my bird guns are in during bird season, or my hunting rifle goes into between range trips.
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
9,720
I have a 48 gun liberty Cabelas classic "fatboy". A dozen scoped rifles is more than I'd like to put in it if they are frequently being taken out and put back.
 

Laramie

WKR
Joined
Apr 17, 2020
Messages
2,642
A 30-40 gun safe will be really tight with your collection- betting you would regret buying it.
 
Joined
Aug 9, 2017
Messages
993
Location
Montana
Get the biggest safe you can afford and have it delivered and put where you want it.
As mentioned above, look at SecureIt modular safes or armory style storage.
 
Last edited:

BuckRut

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Messages
186
Get the biggest safe you can afford/fit and possibly plan on getting another down the road. You would be surprised how full it will get since I am sure you will be putting more that just guns in it like other valuables, vehicle titles and such.
 

Marble

WKR
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
3,579
Several friends have asked me how big, those that listened are still happy, those that didn't now have to sell their current safe or add another.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
 
Top