If you’re someone just like me who prefers to create things exactly the way I want them, you’ll find this guide amazing. You can choose from different styles of racks listed below; vertical rack, wall rack, closet rack, and racks for cars.
If you have a couple of guns that you need to store in a safe place, then it sounds like you may need to get a gun rack and cabinet plan. Purchasing a gun cabinet is an option but this can be quite expensive right? Because of this, we realize that DIY Gun Rack and Cabinet Plans can be a solution for you. Here are some simple tutorials that you can follow to make your own
Table of Contents
DIY Vertical Gun Rack
A vertical gun rack is a simple way to display your favorite long guns. Check out some step-by-step instructions on how to make a vertical gun rack.
1. Standing Gun Rack
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Salvaged lumber |
Cost | $10 – $20 |
This amazing gun rack is made from salvaged lumber, however, you can pick up some new lumber pieces from stores if you don’t have any salvaged ones. It’s a free-standing rack with a flat base and barrel shelf. The first thing to do after getting the lumber is to cut pieces for the base and barrel shelf. The base is 28 inches long and 10 inches wide squared up. For the barrel shelf, a piece 28 inches long is marked at 4 inches from the back and 4 inches apart for the barrel holes.
2. How To Build A Vertical Gun Rack
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Oak lumber |
Cost | $20 – $30 |
Build this vertical gun rack that doubles as a storage space. It has two sections, the floating shelf hanging on the wall (upper) and the rack box attached to the wall at the bottom. For the rack box, you need French cleats to attach to the wall. The number of grooves that will be on the box will depend on the number of guns you want to put on it. The butt stock of the gun will be sitting inside the groove on the box while the tip will be hanging on the floating shelf. You have to possess good woodworking or joinery skills to pull this through.
3. DIY Vertical Gun Rack
Level | Easy |
Material | Plywood panel |
Cost | $15 – $35 |
One of the main reasons why you need a gun rack is to keep your firearm secure and in good working order. To get started, get two pieces of 1×6″ wooden board, plywood panels, sandpaper, wood acres, wood fill, glue, polyurethane finish, and Kreg jig. Cut two pieces of 6″ ×38¼” from the 1×6″ boards. Get a sheet of paper and draw the pattern /style you want on the side pieces of the rack. Then, trace the pattern onto the boards. After that, cut out the pattern on the two boards with a band saw.
4. Gun Rack How To
Level | Intermediate |
Material | 2×4″ wood pieces |
Cost | $4-$6 |
If your guns vary in size and length, it will be good if you create separate floating shelves for each category. However, the butt stock can be on the same box rack. The creator here chose a 2×4″ method to avoid cutting grooves, and holes in some huge lumber with a jigsaw or any other complex tools. All you have to do with the 2×4″ s is to cut them down into pieces and sandwich the pieces together as shown in this video using wood glue and screws. Some of the tools required for this include a miter saw, table saw, drill bits, and a drill.
5. Nerf Gun Rack
Level | Easy |
Material | PVC pipes |
Cost | $30 |
Tired of nerf toy guns messing about in your backyard/room? Why not make a nerf gun rack to keep them in place? Making the gun rack will also make the gun easily accessible at any time. All you have to do is to get PVC pipes and the accessories. Then, assemble the PVC frame and attach wire mesh for the dart. Once you have the dart intact, get some S hooks and place them on the dart. The purpose of the S hooks is to hang the nerf guns.
6. Vertical Gun Rack Build Easy
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$12 |
As you know that AR has a 90-degree angle at the buttstock, so it will be ideal to tilt the base of your gun rack so that it accommodates the buttstock properly. The rack is a free-standing shelf with a flat base that is 12 inches wide. The number of notches on the upper part of the shelf will make up the number of guns you want to hang. Then, to serve the purpose of a locking mechanism (to keep the gun from falling off), there’s a cross bar attached to the shelf below the upper notches.
