Gun safes and gun cabinets are two popular ways to store guns. Some prefer safes, while others like the cabinets more. They both have their pros and cons.
But What are the differences between them? Which one would be more preferable? Let’s compare gun safes and gun cabinets and see which one is suitable for whom.
Gun Cabinet Or Gun Safe? Making The Hard Choices
In general, a safe, as the name implies, is to safeguard guns. The sole purpose of a gun safe is to store and protect the guns from all manner of harm.
A cabinet, on the other hand, is more for storage. They can either be for display or simply just storing at a spot easy to find and access. Cabinets don’t really offer much protection.
Gun Safes Are All About The Muscle
A quality safe will protect your firearms from all forms of damage. Some of the top-notch safes offer a decent level of fire resistance, water resistance, tolerance for most of the commonly available chemicals, and not to mention a monstrous level of strength to deny any physical assault. If you own a gun safe you should know how to open the gun safe even if you lose the password.
Therefore, protecting the contents inside from illegal access. The downside is, they are ugly. Yes, I am saying it out loud. Granted, there are models out there that can work with the furniture somewhat well and doesn’t stand out, but the majority of the models do.
They are generally big, bulky, and resemble a square metallic box, which is exactly what they are. They don’t really add to the decor. Instead, they are the opposite.
Gun Cabinets Are More About The Looks
A cabinet, on the other hand, is more about the looks than protection. Even a great quality cabinet will not protect the contents from most of the offense. They usually aren’t resistant to fire or water.
And they will give away if threatened with a decent amount of force or tricks. At most, they will successfully and persistently keep away the 12-year-old curious intruders.
However, unlike the safes, cabinets aren’t big chunks of metallic boxes. They are well designed and decorated. They will blend with the room and the furniture very well. If anything, they will make the guns look like a part of the decoration of the room. They will surely keep the eyes of a visitor locked on them for a while.
The Comparison Of The Two
In all honesty, it will be somewhat unfair to compare a gun safe against a gun cabinet. Even though they are to handle the same tool, guns, and related accessories, they are not for the same purpose. Comparing the two is like comparing a frying pan with a dinner plate. Nonetheless, Here’s how they differ:
- Protection
If protection is a concern, then gun safes have a huge advantage. They are meant for this. A quality safe will protect the contents from fire, water flood, humidity (for the most part), robbery, burglary, physical assault, and even curious children if it comes to that.
They are heavy, and it is very challenging to lift up and carry away. From the threats mentioned above, a cabinet will at best protect the content from the curiosity of the kids. Other than that, they are vulnerable.
- Aesthetics
Aesthetics is exactly the opposite of protection. Cabinets dominate over safes. A well-crafted cabinet will easily blend in with the other furniture and work for hand in hand to beautify a room.
They are well designed and decorated. Whether you place a cabinet full of firearms in your living room, drawing room, armory(?), a gun cabinet will easily suit itself.
In this department, gun safes slack big time. Most of the safe models are not pretty. They are more of an eyesore than anything unless placed somewhere well-planned and beautified.
- Budget
Gun safes are made much stronger and more durable than cabinets. Almost all gun safes are made of metals, whereas the majority of cabinets are mostly made of wood. Hence, gun safes are usually costlier than gun cabinets. If you choose a gun cabinet over a gun safe, it will easily save you a couple of hundred bucks.
Fair warning. If you go for a gun safe, always go for the quality ones. Even if they cost significantly more, they will be well worth it. Cheaper gun safes are barely more than a waste. Trust me on this one.
- Size
On average, a gun cabinet will be larger than a gun safe. However, it is a close call between the two. There are plenty of safes that are bigger than cabinets, but in general, cabinets tend to be larger. At least in height and length. Safes tend to stick out further from the wall compared to cabinets.
Size matters. A small container will fit in a small space. But will also offer very little space on the inside. And more like your kitchen cabinets, your gun cabinets will also fill up even before you realize. Compared to the safes, cabinets have thinner walls. Hence will offer more space inside, with both having the same external dimension.
- Safety
Safety is a controversial topic. I am talking about the safety from the container itself, not the safety they will provide to the firearms. Like a gun safe, having a thicker, stronger structure and lock will pose a hell of a challenge to retrieve the guns if the key should ever get lost.
They are not impossible to break through, but they will put up a fight. A cabinet, on the other hand, is considerably easier to breach. On the flip side, should you ever be robbed or be in trouble, if the worst happens, a gun cabinet will act no more than the kitchen stove.
But a smart and modern gun safe usually has a panic mode and alarm system. When triggered, they will open instantly to let you pick your firearm. Besides that, they may or may not trigger the house’s alarm system and alert the cops, depending on the model.
Which One Is The Better Choice?
It mostly depends on your budget, purpose, and paranoia. Since they are meant to serve two different purposes, the choice should be clear for most people.
If safety is a big concern to you, and budget is not a big deal, then go for a gun safe. A gun safe will ensure the protection of your firearm. However, keep in mind, do not go for a cheap gun safe.
They are almost never worth it. “Gun safe” and “cheap” do not go well together. Either increase your budget and go for a quality safe, or lower and the budget and settle with a cabinet.
If aesthetic matters to you more than anything else, Definitely go for a gun cabinet. If you do your research with enough time and care, you will manage to get yourself a great deal. Or you can manage to make a custom one if you have some knowledge of carpentry.
Last Words
A gun safe, and a gun cabinet, are made to store the firearm, ammunition, and related equipment. However, they are two different entities for two different purposes. They have more than enough distinguishable differences.
It should be quite simple to decide which one to opt for. The last thing I want to mention is to prefer quality over anything else. Whether it be a gun safe or a cabinet, safety is always a concern.
It should be able to withstand some degree of threat before giving away. If you want to get a cabinet, buy one made of “solid wood,” and for a safe, get one that is decently big and heavy. Other than that, have a great time. Cheers!
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