Why Gun Safes Don't Hold As Many Guns as Promised

If you’ve ever shopped for a gun safe, you’ve probably noticed the bold numbers on the product tags: “24-gun safe,” “40-gun safe,” or maybe even “67-gun safe.” These numbers sound impressive, right? But here’s the problem — once you start loading your rifles, shotguns, and accessories inside, you quickly realize that the safe doesn’t hold nearly as many guns as advertised.

That’s right. The numbers advertised should be written as “up to.” Because in practical terms, a “24-gun safe” holds 12 longs.

We don’t make this statement lightly. We’re in the business of selling safes. We’re not here to dissuade you from buying a safe. But as a family-owned and operated business since 1988, we’re also in the business of making sure you get the safe you need. And that means understanding the actual capacity of a “large capacity gun safe.”

Gun Safe Marketing Numbers vs. Reality

Gun safe capacity numbers are based on the most optimistic setup possible. Manufacturers usually base capacity off what the typical collection looked like 40 years ago. Straight stock rifles, slim lever action carbines and shotguns with no rails or accessories.

But how many of us actually store just plain rifles with no attachments? Almost no one. Modern day firearms are drastically different. Popular shooting sports like PRS or 3-Gun Competition are a driving force for bigger optics, magazines, attachments and accessories. All of those take up extra space.

That’s why a “24-gun safe” often fits closer to 10-12 rifles in real life. The advertised number isn’t even a best-case scenario. Given the shape and design of nearly all gun racks no matter where you have a gun you eliminate 1-2 of the surrounding cut outs as an option.

Scopes, Optics, and Accessories Take Up Room

One of the biggest reasons for the space problem is optics. If your rifle has a scope or red-dot sight mounted on top, it instantly takes up more width.

The same goes for extended magazines, pistol grips, bipods, flashlights, or suppressors. These add-ons might make your firearm more functional, but they also create “elbow room” issues inside the safe. Instead of slotting neatly next to each other, your rifles start bumping and leaning, and before you know it, half the rack is full with just a few long guns.

Different Guns = Different Space Needs

Not all firearms are built the same. A straight stock hunting rifle is much slimmer and shorter in height than an AR-15 with optic and magazine inserted. A pump shotgun is taller and bulkier than a youth rifle. And side-by-side shotguns are too wide to fit snugly in standard racks.

Depending on what you’re storing can play a major role in what safe manufacturer will work best for your collection. For example if the majority of your collection is AR style rifles and pistols we think the ProFlex Interior from Liberty or Vector Interior from Rhino Metals is the most versatile. If you’re a collector of SxS rifles and shotguns then a Custom Fort Knox Safe with extra wide cut outs in the gun rack would be your best solution.

Shelving and Interior Layout Matter

The way a safe’s interior is set up makes a big difference. Some safes come with adjustable shelves, while others are locked into a fixed design. If the shelves aren’t set up for your collection, you might end up wasting space.

For example, if you have lots of short carbines (short-barreled rifles) but the racks are in a fixed position and spaced for taller rifles and shotguns, you’ll have dead space above each gun. Or if your shelves are too high, you may have to store rifles at an angle, which reduces usable slots.

The truth is, most safes are designed to “look” spacious in a showroom, but don’t always function that way once you start loading them up.

Gun Rack Notches Aren’t All Equally Sized

We encourage you to search for a retailer who carries multiple safe brands for you to choose from. The differences can be subtle if you were to visit 3 separate locations and look at 3 separate safe brands yet set those same safes side by side and it can be a stark contrast. An easy comparison we would recommend when comparing the storage capabilities of a safe is to compare the gun counts of 3 similar size safes. For example it is common that you’ll see an advertised difference of 10-12 long guns in safes that are identical in size. What do you think is more likely, that one safe the exact same size as another can truly hold 12 additional guns in the same footprint or one manufacturer inflated the gun count by purposely making the notches smaller in order to give them a higher gun count to advertise to customers.

Just make sure you understand this before making a decision on a safe.

Fireproofing and Walls Reduce Storage Capacity

Another hidden factor is the safe’s fire protection. Safes with thick fireboard or insulation eat into the interior size. On paper, the exterior might look big enough for 40 rifles, but once you account for the fireproof lining, the interior is smaller than you think.

That’s why it’s important to look at interior cubic feet as well as the advertised capacity. A safe with a higher gun count but less interior volume may actually hold fewer firearms once you factor in your real-world setup.

Browning Rawhide 33 vs. Liberty Franklin 29 vs. AMSEC BFX6030

These are 3 of our best selling safes with very distinct differences in interior set ups. While all three are nearly identical in height and width they vary in depth and gun counts. And, each of these three safes get their total long gun storage in very different ways.

