Fire protection: yeah or nay

[drjay9051]

I decided on a Sturdy safe. I'm going large 48x24x60. Will be located on an outside corner of an add on closet. Concrete floor single story home. Wood frame with studs. Bolted down with the right hand side against the wall.

This will make ax attacks real difficult unless a BG happens to be left handed.

My question concerns the optional fire proofing. Its about $670 extra and i lose a bit of interior volume. Like others have pointed out in a bad fire more than likely guns will be toast, no pun intended. I know, I too have seen photos of interiors that have survived a full on fire where home was burned to the ground however I'm not sold on the protection.

I'm thinking wood frame, outside wall I suppose my safe would stand a better chance than others which are interior location.



.

I am so sick and tired of looking. it's worse than buying a new car!!
So I suppose the question is; do I drop $600 + for protection that may work or just let my ins. policy deal with it in the event of a fire?

I will keep a dedicated "fire safe" in the sturdy to hold documents.

Thanks.

 

[jmstevens2]

Your homeowners probably won't cover them. You need a rider for them, a separate policy basically.

 

[drjay9051]

Your homeowners probably won't cover them. You need a rider for them, a separate policy basically.

I see. Can't be too expensive. No collectible stuff. So even with the fire protection I'm SOL if guns fry if no rider.Correct?

 

[a1abdj]

If you're using your gun safe for just guns, and you're dealing with an average collection that isn't extremely valuable (dollar or sentimental), then there's really no need to worry about fire damage. Insure the contents on a rider and be done with it.

On a safe like the AMSEC BF series or our new Zykan B rate, the fireproofing does double duty. It makes the safe heavier, and adds to the burglary resistance. The ceramic that Sturdy adds does neither, which further reduces the real value of that option.

You're on the right track by using a second safe with a proper rating for the stuff that needs fire protection. I suggest this all of the time, but many people don't even consider using more that one safe. You have to use the proper tools for the job. I think between the gun safe and the fire rated safe, you'll be well covered. The money you save on the fire option will buy a decent free standing fire safe.

I also wouldn't loose much sleep over an axe attack. They are pretty uncommon, unless you keep axes near your safe.

 

[dmproske]

I have an ax, sledge, and a couple pry bars where my safe is going. I will put them in the back corner of the safe. I am also going with a big Sturdy safe 48x27x72. I am going with the fire liner. I have a small Sentry firebox with my docs in it that will go on one of the shelves.

 

[heeler]

I personally would get a model with fire insulation because there is always a chance the fire will start at another part of the home and the insulation in the safe might buy you enough time for the cavalry to arrive and put out the fire.
Something like the recent Bastrop fire storm and you can forget about everything in the safe.
Sounds too me like you have done your reading on safe placement,paper protection,and so on.
I too keep important papers inside two UL rated Sentry fire boxes placed inside(on the very bottom of the safe floor) my Amsec BF.
Lastly I know what you mean about being sick and tired of looking as I spent the better part of two years reading up on and listening to others about gun safes before I bought.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Your homeowners probably won't cover them. You need a rider for them, a separate policy basically.

My homeowners covers them as "personal property" in the event of a fire. The limit is 5k for theft, which makes perfect sense. It's easy for a cheat say I had my valuable such and such stolen with little documentation and defraud and insurance company. With fire, there will always be the metal parts left to prove you owned it.

 

[jmstevens2]

OK. Mine doesn't

 

[a1abdj]

I have an ax, sledge, and a couple pry bars where my safe is going. I will put them in the back corner of the safe.

If you would epoxy a sledge hammer to the floor next to the safe, I bet you could burn up 15 minutes of a burglar's time with him trying to figure out how to get it loose.

 

[dprice3844444]

c heck the nra for gun insurance.when you buy a safe,have them right on the bill,fireproof safe for storage of income tax records,becomes deductible then.

 

[lebowski]

My Sturdy Safe does not have it. I went through the same thought process as you - you lose interior space, it costs more, and I'm not sure in a fire it will truly protect the contents. Plus - truth be told if my house burns down, my guns are replaceable and are the least of my concern.

I have a small cheap sentry safe that I keep inside the gun safe and store my passport and a few other similar items in it. I have a safe deposit box at the bank for more important documents that don't have to be as accessible as my passport etc.

 

[Cypress]

You could always build a box around the safe with double or triple drywall and an air space. Should cost wou about $50 if your handy. Will stand a full on structure fire better than the fire proof safe.

 

[a1abdj]

when you buy a safe,have them right on the bill,fireproof safe for storage of income tax records,becomes deductible then.

Unless you get a deduction for work tools (police officer), or own a business that uses the safe (the safe has to be of the type the business would use), then you can not write a safe off.