Gun safe vs gun closet

[mhdishere]

I'm trying to find some way of securing my (hopefully) growing collection. I know a safe is the best method, but the only place I have for a safe would be in an extra upstairs room so weight would be an issue, not to mention getting it there. That room has a closet that's also available, so I was considering putting a lock on the closet door and using that as my gun cabinet. It's a plain clothes closet, sheetrock walls, etc.

My thought is that I wouldn't be able to use a true safe upstairs because of the weight, and any sheet-metal locking cabinet would be easy to break into and its presense would attract attention from anyone who broke into my house. A descretely locked closet, especially in an un-used room (actually the room that contains the cats litterboxes!) is unlikely to attract that kind of attention.

Thoughts?

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Buy a safe.

I've been burglarized. Any locked closet attracts attention

 

[Car Knocker]

What gives you the idea that a reasonably sized gun safe would be too heavy for upstairs? Would four good-sized guys, standing close together BS'ing, be in danger of falling through the floor? If not, the safe should be OK. Especially if there is a supporting wall downstairs close to the location you would be putting the safe. Lots of people have king-size water beds in upstairs bedrooms.

 

[greg531mi]

the only other good option, is to build a secret room. There are many ways of doing this, there have been threads on this before. I always liked the swinging bookcase one.

 

[CB900F]

MHD;

As was stated by Car Knocker, four 250 lb guys more or less equal one good gun safe. Another point to consider, the floor of the safe is flat to your floor, the weight is spread over X number of square inches of floor space. Usually, a safe will have a floor dimension in excess of 16" on at least one side. Which means that it can be positoned so that more than one floor joist is supporting it. If you're still concerned, lay an intermediate support between the safe & the floor to spread the load.

Is your refridgerator on four little adjustable feet, 'bout 1.5 sq inches each? How much does the loaded fridge weigh? How many times has it fallen through your kitchen floor?

900F

 

[pistolero]

There are safes out there that weigh 300 lbs. That would be better than nothing. When you go to the range, you carry a firearm with you when you walk to your vehicle. Neighbors outside at the same time walking the dog, watering the grass, cutting the grass, jogging, etc. Everyone knows that you have firearms. One of them is a thief. These people also know when you are not home. Goodbye hard earned collection. I was broken into by next door neighbor, and I even had burglar bars. The last time he tore a hole through the wall.

 

[Taurus 66]

You could put 2 gun safes side by side and the upstairs floor would handle the weight, no problem. Those supports are stronger than you think.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

Correction. There are Residential Security Containers out there that weigh 300 pounds. There are safes out there that weigh 300 pounds also. There are extremely few safes that weigh 300 lbs. that you can get long arms in.

900F

 

[8guage]

gun safe

we own a liberty gun safe brimming over with guns but we also have a gun case that is fairly easy to break into . Most gun safes are fireproof and or projectile resistant they also may cost over 1000 dollars.If u live in a high crime area buy a safe if not take your chances with a case

 

[Topgun]

Before I had any money (except for guns) I used to use a chest type freezer in the garage. Kept a padlock on it but it just looked like someone trying to keep meat thieves away. Never had any trouble. Course, never had burglars either.
The freezer was insulated (they have to be) so I never had any condensation. Kept the guns in blankets in the freezer.