Stacy Bright reviews a Liberty Home Concealment wall mantle in this series of reviews on products from this new company. We think it would make the perfect Christmas gift for a wo-man cave, den, office or otherwise. ~The Editors
I carry a firearm on my person every time I leave my house. It’s become a habit, and frankly, a part of me. On the rare occasion that I can’t carry, I feel naked, like something is missing. For those who don’t carry on a regular basis, it would be like walking out the door wearing only one shoe. It’s that noticeable. I’m not saying, however, that carrying a gun is always comfortable. There’s a quote that says, “Carrying a gun is meant to be comforting, not comfortable.” Despite how it feels, I wear it. Someday it might save my life, or the life of someone else. That being said, when I get home, I often take it off and set it down near me, holster and all. Often, this means on the kitchen counter as I cook dinner, or on the end table next to my recliner. As long as it’s within an arm’s reach, I can access it quickly should I need it. But what happens when one of my kids holler from the other room, “Mom, I need help with my math assignment?” Do I remember to pick up my holstered gun and bring it with me? Probably not. Here is where concealment furniture comes in handy.
Think about the furniture that you have throughout your home. I imagine you have a coffee table in at least one room, a wall shelf in another, a nightstand beside your bed and maybe a full-length mirror or a piece of artwork on a wall. No one would think twice about those being anything other than regular furniture. But wait, it could be hiding your firearms — in plain sight! Now, no matter where you are in your house, you have quick access to a gun in the event you might need one.
I recently had the opportunity to get my hands on a large Patriot wall mantle, courtesy of Liberty Home Concealment. It came in a box, preassembled. Liberty Home Concealment scored bonus points for that right off the bat, as I don’t enjoy “building” furniture. Besides the shelf, the box also contained the needed hardware, magnetic key and mounting instructions.
I enlisted the help of my husband, since he has the brain and the brawn for this kind of project. First, we decided where we wanted the shelf to go. Since I spend a lot of time on my computer, we went with the wall above it. Using my husband’s stud finder, we marked each stud and transferred the measurements to the shelf. My husband drilled pilot holes into the wall and the shelf. As the old saying goes, “Measure twice, cut (or in this case, drill) once.” The instructions say to install the shelf brackets to the top of the shelf in Step 4, after the shelf is attached to the wall, but we decided it would be easier to attach them first. After attaching the brackets to the shelf, we held the shelf up on the wall and verified that it was straight with a level. Using the supplied hardware, we opened the drop-down compartment and he affixed 2 long screws into each stud through the back of the shelf. Lastly, my handyman attached the brackets into the wall studs. Installation complete!
Now for the real fun! Using an ink pen, we traced the outline of the gun and magazines that we wanted inside the shelf onto the thick piece of foam inside the compartment. With an Exacto knife, we cut out the gun and magazine shapes, creating a hole for each to fit into. I removed 2 tape strips on the back of the foam, allowing the sticky surface to be pressed into place inside the shelf compartment. We placed the gun and magazines inside and shut the compartment door.
To unlock the shelf, we placed the associated magnetic key underneath, next to the lock pickup location. The magnet will hold itself in place and the shelf is unlocked by pressing upward and then releasing. The hidden compartment drops down, revealing the hidden treasures. Easy access to your firearm, yet hidden from the sight of guests.
The entire project only took about an hour to complete, not counting how long it took me to decide on the decorations placed on top of the shelf. The instructions were easy to understand, which made installing this shelf a breeze.
Liberty Home Concealment offers at least 20 stain colohttps://libertyhomeconcealment.com/rs to choose from, so I decided on the Provincial 211, which is a mid-range dark color. They also have various concealment furniture options besides shelves, including coffee and end tables, coat and quilt racks, lamps, clocks, picture frames, and more. I love how well my shelf blends in with my other home décor. No one would assume that it is more than just a wall shelf. All the products are also made in the United States, actually just down the road from me in the Ozarks of Missouri.
In the short amount of time that the shelf has been on my wall, I’ve received many compliments on it from family and friends. They have no idea of its contents, however. Thank you, Liberty Home Concealment, for making my “work place” at home a safer place.
MSRP: $349.99
Freelance writer Stacy Bright holds instructor certifications from the NRA in Pistol & Rifle, as well as being an Range Safety Officer and Refuse to be a Victim instructor. In addition to her NRA credentials, she also is a Missouri CCW instructor and teaches various other home and personal defense courses. “In a field dominated by men, I feel I bring a unique perspective to firearms and training, especially to women. I'm passionate about educating, empowering and developing confidence in those I train. In November of 2014, I started the Southwest Missouri chapter of The Well Armed Woman,” said Stacy. Stacy lives in southwest Missouri, and has been married for 20 years. Visit TWAW Facebook page: The Well Armed Woman-Springfield, MO Chapter. View all posts by Stacy Bright
