When it comes to buying a gun safe, one of the biggest misunderstandings is how many guns a safe can actually hold. Most people take the number on the label at face value — 24 guns, 36 guns, maybe even 50. But the truth is, those numbers are often exaggerated. Safe manufacturers and big box stores use creative marketing to make their products sound bigger and better, even though the safes themselves haven’t changed in size.
The racks inside may have more cutouts, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to fit all your rifles, scopes, and accessories comfortably. In reality, most safes hold about half of their advertised capacity once you factor in optics, shelves, and realistic gun spacing. At NW Safe, we see this misunderstanding every day — and it’s one of the main reasons customers end up upgrading to a larger safe. In this post, we’ll break down how gun capacity is calculated, what affects real storage space, and what you can do to get the most out of your safe.
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Episode 27 Discussion Topics
0:44: Biggest Myths/Misunderstandings — Safe Capacity
3:07: Box Stores Counting Pistols for “Gun Capacity”
4:14: Real Life Example of Storage Capacity
5:19: How Rifle Rods Maximize Storage Capacity
6:15: Is One Brand Doing a Better Job Than Anyone Else?
9:22: The Most Optimal Interior
10:40: Reviewing the Liberty Centurion 24 - Best Seller
12:24: Divide Manufacturer’s Gun Count by Half to Calculate True Storage Capacity
12:47: Most Common Regret: Buying TOO Small of a Safe
Episode 27 Discussion Question Synopses
0:44: Biggest Myths/Misunderstandings — Safe Capacity
There are a lot of myths (and maybe even a few flat-out lies) about how many guns a safe can actually hold.
When you look at a gun safe’s label, it might claim to hold 30 or even 40 guns. But talk to almost any safe owner, and they’ll tell you the same thing: you can usually only fit about half that number inside.
So, what’s going on?
Over the years, safe manufacturers have changed how they calculate gun capacity. Decades ago, a 30-inch-wide safe was rated to hold about 20 to 25 guns. Today, that same size safe might be advertised as a 30- or even 35-gun safe, without the safe itself getting any bigger. The trick is in the racks. Manufacturers have added more, smaller cutouts to make it look like the safe holds more guns than it really can.
This shift is mostly driven by marketing. Big box stores want to advertise “40-gun safes” at unbeatable prices for holiday sales. To make that happen, they ask manufacturers to design safes with racks that squeeze in more gun slots. The safes aren’t actually larger, you just get a rack with a ton of cutouts jammed into the same amount of space.
Even major brands have done this. Well-known companies like Liberty, Rhino, and Winchester have made special versions of their safes for large retailers. These store-exclusive safes often have different racks than the ones you’d get if you bought directly from a dealer, like us here at NW Safe.
And here’s the thing, any manufacturer can do it. If a retailer places a big enough order and asks for a certain rack layout, the company will usually build it. It’s not necessarily “lying.” But, it’s definitely a marketing spin.
The bottom line? Don’t take the listed gun capacity at face value. Think of it as a rough estimate—and cut it in half for a more realistic number.
Gun safes rarely hold as many firearms as advertised. Learn why capacity numbers are misleading and how to maximize your safe’s space.
4:14: Real Life Example of Storage Capacity
Let me (Kael Johnson) use my own safe as an example — I do this a lot when talking with customers.
I have a National Magnum that’s about 66 inches tall, 36 inches wide, and 27 inches deep — roughly a 40-cubic-foot safe. When I bought it, it was labeled as a 36-gun safe.
Inside, I keep a mix of firearms: hunting shotguns, a few rifles, a couple of ARs, and some family heirlooms. In reality, I can comfortably fit about 15 long guns using both sides of the rack. Sure, I could squeeze a few more in there, but I don’t want to risk scratching the wood stocks or bumping the scopes.
So, even though the manufacturer says it’s a 36-gun safe, I can safely store less than half that amount without crowding things.
5:19: How Rifle Rods Maximize Storage Capacity
There are other ways to fit more guns into a safe. My dad has the same size safe as me, but he stores 25 long guns in it by using a rifle-rod system.
With Rifle Rods you take out the wooden rack. The wood itself takes up a lot of space, even if it’s thin. When you remove the rack and stand the guns up on rods, you use the space much better.
Rifle rods (like the ones from Gun Storage Solutions) really work. They can almost double how many guns you can fit because you’re not wasting room with the wooden rack anymore. It’s a simple change that frees up a lot of space.
6:15: Is One Brand Doing a Better Job Than Anyone Else?
When it comes to how many guns a safe can really hold, most brands are about the same. Some might exaggerate a bit more than others, but for the most part, they’re all playing the same game.
Fort Knox tends to have slightly larger cutouts, which makes loading rifles a little easier. On the other hand, a lot of imported safes have tiny cutouts — great if you’re storing .22s, but not much else. Fort Knox safes are also custom-built and higher-end, so you’re paying for more usable space and better design.