DIY Wood Gun Rack
One of the commonly used materials for gun racks is wood. Wood is very easy and cheap to get and it doesn’t matter if it is new or old. You can recycle/upcycle some wood pieces, and reassemble them to give you what you want. Below are some great wooden gun racks you can recreate.
7. The Wooden Gun Rack
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$12 |
This gun rack is made entirely from wood. This tutorial is easy to understand and you can also use the exact same measurements to create a rack for yourself. Some materials you will need include brass cabinet hinges, wood fillers, jig screws, epoxy, mounting brackets and wood of course.
See also: 20 DIY Quiver Projects – How To Make A Quiver For Arrows
8. Dave’s DIY Rifle Rack for $20
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$20 |
Cost matters when you make a DIY project because that is sometimes the whole point of doing it yourself. Dave shows you how to make a custom rifle rack for just $20. For this project, you will need wooden boards, a power saw, and glue. The instructions for the video tutorial are on the description box of the video too for someone who needs to refer back to them.
9. Mobile Gun Racks
Level | Hard |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10 – $20 |
Building a rack for these four mobile guns is intensive because it requires good woodworking skills and some complex power tools. The notch was created using the x-carve machine; you need to run the program/template on your laptop first before connecting the machine. Other power tools required include a compound table saw, compound miter saw wood planer and grit sander. The rack has two shelves and a base. The shelves have a rubber patch covering the notches to protect the barrel. Four caster wheels are attached to the base to allow easy movement.
10. DIY Gun Rack for under 5 bucks
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $5-$8 |
This tutorial is what you need to make that DIY gun rack you’ve always wanted, and on a budget! The video shows you how you can recycle wood board palettes to make a functional gun rack. You get to see how you can make a great rack out of scraps by first tearing them apart and then putting them back together to make a rack.
11. Wooden Gun Rack DIY
Level | Hard |
Material | Walnut/mahogany wood |
Cost | $10-$12 |
This wooden gun rack can hold only two guns but it has some space in the bottom for storage. If the number of your guns exceeds two, you can use this as a template to create a bigger version for your guns. There are two significant patterns in this gun rack project; the side pattern and the top/bottom pattern. The pattern is created using a router. The side panels are created from walnut lumber while the top/bottom is created from mahogany wood.
12. How To Make A Gun Rack
Level | Hard |
Material | Cedarwood |
Cost | $20-$25 |
Here is how to make a gun rack from cedar wood pieces and baker boards. A great woodworking skill is required to pull this through. It also requires power tools and hardware to put the wood pieces together. The rack is built in such a way that the guns will stand vertically. To join the wood pieces together for the rack, you need a Kreg jig to make the pocket holes. Then, use pocket hole screws to hold them firmly. Other tools required for this include a compound miter saw, table saw, sander, and measuring tape.
13. Build A Barbell Gun Rack
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $15-$20 |
Making out a gun rack for a barbell is amazing and a big space saver. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on buying a metal bar for the barbell, you can easily opt for wood, creating a gun rack that will span from the floor to the ceiling. Aside from wood, other materials needed are quite simple and cheap except for the deck screw with the most expensive price. Other materials are level PVC pipes, circular saw, and 4″ timberlok wood lag screws.
DIY Pallet Gun Rack
Pallet wood is very easy to work with and very cheap to get. To work with a pallet, the first step is to disassemble the pallet into wood pieces. Check out some amazing gun racks made from pallets below.
14. Pallet Gun Rack DIY
Level | Easy |
Material | Pallet |
Cost | $10-$20 |
Make a rack for your pellet gun and keep them in good working order. In this guide, the rack was made from pallet wood. Choose a pallet that looks nice and disassemble it. Then, cut the pieces to s rough length and lay them down to see if it’s going to fit the gun. When you like what you see, cut out the slots for the gun and use 2 inches pilot hole and screw to put them together. Finish the rack any way you like.
15. DIY Pallet Gun Cabinet
Level | Easy |
Material | Pallet Wood |
Cost | $15-$20 |
This is mostly an image tutorial but it is quite easy to duplicate the steps as you work on your own gun cabinet. This tutorial uses repurposed pallets to make the gun cabinet.
