Safe: Delivery or pickup?

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Lockheed

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I've decided to purchase a new safe and settled on the brand. I can order online or even at a local store and have it delivered, or I can go buy in person and pick it up myself.

The dilema here, and I am sure I am not the only one who has thought of this, is the fact that you needing a safe indicates you have something to keep, well, safe. I am not so interested in having people I do not know deliver and place my safe - in fact, I don't really want them to have my name or address at all - which means buying in person.

Perhaps I am paranoid, I'll humbly submit myself to be judged but I have considered driving to the next town over and buying my safe in person and hauling it home in a UHaul truck, paying cash of course and not providing my name or address.

Of course, my desire for the least ammount of work and simplicity brings me back to the buy online and have it delivered route.

Suggestions? Am I being overly concerned here?
 
If it makes you feel any better, I had many of the same thoughts. If you're buying from a real safe dealer, they deal with that stuff all the time and vet their employees accordingly. If you're buying from costco, all bets are off.

If you're buying online, it will be delivered by a truck driver who likely lives very far away from you, and makes dozens of deliveries a day. Does that mean he's not keeping notes...probably but never say never.

"Safes" in the sense we use to discuss the sheet metal boxes we store out guns in, are trivial to move, especially if the door comes off. Mine weighs about 600 lbs (no fire lining), and have moved it twice by myself with only a hand dolly. I'm not saying it was lots of fun, but I got it done without much drama. I actually wound up having mine delivered to my parent's house, because that's where our forklift is, so I could save a bit of money on the delivery.
 
If you're buying from a real safe dealer, they deal with that stuff all the time and vet their employees accordingly. If you're buying from costco, all bets are off.
Click to expand...

That's not really true. Around here, many of the safe retailers aren't much different employee wise than Costco is.

If you buy your safe from a safe company, as opposed to a safe retailer, you'll find more scrutiny placed on the employees. This is even more true if the state you live in requires licensing of these types of business.

Just because they sell safes, doesn't mean they know how to move them, work on them, or background check their employees. To many, selling safes is simply another way to make some money.
 
Someone suggested to me that I request the safe be delivered in an unmarked truck and make the transition invisible......truck backing up to house...possibly unloading the safe in the garage..... in other words Keep It Private. Nobody (neighbors/ gardeners)need to see what is going into your house.
 
You worry too much.

In my experience, having it delivered and put in your house is going to be way cheaper and less painful in the long run then the hospital bills you may incur trying to do it yourself!!

Trust me on this!

rc
 
I would do it myself. Unless you are buying from a reputable gun shop or safe store which they do it for a living. Otherwise you will get some lowlife riff raff in your house with nicked up walls scratches on the new safe carpet messed up etc. you get the point. If you want something done right do it yourself they can be moved easily with a couple buddies and a decent dollie from a rental place. Wrap it with moving blankets ratchet strap it to the dollie and away you go.
 
I bought a big safe from Walmart here in town. I wasn't concerned about anyone at Walmart knowing I had a safe. I was concerned about people in the neighborhood knowing I had a safe. I taped cardboard all over it to completely cover it and any signs of it being a safe were gone. I had a friend put it in a truck and deliver it for me and 3 of us were able to carry it in the house. Kinda looked like a big stove, fridge, or something like that. Seemed to work out ok.
 
Yes, you're too paranoid. It comes in a box so what makes anyone in the neighborhood think anything other than an upright freezer is being brought to the house.

If the safe is any good it is going to be too much for you to handle on your own anyway.
 
If it is going up or down steps let a professional do it. Be careful. Do not get hurt.
Being cautious is not being paranoid. Do what you are comfortable with.
 
The most recent safe I got was one of the Bighorns from Costco. Really decent for the money. Just a regular freight truck, no "Gun Safe Delivery" signs on it; just another damn delivery for the disinterested driver.
 
