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Old June 6, 2013, 11:09 PM   #1
AL45
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Are the days of the gun cabinet over?

When I was a kid, people with guns stored them in a gun cabinet or a gun rack. I don't know anyone who had a safe in those days. As a woodworker, I would love to build a nice gun cabinet and place it in the living room where I could view the guns on a regular basis.The problems with this are, of course, obvious. While I am not overly concerned about fire or weather related disasters, I am extremely concerned about theft Do any of you still have your guns out in the open in a wooden gun cabinet?
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Old June 6, 2013, 11:28 PM   #2
BarryLee
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Yes, I remember as a kid visiting many homes that had a gun cabinet prominently featured in the main room of the house. But, alas, I fear you are correct that for the most part those days are gone.

I am sure there are some scenarios where one could still have a nice gun cabinet for instance in a secured room or safe room type of set up. I’ve also seen post, on here I believe, featuring hidden rooms behind bookshelves or similar. However, having a nice cabinet hidden in a secret room sort of limits the enjoyment.
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Old June 7, 2013, 12:20 AM   #3
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I could see it being feasible if it was built really, really strong and hard to get into, but for the most part, yes, those days are probably over.

I agree that it's a darn shame. I visited a very rich friend of a friend's gun room and he had a number of pistols and rifles very nicely displayed inside the secure gun room. It was wonderful and it's a shame it can't still be that way.
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Old June 7, 2013, 11:00 AM   #4
Hawkeye146
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I've still got a wormy chestnut gun cabinet my grandfather made me close to 20 yrs ago and I still keep some of my favs in it. I know it is not safe from thieves, but I refuse to pander to that issue. I instead use common sense when placing it and making sure my home is protected otherwise. Call me unsafe
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Old June 8, 2013, 09:35 AM   #5
4V50 Gary
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Secured man cave (like the basement vault).
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Old June 8, 2013, 09:49 AM   #6
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I miss those days too...

I guess that those who remember glass door gun cabinets prominently displayed in the "living room" are getting a little long in the tooth, like ME! These gun cabinets varied from exquisite oak to just plain, home-made varnished plywood. Guns were always a conversation piece & attraction. As kids we knew to never touch much less open the cabinet without permission.

...bug
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Old June 8, 2013, 11:40 AM   #7
kilimanjaro
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Visited a hundred homes with a gun cabinet within 20 feet of the front door, and even more homes with a rifle rack on the wall over the couch.

Lots of folks left their doors unlocked in those days, too.

Sadly, those days are gone.
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Old June 8, 2013, 12:43 PM   #8
Water-Man
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Not for me. My guns are stored in a wooden gun cabinet. My safe stores other things.
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Old June 8, 2013, 12:44 PM   #9
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The fact that nobody to my knowedge makes them anymore says it all. What a shame and what does that say about our society.
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Old June 8, 2013, 01:25 PM   #10
JWT
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Sadly, times have changed and and in todays society they are no longer adequate. Just as keeping a shotgun behind the basement door, it is no longer acceptable.
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Old June 8, 2013, 01:40 PM   #11
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It is what it is !!!

As most folks have stated and yes, it's sad and indicative of the time we live in. You still see some around in rural areas and then there are some that are hard to part with and hold other things. The only firearms I openly display, are era SideLocks. If someone stole them, they would not be easy to use or dispose of, by the average person. I know a fella who has a cannon with wheeled carriage, in his Four Seasons room. I Don't think it's going anywhere. ...


Be Safe !!!
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Old June 8, 2013, 03:11 PM   #12
Doyle
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Quote:
The fact that nobody to my knowedge makes them anymore says it all. What a shame and what does that say about our society.
Still made. Wally World.com has them for special order.
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Old June 8, 2013, 03:39 PM   #13
BumbleBug
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Perhaps if someone still has a nice one, they can post a pic for the "youngsters" here.

TIA...

...bug

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Old June 8, 2013, 05:19 PM   #14
BornToLooze
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I don't have a gun cabinet, but I have a nice looking gun rack on the wall in my bedroom, its wood and deer engraved on it.
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Old June 8, 2013, 05:40 PM   #15
Method
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Check out Amazon.com

I found this product on Amazon.com by running a search for "gun cabinet" from the main page. They may not be as popular as they once were, but they are still made.
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Old June 9, 2013, 12:22 PM   #16
Rembrandt
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Display gun cabinets still exist in many of the finer homes and trophy rooms. Home owners that can afford quality security and surveillance systems can be assured of security nearly equal to that of a safe.


