A weapons cabinet (Waffentresor) , also known as a gun safe, is used to provide secure storage for a range of weapons and ammunition, with a number of developers manufacturing products especially for this purpose. In most ways, a weapons cabinet is similar in construction to a regular safe, although additional safeguards and protective mechanisms may also be required. There are also a category of weapons cabinet products that are designed especially to be displayed, and thus place emphasis on the overall appearance of the cabinet design along with its security features. While gun safe products are normally made with a hollow cuboid or cylinder shape, weapons cabinets may include features like etched glass fronts and carved exteriors. Both gun safes and weapons cabinet products need to be secure however, and feature either a mechanical or electronic locking mechanism that is able to prevent unauthorised entry.

Weapons cabinet products are designed to protect guns, firearms, and ammunition from unauthorised and unqualified persons, with many safes also designed to protect their contents from natural disasters such as floods, fires, and earthquakes. In many jurisdictions around the world, it is a legal requirement to keep all weapons and ammunition in a dedicated gun safe, because it is the safest and easiest way to limit their access to unauthorised and untrained people. Many countries around the world have specific laws and certification standards for weapons cabinets, with individuals needing to abide by these laws or face the consequences.

The locking mechanisms that are used in weapons cabinets can vary quite a lot, from simple mechanical locks through to high tech electronic locks. While mechanical locks may take longer to open, they are actually more reliable than their electronic equivalents in many cases. Some gun safes and weapons cabinets feature multiple locks, so there is always a back up if one of the locks is tampered with. In addition to regular locking mechanisms, many weapons cabinets also feature additional protection for natural disasters. These cabinets need to be made from better designed and higher quality materials, in order that their contents are protected from water, fire, and high winds.