Browning Rawhide 33

• 25 Inches Wide

• 33 Long Guns

• Gun Notches: 1.75 inches apart & .75 inches deep

Upon opening this safe you may notice the gun rack is only 2 rows deep, making it the shallowest of the three. This is an unusual design, as most collector style safes in this size would have a rack 3 rows deep.

The Rawhide 33 also features Browning’s well-known DPX Door Storage System. It has all the features you see in most door systems like pistol pouches, storage pockets, etc. But what makes it unique is the Quick Access Barrel Rack with Scope Saver Cut outs on the door that can store up to 7 long guns.

However, this quick access system does sacrifice the third row on the gun rack. Browning argues the system is still an overall net gain in storage. While this may be true, we’d like to point out that there’s no free lunch. The system does have a negative affect on the amount of storage in the body of the safe to accommodate the storage on the door panel.

The Rawhide 33 also has the smallest gun notches in the group which are spaced 1.75 inches apart from each other and have a smaller than usual .75 inches depth. This gives you a high gun count but as we’ve discussed can have a negative effect on usable storage.

Liberty Franklin 29

• 28 Inches Wide

• 29 Long Guns

• Gun Notches: 2.5 inches apart & 1.25 inches deep

The Liberty Franklin 29 features Liberty’s New ProFlex Interior, which is similar to the Browning Axis Interior on the Rawhide 33. One thing these safes have in common is that they don’t use traditional shelf track and spring clips as most safes. These are modular systems that have more flexibility and are stronger.

One of our favorite features of these systems is they get rid of center dividers which give the user more overall storage and allow things like bolts, optics, pistol grips, accessories, etc. to spill into the dead space of the other shelf sections.

The notches in the Franklin 29 are what I consider a sweet spot — they offer 2.5 inches spacing and 1.25 inches in depth. Bigger than the RW33 but smaller than the BFX6030 generous notches.

AMSEC BFX6030

• 26 Inches Wide

• 26 Long Guns

• Gun Notches: 3 inches apart & 1.375 inches deep

The AMSEC BFX6030 has the most generous notch spacing for its gun racks at 3inches wide and 1.375 inches deep. Another reason the BFX has the least amount of gun notches besides the spacing is they utilize a U-Shaped Rack which is arguably the most user-friendly style of gun rack.

The two gun racks in the BFX have 11 notches each for a total of 22. The BFX can also store 2 long guns on its Door Organizer. It does so in a way that doesn’t drastically reduce the capacity of the interior.

Unlike the Browning DPX System which has a fixed gun rack on the door that encroaches on the interior of the safe, the BFX uses a simple reinforced fabric pouch that traps the buttstock of the long gun and secures it flat against the door panel with a velcro strap around the barrel or handguard.

Why This Isn’t Necessarily Bad

At first, it might feel like false advertising. But keep in mind that manufacturers are working with a standard industry method. They want to show the maximum possible capacity, even if that number isn’t realistic for most gun owners.

Virtually no safe manufacturers design a gun rack with the intention of you being able to fit a long gun in every cut out. For the most part this isn’t a malicious act but the intention is to give you options. Manufacturers for the most part are trying to optimize storage in a given area but it’s a balancing act. It’s easy to make a gun rack with either too many or too few notches. I will say the latter is not really an issue in the safe industry anymore.

Think of it like the gas mileage sticker on a new car. It might say 30 miles per gallon, but in real life, with traffic and hills, you get 24 mpg. The safe capacity numbers are the same way—they’re best-case scenarios.

Tips to Make the Most of Your Safe

Just because your safe won’t hold the advertised number doesn’t mean you’re stuck. Here are a few ways to maximize space:

1. Use rifle rods and gun socks (aka Sack-Ups). Rifle rods help you stand long guns upright, which saves space. Gun socks reduce scratches when firearms rub together as well as give you added protection from moisture and fire.

2. Reorganize shelving. Adjustable shelves let you customize the interior to fit your collection better.

3. Add door organizers. These are great for pistols, magazines, and small gear, freeing up the main cavity for long guns.

4. Consider two safes. Many collectors eventually purchase a second safe — one for rifles, one for handguns — or dedicate one to storing ammunition and accessories.

5. Buy bigger than you think. Almost everyone underestimates how much space they’ll need. If you’re debating between a 24-gun and a 40-gun safe, go bigger.

Thinking Beyond Guns

Another reason safes fill up quickly is that most owners use them for more than firearms. Jewelry, important documents, cash, cameras, or even family heirlooms are often stored inside. These items occupy the shelf space that could be reconfigured for rifles.

When shopping, be realistic about everything you plan to store—not just your current gun collection.

While it’s rare that we have an unhappy customer, the most common complaint we get is, “My safe is too small.”