Most gun safes waste the door. The shelves fill up with pistols lying on top of each other, the long guns lean against each other in the rack, and the inside of the door, the largest flat steel surface in the safe, holds nothing. Magnets fix that in ten minutes with no drilling. This guide covers how to use them to organize a safe and which ones we sell for it.
Why magnets in a safe
A safe door and walls are steel, so a magnet does not even need its adhesive; it holds itself. Each SofHold magnet then holds a pistol flat against the door, slide-in, grip out, where you can see every gun at once and take one without moving the others. No holes, no shelves, no pistol racks that eat shelf space.
The magnets
SofHold Magnetic Gun Mount
Neodymium magnet rated at over 50 pounds of pull, wrapped in top-grain leather so it does not scratch a finish, and it mounts with screws or adhesive backing, so you can screw it down or stick it. Works with any steel-slide handgun, including Glock, Sig, Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Ruger, Beretta and Taurus. Money-back guarantee. $45. Inside a safe the leather cover is what matters: it is the only thing between your finish and a block of steel.
Caliber-marked
The 9mm, .45 ACP, .380 and other embossed versions in the SofHold collection are useful in a safe as labels: put the 9mm guns on the 9mm magnets and the .380 pocket gun on its own.
How to lay out a safe door
- Measure the door's clear depth. With the door closed, how much room is there between the door and the shelf edges? A pistol on a magnet sticks out about 2 inches; most safe doors have 3 to 4.
- Stagger the magnets. Two columns, offset, so the grips do not overlap. A 30-inch door holds six to eight pistols.
- Grips out, muzzles down or sideways. Grab-able, and nothing points at you when you open the door.
- Magazines and lights. A spare magazine and a steel-bodied light stick to a magnet as well as a pistol does. Use the leftover corners.
Long guns
Two magnets on the back wall or a side wall hold a rifle or shotgun flat, which frees the rack and stops the guns leaning on each other's finishes. See the long-gun guide below for spacing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the screws or adhesive inside a safe?
No. The magnet holds itself to the steel door or wall. Adhesive if you want it not to slide when you pull a gun off.
Will a magnet damage the safe's finish?
The leather cover protects the door. On a painted interior, a strip of the included adhesive under the magnet stops any rubbing.
Will magnets affect ammunition?
No. Ammunition is not magnetic and a magnetic field does not affect it.
How many pistols will a safe door hold?
Six to eight on a typical 30-inch door, staggered in two columns.
Will it hold a revolver?
Yes, by the frame and cylinder.
The bottom line
A handful of SofHold magnets on the safe door doubles the pistol capacity of a safe and puts every gun where you can see it. No drilling, and they move when you rearrange.
Related reading
Best gun magnets
Magnetic rifle and shotgun holders
Under-desk and nightstand gun mounts
