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Like inflation and interest rates, my gun collection always seems to be increasing, which is why I’m perpetually on the lookout for new and better ways to safely store my firearms. The latest addition to my household is the NewAge Gun Cabinet, a versatile system that accommodates a large number of firearms and accessories and is customizable depending on your needs.
- Dimensions: 36 inches wide x 24 inches deep x 84.75 inches tall
- Shelves: Two adjustable for height
- Base capacity: 18 rifles and 6 pistols
- Total weight capacity: 1,000 pounds
- Material: Powder coated steel
- Base weight: 205 pounds
- Lock: Single key that activates three locking points
- Price: Varies by delivery location (approximately $1,200)
NewAge Gun Cabinet Roomy Storage
One of the biggest challenges I face is managing my competition rifles. They are long, bulky, and heavy by design. And when you add on oversized precision rifle scopes, suppressors, and other accessories the difficulty involved with storing them increases.
The NewAge Gun Cabinet is roomy enough to handle these beasts, which are stacked vertically around the perimeter of the interior of the unit. The stocks sit on the padded stock rests that come with the unit. The barrels are supported by barrel rests that attach to the pegboard system on the cabinet’s interior. The inside of the doors also has the pegboard pattern which can be used to mount pistol holders and storage bins.
The NewAge Gun Cabinet advertises an 18-rifle capacity, and I was impressed that I was able to actually store 18 of my plus-sized long guns in it. In my experience it is often difficult to get as many guns into a safe as the manufacturer claims. Not so in this instance.
NewAge Gun Cabinet Base Configuration
The cabinet comes with a basic set of components that lets you configure the unit as shown in this review. It has two shelves that you can set to different heights; rests for the stocks and barrels that you can position as needed; a couple of pistol holders that accommodate three handguns each; and two peg-board mounted bins for parts and pieces.
What’s Included with the 36-inch Secure Gun Cabinet:
- Twelve Short Barrel Rests
- Two Side Barrel Rests (Holding three each)
- One 36-inch Stock Shelf
- One 36-inch 12-Gun Stock Rest
- One 36-inch 6-Gun Stock Rest
- Two Pistol Holders (Holding three each)
- Two Parts Bins with support bracket
Setting Up The NewAge Gun Cabinet
The cabinet was delivered by freight to my house on a pallet. The delivery company did a good job coordinating with me, even though I was on an extended hunting trip when they first reached out. There’s no way to guarantee you’ll have the same experience, but it is encouraging to know that NewAge was working with good delivery people.
The cabinet was protected by carboard and Styrofoam and encased in a protective cocoon of shrink wrap. Despite the height and bulk of the cabinet I was able to manhandle and maneuver it into position myself.
The leveling feet on the cabinet turn easily and it didn’t take long for me to get the cabinet level on my garage floor.
The rear wall of the cabinet has pegboard cutouts and a series of slots to anchor the unit to a wall. I marked the position of a couple studs behind the cabinet and was able to drive a couple long screws securing the cabinet in place. This will prevent the unit from accidently tipping over and makes it more difficult to break into it.
Running Electricity
Before I anchored the cabinet to the wall, I ran an extension cord through an opening in the rear of the cabinet designed for this purpose. Having a series of outlets in the cabinet is handy for charging batteries, plugging in a dehumidifier, and adding interior lights.
Installing the Shelves
The only decision that required much thought was establishing the spacing and height of the cabinet’s two shelves. But because of the generous interior proportions of the cabinet, even that was easy.
I set the bottom shelf about 13 inches above the floor of the cabinet and the upper shelf about the same distance from the top of the cabinet. This left about 50 inches of clearance for the rifles, even with the padded stock supports in place.
With 13 inches of space at the bottom of the cabinet I was able to slide in a full Pelican tool chest that holds some of my essential gunsmithing gear. I also stacked a bunch of pistols still in their boxes down there.
On the upper shelf I added some egg-carton foam cushioning and used it to store scopes and other delicate items.
Other Configurations
While I prioritized organizing my precision rifles, the NewAge Gun Cabinet can be configured to hold more handguns, or shorter rifles like carbines. NewAge’s installation guide shows half a dozen different layouts that can accommodate 24, 36, and even 48 rifles.
Because the barrel rests are installed independently, you can set some higher for big guns and others lower for lever-actions and ARs to mix and match.
To go with a set-up that’s different from the base package you can order extra barrel rests, shelves, and other items a la carte.
NewAge Interior Cabinet Lighting
NewAge makes many different storage solutions and accessories to support them. While the gun cabinet is an excellent stand-alone item, the company sells cabinets, work benches, tool chests, and other products to organize garages and workshops.
One mainstay of their ecosystem are LED lights that daisy-chain together and which attach with a magnetic strip to the cabinet’s interior.
Adding the magnetic strips to the lights (which are peel-and-stick) and plugging them together took less than five minutes. It’s a smart addition for the money.
NewAge Gun Cabinet Pros
I’ve already touched on the versatility of the gun cabinet and the ease of setting it up. Getting the cabinet fully configured took me about an hour.
The fit and finish on the cabinet is very nice as well. It’s done in an attractive powder coat that will compliment any workspace. Another virtue of its aesthetics is that it looks like a regular steel cabinet and in no way hints at its contents.
NewAge Gun Cabinet Cons
The only downside to the NewAge Gun Cabinet is that it isn’t as hardened as a traditional gun safe. A determined assailant will be able to eventually pry it open. It also doesn’t offer serious environmental protection. In the case of a fire or flood its contents will suffer.
Final Thoughts on the NewAge Gun Cabinet
I had high expectations for this product when I placed my order but was prepared to be disappointed based on past experiences with purchasing similar items sight-unseen.
The fact that it lived up to its billing and can hold 18 of my biggest (and most prized) rifles, along with a pile of other gear, is both impressive and a big relief.
It isn’t as secure as an all-steel safe, but it is a heck of a lot more convenient and affordable. And should I decide to use the Gun Cabinet in another way I take comfort knowing that it can be easily configured.
If you’re looking for a voluminous storage solution to secure your firearms, I highly recommend taking a look at this unit.
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