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Old June 9, 2013, 05:47 PM   #17
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I have no display case. A number of my friends had great display cases and most wish they had taken a different approach. They still have the display case but the visitors that came and took their rifles and shotguns with them. I think the most reasonable display case is a big safe with about 400 pounds of lead shot in the bottom of it. I still have an old squirrel tail that I killed with my Benjamin pump .177 pellet rifle a long long time ago.

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Old June 9, 2013, 06:10 PM   #18
Garycw
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Are the days of the gun cabinet over?

Funny you should bring those up. I was thinking about them yesterday. They seemed to be a common piece of furniture in alot of homes. My parents house still has a gun rack on the wall of bedroom. Been there since '57.
I used to have a gun rack in back window of my pickup truck i had for years. It sometimes had a rifle, other times just a hat on the hook. I'm thinking of getting another and mounting discreetly behind seat
Some of The old glass door cabinets were very nice looking walnut , brass hardware, ammo drawer at bottom and a skeleton key lock.

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Old June 11, 2013, 06:46 AM   #19
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It's sad, but I think that is an era that has passed us by... I had to build a room to display my main gun collection... yep they hang on the walls in proud displays... um... in a walk in gun safe room, with no windows, & a 3" thick steel door... I built the room, because I wanted to display my guns... of course visibility is limited to those who have access...

we have a nice old antique gun cabinet in our entry way, it houses mostly damaskus barreled double shot guns from relatives long gone... may contain my lil 17 Mach 2 & a .410 that we keep handy for dispatching of varmints... a couple years ago, we added a "curtain" to the inside of the wood framed glass door, so you couldn't see the guns through the glass...

at least if we got broken into, because of the gun cabinet, all they would get for guns, are several unsafe to shoot double barrels, a custom ( reads easy to identify ) 17 Mach 2, & my 1st gun, a single shot .410, in marginal condition, & one magazine's worth of 17 caliber cartridges & a handful of .410 shells... all the rest of the ammo is stored in the big safe...
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Old June 11, 2013, 07:59 AM   #20
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I wish I could store my guns in a display case like back in the day. As a child it seemed every home had one. Sadly, those days are long gone.
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Old June 14, 2013, 07:47 AM   #21
champ198
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i have most of all of my guns in a small gun cabinet in mine and my wifes bedroom. its pretty much stuffed and i cant fit anything else in it but this comming spring when tax time comes in im hopeing to get a decent sized safe to put in our new addition of the house.
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Old June 14, 2013, 07:57 AM   #22
twobit
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When I was a kid (60's & 70's) Papa had a nice pine one with two glass doors. I think it held about 20 rifles. It was in the den. Yes those days are gone.
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Old June 14, 2013, 07:22 PM   #23
Yung.gunr
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Unfortunately, I was never around for those good old days. My stuff is all hiddent behind a safe door. I'd love to be able to display them like back then.

I give my Dad's wife a hard time about her china cabinet because it just has little figurines in it (the china is in another cabinet). I tell my Dad it would make a great cabinet to turn into his gun cabinet. "it would take minimal work" I say. Boy, that really gets her going. Ever hear a British woman get mad and start yelling? Sounds really funny if you are not used to it.
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Old June 15, 2013, 03:33 AM   #24
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long gone, unless you have it in a vault room.

nothing like .25 inch particle board keeping the crack head next door from stealing your 30-06 so he can knock over the local 7-11.
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Old June 21, 2013, 06:37 AM   #25
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The funny thing about this thread is everyone is lamenting that the good old days of glass gun cabinets are long gone.
They may be long gone for the most part but its not because crime is up.
The fact is crime has been steadily decreasing since the 60's.

Our instant and far reaching access to news and information gives us the perception that crime is up since we are watching news from a greater geographical area than we were used to in the 60's and 70's when cable networks were in their infancy and satellite TV was just a dream.

Our perception of crime being up is driving us all to purchase safes which in turn does prevent more theft of firearms in the event of an actual break in.

The simple act of locking your doors prevents crimes of opportunity.
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