gun safe options or styles
 

would it be considered safe to put a rifle in a gun case with a lock on it? im referring to "keep firearms out of kids reach"
or you have to have it in a safe to be considered "out of kids reach?"

A locked hard case can be considered safe from kids, as long as no kids get access to it. In some places having a trigger lock installed on the firearm will suffice. It depends on where you live.

Here in CA we are required to have an approved gun safe capable of housing the gun we are purchasing. Those Stack-On or Homack sheet-metal gun lock boxes do not fulfill the requirement.

For me i have handguns that get kept in a safe unless im going to the range. My long guns are locked in a safe in my closet of my bedroom. I have a Mossberg 500 right next to my bed for when i go to sleep and that has never been "locked up" and it never will be. Recently ive been carrying my Glock so that hasnt been put in a safe or unloaded in a few months. Granted i do take my glock with me to the range so the rounds are fresh. But for my carry weapon when i go to sleep its right next to me and never unloaded. And my wife always has her S&W 638 in her purse all the time if shes not carrying it on her hip.

I would not recommend a gun case for long term storage...unless you dont mind marring the finish of the gun that is.

I am assuming we are discussing a hard side case...the foam attracts and holds moisture right on the metal surface. BAD news in a long term situation.

Hope you guys expand on this and give some recommendations for home gun safes. I live alone and have a number of guns - long and short - not locked up. I would like to change that. Any suggestions are welcome - just don't propose a bank quality type and valued one....

If your looking for a locking gun cabinet look at stack-on gun cabinets. They are basicly a big metal box with a lock on it. If your looking for a gun safe that will hold up to a house fire your options are limitless depending on how many firearms you own and how many more you will get. My father in law bought a 16 long gun cabinet from gander mountain for i belive $200 and it works for him. Now when i go looking for a "big" gun safe i will be going shopping with no less than $2000 and getting the biggest baddest one i can afford that weights 1000lbs and will last hours in a house fire. Ive been looking at some at my local gun store and they are pricey but will last a life time. Look at stack-ons web site and see if they have anything your looking for..

Check out the video in this thread: http://www.firearmstalk.com/forums/f58/selecting-safe-65131/ I don't like the youtube idiot but the safe guy knows what he's talking about. Hope this helps.

thanks for the replies so far,maybe i didn't describe correctly my intention. one has to have firearms locked up or out of reach if there's children present. so for this situation, would having a hard gun case locked be considered locked or having them in a gun safe be considered locked?
the duration the firearms would be locked for would be only when children are present (say: half a day, every day)

right now i just have them in gun cases that have i believe have some type of fur inside. they have no locks, ony the zipper is whats between the firearm and the persons hand.
i will check out stack ons site right now

Don't bother with a trigger lock they come off laughingly easy. Stack on cabinets are good for what they are. Worst case keep it on the case with a CA approved lock, that should work until you get something better.