If one orders a gun safe via the internet then once the safe is delivered curbside,or you convince the guy to wheel the heavy palletied safe on into your secure garage you still need to inspect it for possible shipping damages or to make good and sure it's exactly what you ordered.
At that point said unknown delivery guy will be quickly aware of just exactly what you ordered.
My suggestion if your truely worried about security is to order the safe from a bonded and insured safe and vault company and do a turn key operation of having them deliver it and install it.
 
Buy from a reputible place. Early on in my home owning, I needed to get the garage door opener replaced and had Home Depot folks do it. The folks who showed up had prison tatoos on them. They were polite and did a good job but I worried a bit.
 
I got a couple of husky shooting buddies with a truck to help. The local Dick's Sporting Goods contracts out the delivery, and would have charged over $100 for delivery and installation.
 
"Suggestions? Am I being overly concerned here?"

My advice? It doesn't matter what others think you should do. We all have to live with the consequences of our decisions and actions.

Avoid second guessing yourself. Simply consider your options, sleep on it, then do whatever satisfies your security comfort level, consistent with what makes sense for you.

Anon
 
Last edited:
Zeeemu said:
"Suggestions? Am I being overly concerned here?"

My advice? It doesn't matter what others think you should do. We all have to live with the consequences of our decisions and actions.

Avoid second guessing yourself. Simply consider your options, sleep on it, then do whatever satisfies your security comfort level, consistent with what makes sense for you.

Anon
Click to expand...
My biggest life lesson in this key point happened in my early 20s. My car needed front and rear new tires and I went with my dad to get it done. Rears had a little (maybe a few to 5,000 miles left in them). I wanted to change all four but he convinced me to save my money and only change the fronts.

Two months later in a big rain storm the rear old tires caused my to hydroplane and total the car. I was angry not following my gut and changing all at once. I am 99% confident I wouldn't have hydroplaned. My first and life lesson to ultimate choose what I think is right.
 
Consider a safe that you can assemble yourself!

Such safes are made by Snap Safe and Zanotti.

http://www.snapsafe.com/

assemble_img.jpg


http://www.zanottiarmor.com/safes.htm
 
So the guy delivering your gun safe and bolting it to the floor is going to come back and steal it from you knowing you have guns and he has a higher chance of getting shot when breaking into your house???
Buy the safe and let them deliver it. If you are worried that your neighbors might see it then you might need to look at moving because it sounds like you live in a crap neighborhood.
 
ZeSpectre said:
My safe weighed in at 1,100 lbs. there was no question involved.
Click to expand...
Mine was pushing 2,000 Lbs. There was no question. They delivered, got it in and planted it. Best extra $150 I ever spent and I tipped the two guys. So, it all depends on the safe you buy. However, figure even with a 300 Lb safe you will need help.

Ron
 
I appreciate all the input, thank you everyone.

I am not concerned about the neighbors per se, but what they don't know can't hurt me. My biggest concern is the knowledge that I have the safe which could be disseminated from where I buy it or the people installing it to lowlife individuals. People rob banks because they know there are safes in there with money.

The safe I am looking at is approximately 700 pounds.
 
I have moved pianos, safes and just about everything under the sun and how we do it is get a utility trailer (low to the ground) and a furniture moving dolly (4 wheeled) and tilt the safe, slide the dolly under it and upright it on the dolly. the good ones handle 1200 lbs and make sure it has rubber on the top to stop slippage let the dolly do the work and as you move over humps just tilt it back a little and the wheels will go over any household surface
 
If bought from a reputable safe company, he and his employees are "bonded", meaning they can't, and most times won't tell anyone what was bought, and by whom. Yes, you're paranoid! Let them deliver and move it inside your home, then you won't be walking on your guts!
 
Fwiw, one of mine weighs 600. I loaded/unloaded by myself and rolled it in on a handtruck. The other is 1100. Three of us rolled it across the concrete on pipes then slid it across the carpet on furniture sliders.
 
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