You may have noticed that guns safes are not cheap. You may have also noticed that no matter how large a safe you buy, it seems you outgrow it nearly as soon as you install it. It is easy to end up with too many guns and not enough space. You could buy a new, bigger safe or you could find a smarter way to store your guns. You could find Armory Racks.

Armory Racks are metal handgun storage racks that let you maximize the space that you already have. They are made from extremely sturdy heavy gauge metal wire that is powder coated. Instead of inefficient “U” shaped brackets that hold your guns in place like most rack designs, the Armory Racks use a post that slips inside the handgun’s bore. The bore of the handgun is protected from scratching and wear by the powder coating and a very tightly fit red plastic tip. The handguns are positioned vertically, with the grip presented to the user. This design also holds the handguns up off the surface that the rack is sitting on which allows you to store additional items underneath the handguns.

More Guns, Less Space

In practical terms, the 8 gun version of the Armory Racks allows you to store at least 8 handguns in the same amount of space that 4 handguns would typically take up. It holds at least 8 handguns in about the same amount of space that most other handgun rack designs hold only 6 handguns.

Notice that I said “at least” 8 guns in the paragraph above. The design of the Armory Racks allow them to accept an optional tray in the space underneath the handguns. This tray can be used to store ammo, magazines, accessories, or whatever else you can fit. It also allows you to store… more guns! In my Armory Rack right now, I have 12 guns stored neatly. That is 12 guns in the same amount of space that I was storing 4 before. That is just too cool.

The accessory tray will hold 4 compact handguns easily.

The para-cord outline in this picture represents the footprint of the Armory Rack. With the Armory Rack, you can store at least 8 guns in the same amount of space.

Its All in the Presentation

In addition to the space saving design, there are several other features to love about the Armory Rack. Most importantly to me is how it presents the handguns. They are held in a position that presents a full firing grip to the user. Because the handguns can swing side to side on the posts, they easily hinge out of your way when you reach in to grab a specific handgun. Armory Racks let you store a handgun in a way that is secure and immediately accessible.

When you reach in to access a handgun, the others on either side swing out of your way.

Handgun mounted lights are no problem for the Armory Rack. It easily accepts handguns with the light attached. This allows me to store my “nightstand” gun loaded and ready with a light attached. That is a very important feature to me.

Armory Racks will even let you store handguns that are still in their holsters. If you have an open bottom holster, you can slip the handgun onto the post while it still in its holster. This keeps the trigger protected and stores your carry gear in one place so it ready for the next time you leave the house.

The Armory Rack handles allow you to pick up the whole rack, handguns and all, and move it easily. You can also run a cable lock around the handle on one side, through the trigger guards, and around the handle on the other side in order to effectively lock all of the handguns on the rack. I have had a shooting instructor comment to me that this set of features would be handy in his handgun classes where he likes to have an assortment of handguns for new shooters to try.

New Coating

I have found that the powder coating and plastic tip on the metal posts has been more than sufficient to protect the bore of the handgun from metal-to-metal contact. In fact, the bore barely contacts the post while you are placing your handgun on the rack. Most of the contact is with the red plastic tip. However, some people have concerns about undue wear on the bores of their handguns. Armory Racks will now offer an additional neoprene coating for the posts that should ease your mind (if you had any concerns in the first place).

These red plastic tips are fit extremely tightly to the post in order to prevent loss and protect your handgun's bore.

Conclusion

Armory Racks are the most practical and efficient handgun storage option that I have encountered. They maximize your space while actually enhancing accessibility. I really don’t know what else you can ask of a handgun rack.

You can read more about these racks and check out the 4 gun version on the Armory Racks website and Facebook page.

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Disclosure: This product was provided to me by Armory Racks, free of charge, for review.