[Ari]

I've got an extra $350 I put aside for a pistol I'm no longer getting. Anyhow, I'm running out of spots in my closet for my 4 long guns and a pistol. I saw the 14 gun gun safe at Wal-Mart for $350. Talk me into or out of it. Saving up for another safe will probably not be an option considering I'm slated to get laid off soon, so money will become scarce once again. But the fact that we have my little brother in laws and nephew's all in their "curious/let's poke around" age, it would make me feel a little better when they stay the nights and hang out on weekends at our place. Any unhappy owners? If properly bolted down would it be fairly effective against your local crack head in a smash and grab?

[Valkman]

I would never normally recommend anyone buy a safe like that, but heck if it's what you can buy to at least keep the kids safe then go for it. Definitely bolt it down and maybe it will stop an addict who needs to get in and out fast. If they have time to take tools to it I doubt it would last long but it sure is better than nothing. Sorry to hear of the pending layoff!

[Coronach]

I use one. My criteria are:

1. Mobile: I plan on moving. Ever paid to move a real safe? :eek:

2. proof against Smash-and-grab: this will do it, much better than the Stack-On Cabinets

I have no illusions about the safe's ability to hold up under determined attack by someone who has a clue what they're doing. But the VAST majority of burglaries do not fit that description. And once I get into a permanent home, I plan to build a safe room/gun-vault. So this is temporary.

I'd get one if you have kids or neighboring crackheads.

Mike

[AJ Dual]

if $350 is all you got get it.

It's still about 10 times better than a Homak, and what I consider the minimum of construction to be considered a "safe".

It's kind of like the argument that if the only gun you'd ever be able to CCW was a .22, should you bother or not?

[Kamicosmos]

Don't know which specific Sentry you're looking at. I got one at Sam's Club, so they may be the same. Mine is a black one, with 8 bolts in the door ( both sides, top and bottom), internal hinges and a standard combination lock, no key overide. It has no fire rating. it was $300 I believe.

Anyway, I bought it under the thought of a safe is much better than hiding them in the closet. Especially if you're planning on moving, (like I am next month) it makes sense to get teh smaller lighter safe. I figure I'll eventually get a larger fireproof safe, and this one will be used for less valuable arms, cameras, things like that.

In other words, I recommend it, I think it's a great safe and I feel much better having my guns secured and in one place. It will stop the average break in thief. Even though it's not rated, it would help protect the stuff inside in a short term fire, especially if it's away from the fire's center.

[cslinger]

I am of the mindset that you are more likely to have unauthorized people want to look at or play with your guns then you are to have a thief try to actually steal them.

Kids, slow adults etc. are a big deal and need to be guarded against. A killer safe is a great but expensive option. Even if you can only afford steel locking gun cabinets go for it since they will keep kids and dumb relatives out and keep you out of court explaining why your drunk uncle put 10 rounds of .223 through the neighbors siding.

If a burgler knows you have a safe it probably won't matter what kind you have. Smash and grabs should be slowed down plenty by the Sentry you are talking about.

I would stay away from electronic locks because I have heard they can be overridden very easily.

Chris

[larry408]

I have one that I bought on sale after hunting season closed. I paid $280.00 for it at Walmart. It is a lot better then the Sentinel gun cabinet. It does the job for what I needed it for.

[Redlg155]

I've got one of those with the keyed lock instead of a numbered punch pad or dial. I prefer it that way. They are relatively well constructed and provide decent security. My primary method of security when I'm away from my apartment is my dog.

If a local crackhead tried to loot my apartment then the dog will be doing the "smash and grab" instead of the perp! :D

Oh..and unless you have 14 BB guns there is no way you are going to get that many normal rifles in your safe without stacking them right on each other. That's the problem I have now. Where in the heck they get their rating system, I don't know. Probably from the same folks who rate the sleeping system in tents.

Good Shooting
Red

[BamBam-31]

Redlg155 sez truth. I've got the "14" gun Sentry safe, and it barely holds ten. To get 14, I gotta start 69-ing 'em.

With safes, it's diminishing returns. Sure, you can get the hingeless adamantium cube that opens via telepathy, but you're also going to pay a fantastical price for it. Probably'll be worth more than your collection, too.

A skilled, determined burgular will break into just about any safe you can realistically buy on the market. Small drawback that's vastly outweighed by the many benefits of having the safe. If you're still concerned about the professional burglar, layer the security. Deter with inconvenience.

