I've never been accused of rushing into anything, I have been mulling over how to customize the interior of the new safe and am still fine tuning some ideas. In the meantime I loaded it up using the interior that it came with.
It's advertised as holding 36 long guns and has two upper shelves. I had no problem fitting 37 long guns in the racks and another 9 smaller and broken down guns on the shelves.
I'll be the first to admit that getting to the ones in the back will not be easy but I sat down and thought about which guns I won't be having an urge to fondle for a while and they went in the back. I think a portable rack that will hold 12 guns will be a help, situate it next to the safe when unloading and remove what's in front to get to the back. Should not be a problem.
The back row is mostly lever action carbines and rifles which had to butt down, but none have buttpads and are not over lubed so it won't be a problem. They could not go muzzle down because the part of the stock that ends up going through the shelf is too wide and the guns end up hanging off the shelf, the muzzles don't touch the floor.
However, that problem doesn't occur with SxS's. They go in muzzle down and fit perfectly. Also my bolt actions and longer barreled guns can go muzzle down. The front row is left for using guns, muzzle down. I removed some scopes for convenience.
The upper shelves hold small guns like Favorites, a short (18") lever and cased SxS's.
Not too bad for the factory interior. And only one plastic stock!
Is there any reason I should not keep slings and leather cases in the safe?
The experience was quite cathartic, I got reacquainted with guns I hadn't seen for years, some better than I remember, some worse. Some will get sold, some got left out in the cold! My Lefever G grade didn't make it into the safe and there's a Winchester 77 in the back row! Will have to do something about that. Some will be sold and some serve as a reminder to put the tools away.
Anyway, only a couple dozen more to find spots for.
