Cabinet

scubadog

Well-Known Member
well after deciding a month ago that I wanted to get into stalking I have completed my DSC1, applied for my FAC, taken a rifle shooting lesson, joined a rifle club and booked my first stalk!

One thing that I seemed to have overlooked is the cabinet needed for when the FLO comes and visits.
I already have a Brattonsound 4/5 gun cabinet. It is a standard one without locking shelf and is not a rifle cabinet.

I have looked around and have found that I can buy a small cabinet for the ammo and bolt for £90 or I can go the whole hog and replace my shotgun cabinet with a rifle cabinet with lockable shelf for £180.

I only have the one shotgun so there is space in my existing cabinet. My question is do I need the extra depth a rifle cabinets gives or will a rifle fit into a standard shotgun gun cabinet? Is it worth me spending the extra £100 on a cabinet when it could go on a stalk at the moment?
 
If you're just buying the one rifle you should be fine , also worth considering is scope size if it's a large scope that could take up a lot more room in your cabinet. ,
 
A shotgun cabinet is fine, so keep what you have and buy a small safe for the ammo and bolt

I have my scoped rifle and 12b in a 3 gun cabinet, and they just have to sit sideways on... Not ideal, but it's within the budget until I can get my mitts on a Brattonsound deep cabinet that will take 5 scoped rifles!

There's never enough room for all the ammo you'll accumulate in the locking top box in some cabinets, so another reason for a separate ammo safe
 
My suggestion for an ammo safe would involve a trip to b&q or similar, you can get a really sturdy safe which locks by key for about one third of the cost of one of the brattonsounds "ammunition safes" plenty big enough for one or two rifles worth of ammo.

For now, I would suggest you keep your existing s/g cabinet, but I will lay money on you needing an upgrade in a few years.

All the best with it all.

Jim
 
One of these:

Digital safe

Then lock your main safe keys in the ammo safe so you only have to remember the code instead of lugging keys around with you all the time.

The safe from BnQ is perfectly adequate for ammo.........IMO
 
I had the same question and received the same response from a local RFD. I ended up with a similar safe to the B and Q one but the digital version, it has plenty of room for everything!! There was no problem or comment from my FLO either. I am also aiming to upgrade to a larger cabinet as it is a bit snug for scoped rifle and shotgun in my 2/3 gun cabinet but one thing at a time.....
 
This is taken from the home office guidance on gun safes.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...achment_data/file/117794/security_leaflet.pdf
It is recommended that a cabinet should have the following features:

• It should be made from sheet steel at least 14 swg (standard wire gauge) (2 mm) thick. All seams should be continuously welded, or the cabinet
body formed by bend construction.
• All hinges should be on the inside of the cabinet, vbut if they are external or exposed, then hinge bolts, blocks or anti-lever bars should be provided.

• Lock mechanisms should be on the inside of the cabinet. The lock should contain at least 5 levers to BS 3621 standard or equivalent. Alternatively,
good quality hardened padlocks and staples should be fitted to the cabinet.

• Full-length side hinged cabinets should have two locks at points one third and two-thirds the height of the cabinet.

• The cabinet may contain, or have attached, a separate lockable container to store ammunition.

I guess the same rules apply to ammo safes. Just need to check that the safes comply and jobs a goodun.
 
Thanks for the replies.

Daft Dog, as per your suggestion I have checked out B&Q and have found this.

http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/hardware...-Safe-Anthracite-Medium-9380960?skuId=9681665

Priced at only £30 it looks ideal

My question though, is it substantial enough for ammunition in the eyes of Mr FLO?

Thats the sort. I was in ther eon the weekend and they have three different sizes, but any of them would be fine if your only planning on having one or two rifles down the line.

I have two of these things and the FEO was absolutely fine with both, never batted an eyelid.

Hope you find something you want.

Regards
 
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