Gun Safes - Any secrets

[SafeGuy]

Mornin' guys, I just signed up on your forum having been sent a link by one of your members who I did some business with. Being that I'm a new guy, I don't want to step on anybody's toes, but you're being given some bad information on this topic. I'm sure it's well intentioned, but bad nonetheless.

I'm not here to try and sell you anything, but gun safety and security is very important in this day and time. I'm a gun owner too, and I've been in the gun safe business for over 30 years. Ignore me if you like, but I really did sign up to offer you some help in wading through all the smoke and mirrors which play a major role in the gun safe business.

 

[MAKster]

When it comes to gun safes there are really only two realistic levels of protection. Either buy the least expensive 12 gauge box or spend $3000 plus for something with 1/4 inch plate walls. Basically everything else in between offers no real advantage. The $600 12 gauge Winchester safe is going to give you the same real world protection as a $1500 12 gauge safe from Fort Knox. The thickness of the door, the number of bolts, relockers, etc. are mostly for show. A 12 gauge body is a 12 gauge body. The least expensive 12 gauge safe will stop the smash and grab robbers, but nothing short of 1/4 plate will stop a determined person.

 

[SafeGuy]

MAKster, what you said is basically true. There is no disputing that 12GA steel is 12GA steel regardless of who built the safe. That only applies if a burglar is going to go to extreme measures of cutting the safe. Most of the time, this is not going to be the case.

With that in mind, additional steel thickness and frame reinforcement at the door will be different between your Winchester (made by Granite) and Fort Knox. This will provide better protection against a prying attack.

 

[X-Rap]

I think the door and frame of a safe is the most important part. If the safe is fastened and the room has enough size restrictions to prohibit swinging and using large prying tools even lighter gauge sides will thwart most thieves.
A safe that is in the open and can be rolled around to accommodate the thieves is as good as cracked.

 

[Legionnaire]

Are there any secrets to the purchase of a safe?

I'll never tell! (Sorry, couldn't resist).





Seriously, a good safe is an investment, and I'll echo the advice neither to skimp on size or quality. And pay for delivery and setup. Friends who don't know what they're doing can wreck themselves and/or your house trying to move a 1,000 pound safe.

 

[SafeGuy]

Again, I didn't sign up just to try and sell somebody a safe, but I own the company, Southern Security, alamo posted the link for. If you guys are NRA members, you've probably seen my advertisements in their magazines since 1981. I actually pulled out of there back around '04 for reasons not concerning the NRA.

Click on this link and read, "How To Choose The Right Safe".

www.SouthernSecuritySafes.com

It just gives some basic information on gun safes in general without trying to push or pull you to a particular brand. Most of my customers have found it very useful, so maybe you will too.

 

[ms6852]

Buy the biggest you can afford, than save for another 3 to 6 months and get the bigger one.

 

[Uncle Mike]

1) Save your money...buy a good one. Skimping now = big frustration later.

2) Stay away from ANYTHING manufactured by Liberty...Centurion, Liberty.

3) Get the next 'bigger' size you think you need.

4) The more fire protection, the better. UL listed, with door gap sealing and pressure venting. 4 layer is best...and REAL fire insulation, not just your average drywall or hardened fire board, ash board, cement board, ect...

5) Remember, if it says it will hold 52 firearms...in reality, it will only hold half that much, once you start putting scoped firearms, AR's, pistol grip stocks and the like in it.

6) Always plan on devoting a portion of your safes space to 'the Misses'.

7) A heater is a MUST...forget the moisture absorbing gels(Silica), pellets(Calcium Chloride) and so on. Put a Piano heater(such as a Golden Rod) in it...the bigger, the better and mount the heater midways up, not towards the top of the safe. Strive for 40% to 50% Relative humidity.
Also, Calcium Chloride will corrode metal and ruin leather if it comes into direct contact with these materials.

8) Get a model that you can easily, or learn how to, 'pin back' or 'cage' your re-lockers...so when you move the safe there is no fear of a jolt firing your re-lockers and rendering the safe useless. Obviously you wont cage the re-locker when using the safe, just moving it.

