Gun Vault's mini pistol offers No-Eyes rapid access.

These relatively small safes are great for protecting handguns, but if you're like me, you also own your share (or more than your share) of rifles and shotguns. That makes full-size gun safes the obvious answer. The interiors of most large safes are highly customizable. Add a shelf or two above the space long guns occupy and you can keep all your firearms secure in a single location.

Some gun safes are sufficiently commodious to house up to 50 long guns. My Fort Knox safe has this capacity, while a pair of shelves provide sufficient room for a couple dozen handguns (more if they're stacked in factory boxes). My Weatherby safe is slightly smaller. It's configured to hold 26 long guns--13 on either side of a center console that holds up to 20 boxed pistols and revolvers. Two additional shelves overhead offer at least that much extra handgun storage. Hooks and hook-and-loop fasteners can be attached to some safe doors for even greater handgun capacity.

Full-size (and larger) safes offer the maximum in firearm security. They're far too big, bulky and heavy for a thief to drag away. Such safes typically have thicker walls, better locks and sturdier locking bolts. Pry-resistant doors, drill-resistant plates over the locking mechanism and internal hinges effectively deny access to the most determined burglar.

Be aware that not all full-size gun safes are constructed with fire-resistant linings. Check the specifications before you buy one. Safes are rated for varying levels of fire protection. It's not an infallible rule, but the heavier and more expensive a safe is, the more fire protection it's likely to offer.

The author's son James uses a wall safe hidden in a closet to keep handguns safe but handy.

I sleep better at night knowing my guns are protected by the two full-size safes I own. I'm also more relaxed when I have to be away from home for several days. Those safes are roomy enough to also hold some expensive binoculars, cameras and other valuables I own. Handgun-size safes don't have a lot of extra room.

This Slim V-Line Closet takes up little floor space and features handgun hangers on the door.

While large "do everything" gun safes have a lot of appeal, some dislike swinging open a ponderously heavy, vault-like door simply to remove a handgun. Stack-On, Browning and other companies have addressed this issue by providing a separate compartment with its own door at the top of the safe. This makes accessing handguns easier and more convenient.

While gun safes are designed to protect against fire and theft, flooding has only recently been addressed. Recalling recent events in New Orleans, Florida and other flood-stricken areas, I applaud Sentry Safe's ProStaff gun safe. A sample of this safe was displayed at the 2006 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, where it sat in a clear plexiglass tank half-filled with water. An independent testing firm, ETL Semko, has certified these safes will keep guns dry in up to two feet of water for as long as three days.

Living on a flood plane or near the ocean isn't the only reason your guns may be at risk from rising water. Several years ago an early spring runoff entered the basement windows of my home. A foot of muddy water ruined a large, new carpet and warped wood-paneled walls. I was glad I'd located my gun safe on the second floor. According to the Insurance Services Office Inc., flooded basements, burst pipes, overflowing clothes washers or water heaters that give up the ghost cause some of the most common insurance claims.