Picking a gun safe for a cabin or hunting lodge seems easy enough at first. Most people assume the safe only needs to store the long guns and be modular so a mix of handguns and hunting rifles, or other items can work for the space. Unfortunately that isn’t always the case.
The type of gun safe you purchase for your cabin will need to depend on:
- Its location inside
- The age of the cabin
- How much weight the floor and structure can handle
- If the property is personal use or may become a rental
- How much humidity will be present
- If it is inland or may get salt exposure
Not all gun safes make sense for all hunting lodges or cabins as they may weigh too much for the structure to support, or may not meet future needs and you’ll have to replace it. This guide to buying the right type of gun safe for a cabin or hunting lodge will help you make the right decision so you can purchase the correct gun safe for your rural retreat.
Location Inside the Building
The location inside the cabin or lodge matters as you don’t want easy access to the firearms from an entry point if you’re sleeping at night. Seeing a large safe from a window could entice a burglar if they think nobody is home, and you may want the firearm for protection vs. storage only for hunting rifles.
If the safe is by a window or in eyesight, and you’re known for having a nice collection, it could become a target for a burglary. But more important is your personal security.
If you own a cabin or have a home in the country and it is hunting season, friends will ask to come visit. Multiple people will know how to access the safe, and this leaves an opportunity for it to be unlocked.
In the event of an intruder, you don’t want someone to accidentally leave the safe unlocked and the intruder to gain access to your firearms. If you want a larger safe or gun cabinet, keep it far away from entry points like front and back doors, garages, and large windows.
Keeping the larger gun safes hidden in a basement or in a closet away from entry points is likely a better option as they’re not as easy to access as one where an intruder may enter. Smaller gun safes for personal weapons should be in the bedroom with you. Some options can hold a hunting rifle and a pistol like our fast box hidden systems.
When the Structure Was Built
If your cabin was built 80 or more years ago, the foundation may need repaired and some of the support structures may need replaced. This is common and the large gun safes that are popular in rental and residential homes tend to be large and heavy. If you go for a gun safe with a stronger fire rating like our TRUE™ Fire Safe, there may be concrete inside the walls adding to the weight.
The last thing you want to do is have the safe break the structure or crack your foundation. If the home is old, have a structural engineer or a contractor come take a look. They’ll be able to let you know if you need repairs or if you’re all set. Even if they charge a fee for the evaluation, it is cheaper than destroying the home and having to rebuild.
You also do not have to sacrifice space and storage for weight. There are modular gun safes in larger capacities like our Agile line that uses our patented cradlegrid technology. These models store your long guns securely while weighing less than a thick-walled standard safe and can make a better option for older cabins that cannot handle heavier weights.
Future Property Use
Right now you may be enjoying your vacation home alone or with family. But as the years go on your kids will grow up or you may not use the property as often. This is common and the owners turn these units into rental properties for vacations and long term leases.
If you went with a large biometric safe, you’ll likely need to move it to your permanent home or replace it which is costly and time consuming. By thinking about the future now, you may decide it is better to use a key pad locking system or combination of keypad and key lock. The benefit here is the codes can be changed as new guests arrive, and you can change it again when you’re using the cabin.
You’ll save money in the future by planning ahead, and be able to rest easy knowing that no previous tenants have access to the firearms as the code is always changing. Similar to a personal safe in a hotel room.
The Air and Environment
Not all safes have strong ventilation systems or dehumidifiers. If your property is by salt water or in a humid environment, gun safe and gun corrosion becomes a larger issue. Salt air can speed up the corrosion process so areas near ocean or brackish water want to purchase gun safes that allow for ventilation and focus on dehumidifying the insides.
If there is a humid season or you’re by the shore, invest in a gun safe with proper ventilation systems in it vs. going for options that are for more security or ratings like fire proofing. It only takes a bit of humidity to begin the corrosion process, and if the property sits vacant during the off season you don’t want to come back and find it has started.
Picking the right gun safe for your cabin or hunting lodge is about the place it is in the property and intended use, thinking about the future and if you’ll be renting the property and how capacity needs will change, as well as the climate to help prevent damage to the safe and firearms inside.
