Look'n for a gun safe.

[mr_blove]

I am in the market for a gun safe now and would like all the info I can get. I would like to keep it under $2000 and hold AT LEAST 24 long guns. I have about half that but would like to keep room to grow into for years. I tried the search function but I am not very good at it. Thanks.


Ben

 

[Blacky]

Do you want to be able to bolt it to anything (like the foundation of your home)?, fire proofing, do you want it to look cool or just be functional?

For 2k you should be able to get a fine safe. Try MidwayUSA, The Brownings are great and they look cool in your den of even living room (although my wife disagrees)

 

[mr_blove]

It will be bolted to the concrete in the corner of my garage and I want the best protection both from fire and theft for the money I will spend.

 

[xcop]

Amsec BF series is the best bet and you should be easily able to get what you want size wise in your price range.

 

[jdomin]

Safe

Browning And Heritage Buy The Biggest One You Going To Pay One Price For Delivery Might As Well Buy The Largest And Have Room To Grow Your Collection

 

[heeler]

One nice thing is you live where a good number of safe manufacturers are actually in business.
You should be able to find a pretty good deal especially on units that might have paint imperfections,chips,etc.
Fwiw i really like the Heritage Legacy.
Of course the Amsec BF series is a really good unit as well but it's built in Cali not Utah.

 

[a1abdj]

You could get an AMSEC BF6030 in your price range including delivery.

From just about every perspective (fire protection, burglary resistance, warranty, company history, etc) it will be superior compared to the others in its price range.

 

[mr_blove]

What about Knox, National Security, or Champion?

 

[fishy]

I went and looked at safes this morning. Noticed that a couple models (Amsec BF6030 among others) have bolts on the hinge side of the door that don't move. Is that a good thing, bad thing, or neutral?

When I looked into safes about a year ago, I settled on the smallest Liberty Lincoln. I never got around to buying one, but I'm ready now. Am I better off with a 6030, or are they all pretty much the same at that price range? Just tell me what to buy

Thanks,
James

 

[a1abdj]

Bolts on the hinge side that don't move, "dead bolts", are a good thing. It's what keeps the door from opening if the hinges are removed, and is one less thing to go wrong. The only time you should have bolts that do move, "live bolts", is when the door design requires it. All gun safes with internal hinges have to have live bolts on the hinge side because of how the door swings shut.

The AMSEC BF 6030 is a much better safe than the Liberty you are looking at.

 

[mr_blove]

Does anyone you know where AMSEC factory is?

 

[Javelin]

Just the word to the wise. Whichever brand you get make sure its #1 a good sale and discounted at least 20% off of the normal MSRP and #2 the absolutely largest one they have you can afford with your $2000.

 

[mr_blove]

Ok I found where they are,

American Security Products
11925 Pacific Avenue
Fontana, CA 92337

 

[mr_blove]

Ok I found where they are,

American Security Products
11925 Pacific Avenue
Fontana, CA 92337



Javelin I have been planning on the largest one I can afford. Why at least 20%? Please educate me. Thanks for the info.

 

[fishy]

Thank you, a1abdj!

 

[mr_blove]

So what is "better" a gun safe or a RSC?

 

[heeler]

Well obviously a "safe" with a 1/4 plate steel body and a door that is half inch thick plate steel is better than an RSC "safe" that has a 12 gauge,10 gauge,or 3/16 of an inch body coupled with a door that could possibly be nothing more than a 12 gauge wrap around sheetrock to one like the Amsec BF that has a half inch plate steel door.
However two issues here.
One,just because an RSC is called such i personally do not think that one that is 3/16 of an inch in body thickness with a door that is anywhere from 3/8 to half an inch thickness is going to be that easy for your local jerk off theif to enter without power tools or a whole lot of effort.
He certainly is NOT going to get into a "safe" or RSC like that with a mere hammer and screw driver!!
A sledge hammer major duty pry bars and of course power tools then they surely can.
However on the other hand that real "safe" can be entered into in a similiar way with just a few more minutes of time with power tools until of course you get into your TL 15 and TL 30 rated safes.
But any safe can be breeched.
Personally i would love to own a gun safe that has a 1/4 body steel with a 1/2 inch plate steel door.
But i cant spend nearly 5-6k for such a box.
So for me it will be something like the double walled Amsec BF or the Heitage Legacy or Ft.Knox model such as their Executive or special ordered Defender with the 10 gauge inner steel wall.
I also plan to buy a one hour fire rated "B" class document safe for personal papers and such.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I have a Heritage with an electronic S&G lock and it has been good to me.

