Gun safes: dimensions according to GOST for hunting rifles - height and thickness standard

1. Types of gun safes
2. Storage procedure at home
3. Gun safe dimensions
4. physical characteristics
5. Metal thickness
6. Cartridge compartment
7. Lock
8. Dimensions of safes for storing hunting weapons
9. Primary requirements
10. Dimensions of gun safes for shotguns
11. Storage rules at home
12. Installation Requirements

The number of hunting enthusiasts increases every year. Every passionate hunter should know that purchasing a hunting rifle is a serious, very responsible step. Even before making a purchase, you need to take proper care of its storage. The dimensions of gun safes will be discussed in this article.

Types of gun safes

According to the law, weapons that are not used at a certain moment must be stored in a protected place, to which others will not have access. A sturdy storage unit is ideal for such purposes. Manufacturing companies today offer a considerable number of products that guarantee the safety of valuables, including hunting rifles. Depending on the cost and level of reliability, they are all divided into several types.

• Small variations. They are made from steel sheets up to 1.5 mm thick. The dimensions of safes for smooth-bore weapons of this type are small. They are usually equipped with the simplest, cheapest locks. The doors of small safe cabinets are equipped with an additional pocket for storing ammunition. The approximate price of such products is from 1 to 3 thousand rubles.
• Medium designs. This group of storages is the most popular and in demand among consumers. Manufacturers offer customers a variety of options for safe cabinets in this category. The thickness of the steel sheets of the walls is from 3 mm, the internal arrangement involves the presence of shelves and special pockets for placing contents. For convenience, the space inside the storage boxes is divided by partitions.

The equipment must be equipped with supports made of plastic or metal and upholstered in soft material. This allows you to avoid mechanical damage to the stock or barrel during operation. You can store rifled and smooth-bore samples in such models. A standard cabinet usually holds at least 3 units. The doors are equipped with strong locks. The approximate cost of products varies from 4 to 16 thousand rubles.

• Elite designs. Expensive collectible guns are usually stored in such storage cabinets. They are highly burglar-resistant and resistant to mechanical damage. The thickness of the walls of a safe for elite-class weapons can be different. The main requirement is that it should be enough to ensure the safety of the contents from unauthorized access. Equipment of this type is equipped with high-quality locking mechanisms, produced mainly in Germany.

The internal space of the storage facility is equipped with trays, shelves and pockets for storing ammunition. Metal partitions make operation as convenient as possible. The outside of luxury structures is decorated taking into account the preferences of the future owner. After all, they are mostly made to order. You can rarely find them on the open market. Such exclusive models can cost up to 450 thousand rubles and more. When choosing a safe cabinet, first of all, consider its purpose. Every owner of a safe should remember that it should be located not at the place of registration, but at the actual address of residence.

The procedure for making a safe

The production of a gun cabinet is a complex technological process. For this, special materials are used. To understand how complex and high-quality these products are, it is worth considering each stage of their production.

Materials

Gun safes are made from durable steel sheets. In some cases, the use of wooden partitions is allowed, but only if they are sheathed with metal on the outside. Such cabinets are cheaper, but their use is impractical.

The following materials are used to make a gun safe:

• at least 3-4 strong steel hinges capable of supporting the weight of the door;
• bolts, nuts and other fasteners;
• corners 2.5 mm thick.

Metal hidden loop for safe

Sizing

Many modern manufacturers rely on standard parameters:

• height - 1500 mm;
• depth - 500 mm;
• width - 500 mm.

A safe of this size is optimal for storing 1-3 carbines with optics, full ammunition and cleaning equipment.

Drawing up a safe diagram

The internal structure of the cabinet plays an important role. This takes into account the type of firearm, its size and key storage requirements. Most often, the treyzer is located directly above the cradle, which is practical and helps save space in the closet, but additional compartments/shelves are allowed.

Weapon cabinet drawing

Blanks

When starting to assemble a gun safe, craftsmen work with the following elements:

• frame box;
• walls - 1 back, 2 side, top and bottom;
• door.

The cabinets are equipped with vertical partitions, non-removable pins, small frames, shelves and other elements that make them as practical and easy to use as possible.

Making a frame and assembling a safe

A welding machine is used for this. All of the listed elements are connected to each other in accordance with the requirements of the technical documentation. Specialists carefully check the quality of welds, since the strength of the product directly depends on this.

