How to Pick the Perfect Gun Safe

Owning a gun safe is a great way to preserve your firearms. It’s also ideal when you want to protect your family and keep your guns and ammunition out of the wrong hands. While it’s a right of passage for hunters and gun enthusiasts alike, picking the perfect safe can seem overwhelming with so many sizes, features, and available options. We’ve put together a quick review to help you find the ideal gun safe for you and your family.

Count Your Firearms

Choosing the right gun safe starts by counting up your firearms and finding a model that can hold everything you own. If you plan to add to your collection, be sure to leave some room for expansion. Additionally, you may wish to have space for ammunition as well as door-mounted pistol pockets and displays. Just be warned, the bigger the gun safe, the heavier it will be. Some gun safes weigh over 500 pounds and require extra floor support if you want to install it upstairs.

Waterproof and Fireproof

If you’re interested in preserving your firearms for future generations, look for models that are both resistant to water damage and fire. Most safes do offer some fire resistance. Some can last for up to 60 minutes at 1,200 degrees. But few list water protection as a benefit. If you live in an area that is prone to flooding, you might want to go out of your way to find a model that is waterproof. But overall, a safe that is resistant to fire will also be water resistant for a short period of time.

Digital vs. Dial Locks

Are you into technology? Or do you prefer old-school charm? Choosing the lock for your safe is pretty straightforward. While there are some drawbacks to digital locks including battery power, they are much faster to open in an emergency.

Storing a Single Firearm

Locking away a pistol and ammunition makes perfect sense, but having access to that firearm when you need it can be vital. Small vaults can hold a single pistol behind some impressive authentication – and the whole safe can often fit in a nightstand or on a shelf in the closet. Some models include finger-swipe technology.

Choosing Your Accessories

Gun safes can seem a lot like a new model truck with all of the accessories and options available. As you’re shopping for your new safe, think about how you want to display your rifles and handguns. Most safes include shelves for pistol racks and rod kits. You can even choose to add a light to the inside of your safe with special electrical outlet kits.

Coastal Has Your Safe

Get over to your nearby Coastal where you’ll find amazing deals on today’s top safes from Liberty and Kodiak. Save on accessories too, including mag mounts, power outlet kits, floor anchors, over-under pistol hangers, as well as panel door organizers, and dehumidifiers. If this is your first gun safe, find a Coastal expert who’ll help you pick the perfect model, including delivery options from every store.

New Laws Require Secure Firearm Storage: Both Oregon and Washington have passed laws encouraging secure firearm storage, including trigger or cable locks, or in a locked container (such as a gun safe). Washington Initiative 1639, passed in 2019, cites that improper storage of a firearm could result in a felony. Oregon Senate Bill 554, passed in late 2021, states that civil infractions can be brought against those who do not abide by the new law. Both laws are complex. But the key takeaway is that secure storage of a firearm, for the protection of children and others, is law in both states.