16. Instructable’s Gun Rack From Reclaimed Pallet Wood
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $5-$10 |
The tutorial guides you on each step, as well as the materials and measurements that you will need. There are 7 clear steps, complete with images to help you follow through and get that rustic-looking DIY cabinet.
See also 24 DIY Shooting Sticks – How To Make A Shooting Stick
17. Gun Rack From Reclaimed Pallet Wood
Level | Easy |
Material | Pallet |
Cost | $10 – $30 |
You need a long list of materials and tools for this gun rack, but the most essential material is pallet wood. Get a nice and sturdy pallet wood – choosing the pallet is up to you. You can choose based on the grain, color, width, or any other thing that’s appealing to you. Disassemble the pallet and cut it into pieces. Reassemble the pieces and you’re good to go.
DIY Gun Rack For Car
Here are some amazing gun racks for cars and trunks. Secure your long guns in your car perfectly with these gun racks.
18. DIY Trunk Gun Rack
Level | Easy |
Material | 1×2″ pine |
Cost | $2 |
If you need a very low or zero-budget gun rack, here is an amazing and simple idea on how to go about it. You can pick up two pieces of line wood for a very cheaper price at the store or upcycle some pieces. Stained the wood pieces and installed them on the car window above the back seat. Then, get some hooks that look like a ‘J’. Installed the hooks vertically on the wood pieces such that the curved part is facing upward. Ensure that everything is well screwed in, then your gun rack is ready for use.
19. Gun Rack For Car
Level | Easy |
Material | Snap rack |
Cost | $$12-$17 |
Let me tell you about a simple trick that helps you keep your riffles within reach (easy access) in your car. It’s the snap rack, a very simple tool that has four parts; the snap that key-in what’s on the holder, the holder that holds onto things, the elastic band that goes on the vertical bar below the headrest, and the plastic ring that snaps through the holder. However, you can use the snap rack to secure anything, and can be used in places other than the car.
20. Truck Gun Rack DIY
Level | Easy |
Material | Stick-on rack set |
Cost | $10-$12 |
This stick-on gun/ bow rack comes with removable clips and metal plates. To secure the metal plate, use two screws to attach it to the rack mounting plate. Since there are three metal plates, repeat this process for the other two. Then, use a screw to secure the rack to the armrest mount. In total, you need seven ¼” screws and no particular tool is required. Check out other details of the car gun rack above.
21. Truck Bed Drawers
Level | Hard |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $30 – $45 |
You need half-inch plywood for the top and bottom pieces of this drawer. But, if you’ll be putting heavy stuff in the drawer, it is ideal to use ¾” plywood. For the bottom piece, cut out six foot three inches of plywood. After that, lay out the countersink and screw holes for the frame – drill holes at every six inches. You use 2×8″ plywood for the frame and if you want the frame to be taller, you can have it 2×10″.
22. Gun Rack For Roof Of Truck
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Steel |
Cost | $10 – $15 |
Here is a simple and practical method to build a gun rack from aluminum steel. All you need include square steel, poplar, Aluminum, leather, and flat steel. The rack has two tabs and two cross members. The tabs were made from ⅛” steel and it was placed at the top of the square steel. The cross members are made from wood – poplar wood. The purpose of the leather in this gun rack is to line the interior of the aluminum curve to preserve the butt stock.
DIY Wall Gun Rack
If you don’t have enough storage space, a wall gun rack will do the magic for you! Wall gun racks can be made from mesh, pegboard, plywood, steel, and wood.
23. Easy Rifle Wall Rack
Level | Easy |
Material | Board |
Cost | $5-$15 |
This is a combination of a gun and a knife rack. It is very easy to put together because you need a few materials and hand tools. The rack is made from a single board. Screw the board to the wall such that it hits the studs, then, put in the hooks to hold the gun and nails to hold the knives. The hook was installed on the handhold on the butt stock and in the middle of the barrel, while the nails go in the different holes on the knife handles.
