How To Build A Gun Rack For Trucks: An Informational Guide For Gun Enthusiasts

September 15, 2022 4 min read

Gun racks are a great accessory to add to your truck if you are a hunter or just want to transport or store your guns safely. 

You can easily build your own gun rack perfect for pickup trucks and guns, no matter what you have. And Spartan Products can make your gun rack even better. 

Read on to learn how to build a gun rack for a truck and how to choose the best type for your truck. 

 Truck with Guns

Why Install a Gun Rack on Your Truck?

Truck gun racks keep your guns safe as you drive and help you transport them around, whether you go to the range, hunt, or just need them with you. 

Gun racks also keep your guns from getting damaged and help keep your firearms safe and secure from dangerous situations. They are also a good storage option for hunters, military vehicles, and law enforcement officers.

Regardless of your truck, a DIY gun rack is easy to make and worth the time and effort. 

Ready to build your own gun rack? We will detail the steps on how to build a gun rack for a truck in the next section. 

 

5 Types of Truck Gun Racks 

You can choose from many kinds of gun racks in your truck, which vary depending on where they go. Some of these gun racks work just for storing guns, and others work as the best display gun rack. These gun racks can go on the floor, backseat, truck bed, rear window, or overhead.  

Some racks give you access to the guns while driving, some require no holes to mount the guns, and some keep your cab as clear as possible for maximum seating and comfort for your passengers. 

Floor Mounted Gun Racks

Floor mounted gun rack

First up are floor-mounted gun racks. You may not like the idea of these since they require you to put holes in the floor of your truck, but they make it easy for you to quickly access your guns without sacrificing security. You can usually store two to three guns on a floor-mounted rack, with one gun strapped into a post on the floorboard.

Overhead Gun Racks

Ceiling truck gun rack

Another option is an overhead gun rack which does not require you to put holes in your truck. Instead, there are options that use one of the passenger handles as an attachment point.

Backseat Gun Racks

Next, you can use a backseat gun rack, typically just a gun case that you can strap onto the seat. These are the easiest to put in and remove as you need the guns and are a great option for rifle racks and pistols since they double as a carrying case. 

Rear Window Gun Racks

Rear window suction cup gun rack

Rear window gun racks work well if you do not want your guns to take up any seating space in your truck. Rear window racks are easy to mount, you do not have to put any holes or other permanent changes in your car, and they keep your guns safe. 

These racks are also great rifle racks since they give you ample space to mount these longer guns while still giving you easy access to them.

Truck Bed Gun Racks 

Truck bed gun rack DIY

Finally, you can build a truck bed gun rack. These are the best truck gun racks to keep your guns out of the cab of your truck and away from your passengers. And, they give you the most space since the bed is bigger than the cab. 

 

4 Steps to Build a Gun Rack Fit For Your Truck

Building a gun rack for your truck is easy. All the steps for how to build a gun rack for a truck are below:

Step 1. Determine The Size and Location

First, to make a homemade gun rack, you need to decide where in your truck the gun rack will go. You can put the rack inside the cab, on the floor, on the rear window, or keep it out of the cab and put it in the pickup truck bed. 

You also need to decide what size rack you want and what you will be putting on it.  Pistol racks will fit in different spots than a rifle rack.

Step 2. Find a Design You Like

Next, you need to choose a design for your gun rack. Your design needs to work with your guns, and you might want to be able to adjust it depending on what guns you have in your truck. So, you must carefully design your truck gun rack and decide what storage options you want.

Step 3. Invest In High-Quality Materials and Mounts

Step 3 is to get the materials you need for your gun rack. It should not be difficult once you decide what kind of guns you need to store and how big the rack is. Your handgun mounts and racks require different materials than a rifle rack. 

Step 4. Get The Measurements

Finally, you need to get the measurements. Then you can build the rack. Your measurements differ depending on if you want a horizontal or vertical gun rack.

  

Tips For Securing Your Gun Rack Inside Your Truck

Each state has different laws for storing and transporting guns in your truck. Most states allow you to carry your guns in your truck or other vehicles with a concealed carry permit, but many require you to unload long guns whenever you are transporting them independent of permit status.

Other states require the guns to be visible, which is why certain types of storage options are better than others. 

Whether or not your state requires it, make sure you store all your magazines safely, and remember that it is also safer to unload your guns when they are in your pickup truck. 

No matter how you decide to store it, truck gun racks will keep your guns from getting scratched or damaged.

 

Ready to Have a Gun Rack in Your Truck?

Once you decide what type of gun rack you want in your car it should be an easy process. Gather your materials, take measurements, and you will be ready to build and install your gun rack. 

To enhance your gun rack in your truck even further, check out Spartan Mounts products for custom designed solutions.

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