Sounds like the Sentry fits your bill. It fit mine.

[Ari]

It sounds like exactly what I'm looking for then. With as many shoes that my wife owns, my "secret" hiding space in my closet is quickly loosing ground. And any time I have to get to them I have to shovel through a sea of shoes which also often knocks them over and dings them up. So if anything, it will be nice to have them organized in one area.
My home is also the friends and family "convention center". Meaning we have all/most of our family/friend holiday/birthday get together here. Along with alot of general hanging out. Me and the wife do not have any kids yet, but our 6 nieces/nephews all like to hang out at our place all range from 13-18 Y.O. so it'll make me feel a little better since they are at that "sticky fingers" age.
I think to make up for the shortcoming in the security/durability of the safe, I'll have to make up for in concealing it. You can't steal what you can't see. Fortunately I have more creativity than money.

Final question. Should I wait until after deer season to see if it goes on sale at Walmart? When is the end of deer season? Thanks again ya'll.

[larry408]

Out of 6 Walmarts in my area only 1 had any safes left after hunting season to put on sale. They started with 14 safes and had 3 left to put on sale.

[greg531mi]

I looked in the Sunday newspaper, and looked for auctions in my area. I saw one, a printing company that was going out of business. They had two safes, and got one for $150. It is fire-resistant, two doors,1500 lbs, and had removal shelfs, removed all but the top one, made a gun rack out of plywood, after I broke the tow rope, easing it into the basement, with the pickup truck!! I went to Wally-world tonite and saw the Senty, I saw a lot nicer ones the day after Thanksgiving, for the same price made by Cannon. Shop around, I have friends that have those "security boxes" with $20,000 of guns in there, what fools.

[Poohgyrr]

FWIW, I use "Bore Stores" to keep mine from getting scratched from storage. These things are a thick soft grey fabric that is treated with silicon or something and lets the guns breath so they don't rust. Relatively cheap at gun shows too.

[Poohgyrr]

Here is a blued revolver I don't want scratched.

[VictorLouis]

One of the Bucks Unlimited(?) promotional tie-in models. It is light-years ahead of the Homack style sheet-steel cabinets. My buddy and I(mostly him:D) brought it into the house, and I honestly don't think we could've handled anything much bigger without a third-party involved. It's just shy of 300lbs.

He'd purchased a used AmSec of around the same size for $400, and he was quite disappointed upon seeing mine. He swears it's a better built, better looking unit!:) Internal hinges, and five locking bolts. Now, I'm the one who's bummed because the latest ones I've seen at Wally have even MORE features at the same price point! There's a fishnet bungie on the door, door hooks, floor compartment, etc.that mine doesn't have. They even put a knurled rubber grip ring around the dialer instead of the slippery smooth 'gold' anodizing.

Anyhow, the only thing I did with mine was to add a second shelf. I took the one that came with it and went to the Home Depot. I got a scrap piece of ply, sized it up, and had them cut if for me on their bandsaw. Went over to the outdoor carpeting area and cut a piece from a roll that is almost a dead match for the gray fabric that comes with it. Tacked it right down with a staple gun. Four bracket clips to hold it up, and that's that.

Sack-ups or Bore-Stores will get you close to 10-12 long-guns in a row, side-by-side. Yes, the '14' is a stretch, as someone else stated. However, with the shelves holding handguns, it's not really a fib.:D You will want to bolt it down at the floor and/or the rear. Due to the height and the mass of the door, it is easily tipped-over if you don't.:o

[larry408]

I added another shelf to my Sentry 14 gun safe. The panel on the back of the door is only held on by 1 screw and clips that slip into the door. I drilled holes in the panel to use peg board mounts.

[Ari]

I'm pretty positive I'm bring one home this Friday. I only have 4 long guns and 2 handguns so it should do me fine for a while. Especially given I probably won't be getting any new toys for a long while pending me find a new job.

[Walkalong]

I bought tyhe 14 gun one for my wife. She has her cameras and her jewelry in it. I too added a second shelf(no carpet). I think it will do fine against normal grab and run thieves. My pit and miniature daschund out back will be raising H*** if there's noise which should hurry them up even more.
I,m going to get the 10 gun one for my closet for accessories. Primers loaded rounds etc. Hopeing to catch one on sale. Last year at wally world they had the 10 gun on sale for 175. Missed it cause I was broke at the time.

[VWTim]

Since you're NW, BI Mart routinely puts this model on sale for $300. I've had mine for just over a year and it's working out good.