Sentry Safe 12 Gun Cabinet at Home Depot

I was trolling through the Sunday paper just killing time on a lazy day while my kids were outside in the new snow.  I am a typical guy, I love to look at the tools, electronics, and sporting goods ads in the paper.  Being 3 weeks before Christmas, there are some great deals.  I was looking through the Home Depot ad and I found a Sentry Safe 12 Gun cabinet that looked interesting for $149.  Unfortunately, our Home Depots near my house don’t stock any of the gun safes or gun cabinets.  Not sure why.  I thought I would at least do some research on this unit to see if it was worth the 30 minute drive to a Home Depot that does sell them.

This is 12 gun cabinet that has a small removable shelf on top.  I looks very much like a high school locker in the configuration except the lock is on frame, not the door.  It has a carpeted interior throughout to protect your guns.  The hinges are internal so the door will most likely only open 90 degrees.  The handle is recessed into the door and the lock is a tubular key, adding to some security above an exposed handle and standard key lock.

You can (and should) secure this unit to the wall and/or floor for greater security.  Unfortunately, this is really just a fancy metal locker.  It should be understood that it is really just for keeping your guns out of the hands of children and/or honest adults.  One reviewer on another site said that the 3 locking bars do not always engage properly, leaving one corner of the door available for prying open with your hands (never mind a crowbar).  Additionally, this metal gun cabinet is made of 20 gauge steel.  A fire ax or even a large hammer should be able to compromise this in a minute or two.

This is not a terrible cabinet and I not trying to compare a gun cabinet vs. gun safe, but I want you to understand what you are getting for $149.  If money is really tight, I would prefer to keep your guns in this than nothing at all.