If you have a bunch, or even a few, firearms, you know that storage space becomes a premium rather quickly, especially when you have to find room for various kinds of ammunition and magazines in addition the guns themselves. They often go overlooked, but a good storage solution can be a game changer for anyone who can’t afford to sacrifice an entire room to their guns and ammo, as much as they might want to. Here are the best products from the floor of SHOT Show 2019.
Berry’s Ammo Boxes
It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that most things are cheaper if you buy them in bulk. Ammo is one of those items that is definitely cheaper if you make a big buy. However, those bulk purchases often have one big drawback: packaging.
One big box or bag for 500 (or more) loose cartridges is part of what helps keep the cost down. Unfortunately, it’s not very convenient to lug around a 500-round bag of ammo to the range. (I also wouldn’t recommend stuffing loose handfuls into your pockets.) That’s where reusable plastic ammo boxes come in handy. Sure, you’ve got some initial up-front costs, but they are inexpensive and pay for themselves in no time, plus they can be used to protect your more expensive ammo on rough trips too.
Berry’s has been making bullets since 1961. After 58 years, I’d say they know a thing or two about them – and how to store them. They offer a full line of reusable plastic ammo boxes in a variety of sizes and in every caliber you can think of. Need a 10-round box for the hunting trip? No problem. How about a few 50-round boxes for the range? Sure thing. Taking a buddy shooting and need a 100-round box? You got it.
Berry’s ammo boxes are all available in 10, 20, 50, and 100-round capacities, as well as 25-round boxes for shotshells. They can be had in a variety of colors (clear, translucent blue or grey, and black) if you want to color code your calibers. Since Berry’s makes bullets, they also offer utility boxes without dividers in three different sizes, which are perfect for storing loose bullets for reloading.
If you want to store your boxes in an ammo can, they make those, too.
MSRP starts at $2.99 and goes up just a little bit, depending on capacity. For more info, visit www.berrysmfg.com. —T. Logan Metesh
Grey Man Tactical Panels
Grey Man Tactical makes universal and custom size rigid MOLLE panels made from polymer or metal, designed to expand storage capabilities in military, law enforcement, and civilian applications. The MOLLE panels accept almost all MOLLE/PALS compatible pouches and gear, making your imagination the only limit to its uses. It’ the perfect option for storing your gear if you’re out in the field, on the way to the range, or even at home.
New for the 2019 SHOT Show is Grey Man’s LEO Locking Rifle Rack. Even though ‘LEO’ is in the name, it has myriad uses for civilian applications as well. Designed with a universal fit for any vehicle seat back, the panel locks to the seat base with an included Masterlock Python cable lock. The panel is incredibly durable, made from glass reinforced nylon to withstand any abuse you put it through.
At 25” high and 15.25” wide, it has plenty of room for you to mount most AR style rifles, shotguns, and bolt action rifles. A law enforcement grade SC-6 locking rifle clamp with an electronic button (wired to 12V plug-in push button) or #2 key release provides ultimate security. The aluminum buttstock rack can be oriented to face left, right, or straight out, depending on your needs.
MSRP for the new LEO Locking Rifle Rack is $570.
Once you get to the range, Grey Man Tactical has you covered for smaller applications, too. They’ve got numerous panel sizes designed to fit into your favorite backpack or range bag, as well as panels designed to fit into long gun cases.
Attach your guns, spare mags, flashlights, shooting gloves, and anything else you could need at the range to the panels for convenient access and organization. Use the panels to spend more time shooting and less time digging through your bag looking for the right piece of gear. For more info, visit www.greyman-tactical.com. —T. Logan Metesh
Hyskore Gun and Magazine Storage
Regardless of where you store your guns and magazines, there’s never enough room for it all. Most gun owners have bins and boxes and safes full of guns and magazines, sometimes with little to no rhyme or reason as to what’s in each box. Not only is the clutter visually unappealing, it’s also a waste of time and space. Hyskore has fixed that problem with their line of gun and magazine storage systems.
Mag storage
Firm yet flexible foam provides you with storage for all of your magazines. Available for single and double-stack pistol mags and AR or AK-style rifle mags, each one is modular, allowing you to hold as much or as little as you need. When maxed out, the double-stack option holds 12 magazines; the single-stack option holds 16 magazines; the rifle option holds 12 AR or AK magazines.
Each unit is 19” long, made of durable plastic with gentle yet firm foam dividers to hold the magazines. Pre-drilled holes allow you to attach it to any wall or surface with ease. With everything condensed and organized, you can easily see where your mags for a given caliber or model are at and how many you’ve got. It also shows you any open holes in the holder that you need to fill by purchasing—you guessed it—more mags!
Gun Storage
Hyskore’s gun storage system is very similar to their magazine storage system. Using the same gentle yet firm foam dividers, Hyskore offers pistol storage units available in 3, 6, and 12-gun setups. The 12-gun option comes in at just over 20” long, making smart use of all available space.
Their other modular system can be used with handguns or long guns. The unit is 19” long and can accommodate eight firearms. Because the dividers only contact one part of the gun, the same system can be used for both handguns or long guns. The decision is yours based on the height where you mount the durable foam dividers.
