$6.97 Gun Rack – Wally World

[Michael_2112]

I’ve recently decided to convert my closet into a storage/smash and grab protection area until I can afford to upgrade to a real safe. I’m in the process of adding a stronger door and frame along with 2 deadbolts.

While looking for a useable (and cheap) solution for my long guns I found an 18” Clip Bar made by Dorman in the automotive section of Walmart. It costs $6.97 and works amazingly well and almost like it was made for this very purpose. Each one will hold 5 long guns, and I’ll be adding a few more I think. It isn’t the most solid construction (plastic) but neither are the racks in the sub - $1000.00 RSC(s).

I just thought I would share in case anyone else is looking for an affordable gun rack solution.

 

[Country_boy_88]

looks great. thanks for the idea. I have thought about turning a closet into a safe but think I will wait and turn a whole bedroom into one when i build a house.

 

[btg3]

Nice! Since you've looked this over, do you think it would work for revolvers? If so, this might be fitted inside a small RSC that originally only held long guns.

 

[Shadow 7D]

looks like a broom/mop rack we used to have at school when I was a kid.

 

[Michael_2112]

Well I'm not super concerned about fire rating and mostly concerned about the possibility of smash and grab thieves. Sometimes I think having some organization is really what it's about as well. I'm going to post pictures as I go with the project. I guess we can all see how it turns out. I think it will provide enough protection for my current needs.

I'm not really sure it would work for revolvers, but if you have some shelf space or want to put a shelf in... these are $3.97 (at Walmart) and what I'm going to use for some handguns. They sell something almost identical at Cabela's for about $30.00.

 

[btg3]

The dish rack is good, but won't fit in a small RSC. The one I found had a blemish, so the manager let me have it for $2. It works great on a table at a shoot. The wire can be bent outward to accommodate larger handguns.

 

[snorko]

Since we're talking cheap storage alternatives, I picked up a closet door shoe organizer, cut it to length, and now have 16 pockets on the inside of my safe door for holsters and magazines.

 

[CCWB]

thanks for the info snorko, I didn't want to chuck out 50+ on a safe rack

 

[dom1104]

hmm. I just went to walmart, and checked this out.

I did not buy it. it looks TERRIBLY cheap and flimsy.

Do you actually let your guns hang from them via the friction lock mechanism thing?

I dunno, I could not bring myself to trust those lil plastic rollerdos.

Not to mention, I dont want my guns to be hard for my wife to figure out how to remove from the rack in a hurry.

 

[Michael_2112]

Yeah, the closet door shoe organizer works really well for magazines and other various small items. It's kind of interesting how affordably you can find workable solutions that aren't necessarily firearms related that work just as well. I think when all is said and done I might grab an LCP with some of the savings. Always a way to justify another purchase.

 

[Michael_2112]

No, they don't hang from it. The buttstock rests on a carpeted platform on the floor with the barrel resting in the slots on the top. Similiar to the way you would see a vertical rack in a store or in an RSC for long guns. It simply keeps them in place and prevents them from knocking into one another.

 

[ilbob]

At one time I took bike cable locks that had a plastic coating and ran it through the trigger guards of my guns that were stored in a dresser drawer. I ran the cables through a big hook that was secured to the back of the dresser. Not ideal but difficult to grab and run off with.

Kind of like the way gun dealers at shows secure their firearms sometimes.

I have also used bike cable locks to lock long guns to the underside of the bed frame.

 

[hub]

I have one like the one posted by Michael_2112 in my Garage. I use it for garden tools in my garage, shovels, rakes, etc. It was given to me and I agree with dom1104, I was leery at first it looked kinda cheap and if the tools fell out they would fall right against my new car.

I put it up anyway to test and man it really does the hold the handles good and tight. I'm thinking it would hold gun barrels really well too. It is secured to the wall with six wood screws.

Not to mention, I don't want my guns to be hard for my wife to figure out how to remove from the rack in a hurry.

Taking something out really takes no thought and is not difficult at all. The butt of the weapon or the bottom of shovel in my case rests on the ground, when the object is lifted what so ever the rubber coated ball rolls up and back into the housing losing grip.

Anyway not saying it's the best, I just want to back up micheal2112's suggestion. When I put it up I thought it would make a good closest gun rack too. It grips everything from a shovel with a big fat handle to a small house broom with a pretty narrow handle. That made me think 12ga or bull barrels down to sporter .22 would be held OK.

 

[Michael_2112]

It grips the barrel pretty well as mentioned by hub. Since the butt stock is resting on the floor, I'm pretty confident it will serve it's purpose. I could have easily broken out some tools and crafted a decent upper rack, but for under $7... it was money well spent. I have a Remington 1100, Mossberg 500, 94, Saiga and 10/22 and it seems to be pretty solid thus far.

 

[btg3]

I’ve recently decided to convert my closet into a storage/smash and grab protection area until I can afford to upgrade to a real safe. I’m in the process of adding a stronger door and frame along with 2 deadbolts.

If the door swings outward like most closet doors, are the hinges exposed such that it would be easy to tap the pins out to remove the door? Maybe your new door and frame addresses this?

Could access be gain by smashing thru a sheetrock wall (no tools needed)? Don't know your set-up, but just thinking out loud.

 

[Michael_2112]

btg - The outer walls are brick (exterior corner of structure) and the inner wall(s) are old school thick plaster with a 4x8 sheet of mirror on the exterior. I'm addressing the hinges by using case hardened, captive hinges. I also have an alarm system and will be adding an additional siren/horn in the office. So my thinking is if the alarm is loud enough and the room difficult enough to access, it might be deterrent enough. I know it isn't the end all be all system, but really more of a stopgap for the time being.

 

[btg3]

I like the sound of this... to the point of jealousy. And I've torn out some of those old plaster walls and know they're tough. Got me to thinking of options in my house since my tiny RSC is crowded.

If humdity is a concern, you might consider how to address that.