Many people wear weapons at work. To effectively protect and serve, they need to know they can easily access firearms and other weapons. Yet safely securing those weapons is also critical. The right weapons cabinet can provide peace of mind for those who work to keep the peace.
Many military environments need weapons cabinet storage. Whether it’s for firearm training facilities, military police or unit and battalion armories, your storage system needs to accommodate a variety of weapons. Operational success can depend on knowing where weapons are and being able to keep them at the ready.
Operational readiness is also critical for public safety officers. With weapons cabinets and universal weapons racks, officers at federal, state or county levels can count on the same level of organization and security. Commercial, healthcare and university public safety officers can also benefit from weapons cabinets to corral guns and other weaponry.
The Franklin Police Department in Tennessee, for instance, uses Weapons Storage Flush-Mounted Pistol Lockers and Universal® Weapon Racks (UWRs) in five different areas of its headquarters facility to store rifles, long guns, pistols and assault weapons.
“Our facility is now recognized as a model police headquarters. We never realized how important the storage components would be and what a difference a good system makes,” said Sgt. David Prather.
What to look for in weapons storage
In selecting the best weapons cabinet for your needs, there are four main considerations. Storage capability is an obvious deciding factor, but you’ll also want to evaluate security, accessibility and configurability.
The storage capability refers to what kinds of weapons, ammunition and other accessories you can hold in your system. For example, wall-mounted weapons cabinets are more often used for handguns and ammunition. If you have shotguns and rifles, you might go with a floor-mounted cabinet or a UWR.
Security covers the ability to protect your weapons from unauthorized access. But it also speaks to the importance of keeping firearms and ammunition operations ready. You want to securely stow your weapons in such a way that you can feel confident they are not damaged in storage.
Accessibility means you can immediately get to those weapons when needed. With custom compartments in your weapons cabinets, you can effectively organize the storage to streamline processes. Different system options help you ensure your officers are able to react quickly and confidently.
With reconfigurability, you can install a weapons cabinet knowing that it is designed to be flexible. UWRs can accommodate almost any combination of weapons. Optional bin systems can be used to store gear, optics, ammo clips, ammo boxes or spare barrels. These systems can be added, removed or modified without any tools or fasteners, which offers a portability advantage as well.
The top three types of weapons storage
There are three main types of weapon cabinets or lockers to choose from when outfitting your department. At the same time, know that there are many ways to customize any of these three options to suit your specific use case.
Wall mounted Cabinets
Wall-mounted weapon cabinets are ideal for interview rooms, common spaces or any other areas that require utmost handgun security. Personnel can safely secure handguns and ammunition in one of seven models of wall-mounted gun lockers.
Spacesaver’s wall-mounted cabinets can be installed within or on the surface of the wall with up to 10 openings per system. You can also offer individual key access to each opening. But, don’t worry, you’ll still have a master key allowing quick access to all the lockers at once. Or, if you prefer, go with combination locks or digital locking mechanisms.
These heavy-duty lockers can include shelves lined with neoprene to minimize noise and weapon damage. Plus, they are built to be virtually pick proof, protected against drilling and resistant to harsh weather and extreme conditions.
Tactical Readiness Lockers
The time of first responders is precious. Whether training or heading into the field of duty, having the proper gear and equipment organized and accessible is critical. Our Tactical Gear Lockers ensure that everything from uniforms, equipment, and ammunition to bulky duty bags and TA-50 is secure, accounted for, and ready to go
Rugged, all-steel gear lockers and tactical locker storage are built to last in demanding applications, while still allowing ventilation for the gear inside. The modular design of the Tactical Readiness Locker (TRL) Storage System gives you the flexibility to change out accessories and parts as needed and store many types of gear in one location.
Universal Weapons Racks
Another good option to accommodate any combination of weapons, universal weapons racks (UWR) are great when you’ll be on the move with weaponry. These racks are designed for transport without repacking. The storage system prevents any abrasions, shocks, movements or vibrations to ensure optics can remain zeroed during storage and transport.
The UWR’s perforated doors also make inspections and inventory simple for enhanced accountability. These same doors are fully retractable, which can allow for smaller aisles and open up floor space for other inventory.
Dependable, heavy-duty UWRs are easy to install, remove and modify. You may also add an optional bin system to store gear, optics, ammo clips, ammo boxes or spare barrels. Any of these can be adapted without additional tools and fasteners to facilitate operational readiness wherever you are accessing those weapons.
Make the most of your space
The best weapons storage systems offer accessibility and security. Finding the ideal weapons cabinet configuration can also help you make the most out of your space. Mounting a UWR on a mobile storage system is a great way to increase capacity in your current footprint. You might combine shelving or other cabinetry with the UWR storage in a high-density system that compacts your storage space needs.
The Locust Grove Police Department, outside of Atlanta, Georgia, combined intake evidence lockers, weapons and narcotics storage and a high-density mobile storage system in one large evidence storage room allowing for functional convenience and a clean, organized look.
With our weapons cabinets coming in a wide range of sizes and finishes, you can easily customize your system to suit your needs. Whatever the weapon size, or the number of weapons you need to secure, there is a storage solution for you. Contact our storage specialists for help finding the right one.