24. Rod’s Woodworking Shop – Rifle Rack plan
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $5-$10 |
This DIY Rifle Rack plan provides you with a list of the right materials, equipment and plans that you need to make your own Rifle Rack. With three clearly defined steps and images all through, you will get to see how you can make your own rifle rack to store your guns.
25. Living room mirror with a secret gun cabinet behind it
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$13 |
This tutorial takes you through how to make a DIY gun compartment that looks like a casual living room mirror. Nothing is as cool as a mirror that opens up to a gun cabinet. You can customize your own compartment cabinet for your handguns, shotguns, and any other firearm you may have.
26. Nerf Gun Wall Rack
Level | Easy |
Material | Pegboard |
Cost | $5-$10 |
Here are easy-to-follow instructions on how to build a simple nerf gun wall rack. You need a sheet of pegboard, spray paint, plastic spaces, washers, and mounting screws. The first step is to spray paint the peg board. While the pegboard is drying, measure and mark where the pegboard will hang, then place the space behind the pegboard. Pull the washer and screw through the front. The purpose of the spacer is to give enough space between the wall and the pegboard such that there will be space for hooks to go through the back. However, the space should not be much so that it won’t look awkward.
27. DIY Modular Gun Rack
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $5-$15 |
All you need for this modular gun rack include 1×2″ wood pieces, some pieces of poplar, a ¾” wooden dowel, a hand saw, measuring tape, a pencil, a drill, and wood screws. The first thing to do after getting all these supplies is to cut down the wood into pieces. Your measurement might vary from the one used in this video depending on the size of the gun rack you want to make. The video is explanatory enough to put anyone without woodworking skills on the spot.
28. DIY Gun Rack for Under $15
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$15 |
This is a DIY video tutorial on constructing a modular wall mount gun rack out of wood. The tutorial shows you exactly what you need to purchase for your DIY rack and some ideas on where you can get these items. Materials you need for this project are 1×2 boards and ¾” dowel rods. Learn how to make the perfect gun hanger for your gunroom here.
29. Cheap Wall Mount Gun Rack
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Gun rack set |
Cost | $10-$15 |
If you want to save up some extra bucks by building your gun rack, this is a great guide for you to follow. The tools required to put this wall mount gun rack together include level, stud finder, drill, tape measure, and drill bits. Once you have all these tools, the next thing is to find a place where you can mount the gun rack. After that, gather the accessories that come with the rack package and you’re good to go.
30. Nerf Gun Wall Rack
Level | Easy |
Material | Hog fencing |
Cost | $5 – $7 |
This DIY nerf gun rack requires only hand tools to put it up against the wall. Hog fencing was used as the rack, it was clipped to the wall with wall anchors, nylon clamps, and high-tensile clips. To make sure the hog fencing is balanced on the wall, you need a 2 ft level and a Phillips screwdriver to drive in the anchors and other hardware. Size the hog fencing according to the size/amount of nerf guns you want to hang on it. One amazing thing is that you can hang as many hog fencing racks for the nerf gun I’d you have the space.
DIY Closet Gun Rack
Below are ideas of closet gun racks you can recreate. A closet gun rack is one of the best places to keep your firearm secure and safe from the reach of kids.
31. How To Build a Gun Closet
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10 – $15 |
To build this gun cabinet, you need wood pieces, screws, and some hand tools to put the wood together. The first thing to put in place is wooden boxes. The boxes might not be fancy, but they should be sturdy and big enough for the rack. The creator used rabbet joinery to put the box together. Rabbet joinery is a way of joining corners together perfectly.
32. DIY Gun cabinet by outdoor plans
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$15 |
This is a very clear plan tutorial to help you build a gun cabinet of your own. The materials you will need include pieces of plywood and lumber and tools such as drill machinery, hammer, framing square and tape measure.
33. Gun Cabinet in Five Steps
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$15 |
This is an easy five step tutorial on building a gun cabinet. The materials you need are outlined, complete with the exact measurements for each. This is a straightforward tutorial for someone who wants a direct guide.
