handgun storage

[b79holmes]

Handgun Stack ™ Patent Pending

Hello,

I have been working on a new pistol rack design for gun safes to store handguns in a vertical set of shelves that will fit in a safe in the same space as a long gun.

The current prototype is 45 inches tall, made of riveted steel with a vinyl coating.

It installs nicely into many Stack-On safes.

I am looking for your input on if this design would work for you, would work but you’d have to reconfigure your safe, or is too tall for your safe, etc.

Any other comments would be appreciated.

I am also looking for early adopters to test install it in a safe with wood dividers & barrel racks. I have a couple of prototypes to test/check installations.

Single unit in a 16 gun Stack-On


Two units in a 16 gun Stack-On


Again, any comments are greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Bill

 

[bruzer]

My safe needs that! The safe has no interior so something like that would be perfect.
Mike

 

[Remllez]

Smart design,great use of space,the only concern I have is the way the pistols make contact with the shelves. I would prefer they held the guns straight up and down with minimal contact. I have coated wire storage racks that hold the guns straight with 4 points of contact but they are only 4 wide.

Best of luck!

 

[b79holmes]

My safe needs that! The safe has no interior so something like that would be perfect.
Mike

At the moment I only have 6 units. Having small production runs is insanely expensive!

The paint shop dropped 3 in the paint oven so I have 3 in pretty good condition, 2 in useable condition and the last one is a mess.

I have a latch system that works perfect in my Stack-on, I think it will work with Browning type wood barrel racks and I am sure something can be done in an open type safe.

Thanks for the comment.
Bill

 

[b79holmes]

Smart design,great use of space,the only concern I have is the way the pistols make contact with the shelves. I would prefer they held the guns straight up and down with minimal contact. I have coated wire storage racks that hold the guns straight with 4 points of contact but they are only 4 wide.

Best of luck!

The shelves are at a pretty steep angle and the barrel can protrude out the back of the unit, so I have designed it as flexible as I can.

The picture looks much better with naked guns but I have everything in a silicon sock. I have read too many auction descriptions about "ANIB except marks from the safe".

The paint coating is vinyl and has some give to it. That was my personal preference, with a silicone sock. If customers demanded a more padded shelf then that would be fine with me.

I am trying to keep it simple, keep the costs down and be able to handle as wide a variety of handguns as possible with one version. A shorter versions my be a necessity.

Depending on your own safe you can mount it farther from the back of the safe to handle longer barrels, but a Colt Buntline might be tough.

I have a couple of Ruger Single Actions and a Glock G20. Both sit on the shelves okay but those are I guess sort of opposites from a (if it was a horse conformation) measurement. So a very small gun with a very large trigger guard might post a problem yet.

Thanks for the comment.
Bill

 

[b79holmes]

My safe needs that! The safe has no interior so something like that would be perfect.
Mike

BTW bruzer, what is inside your safe?
Any barrel racks? Carpet? Felt? etc.?
Is it a real safe or some kind of heavy cabinet where a hole could be drilled?

Bill

 

[armsmaster270]

Here is my answer for pistols cardboard bin boxes no metal contact.

 

[RedAlert]

Nice concept. You might get some auto door edging and cover the edges of the plates that contact the weapons. It would eliminate one source of possible damage to the finish on the weapon.

You could also turn it sideways and mount it on the safe door.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Armsmaster270,

Is your shelf starting to sag? Mine was. I had horror thoughts of it falling with all of my guns on it. I ended up bracing it in the middle. I don't put much faith in typical metal clips and chipboard that make up the typical safe shelf.

 

[BCRider]

B79, I like your idea of vertial "rifle" like racks but I don't like the idea that so much of the rear of the gun sticks out.

I dislike that for two reasons. First is that a light barrel gun will be a little too close to being balanced when sitting on the trigger guard so a little nudge could flip it up and send it dropping down over the other exposed rears. That could get messy and end up with two or more at the bottom of the safe. Second is that even if a nudge doesn't send one tumbling when the backs of all the handguns are still exposed to rifle barrels and other parts going past or even from being tapped by the pistol next to it in a dual stack setup.

I'd suggest that something deeper so the guns sit further into the "shelter" may work out better. But for sure keep the idea of a vertical stacker that sits in place of a rifle like you have. That part is darned brilliant.

A system that I'm sort of thinking about from seeing your idea is a strap up the back that has rods sticking out at about 8 inch intervals. On these rods would be sleeves of a small grid like "fishnet" fabric so that airflow is very good but the sleeve material would provide ding protection to the guns. The guns would sit in the sleeves totally for protection and storage yet just reaching in and grabbing the grips would allow the user to draw them out. So other than looking in the end of the sleeve to see the gun it would be totally encased in the sleeve. It would still use the same vertical idea as you have now.

For that matter if a standard shelving bracket track was installed up the rear and long enough brackets used the sleeves could fit right over the brackets that just hook right into the track. Just need to find some suitable fabric material that allows airflow yet won't sag and stretch then find someone willing to do some sewing.... hmmmm.....

 

[b79holmes]

I dislike that for two reasons. First is that a light barrel gun will be a little too close to being balanced when sitting on the trigger guard so a little nudge could flip it up and send it dropping down over the other exposed rears. That could get messy and end up with two or more at the bottom of the safe. Second is that even if a nudge doesn't send one tumbling when the backs of all the handguns are still exposed to rifle barrels and other parts going past or even from being tapped by the pistol next to it in a dual stack setup.