 

[razcob]

I know a1abdj sells Amsec Safes, and is more knowledgeable than me with safe design, but he mentioned the Amsec 6030 was a better safe than the Liberty Lincoln. The one thing that Amsec fails to mention on their website is the steel thickness of the body. It has a 1/2 door, but the same wall thickness as the Lincoln. If the Amsec is better, I am not convinced it is much better.

 

[xcop]

Amsec Vs Lincoln

The Amsec has an inner steel liner of 16g also so the total metal thickness of the body is greater. In between the two layers of steel is an injected concrete composite. The concrete composite offers increased protection from cutting/chopping thru the walls and door as well as fire protection. The injected composite is what is used in higher end safes instead of plasterboard/drywall. The combined thickness of the outer body and inner liner is 7g total instead of the ten in the Lincoln.

 

[Hiland]

Just another thought. I outgrew my safe many years ago and found a Wright-Line Data Bank safe. It's about 7 feet tall 5 feet wide and four feet deep outside, made in the 70's. It is fully insulated against fire with an S&G lock. This isn't for the faint of heart, it is so heavy that it has to be on a concrete floor in the garage. The nice thing? the price. $15 for the safe, $20 in gas for my neighbor to haul it, $50 to have it lifted off the lowboy trailer by a wrecker and put on its wheels, and $35 for a part that was broken in the lock. Security - Priceless. Most people don't want these because of the size and the requirement to put it on concrete. I was told by a friend who has a professional safe company that he gets calls from businesses several times a year to take theirs away. He even charged one company $200 to take theirs off their hands! I have about 130 firearms in mine and I closed out the lock-box at the bank as well. Ask around, who knows, you might find a business that wants to get rid of theirs.

 

[ccw9mm]

mr_blove:

Living in Utah, you might be interested in this pair of AMSEC BF 6030 units, advertised on craigslist in Arizona: click. $1600 for the pair of them. Used, but then it's a great price, if they're functional.

The Wright-Line Data Bank safe looks very similar (in specs) to the AMSEC AmVault (though you'll want to check the specs, as "Data Bank" should imply its purpose). Here's a classified ad (from back in 2007) of one for sale for $1800/OBO: click.

Here's a Sturdy Safe (MinuteMan model), advertised in Portland, OR, for $900. Click.

If you go used, you can find a number of AMSEC safes. Of course, you'll need to have it delivered, but that may be a small price to pay for the right unit.

 

[Doogy]

I consult to major banks and credit unions on physical security hardware, as well as sell it for the major manufacturers. What i can tell you is to forget the brands you've heard of such as Browning and others, that is if you want a quality safe that is not easily penetrated. AMSEC is a good recommendation, although they only sell through dealer channels as they are a banking equipment manufacturer. I can give you some pricing if interested, to include shipping. I can also discuss a couple other brands not listed here that you should consider. PM me if you'd like to discuss further

IF anyone needs really high end safes, MGM is the way to go. You'll pay through the nose, but there is nothing better

Here is my home safe; overkill? yes.......but i sleep better at night knowing it would take Danny Ocean's crew to get into it. If I ever sell the house though, this one will stay as it is several thousand pounds

http://www.mgmsecuritygroup.com/client/page1.asp?page=40&clef=23&Clef2=15

Body Construction:
Made of 4-1/2" thick steel and special high resistance concrete.
Door:
Made of 5-1/2" thick steel and special high resistance concrete.

protection:
30 minutes door & body protection against Oxy-Fuel torches, common hand or picking tools, mechanical or portable electric tools, grinders, drills and pressure devices.

 

[a1abdj]

The Wright-Line Data Bank safe looks very similar (in specs) to the AMSEC AmVault (though you'll want to check the specs, as "Data Bank" should imply its purpose). Here's a classified ad (from back in 2007) of one for sale for $1800/OBO: click.

Don't be confused by the word "bank". The safe is in fact a "data bank"...a place to store data. A bank owns many types of safes, as they purchase the proper units for the tasks at hand. Banks use data safes, document safes, and burglary safes.

The nice thing about used data safes is their price. These safes are very expensive new, and have a very low demand on the used side. They are rated for an interior temp of 150 degrees or less, with stable humidity.

They are good for guns, but do not offer anywhere near the security offered by a burglar rated safe (such as the AMVAULT mentioned). Depending on who makes the safe, the security may be similar to that of a gun safe, or slightly higher.

IF anyone needs any high end safes, MGM is the way to go.

What makes MGM better than similar safes from ISM, Tann, Fichet, Chatwood Milner, Bischoff, Kaso, or other similar units?

 

[heeler]

Doogy...I gotta agree that's one hell of a safe.
How much does that thing weigh???