Getting a safe this weekend, opinions please

[dodgensince74]

I plan on getting a residential safe this weekend and have narrowed it down to these two, just wanted your opionions (pro's/con's) on the two

one is a Woodsman 30 combo dial sold by Cabela's and made by Liberty safe- http://www.libertysafe.com/safe_centurion-dlx.php , same safe but this one says Liberty.

the other is a digital key pad Mesa safe - http://www.authoritysafes.com/gun-safes/mesa-model-mbf7236e.html



The qoutes I got on both put them only at a $45 difference, just thought I would see what op's I could get from you guys prior to purchase. Thanks

 

[TXdefender]

If those two were my only options I'd personally go with the Liberty.

 

[a1abdj]

As a pro, my vote is also for the Liberty.

 

[leadcounsel]

Would be helpful to explain what you plan to put in it (assuming guns... but never know) and whether you feel burglary or fire resistance is more important).

 

[dodgensince74]

The safe will contain some shotguns and rifles, it will just be a means to keep all of them in one spot together instead of stashed around the home in cases and out of reach of all my nieces and nephews that feel this is their second home. I also figure any of these two safes will provide my guns with more then 100 times the protection in case of fire or theft then what they have right now. I just want to get the most for my money of those two since I have to stay under $1000 on the purchase. Thanks for Op's, they are greatly appreciated guys

 

[reuben mishler]

I would pick the Liberty

I'm not a safe pro by any means, but I believe in purchasing a safe, you're getting fire protection more then theft protection. People will argue that gun safes are theft proof an whatnot, I'm not sold though. The doors might be ominous and tough to crack...but knowing the construction of most gun safes...I wouldn't go for the door.

Just thinking out loud....I'd put the safe in a discrete location in your house, and not advertise to friends that you have purchased it... my Dad has told me of friends that told other friends at work about purchases like this, then thy told other people...so on so forth, and a couple weeks later, had people breaking into their house and going after the item that was talked about at work. Like I said, just thinking out loud.

 

[a1abdj]

but I believe in purchasing a safe, you're getting fire protection more then theft protection. People will argue that gun safes are theft proof an whatnot, I'm not sold though. The doors might be ominous and tough to crack...but knowing the construction of most gun safes...I wouldn't go for the door.

This is the big problem. You're not really getting either. Many people buy gun safes based on the claims made by the manufacturers and retailers (neither of which tend to know much about safes at all), and think they are getting protection they are not.

Any gun safe will provide some level of burglary and fire protection. Rarely will they offer the protection that most people assume they will.

 

[dodgensince74]

Well I got my gun safe, I got it at Cabela's, it is their Woodsman 30 model http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoo...=SBC;MMcat104792580;cat104730480;cat104369580. I went and looked at on Tuesday and they had it on sale for $899, I was going to buy that day but decided to wait and do some more search. I went back around noon and it was priced even lower today, they had it priced at $799 so I brought it home. Its laying in the back of my truck waiting on some family to come over and help me unload it.

I want to thank those that gave me thier opinions on all the different safes I ask questions about for the last month.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Ala Dan]

My RSC is the Liberty Colonial Series; with the pretty woodland green paint
job, with gold and brass trim~! It has served my needs well; and like most
everything else, it has accelerated in price~!

 

[a1abdj]

My RSC is the Liberty Colonial Series; with the pretty woodland green paint
job, with gold and brass trim~!

True story. A guy shows up to his home to find that he has been burglarized. He goes to the safe which has had the handles and dial broken off. This is pretty typical, but when the police arrive to investigate, they notice that the dial and handles are missing.

They caught the guy. He wasn't trying to break into the safe. He thought the dial and handles were real gold, and broke them off to steal them.

 

[beavis956]

You should get a Sturdy Safe!!! Sturdy is better than anything else because I said so!! They are the best safes in the world and so awesome! Sturdy Safe, Sturdy Safe, Sturdy Safe......

(The above is how I feel all gun safe threads have become these days)

Seriously, whatever you do, don't get the Mesa!

 

[beavis956]

So beavis are you saying Sturdy Safe's are good Mesa safe's a bad?

Beavis956 turns on your sarcasm detector

Hey just curious, it shows that you signed up back in 2009 but this is your first post?

Lurker

Seriously though, IMO:

Mesa safes = Crap
Sturdy = Good value and well built, but not the greatest safes in the world that some people make them out to be.

 

[a1abdj]

Actually, here's a question to anyone (not wanting to hijack the thread) what should I be looking for with 50K worth of guns (I know I should have had a safe a while ago)

Commercial insurance standards would say a C rate (1" plate door, 1/2" plate body). If you're using an alarm in addition to the safe in a home, you may be get by with a true B rate (1/2" door, 1/4" body, both solid plate).

Another option would be two lighter safes with the contents split between them.

If you are able to install a heavy safe, we have TL-30x6 commercial units that would cost roughtly the same as a true B rate gun safe.

 

[dodgecummins]

I love my liberty. Made in the USA with great warranty

 

[wrs840]

I have a Liberty and really like it... And yes I have several smaller ones for the "daily access" duty.

Whatever "main safe" you decide on, get a bigger one.

 

[a1abdj]

I like the idea of two smaller safes rather than one big heavy one.

Just remember that you're still pushing 25K in each safe, so you'll want to stick to the heavier side of the lightweights.

 

[Guns and more]

True story. A guy shows up to his home to find that he has been burglarized. He goes to the safe which has had the handles and dial broken off. This is pretty typical, but when the police arrive to investigate, they notice that the dial and handles are missing.

They caught the guy. He wasn't trying to break into the safe. He thought the dial and handles were real gold, and broke them off to steal them.

Are you sure that's a true story??? I'm not buying, but if the next time you tell it you make the safe a "Ft. Knox" brand, you can really run with it!

 

[a1abdj]

Are you sure that's a true story??? I'm not buying, but if the next time you tell it you make the safe a "Ft. Knox" brand, you can really run with it!

It really is a true story. Criminals are a pretty interesting group of people, and you may be surprised at some of the "smart" things they do.

I have all sorts good safe stories. I think I've told the one here before about the safe that was stolen using frozen turkeys.

 

[Far East Sig]

OK, a1abdj, I'll bite, How did some one steal a safe with frozen turkeys?

 

[rbernie]

Used the frozen turkeys as ball bearings to roll the safe out the door.

 

[a1abdj]

Used the frozen turkeys as ball bearings to roll the safe out the door.

And their plan may have worked had they stolen a heavier trailer. The little trailer they had taken earlier in the day wasn't strong enough to catch the safe after they pushed it off the loading dock.

They caught a guy who tried to steal a safe from Alton, IL a few years ago after they found one of his fingers beneath it.