Each shelf has a step for the trigger guard, but for smaller or lighter pistols you could place it deeper in the shelf, or place a small block in the step and then maybe hold a small/light pistol better.

Weight-wise, what I had in there for the pictures felt stable. The top, left revolver in the second picture is a 642CT.

There are so many variables with both pistol dimensions and safe configurations that it is hard to make a single shelf to cover all the possibilities.

.. But for sure keep the idea of a vertical stacker that sits in place of a rifle like you have. That part is darned brilliant.

Thanks very much for the vote of confidence BCRider, I sure hope the US Patent office thinks like you do. Attorneys tell me they reject virtually everything the first go round.

Bill

 

[leadcounsel]

I would make it a plastic coated wire design. Much like the wire dishracks and spice racks and such you find at Walmart. It would be lighter, cheaper, and easy on gun finish.

You can PM me for where to send the royalty check

 

[b79holmes]

I would make it a plastic coated wire design. Much like the wire dishracks and spice racks and such you find at Walmart. It would be lighter, cheaper, and easy on gun finish.

You can PM me for where to send the royalty check

A small manufacturing run of just about anything is crazy expensive.
I first thought of plastic, but the molds are again crazy money for just a few items.

I like the heaviness and strength of metal. Plastic is still a possibility, and solves some problems but would not be as robust.

The vinyl coating I used was an attempt to get a coating similar to a dishwasher rack but it's not quite right.
There are limits to how big a part you can dip.

Bill

 

[bruzer]

My safe is a Data safe so it was never thought of as a gun safe. Excellent fire rating but needs some interior modifications to make it work. The interior is wood so holes can be drilled.
Mike

 

[b79holmes]

bruzer,
If the wood interior of your safe will hold a small screw then my latching system will work fine.

Something like 700 people have read this info among the two web forums I have posted to and I have not found anyone with the wood barrel racks like a Browning safe interested in trying one out.

It seemed very difficult to get a small production run made in plastic because of the cost of molds, but would people find a plastic system to be better?

Bill

 

[carbuncle]

I like the design, I would certainly consider it for my own small safe once I have to remove the shelves to accommodate long guns.

 

[branshew]

3 words:

Injection molded plastic.

 

[Jim NE]

Nice safes, guys. I look at these big vaults and start realizing how inadequate mine is. Sigh...another drain for my money.

Remember when your dad used to keep all his rifles in his closet? Even when your family went on vacation?

 

[b79holmes]

3 words:

Injection molded plastic.

Before the sheet metal samples I spoke to a plastics engineer.
Probably too complex to be molded in one piece and if you could do it the mold would be multiple 5 figures and the press would have to be monstrous (as in tons of pressure) !

We discussed assembling the unit and at the time it just seemed easier to go metal.

I think I will go back and work the plastic angle. My original idea was to mold it as a single part but at this time I do not think it possible.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[FAS1]

The vinyl coating I used was an attempt to get a coating similar to a dishwasher rack but it's not quite right.
There are limits to how big a part you can dip.

Have you considered a spray on coating like Line X or Rhino coating? Might be affordable if you had them do 100 at a time or so. You could also offer different colors if the qty. was there.

 

[Justin Holder]

Instead of shelves what about a vertical strip of angled rubber coated wire pegs? You would just slip the barrel onto the peg and the gun would be free hanging.

 

[Cearbhall]

Here ya go:
http://www.amazon.com/Household-Essentials-01882-20-Pocket-Organizer/dp/B0000CNQZ9/ref=cm_lmf_tit_7

 

[THE ENGINEER76]

I just saw this post and had to give you the information that I have. I have a different idea for pistol storage and went down many of the same "roads".

Actually, plastic could be done using the same method as the sheet metal. You could look around for a local plastics supplier that makes comercial display units (clear plexiglas style). They are typically fairly inexpensive and quick. However, my experience with these is that they may not be strong enough. Probably worth a try though?

Also, you could take your current design and have the whole thing dipped plastic. Look into plastisol coating. This is typically done on comercial storage racks like are used in factories. These guys charge by the pound of material deposited.

I'd like to know how difficult it was to get the patent pending

BTW, I like your idea I think it would fill a need.

 

[Dr.Rob]

It's a good idea, but it takes up room I'd use for long guns.

 

[b79holmes]

Look into plastisol coating.

Yes what I used was a plastisol costing which was sprayed on and baked.
I was not happy with the company I used but I am okay with the coating and use gun socks. Thicker would of been nicer but they said thick coatings don't hold up.

If I continue with metal I need to find someone else.

Actually, plastic could be done using the same method as the sheet metal.

Yes I also just discovered a company that makes plastic enclosures and uses flat sheets of plastic in a molding process. They have my CAD files and we will see what they come up with.

I'd like to know how difficult it was to get the patent pending

All it takes is money.

Standard procedure is to take your idea to a patent attorney and pay them do do a 'search' and confirm your idea has not been patented and is not ...I forget the legal term but either it's not common knowledge or isn't patentable because it is 'obvious'.

That should cost a couple thousand right there.

After that it is your attorneys hourly rate, it would depend on how complicated your idea is but I'd think they could give you some kind of estimate. Most will want some cash in advance as you can fire them but it is hard for an attorney to fire a client.

There are also filing fees with the patent office.

So I don't think you could patent a paper clip for less then $10k.

Bill