34. James Forester’s easy way to make a gun cabinet
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$20 |
This tutorial gives you seven steps to help you create a DIY Gun Cabinet. It will take a few hours, and you will have a fully functional gun cabinet by following these steps correctly. Some materials you need are a pencil, electric screwdriver, saw, drill bits, 1-inch plywood sheets and wood stain.
35. Handyman tips on making a DIY Gun Cabinet
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Plywood |
Cost | $15-$25 |
This tutorial starts by outlining all the materials you will need to make your own gun cabinet. It then offers a step-by-step guide on what you should do. Based on this tutorial, you start by making the cabinet frame, then the gun holders, and end with how to make the cabinet door.
36. DIY Gun Rack Made from Reclaimed Barn Wood
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $15-$20 |
This tutorial starts with how to straighten out your ends on a table saw and how to cut grooves on your boards. A band saw is used to cut out the smaller shapes which are then fine-tuned. Different parts of the rack are cut out and later put together to create the final piece.
37. Hidden in Wall Gun Cabinet With Hidden Keypad
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $15-$25 |
This is an 8-step tutorial that also gives you a list of materials you need as well as the costs you may get them at. This is great because you can budget for your materials and purchase them when you’re ready to create your own DIY gun cabinet.
38. Making a DIY Texas Gun Cabinet
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$14 |
A Texas gun cabinet is ideal for the person looking to make a functional cabinet that also has a neat design. The tutorial starts by showing you the cabinet plan and what the end product should look like, then goes ahead to show you how to do it. One thing that is different about this tutorial is that the video has subtitles rather than a voice-over.
39. Rotating Gun Cabinet
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$25 |
Let’s go through the features of this rotating gun rack together. The rotating gun cabinet is a vertical box with a drawer for storage at the bottom. It has a mesh on the door to see through the guns inside. The cabinet can accommodate up to twelve long guns and there are LED lights on both sides and on top of the cabinet. If you like, you can add decorative ornaments to the front of the cabinet to make it look great.
40. DIY Gun Cabinet by Life Less Ordinary
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$15 |
This video tutorial has all you need to get started in making your own gun cabinet. From the measurements you need to the design itself, this video makes it look easy to make your own DIY gun cabinet. Even better, the materials used here are quite affordable and you can save your coins and make a pretty good gun cabinet.
41. Simon’s DIY Gun Cabinet
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$12 |
This video is the first of a video series that takes you through how to build a gun cabinet from solid wood. The gun cabinet is made out of hard oak which ends up giving a beautiful finished product. This video showcases how to build the main shape and body of the cabinet with all the detailed steps to follow in getting your gun cabinet structure.
42. Making an Oak Gun Cabinet
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Oak Wood |
Cost | $15-$20 |
This tutorial shows you how to make a gun cabinet out of white oak with brass hinges. Pins are used to hold the shelf as well as the gun rack itself. It starts with cutting and gluing boards to make the sides and top then cutting them to the right size. After that cut, the paneling for the back of the gun cabinet is glued in.
43. DIY air rifle cabinet from OSB
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$15 |
This video tutorial shows what you need to do, as the tutor explains what you need to do and why you need to do it. The video starts with making the boards showing you how you need to cut them to the right size using masking tapes. What is different about this cabinet is that it is made from chipboard and from OSB sheets.
44. DIY Gun safe room
Level | Hard |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $50-$100 |
For someone interested in a gun cabinet, a DIY gun safe room is something you may be interested in. This tutorial gives you all the tips, plans, and instructions you need to build it yourself.
45. Gun Concealment Cabinet
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Old dress cabinet |
Cost | $5 – $10 |
To build this gun concealment cabinet, you’ll need a large number of wood pieces. That means the cost will be higher. But if you can get unwanted or recycled materials you can turn around, that will cut down the cost. Here a dressing cabinet was disassembled and turned into a gun concealment cabinet. You’ll need minimal tools for the build. Check out more details from this video.
