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If you own a gun, then you have probably heard a 100 times that you should keep your gun in a safe place so it does not fall into wrong hands. That is an excellent statement and you should hear it 100 more times. You don’t want your pistol to be found by either a child or a criminal.

So how do you use your gun safe? It seems like that question would have an easy answer, but let’s explore all the different facets:

• By their nature, gun safes are large metal boxes that are not airtight (unless you have firesafe), but they do attract a lot of moisture.  Because you gun is either all metal or at least (in the case of the polymer guns like the Glock), the major components are metal, they can and will rust.  Most stores that sell safes also sell a product called a desiccant.  This is a small bag or box that contain silica gel that you place in your safe to remove the moisture in the air.  You should buy a size that is appropriate for the square footage of you safe and follow the instructions to maintain the desiccant.
• A gun that has been in prolonged storage should be cleaned before any use.  As the gun oils start to break down, they can gum up.  As that mixes with gun powder residue, dirt, and any moisture, it can cause the weapon to malfunction.
• Different gun owners will have different opinions on whether your gun should be in the pistol safe loaded or unloaded.  They also debate if it should have a round chambered.  Consult your gun’s owner’s manual for any specifics related to storage.  Otherwise, do what you feel comfortable with depending upon your desire for quick access to the gun in the event of an emergency.

Storing a gun safely is a very important first step.  Using the above tips will help you protect your investment and safety.

As a responsible gun owner, which I’m sure you claim to be, your single most important priority should be safety.  I’m talking about the bare bones here – prevent casual access to your firearms.  Typically, the safety of your children comes to mind, and as monumentally important as that is, people often neglect prohibiting access from grown ups as well.  Many adults, even in these here gun slingin’ United States, have no idea how to safely handle a firearm.  The consequences can be lethal.

Well, enough with the scare tactics.  Though the message is vital, the sole intent of this article isn’t to freak you out.  In fact, it’s quite the contrary.  You can inexpensively accomplish both safety and the secure organization of your firearms in one tight steel package; a gun cabinet.  Gun cabinets don’t quite offer the same seemingly invincible protection that a premium gun safe does, however, they’re not nearly as expensive either.  In my humble opinion, steel gun cabinets are best if you have a handful of firearms in the house that you need to keep organized in a secure fashion – I don’t advise that you keep a $10,000+ gun collection, or your grandmother’s priceless jewelry locked away in one.

Even though they aren’t built to protect against 1400 degree flames or professional caliber burglars, that isn’t to say that you can’t find cabinets loaded with attractive features.  Homak makes a gun cabinet (often mistakenly called a Homak gun safe) that fits flush into the corner of any room.  This is ideal for those short on space, not to mention, it’s far more difficult to break into the side of a unit when it’s surrounded by a concrete wall.    In addition, Homak manufacturers their models so that they’re quick access pistol boxes can be mounted directly to the top, creating a balanced combination of dependable storage, and emergency accessibility.

Stack On is another monster in the steel cabinet industry.  Though Stack On does manufacture gun safes as well, their cabinets are far more affordable.   In addition to being similarly priced to Homak, Stack On tends to be a bit more into the aesthetics.  The exterior finish is often a glossy hunter green, and many of their models include fully lit and padded interiors.

There are plenty of other quality gun cabinet manufacturers available; Sentry, Scout, and Honeywell just to name a few, but the important thing to remember is, regardless of the brand you choose, what’s crucial is that you’re keeping those who you care about out of harms way.