Gun Cabinets

1. A gun cabinet is beautiful furniture, and often can be elegantly customized to your preferences, fitting your existing decor. Variations in design, glass, and rare woods make it unique to you. Properly maintained, a wood cabinet will last a lifetime.

2. Don't gamble. A gun cabinet or safe is a must for any gun owner, especially if there are children in the home. Your children may be well-educated in gun safety, but their friends may not. Standard rule: practicing gun safety teaches gun safety.

3. Choose a gun cabinet at least 58 inches high. In addition to room for most 30-inch barreled rifles, you'll appreciate having a shelf for handguns, ammunition and other valuables.

4. If your gun cabinet includes door storage, use that for non-scoped rifles, and keep your expensive scoped guns inside the cabinet where they'll be jostled less.

5. An interior light is convenient, especially when opening your gun cabinet at night. Fumbling around in the dark for a gun is not safe. Newer LED lights offer clean, glare-free clarity and use very little electricity.

6. High-density racks that pack a lot of guns into a small space are fine for basic or entry-level rifles. More expensive weapons or rifles, which may include scopes, require more room.

7. Rotary racks add wonderful convenience. They take up a little more space, but offer far more protection because scopes are on the protected inside of the circle, and you only move the weapon you choose.

8. Although generally not fire-retardant nor burglar-proof, gun cabinets are much more affordable, attractive, and lightweight. If your concern is more about your children and their friends than burglary or fire, a gun cabinet may be a good compromise. In general, more visibility means less security.

9. Most caliber-specific weapons are inappropriate for a gun cabinet, and should be stored in a higher-security gun safe. Check manufacturer's recommendations.

10. Because they are lightweight, gun cabinets may be a better choice if your floor can't bear a heavy load. For the same reason, they're easier to carry off. Anchor yours to the floor for added peace of mind.