Assembling the frame of a cabinet for storing weapons

Completion of work

At the final stage, the gun safe is coated with a special polymer paint that provides protection from moisture and fire. The locks are installed last, and after checking their functionality, the safe is completely ready for use.

physical characteristics

There are no special storage requirements for civilians. It is enough to keep the arsenal locked. However, the possibility of providing additional protection is not excluded. The owner himself decides whether the minimum measures are enough for him or whether it is worth making the preservation more effective. However, anyone who places an emphasis on real security needs to pay attention to several significant parameters.

Metal thickness

In this regard, one simple rule applies - the thicker the metal sheets, the better. The maximum size is 5 mm. It is used quite rarely, mainly to strengthen the outer door slab. 3 mm steel is used for the manufacture of reliable structures, 2 mm is suitable for the production of ordinary cheap storage facilities.

For greater reliability and safety, you should choose products made of thicker metal - 3 mm. Of course, if finances do not allow, you can limit yourself to a more affordable option. It should be understood that low cost also indicates low burglary resistance. Cheap is not always good, much less safe. The owners of the weapons arsenal dubbed such models among themselves as “a cabinet for a district police officer.” With their help, you can comply with the rules of detention, but in no way ensure effective preservation. Just a formality, nothing more.

Cartridge compartment

Many storage boxes are equipped with special lockable teasers. Such separate storage is quite logical in terms of safety, and also makes operation more convenient and practical. The capacity of this block must correspond to actual needs. Otherwise, you will have to decide where else to store the existing ammunition.

Lock

According to gun safe standards, the number of locking mechanisms is not significant. The choice of locking device is left to the owner of the safe cabinet. What it will be - key or electronic - is up to him to decide.

Products with keys are the most common, and they are also the easiest to use. They have a long service life and guarantee excellent protection. The only downside is the need to constantly monitor the safety of the locking/opening element.

Code ones are significantly higher in cost, operate using the energy of replaceable batteries and are quite demanding to use in general. However, their capabilities and advantages are much more impressive than the previous option. It makes sense to list some of the advantages of such products:

• the owner can change the numerical combination at any time;
• The locks have a cipher brute force protection function;
• there is a notification about the status of charging elements;
• the frequency of door opening, etc. is recorded.

If finances allow, it is better to choose a model with a code locking device.

Gun and Ammunition Storage Laws for 2022

The Law on the Rules for the Storage of Firearms and Ammunition regulates this possibility for individuals and legal entities. The foundations are laid in the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 21, 1998 N 814 in section 11 (storage of weapons and ammunition). Its main milestones:

• Individuals and legal entities are required to obtain appropriate permission to store the selected type of weapon: smooth-bore, rifled, gas or traumatic;
• The permit is valid for 12 months from the date of issue, after which the applicant must obtain it again;
• It is mandatory to comply with the requirements for engineering and technical equipment of places for storing weapons and weapons ammunition;
• Only a person who has received permission to store it should have access to weapons;
• Temporary storage of someone else's weapons, even if engineering and technical requirements are met, is prohibited. For this, a fine of 2,000 rubles is provided.

If harm to health is caused due to non-compliance with the law on the rules of storing weapons, then the person responsible bears criminal liability for this.

Dimensions of safes for storing hunting weapons

Important factors ensuring safety are:

• level of reliability of locking mechanisms;
• dimensions corresponding to the parameters of the stored objects;
• lack of accessibility from outsiders;
• the presence of shelves necessary for placing ammunition and related items.

A safe cabinet should be purchased based on established standards and useful advice. This is how you can buy a truly good product that can last for a long period and guarantee safety.

Primary requirements

In order for the storage facility to be functional, it must comply with the developed instructions for maintaining the arsenal. So, according to article No. 166:

• The box should be wooden, lined with tin.
• Locking devices can be located in different places (if the storage is two-section).

It is better to secure the box with bolts to ensure safety. This will prevent it from suddenly falling under external influence or moving when the door is opened. In addition, these measures can prevent theft of the safe cabinet.

Some hunting enthusiasts (who live in private houses) install them in special niches, which is a good way to camouflage them from the ever-present eyes of intruders. Before opening a skillfully installed product, you will need to find it. The extra time it takes for a thief to access the contents greatly reduces the likelihood of the property being stolen.

Dimensions of gun safes for shotguns

You only need to buy a storage unit after first assessing the parameters of your existing weapon. If you do not pay attention to this, you will subsequently have to store the weapon disassembled. Additional accessories and ammunition may simply not fit.

