Tip of the Week: Cheap Rifle and Shotgun Storage Part 2
In this article, we cover yet another relatively cheap hack for keeping your rifles and shotguns stored upright.
PPT Editor. NRA & USCCA instructor. Hunter, former competitive shooter, collector (200+ firearms)
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As I have mentioned before, finding a cheap and tidy way to store multiple long guns can be a bit daunting.
Once you start looking for purpose-built rifle racks and hangers, you may find that they can quickly become cost-prohibitive. Some of these systems cost more than one of the guns that they are going to hold — it’s wild.
Back in September, I shared my favorite cheap hack for long gun storage. But today, I am covering another trick I use that is about as cheap and saves even more space.
Don’t Let The Name Fool You
So, what am I using this time to keep my rifles and shotguns upright? Pistol racks.
Pistol racks for long guns? This guy has lost it! But even though I am a crazy cheapskate sometimes, I don’t like my rifles getting dinged up, so just hear me out.
Many years ago, I used these vinyl-coated wire pistol racks to hold all my handguns. I had them screwed down to the wall and a few shelves in one of my closets.
Over time, my handgun collection grew too large for the closet. I eventually ended up switching to a shelf display setup for handguns. With the pistol racks now empty, I unscrewed them, and they sat dormant for some time.
I eventually ran out of room for my rifles and was left looking for a quick, temporary solution. That is when it dawned on me.
The pistols sit in two rectangular wire slots. There is a top slot to accommodate the grip of a handgun, then a lower slot that is set further back to allow the trigger guard to rest on.
So I thought that if a rifle or shotgun barrel is sticking up through one of the slots, then theoretically, the gun should not be able to fall over.
Feeding a long gun barrel into the rack so that it is below the trigger guard rest but still inside the larger top slot reduces the amount of front-to-back movement the gun has, keeping it pretty stable.
To get the guns in and out, you simply lift them up so that they are slightly off the ground, angle them towards you, and slide.
How Well Does It Work?
Again, this is a cheap hack and not an elegant solution. That said, it works reasonably well.
I have used two pistol racks for this purpose. One for about four years, and the one that is still in use is going on eight or so years. Never once has a rifle fallen over or gotten damaged.
I had one mounted directly to the studs in a wall, and my current one is mounted to a shelf.
The vinyl coating is meant to protect handguns and not trap moisture, so it works well for long guns, too.
These do sit close to the wall, so guns with tall scopes may not have enough clearance between the rack and the wall. However, I have put rifles with medium to low-mounted scopes in there and had them safely fit.
On the flip side, the fact that these do screw directly into a wall or shelf means they take up very little space.
While you can put a gun in each slot, I find that leaving one space between each one leaves room for things like bolt handles and accessories. It also reduces the chance of guns getting damaged by bumping into each other.
Another benefit is that you can still store pistols in these racks. If you have just a few rifles and handguns, this can be a do-all solution.
Mounting Height
Ideally, you only want about 4 inches of the barrel sticking up past the top of the rack.
The more barrel that sticks up, the further you have to angle the gun out to get it out. Too much barrel sticking up, and it will hit the wall, effectively preventing you from getting it in or out.
The best way to figure out what height to mount it is to take your shortest rifle and stand it straight up and down against the wall. You can then make a mark about 2 inches below the muzzle. This 2-inch buffer gives the barrel enough purchase to make sure it won't accidentally fall out.
If you are using a shelf or door-mounted pistol rack, you have a bit more freedom with how much barrel is sticking through because there is no wall directly behind the rack.
However, I still would not recommend any more than 8 inches of barrel protrusion to avoid any awkward movements from having to angle way too much.
Note: I always recommend installing any wall-mounted racks directly into studs if you can. It is far more secure than using drywall anchors.
Final Thoughts
Again, this isn't meant to be a pro storage setup. Heck, it may not be the right method for you at all.
But if you can safely store your long guns in open space and want a cheap, compact solution to keep them upright, it might be worth looking at.
How do you store your guns to save space? Let us know in the comments below. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our article on Alternative Magazine Storage as well!