Issues with wooden gun cabinets?

R

rhinonewshooter

New member
I have a gun safe, but am thinking of expanding my holdings and diversifying the storage locations.

I have an environment that is in a very secure location, behind deadbolts on metal doors, motion detectors, etc. This area is heated, but not consistently air conditioned.

I was wondering if I would be creating any issues (i.e. condensation) if I were to make a cabinet out of ply, line it with some carpet, and have a locking front door. I'm not looking for fire resistance (nothing I own is so special that it can't be replaced by insurance), but more for walk away protection and to keep the firearms out of sight.

I realize that a pry bar would allow someone access, but I also know that this would create a barrier for someone who was granted access, from stealthfully walking out with my goods.

I do have some concern that a ply cabinet might promote rust.

Beyond the fact that a wooden cabinet only provides protection from someone casually grabbing, are there any issues with maintaining a shotgun that is kept in a wooden box?

thanks
 
Kind of depends on what your normal relative humidity is. The wood itself (once properly dried out) won't creat a problem. People have been storing firearms for years in those glass-fronted cases (I've even got one). I use a rechargable moisture absorber in mine as a "just-in-case" measure but then I live in FL where moisture is a constant problem.
 
Carpeting Rust

What oneounce said. Just a week ago the side of my receiver was coated with surface rust after it was laid down against the carpet for 10 days.
 
would the rest for the barrel be less prone to pass moisture if it was made of something like a high density plastic like UHMW? I have a bag of scraps I could easily shape to fit the bill.

Other than not using the carpet, any worries with a wooden box/cabinet?
 
Back in the days before internet, massive paranoia about guns, etc., I had a Morton Booth wooden gun display cabinet with glass-fronted doors - because folks were proud of their guns and wanted to show them off. While the cabinet was flimsy enough as far as a crook, it did not have any issues with rust- the rounded barrel slots had basically, pool table felt lining them. I had this cabinet in CO and ND - not the most humid, but not the driest states either. I suspect any type of non-absorbing material (maybe polypropolene?) would work. In my current steel safe, my guns are in those gun socks - not only for another layer against rust, but also to protect against nicks and dings when taking them out and putting them back
 
I would certainly pad the racks - where barrels rest - with something that won't scratch ( like a good heavy felt or a good foam of some type ) ....vs anything hard like plastic.

Everything sucks up moisture - and releases it as the air cools / and the air picks up moisture as it warms up...but I don't think building a case out of plywood / or a door ...especially if you seal it ( stain it / coat it with some kind of varnish ..) etc will cause a problem. Moist moisture - when its warm - stays in the air ....as the air cools / the air loses moisture and it will condense on the coolest thing in the area ( like a gun barrel / or a cast iron tool top table on a table saw )...

moisture coming in and out of wood - just adds to the moisture in the area ...but its more of a humidity issue than anything - and keeping heat in the area - helps a lot. Good consistent air flow - is also important.

A solid wood door / is not inpenetrable ...but it can be pretty tough to get thru unless you have the right tools ...and even that will take a few minutes. But even a light weight locked door - will keep someone from walking thru the area ( like a contractor in your home for a few days ) and just helping themselves to something ...

Personally, if you have the room ....I would just add another safe ..or two or whatever you want .../ or have a steel room custom built if you want to get really serious. Make the whole room essentially a safe. But I don't see a plywood door as a big deal ...in terms of creating a moisture problem either.
 
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like a good heavy felt or a good foam of some type
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Be VERY careful there. I built myself a nice cleaning vice. For the clamps, I used a large woodworkers parallel-jaw clamp. I padded the faces with pieces of mousepad (nice and soft but grips really well). I put a T/C Encore in there and had to leave it overnight. The next day, I found that the pad material had stuck itself to the receiver. Luckily it is a stainless receiver and a bit of rubbing with steel wool cleaned it right up. I would hate to think what that would do to a blued barrel if left for months at a time.

I'm going to start looking for some felt to cover the mouse-pad rubber with.
 
Doyle - my gunsmith (70+ years) is using his father's gunsmithing vice (Chicago made sometime around 1900 or so) - his uses wooden blocks attached to the steel jaws which are then faced with strong, but supple and thick leather - he said that vice has been that way as long as he can remember -might be worth investigating
 
I would consider a foam material with a tighter cell - than a mousepad probably just for durability if nothing else ...

...but clamping a gun in a vise ....vs setting a barrel in a gun rack with a foam protector are very different too ...

but then I'm surprised the mouse pads stuck to the gun too ...so its a thought ...
 
Leather sounds good; but, these days, people don't have scraps of supple leather laying around as they did in 1900.
 
Leather sounds good; but, these days, people don't have scraps of supple leather laying around as they did in 1900.
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You are right about that, but there could be an easy work-around. Stop by your local goodwill store and look in their belt section. Good chance you'll spot a nice wide leather belt for a buck or two.
 
Or contact Tandy - I think they are still in business, or call a saddle shop or one of the boot makers - they will have scraps, even one of the few remaining tanneries might
 
I actually picked up a large bag of leather cut offs (from Tandy) at Hobby Lobby. I lined a very large leg vise for my workbench with leather,and still have a lifetime supply waiting for a use. I think I spent $10 on it.
 
If the area's THAT secure, why close them in ? :p

Old%20Gun%20Room.jpg


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Rest assured, little "extras" can be slipped surreptitiously into a wife's jewel case a lot easier than into husband's gun case.
 
Well................ My wife bought me a spanky-new Savage .22 semi-auto, for our 1st Christmas (1965) - and I keep her involved in all my gun deals, buying and/or selling.

She isn't very interested any more, but is glad I have a hobby that doesn't involve strange women. ;) :p

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