To choose a good means for preserving your arsenal, find out from the seller the total length of the elements that fit into the safe cabinet. To do this, it’s a good idea to initially study the parameters of the most common brands of firearms for hunting. Complete information about the height of gun safes and other significant indicators can be found on the pages of specialized websites.

Service and warranty

When purchasing a fireproof cabinet, you should carefully study the drawing of the gun safe and discuss all issues related to the implementation of the manufacturer’s service and warranty obligations. When making a purchase, you should check that the warranty card contains all contacts, dates, seals and signatures. Be sure to check the certificate of conformity of the product GOST R 50862-2005. You should not buy a safe at a retail outlet where there is no seal (or they don’t want to put one), the seller’s signature is affixed without decoding, and they issue a blank warranty card.

Storage rules at home

They must be strictly observed to ensure complete safety for yourself and your family, as well as to eliminate the possibility of problems with the law.

To avoid complications, it is important to remember these recommendations:

• In a house or apartment, store weapons only in disassembled condition.
• The cartridges and the “barrel” itself must be kept separate.
• Different types of powder mixtures should also be kept in different compartments.
• The safe cabinet must be installed away from heating devices and in accordance with fire safety requirements.
• Cartridges and gunpowder must be kept separately.
• It is not recommended to use cheap, unreliable locking mechanisms in weapon storage. This will make them easily accessible to burglars and will not guarantee adequate protection.
• The most important point is to never allow strangers to access the contents of the safe, even if they are relatives whom you completely trust.

In addition, the owner of the arsenal needs to be prepared for systematic checks. Special service employees will monitor whether the products are stored correctly and whether all required conditions are met. Negligent owners and violators will face inevitable punishment. Violations are subject to administrative and criminal liability.

Accommodation

The location of the gun safe must comply with certain dimensions - be at least one and a half meters away from the front door, at least a meter away from heating appliances and devices, and at least 50 cm from window openings. Compliance with the requirements is necessary to ensure safety. Moving away from windows and doors to increase the size of the path and make it more difficult for an attacker to get to the safe for storing hunting weapons, moving away from heating to protect the residents of the house from a possible explosion of ammunition.

Installation Requirements

Almost everyone who owns a weapon and purchases means to store it asks the question: is there a need to secure the storage to the wall or floor. This point is not regulated by law; the right to choose belongs entirely to the owner of the arsenal. However, local police officers often insist on securing the cabinet during inspections. And although this is not required by law, for reasons of common sense, a tightly mounted box is much more reliable.

Thus, products made of 2 mm steel 1.5 m high weigh about 30 kg. Simpler variations made from thin sheets - about 20 kg. If you do not secure them properly, they will become very easy targets for thieves. Carrying a lightweight box will not be difficult for them.

In cases with safes sized for 3 guns or more and having an impressive mass, there is another problem. Due to the discrepancy between the height and base area, they are unstable. Especially with the door open. Agree, it’s not good when a steel cabinet with all its contents falls on you. For small children or pets, this situation can be very unsafe. Therefore, it is better to secure the storage to avoid many problems in the future. This will not be particularly difficult and will not take much time. But it guarantees reliability and safety.

Tools and materials

A gun safe should be at the disposal of every person who is interested in hunting with a gun. To make a hunting box, you may need the following materials and tools:

• Iron. This is the main material for making a homemade safe. During the work, durable sheets must be used that correspond to the calculated parameters. A safe cannot be made from wood.
• Corners are 2.5 cm. They can be replaced with a profile characterized by a square cross-section. These items are required if ammunition is stored in a safe.
• Welding machine. They do the main work.
• Locks. It is best to prepare three pieces at once. One of them should be left for the ammo shelf.
• Pen. One of the additions to the product.
• Grinder with discs that work on metal.
• Canopies. They need to be used at least 2-3 pieces if you plan to make a heavy door.

Storage recommendations

The law primarily spells out the requirements for safes for smooth-bore, rifled and traumatic weapons and ammunition, but no attention is paid to choosing a place in the house. Therefore, this part can be guided by considerations of safety and convenience. The most suitable would be closed technical rooms (storage rooms, workshops), work rooms to which access to third parties is limited. The main condition is the presence of concrete or stone load-bearing walls, ceilings or floors for reliable fixation. It is better if it is a heated room with a low level of humidity. Children and guests should not have access to it. It would be a good idea to consult with the local police officer in advance to choose the most suitable place, and the gun owner would be confident of obtaining permission.