9) Warranty, Warranty, Warranty! Replacement options, forced break-in replacement, paint, re-locker re-entry service and repair(none of this, we will drill a hole in your door, re-set your re-locker and drive a piece of round bar in the hole and spot paint it), Lock warranty and replacement coverage, Shipping is VERY important on replacement warranty, these things are heavy and unless your warranty covers the S&H you may be looking at several hundred dollars for the replacement, Hinges, linkage and rods, interior and coverings, ect...

10) UL listed internal lighting, or provisions to add lighting easily. The electric cord entering the safe should have a 'strain relief' of some type also and be waterproof.

12) Shelf tracks should not be exposed in a way that allows for stock/metal damage to your firearms while putting them in or taking them out of the safe. Also a raised floor that is even with the lower door edge is a BIG plus in not dinging your stocks.

13) Easily removable door, if that model offers it...makes a move a bit easier. Also provisions to attach a hook or lifting device in the top plate of the safe is nice, but not entirely necessary.

14) Anchor holes in the bottom of the safe(at each of the corners). If your NOT going to anchor your safe to the floor, than tap these holes and insert bolts...this can be used to level the safe... or cut the bolts flush with the bottom, put thread sealer on the bolts and install to make a waterproof bottom. You can simply seal the holes with a good quality marine sealer also.

15) Make a blueprint of the lock-work of your safe, put this in your safety deposit box...just in case YOU have to gain access to your safe for some reason...I had to do this when the company that manufactured one of my safes told me it was going to be several months before they could open my 'factory defective' safe. I opened it and they replaced it free.

Well, I'm sure there are many, many more helpful tips, but here are 15 tips I and the customers that have bought safes from us have commented on in the past.

Good luck, and remember NO LIBERTY BRAND SAFES!!

 

[SafeGuy]

Uncle Mike, just out of curiosity, why are you so down on Liberty Safes?

No, I don't sell them, but the only recurring problem I've seen is they tend to rust, and their customer service is lousy. Outside that, no offense, but let me address a few of your other points.

4) The more fire protection, the better. UL listed, with door gap sealing and pressure venting. 4 layer is best...and REAL fire insulation, not just your average drywall or hardened fire board, ash board, cement board, ect...

Don't confuse UL listed fire insulation with the safe being UL listed for fire. I'm not sure what you're calling "REAL" insulation. Every major manufacturer uses fireboard aka sheetrock.

8) Get a model that you can easily, or learn how to, 'pin back' or 'cage' your re-lockers...so when you move the safe there is no fear of a jolt firing your re-lockers and rendering the safe useless. Obviously you wont cage the re-locker when using the safe, just moving it.

You lost me on that one as well. First, you won't fire a relocker simply by moving the safe. Tractor-trailer trucks aren't the smoothest riding vehicles on the road, and that's how they all get from the factory. With that in mind, I've seen several dropped off the back of trailers without firing a relocker. Glass relockers may be prone to such an issue, but those aren't generally used on major brands. That being said, any mechanical relocker can be "pinned" by removing the back of the door. It would be a waste of time IMO.

9) Warranty, Warranty, Warranty! Replacement options, forced break-in replacement, paint, re-locker re-entry service and repair(none of this, we will drill a hole in your door, re-set your re-locker and drive a piece of round bar in the hole and spot paint it), Lock warranty and replacement coverage, Shipping is VERY important on replacement warranty, these things are heavy and unless your warranty covers the S&H you may be looking at several hundred dollars for the replacement, Hinges, linkage and rods, interior and coverings, ect...

Warranty is more smoke and mirrors than anything of substance. Given most gun safe owners will have home owners insurance, the costs associated with having a safe attacked or go through a fire will be covered by that insurance. Once again you bring up relockers, but in my 30 years I've never seen one triggered in an attack. That too would be taken care of with a claim on your homeowners policy.

13) Easily removable door, if that model offers it...makes a move a bit easier. Also provisions to attach a hook or lifting device in the top plate of the safe is nice, but not entirely necessary.

Rarely is it advisable to remove a door unless you are forced to move it up or down a flight of steps. Unless the weight of the safe is too great for the steps to support, you are much better off moving it intact. Been there, done that. This also means you are limited to external hinges. Not a security issue in most cases, but most people pefer the look of internal hinges.