The best part about both the gun and magazine systems is that the attachment holes are placed 16″ apart, ensuring that you can get your screws securely and easily in a wall stud. For more info, visit www.hyskore.com. —T. Logan Metesh
Lakewood Take-Down Case
There’s no shortage of gun cases on the market. From simple socks and sleeves to heavy-duty items you could drop out of a plane, your options are vast.
One specific type that you don’t see many options for is the take-down shotgun style case. Sure, many high-end guns come in their own factory-branded, luxurious leather cases, but what about the rest of us?
Lakewood makes what they call soft-sided hard cases, and they’re now making a take-down shotgun version. These soft sided hard cases offer all of the protection of any hard case, without being completely rigid. All of the protective rigidity you expect in a hard case is on the inside. The outer layer of the case is made from a durable ballistic-grade nylon.
The new take-down shotgun case has soft foam pre-cut cavities that cradle the stock, forearm, and three barrels. The stock cavity can easily accommodate guns with custom extended buttstocks or raised combs. Five choke tube slots and a large area for accessories rounds out the interior of the case.
The case is 36.5″ X 15″ X 4.5″ and weighs 16 pounds. The nylon exterior can also be custom embroidered to add an extra bit of flair and class. MSRP is $199.99. For more info, visit www.lakewoodproducts.com. —T. Logan Metesh
Mag-Bar storage
Another option for guns and gear storage is magnets. They’re super strong and the ones offered by Mag-Bar, a 2019 NEXT exhibitor at SHOT Show, fit the bill quite nicely.
With five different weight options available, there’s bound to be a Mag-Bar for your needs. The smallest magnet weighs just 1.5 ounces, with the heaviest coming in at 5.5 ounces. Don’t let their size fool you, though. The 1.5 ounce magnet was being used at SHOT Show to lift a 10-pound dummy gun cut from a solid piece of steel with ease. The 5.5 ounce magnet can even be used to hold an AR-15 with a loaded 30-round magazine and the normal assortment of accessories.
That kind of strength instills confidence. You don’t have to worry about your guns, mags, or anything else coming loose and failing to perform. Even with the incredible holding power, the magnets are easily removed from the objects they’re holding. There’s no wasted time fighting with the magnet, trying to get it off of your gun or the host object.
While all of the magnets can be screwed in place or attached with an included adhesive and used in a static capacity, they also have a mobility option. Accessory plates can be attached to any non-metal surface to create a platform for the Mag-Bar to hold onto.
Some of the magnets are encased in rubber and others are encased in a heavy duty fabric. This eliminates any worry of scratching your gun or any of the surfaces you’ve got the magnets and gear attached to.
MSRP ranges from $14.95 up to $54.95, depending on the model. For more info, visit www.magbar.com. —T. Logan Metesh
PegLock Storage
You can never have enough storage for your guns and gear. PegLock, one of the 2019 SHOT Show NEXT exhibitors, offers a new solution for your storage needs.
The 24” x 4” backing boards that PegLock uses mount flush to the wall, helping you to maximize all available space. You can screw them into place or even attach them with adhesive strips, as some customers have reported doing.
The boards can be mounted anywhere – in your safe, your closet, your car, or anywhere else you want to stash your guns and gear. It’s also a good option for displaying certain pieces of your collection in the gun room. You could even put them in your workshop and hang all of your gunsmithing tools from the panels.
Mounting to the PegLock board is done through a variety of fastener options, including collars, pegs, J hooks, rings, stoppers, studs, and straps. You can mix and match as many as you need to get everything arranged exactly how you want it.
The mounting fasteners are incredibly strong. Their display at SHOT Show had a 10-pound weight hanging from one peg, with no worry that it might give way and crash to the floor. That’s how confident they are in the strength of the PegLock design.
MSRP for the plate kit is $49.99 and optional accessories start at $8.99. For more info, visit www.buypeglock.com. —T. Logan Metesh
Under Bed Safe – in the Car!
Generations of gun owners have stored their firearms under the bed. Sometimes it’s in a case; other times, it’s just lying on the carpet. Keeping them loose under the bed puts them out of sight, but not very secure. The SnapSafe Under Bed Safes provide a safe way to store your guns and ammo safely and securely under the bed.
Or, if you’re thinking outside of the box, you can even put one in the trunk of your car. At the 2019 SHOT Show, SnapSafe demonstrated this alternate use as a viable option for vehicle storage.
They come in large and extra large sizes, depending on your needs. The large is 40” X 6” X 22” and weighs 105 pounds. The extra large is 48” X 7” X 24” and weighs 148 pounds. The units are made of 14-gauge steel, making them pry-resistant, and are pre-drilled for permanent installation.
Primary access to the slide-out drawer is through a custom programmable code ranging from 3 to 8 digits, depending on your preference. There’s also a backup key option in case something should happen to the electronics.
MSRP for the large is $439 and the extra large is $489. For more info, visit www.snapsafe.com. —T. Logan Metesh