Brands like Liberty and Rhino have started adopting interior designs similar to what Browning made popular years ago. Each company gives their version a different name — Liberty calls theirs Pro Flex, Rhino calls it a Vector Interior, and Browning calls theirs Axis Adjustable Shelving.
These interiors use steel rails along the back wall of the safe, kind of like what you’d see in a refrigerator rack. The shelves and racks can be adjusted up or down to make more room for your gear. The result? More flexibility, not necessarily more gun capacity.
Another advantage of these modern interiors is that they don’t have a center divider. Without that wall in the middle, you don’t have to worry about your optics or bolts bumping into anything. You can also use the space more efficiently — every inch counts in a gun safe.
Browning is especially known for its door storage systems, like their “Scope Saver.” It’s a clever idea and makes the safe feel more organized, but it can be a little deceiving. The extra pockets and racks on the door take up interior space, so even though it looks like you’re saving room, you’re really just shifting where that space goes.
Overall, newer safes are getting smarter about layout and convenience, but when it comes to actual gun count, the numbers haven’t changed much. It’s less about how many slots you see — and more about how you actually use the space.
Don’t let wasted space keep you from storing your valuables. Get our tops tips for taking advantage of every square inch.
9:22: The Most Optimal Interior
If you want to fit the most guns into a safe, Rifle Rods are the best choice. They use space the most efficiently.
Next best are the new-style interiors like Liberty Pro Flex, Browning Axis, or Rhino Vector. These use steel rails and adjustable racks to give you more flexibility.
There are also swing-out racks, slider racks, and door panels (like Browning’s). All of these make it easier to reach your guns, but there’s a trade-off — you usually lose some capacity when you add those features. They give you better access, not more room.
That trade-off is fine for a lot of people. If you don’t have 100 guns and instead use 5–10 often, you might prefer easy access over maximum capacity. Just decide what matters more to you: more guns, or easier access to the guns you use most.
14 Gauge Steel, Solid State Locking Bars, and a Flexible Interior
10:40: Reviewing the Liberty Centurion 24 - Best Seller
Let’s use a common safe as an example: the Liberty Centurion 24. It’s an entry-level safe that sells for about $1,000, and it’s one of our best sellers. The label calls it a 24-gun safe, but the real number depends on what kinds of guns you put inside.
If you have a mixed collection (some shotguns, a couple of scoped rifles, maybe an AR) you won’t get 24 guns in there. With a realistic mix, you’re more likely to fit about 10 to 12 long guns total (roughly 5–6 on each side). You might squeeze a few more if you really cram them, but that’s not safe for your gear.
One big reason the count drops is optics and stocks. A rifle with a scope needs more room because the scope sticks out. In our showroom we use blue model guns to show customers how each gun must sit at an angle. That angle can block the slot next to it. In fact, one gun with a scope can take up 3–4 spots inside the safe.
Compare that to a small lever-action carbine or an over/under shotgun—those take up way less space. An AR-15 with a scope and a magazine can easily use three times the space of a simple hunting rifle.
So: the advertised number is a rough idea, but a realistic count for a 25 cubic foott safe with mixed guns is about 10–12. Keep that in mind when you shop, and think about your actual guns and optics—not just the label.
12:24: Divide Manufacturer’s Gun Count by Half to Calculate True Storage Capacity
When it comes to gun safes, a good rule of thumb is this: take whatever number the manufacturer gives you for gun capacity and cut it in half — at least.
For example, if the safe is labeled as a 24-gun safe, that number is based on a perfect setup with no shelves and very slim guns. But most people use shelves for ammo, paperwork, or handguns. Once you add shelves, you lose about half your long-gun space again.
So in reality, that “24-gun safe” might only hold 6 to 8 long guns comfortably once you organize it the way most people do.
12:47: Most Common Regret: Buying TOO Small of a Safe
It’s surprisingly easy to buy a gun safe that’s too small. Most people don’t realize how quickly they’ll fill it until after they start using it. Once you load your firearms, optics, and accessories, that “24-gun safe” suddenly feels half the size you expected. That’s why so many of our customers come back a few years later to buy a second safe or trade up for a larger one.
Even larger safes don’t hold as much as their labels claim. A 36-inch-wide safe might advertise space for 40 guns, but you often have to move several rifles just to reach the ones in the back. A 50-cubic-foot safe that’s marketed as a “50-gun safe” usually fits closer to 20 long guns—especially if they have scopes or wider stocks.
Manufacturers boost those numbers by using different rack designs or smaller cutouts, but that doesn’t mean more usable space. You can increase capacity a bit with rifle rods, which remove wasted rack space and let you stand guns vertically. Some people think they look flimsy, but they’re coated to protect barrels and can almost double your storage.
The best advice? Buy a bigger safe than you think you need. Don’t rely on manufacturer gun counts or box-store sales claims. Talk to a professional safe dealer who understands real-world storage needs. At NW Safe, our goal is to help you choose the right safe for your collection today—and leave room for the firearms you’ll add tomorrow.