Tip of the Week: Cheap, Alternative Long-Gun Storage
Tired of looking at expensive gun racks? We look at a cheap, but unique option for storing long guns efficiently.
PPT Editor. NRA & USCCA instructor. Hunter, former competitive shooter, collector (200+ firearms)
We review products independently. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission to help support our testing. Learn more about our review process.
Whether you store your rifles in a safe, in cases, or on racks, you have probably learned that gun-specific storage is effing expensive.
Every rifle rack on every website, from Amazon to custom furniture places, was just more than I wanted to spend. Cost was a huge consideration because I have over 100 rifles and shotguns, so I needed a ton of storage.
I realize that I am out of the norm here, but hoarding aside, I was getting desperate to find a reasonably space-efficient and cost-effective way to store my long guns.
After countless hours of searching and grumbling, it finally dawned on me — why not use guitar racks?
I had previously used guitar racks to store my collection of guitars before moving them to the wall, but I still had my floor racks in storage.
These metal racks are meant to hold multiple guitars sideways, so the slots are sized perfectly for rifles. There is plenty of room for accessories to hang off left and right. Since there is no backplate, optics pose no issue either.
They are also padded with closed-cell foam, which ensures that nothing will get dinged and that the foam won't retain moisture that could damage your gun.
Additionally, these racks can fold up when not in use, making them easy to store or transport. These would double as excellent portable racks to take out when shooting a round of clays or popping off a few rounds outside so that you can set your guns down while you shoot the breeze with your friends or family.
I have been using these to hold my rifles in my armory room for over a decade now. Both my brand-name Proline racks and the cheaper Chinese knockoffs from Amazon have kept everything upright and protected with no ill effects.
They make these stands from 3 slots, up to 7 slots in size. If you opt for the knockoff route, you can nab a 7-slot rack for around $30-50 on Amazon. For my money, that is a much easier pill to swallow than shelling out $200+ for a “gun rack.”
I know storing guns outside of safes or cases isn’t for everyone. But those who do or are able to store theirs in the open may benefit from this cheap hack.
Editor's Note: This is part of a new series where we deliver a weekly "hack" or tip to make your life easier. Let us know if you want us to keep this series up in the comments below.
Do you have any neat tips or tricks for open-air rifle storage? If so, let us know in the comments below! If you need a more secure solution, check out our guide to the Best Gun Safes.