Seldom, many people think choosing between a gun safe and a gun cabinet is simple, but when they actually need to pick between the two it is when they release their complexities. But majorly the choices are influenced by primarily two things i.e your budget and your level of paranoia. Always remember no matter how rusty or plain worn out your gun is, there is always somebody willing to steal it. So here are some pointers that’ll help you trace the difference between the two and also help you to pick the most suitable one for you. Read on!
Gun safe v/s Gun Cabinet
The good news about gun safe is that it is cheap and easy to carry. Although the bad news is that if it is easy for you to carry, it is easy for a burglar to carry too.
But if you are on a limited budget then a gun cabinet is cheaper and if you are good with your hands, you can build one yourself. A lock on the door of a gun cabinet might not keep out a determined burglar but it will keep the grubby little hands of children from reaching your arms. The complexity of the decision between a gun cabinet and a gun safe is usually compounded by the fact that there the market is brimming with hundreds of different products to pick from
The top gun safe tends to be durable and solid as a bank vault, but the sturdier ones are more expensive. But the lower you go in price the weaker your product is.
Higher priced gun safes tend to be both heavy and heavy-duty, if the safe you are looking at looks like it could easily be opened with a claw hammer, or if it is not too heavy for you to carry it up the stairs without any assistance. Then you better keep looking.
Even a barely adequate sun-safe should be heavy enough that the one delivering it works up a sweat. If it is too heavy for you to move without assistance then it is too heavy for a burglar to move. So you must rely on the heavier gun safe.
People with gun safes usually consider them a good investment. In addition to guns, you can stuff your valuables inside and keep them shielded from flood, theft, and even fire.
Gun Safe
Here are some factors that you must consider about gun safes.
1 Wall Thickness- Thickness of steel is usually determined by gauge. The lower the number, the thicker it’s steel. You should look for 11-gauge or lower while purchasing one for yourself.
2 Door Thickness- as silly as it sounds, most gun safe doors are thinner than their walls. As with the walls, thicker is better. You should look for a one-quarter inch to one-half inch steel plate.
3 Rating- you should look for an Underwriter Laboratory Ratings of RSC (Residential Security Container)
4 Size- if you really are not sure about what type of size you want, then there is an old formula used by bird hunters to figure out how many shotgun shells to carry into the woods “decide how many you think you can shoot and triple that number”. You should do the same. Gun safes are like little kitchen cabinets, they full up real quick.
Advantages of Gun Safes
- Bold, thick steel walls that are capable of standing up to a sustained assault.
- Shields the contents from fire, theft, and most water damage or any other discrepancy.
- Too bulky for a thief to move.
Disadvantages of Gun Safes
- Expensive, because the more expensive it is the more safe and reliable it is.
- Aesthetics- rarely any gun safe will go with your room decor.
- A quality gun safe is always very bulky to be carried/moved by one person.
Gun Cabinet
Here are some few pointers about gun cabinets that might help you
1 Foam inserts- eschew any gun cabinets using foam inserts for cushioning. The foam tends to absorb and hold moisture and promotes rust.
2 Materials – a composite material made from sawdust and glue is considered to be wood. You should only look for the words “solid wood”, but hey, read if carefully. Some manufacturers use a sawdust composite then put on a thin layer of solid wood called Solid Wood Veneer.
3 Door- before buying a particular fun cabinet make sure the door swings evenly and closes slowly.
4 Drawers- if there are drawers, make sure they open and close without sticking.
Advantages of Gun Cabinet
- Most of the gun cabinets are visually appealing and display your weapon collection in a decent form.
- Unlike gun safe, these are lightweight and can be moved by one person.
- Highly affordable- these fit in your budget very nicely.
- You can build one from scratch or just assemble one from a kit.
Disadvantages of Gun Cabinet
- This lack of security and anyone can easily break-in.
- No shield when it comes to prevention from fire, water or any kind of discrepancy.
- Too heavy for a thief to move.
Conclusion
We have put-forth the major pointers we think can help you pick between a gun safe and a fun cabinet. Having said that, always remember regardless of whichever you pick the most crucial thing is doing the research and raising the right questions regarding them.