46. Steel Gun Cabinet Build
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Steel |
Cost | $10 – $25 |
All you need for this gun cabinet is a sheet of steel board and angle steel. Use a hand circular saw and compound miter saw to cut both materials respectively. After cutting, assemble the cabinet frame and join the steel together with welding. Add a sheet of steel to the square steel frame using welding. Then, make the frame stand upright when adding another part of the cabinet to it. It is very easy to pull through but if you don’t have proper knowledge of welding or handling steel, it might be a little hard.
DIY Single Gun Rack
If you have a gun and you’re wondering where you can place the gun to secure it, here are some ideas on how to build a single gun rack from a few materials and simple tools.
47. How To Make A Bedside Gun Rack
Level | Easy |
Material | Flat aluminum |
Cost | $14-$17 |
Are you looking for where you can keep your only gun? Well, you can keep it by your bedside and simply create this amazing rack for it. You don’t need many materials or hard skills to put this together. All you need is a flat piece of Aluminum, two pieces of heat shrink tubing, a straight-angle cutter, and a blowgun.
To cut the aluminum into two, use the straight-angle cutter to make a dent in the middle of the aluminum. After that, bend the aluminum outward from the dent, then inward again, and the piece will break into two. Make an S curve on the tip of both pieces. Put the heat shrink tubing on both and heat them lightly.
48. DIY Floating Shelf Secret Hidden Gun Safe
Level | Easy |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$14 |
This secret floating shelf accessibility is unusual since the front and sides fold away, providing fast and convenient access while leaving products placed on the shelf in place. It is also very simple to build this concealed gun-safe shelf. What you need is a pump, a professional saw, a table saw, wood, and some hardware. The project is less than a 2-hour duration.
49. Wooden American Flag Concealed Gun Cabinet
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$12 |
This tutorial by workshop 1776 guides you on how to make a great DIY gun cabinet that is concealed behind the American flag. This video does not give much detail in terms of measurements and what quantities of materials to use, but if you’re a pro that can figure it out on your own, this video will give you an idea of what to do.
50. DIY gun safe with RFID lock
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Steel |
Cost | $10-$15 |
This tutorial shows you how to build a full proof metallic safe for your guns. Complete with how you weld the different parts of the safe to how you combine them together, complete with rfid lock & hinges. Though missing a voiceover, this is a quality video for someone interested in metallic storage for your guns.
51. Coffee table with a hidden gun cabinet
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $12-$20 |
Building a gun cabinet from a standard coffee table has to be the second coolest hidden gun cabinet other than number three above. The tutorial shows you a cabinet plan where you have a coffee table that has a sliding table top that opens up to a gun compartment below. For this DIY you will need wooden boards, wooden posts, frameless hinges, pocket screws, and nails.
52. How To Make A Rifle Rack
Level | Intermediate |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10 – $20 |
Here is one of the easiest rifle racks you can make by yourself. It doesn’t require much woodworking skill and you only need minimal tools – hand tools. Get a 4″ by 11″ wooden board and cut out some chunks on both ends of the board using a wood chisel and hammer. After cutting out enough chunks, sand the whole board thoroughly and flame-polish it. Let the flame burn only some parts as shown in this video. After that, strain it and you’re good to go.
53. Hidden Single Gun Shelf
Level | Hard |
Material | Wood |
Cost | $10-$25 |
The creator built this shelf with a hidden compartment for a gun or any other thing that can fit in. He wanted something a little different from the trend. Let’s see how it turns out; The structure of the shelf is made from 1×6″ and 1×8″ pieces of lumber. Other materials needed include cabinet hinges, screws, finish, child lock, agent, brackets, and chain. Then, he starts by measuring and cutting the wood pieces for the frame.
Conclusion
There you have it! DIY gun rack ideas and step-by-step instructions on how to recreate them. Most of the ideas are very cheap and require only hand tools, while others require some good woodworking skills and power tools. The last thing you want is to have your guns lying around because it can not only be dangerous but trying to recover a gun when you need it is so much easier when you have a specific place for the guns. Get started on building your gun cabinet today.