Gun safe advice for third floor apartment

[mb1856]

Hi everyone, I'm looking to get a gun safe for a third floor apartment to protect around $15K worth of expensive guns and optics. I have a security system and have reinforced the front door with an anti-kick kit but I'm thinking I should get a good residential security container in case of burglary. However the heavy welded gun safes would be very expensive to move up two flights of stairs and they might be too heavy for the floors.

I'm trying to decide between three options:

1. Trying to hide the guns. Right now I am doing this with a cheap Stack-On RSC hidden behind heavy storage bins at the back of a "cubbyhole"
2. Buy a ~500 lb SnapSafe Super Titan residential security container which has 7 gauge walls and a 3/16" door. It is modular, so it can be broken down into parts and carried up the stairs but would be too big to hide.
3. Move into a first floor apartment (which is less secure because of the big windows and sliding glass doors) and get a welded RSC like a Sturdy or AMSEC BF series.

I'm leaning towards option #2 but I'm worried that the 3/16" steel door on the SnapSafe might be easy to pry, especially because of the visible gap. How long would it resist attack from the average burglar using basic tools?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CB900F]

MB1856;

If I were in your situation I'd determine what the construction of my building was, and therefore the floor loading. So, is it stick, brick, or steel? Knowing how apartment owners/management can be when you ask that type of question, I don't think I'd mention the gun safe. Why do you want to know? Well, due to some back issues you're thinking about the water bed your doctor suggested, and do they know who sells them in the area? As far as you're options go, I like the AMSEC BF series due to the thermal protection as well as the burglary protection.

900F

 

[a1abdj]

3/16" steel isn't exactly easy to bend by hand, especially with smaller tools. Not saying it can't be done, but it's not exactly something that you're going to do in two minutes with a hammer and a screw driver.

You may want to look at the Zanotti options as well.

 

[Savage99]

Look at the new safes that can be assembled in place!

If I get another safe for whatever reason that's the type I am going to get.

The safes I have now were put in place by riggers. They knew where they put them.

Assemble yourself safes are fire and burglar resistant. They are made by Snap Safe, Champion and Zanotti.



http://www.zanottiarmor.com/safes.htm

 

[mb1856]

oops double post

 

[mb1856]

3/16" steel isn't exactly easy to bend by hand, especially with smaller tools. Not saying it can't be done, but it's not exactly something that you're going to do in two minutes with a hammer and a screw driver.

You may want to look at the Zanotti options as well.

a1abdj, any guess how long it would take to open with a small pry bar? I have a door sensor, motion detector, and two internet surveillance cameras all linked to my smartphone so a burglar would only have 10-15 minutes before I saw them and the police arrived. I did look at the Zanotti ZA-2 as well, but the wait time is supposedly very long.

 

[herrwalther]

Welcome to THR.

I looked at the SnapSafe. Gave it some serious consideration when I was still living in apartments. Nothing third floor though. As mentioned 3/16" of steel is nothing to sneer at. Hiding the safe or putting in the closet will also help keep the contents safe.

 

[heeler]

mb1856...It's doubtful too me that someone breaking into a third floor apartment would be carrying a prying device long enough to give them the kind of leverage needed to open that 3/16th door.
Breaking into a third floor apartment is high risk for a thief.

I personally think one of those assemble on the spot gun safes is a great idea for apartment dwellers.

 

[Elkins45]

How nosy are your neighbors? Are they home during the day?

The amount of burglar resistance needed, generally speaking, is inversely proportional to the chance somebody will see or hear them breaking into the container. Could somebody carry a six foot pry bar into your apartment building and up two flights of stairs without alarming someone?

Still, better is always better. Those modular safes look like a pretty good solution.

 

[jlr1962]

I doubt that the weight would be a problem. I would definitely get a security system. Get one monitored by a UL approved monitoring center. Get wireless monitoring. Move to another apartment complex if you can't get wireless monitoring and a UL approved monitoring center doing your monitoring. Demand that you get the master code to the security system. Download the manual to the security system from the manufacturers website, not from the security monitoring companies web site, or from your apartment complex. Test the systems master code function to make sure that you are actually using the master code function. Change the master code. Clear all guest codes from the system. Most systems can have at least 30 user codes available. You don't want to be using a guest code and have your master code in a filing cabinet at the apartment complex office.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I would just add on a good insurance policy to the efforts you have already made.

 

[FAS1]

The Snapsafe is wide and shallow like a cabinet compared to the other modular safes. Not sure if that makes a difference for your application.

I like the Zanotti the best, but have you looked at the Dakota Safe? They also have a modular one.

http://dakotasafe.com/interlocxp.html

 

[mb1856]

OK, I feel a lot more confident that a 3/16" door isn't like that "Security on Sale" video where the safe gets pried in two minutes. I think my neighbors go to work during the day like me, that's why I got the security cameras and motion sensors.

I looked at the Dakota safe as well but the body is only 12 gauge steel. The main reason for the SnapSafe over the better known Zanotti is that my closet is pretty shallow, and the Zanotti ZA-2 would have to be placed out in the open where any visitors could see it. I was just nervous because it's a relatively unknown brand and it's made in China. But I think I'll go with the SnapSafe, bolted down, on top of my security system and reinforced door.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

There are also some which go under your bed, or are your bed. Also worth a look.

I think modular is the way I would go though. You'll move out sooner or later and better than paying to have the safe moved again.

Also, as mentioned, pretty high risk for guys to break into a 3rd floor apt and carry stuff out.

 

[tiamat]

You seem to have made your choice already, but in the event you're still considering the Zanotti, you'd better get yourself into their queue now - when I checked into them last year, their waiting list was over a year. I don't know how long it is now, but it doesn't seem to me that demand has slowed any.

Also wanted to add, that since Sturdy makes all their safes in-house, you may also want to give them a call and see what they'll charge to build you one to your dimensions. I was also considering the modular safes, including the snapsafe (didn't care for the tiny door on their models) - I ended up going with a Sturdy since one of their standard models happened to fit my 2nd floor closet dimensions perfectly.