I am going to build a rifle rack to be used in a room that is secure.  The rack doesn't have to provide security, the building will do that.  

I need a rack that will hold a large variety of rifles.  AUGs, sniper rifles with big scopes, AR's, M1As etc.  So lots of different lengths and widths.  Some with lights mounted on the side and some slim like pump action 12 gauge or a lever action.

I have floor to ceiling at my disposal.  I can mount it to a wall or go free standing.  I right now I am brainstorming.  Pictures, Ideas, Solutions, Lessons learned, I want it all.

Thanks for the help

Frame it out and use pegboard. Endless possibilties and you can adjust and adapt as your collection grows. No sense locking yourself in to a limited configuration.

If pegboard isn't your thing, you can try the type of wall coverings that a lot of gunshops use, the type with the grooves cut into it that accomodate metal hooks similiar to peg board hooks.

I've built three, two are industrial and one is for a nice gun room.  Take your top piece and drill 1"-1.5" holes with a forstner bit or hole saw (double the width if needed for side by side doubles).  Make the holes into slots with a 5-15 deg taper with a table saw, jog saw or band saw, which give various levels of quality.  You can also make a router jig to clean up rough cut slots.  With the router or table saw jig, you can index each slot off the adjacent slot.  use a 1/8" roundover or sandpaper to break the edges.  You can cover with felt if desired.  For the bottom, I like using rubber sheeting (I ordered 1/8" rubber from Mcmaster.)  Otherwise you could use felt with or without strips od wood as dividers.  I would not use bare wood (not enough security, at least with no backtilt), unless you have a full depression for the stock to drop in.  And that's a pain.

The spacing is where there is no right answer.  There is no setting that will handle a M4 with folded stock and a Remington 700. SO I recommend using 2 heights.

I've sold the top pieces before.  once you build the jig, it's quick to knock them out.  Plywood works best, if you do with solid wood, you loose strength if the bbl slots are too close to each other.  I think I would drill dowel pins form behind to avoid a heavy handed impack with a gun knocking off the little block of wood along the grain.

Here is what I have in my gun room, works for me. It could be done double stack also.



Here is where I got the idea.
http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinRacks01.htm

Beautiful collection there. Im going to be fabing up a metal rack for my closet here after new years will post it up once im done.