14) Anchor holes in the bottom of the safe(at each of the corners). If your NOT going to anchor your safe to the floor, than tap these holes and insert bolts...this can be used to level the safe... or cut the bolts flush with the bottom, put thread sealer on the bolts and install to make a waterproof bottom. You can simply seal the holes with a good quality marine sealer also.

I would have to question every part of this one, but I'll let it go at that.

15) Make a blueprint of the lock-work of your safe, put this in your safety deposit box...just in case YOU have to gain access to your safe for some reason...I had to do this when the company that manufactured one of my safes told me it was going to be several months before they could open my 'factory defective' safe. I opened it and they replaced it free.

Interesting. Two points, all major manufacturers can tell a locksmith exactly where to drill in the event the safe cannot be opened. How, may I ask, did you open your safe making use of your blueprint?

Had you screwed it up, you would have voided your warranty and been on your own. With that, I would strongly advise others not to follow your lead.

Well, I'm sure there are many, many more helpful tips, but here are 15 tips I and the customers that have bought safes from us have commented on in the past.

Good luck, and remember NO LIBERTY BRAND SAFES!!

OK, I missed this the first time in that you sell safes. May I ask which brand(s) you sell? Are you a locksmith?

 

[Jim K]

A while back I read a post by someone who said no one should consider any safe/vault that didn't have at least 2" thick hardened laminated steel walls and door. A bit of overkill, maybe? He didn't say how much that stuff costs, but it is a lot, or how you could move that much weight.

One consideration affecting many folks is that they can't get a safe where they want it, it is just too big or heavy for stairs, etc. One answer is a modular safe that can be assembled where it is wanted, like those at www.zanottiarmor.com . The big drawback is that they have zero fire resistance, but in some homes that is less of a consideration than in others. A modular safe also can be disassembled for moving, and the parts can be handled by one strong man or two average guys.

Jim

 

[a1abdj]

Uncle Mike, just out of curiosity, why are you so down on Liberty Safes?

I'm also curious.

No, I don't sell them, but the only recurring problem I've seen is they tend to rust, and their customer service is lousy. Outside that, no offense, but let me address a few of your other points.

The only rust issues I have seen with the Liberties is the bottom of the safe that is not painted. Of course this is pretty common, as a number of manufacturers do not paint the bottom.

As far as the warranty service, I have found that to be outstanding. I do a lot of their warranty work in the St. Louis metro area, and have found that they go above and beyond to make their customers happy. This includes taking care of major issues that are out of warranty.

Don't confuse UL listed fire insulation with the safe being UL listed for fire. I'm not sure what you're calling "REAL" insulation. Every major manufacturer uses fireboard aka sheetrock.

AMSEC and Graffunder are major manufacturers, and both use a composite injection method for fire resistance. This method is about the closest thing you're going to get to a real UL rated fire safe in a gun safe package, short of converting a UL listed safe into a gun safe.

You lost me on that one as well.

I agree.

Warranty is more smoke and mirrors than anything of substance.

I agree again.

Once again you bring up relockers, but in my 30 years I've never seen one triggered in an attack.

I see them fired after attacks all the time. I also see the occasional dropped safe, as well as the "it just decided to go off on its own" safe.

Rarely is it advisable to remove a door unless you are forced to move it up or down a flight of steps.

Still agreeing.....

I would have to question every part of this one, but I'll let it go at that.

This is odd. I usually don't agree with gun safe guys this much.....

all major manufacturers can tell a locksmith exactly where to drill in the event the safe cannot be opened.

If your locksmith needs the manufacturer to tell them where to drill, you should see if there's another locksmith available.

Ironically, I have had a major manufacturer fax me a copy of a page out of a book written by a safe tech when I had a question. Apparently we know more about their products than they do.

Good to have somebody else in the safe business around, even if it is limited to gun safes.

A while back I read a post by someone who said no one should consider any safe/vault that didn't have at least 2" thick hardened laminated steel walls

This safe would need to be an antique. No modern manufacturers build them like this.

A bit of overkill, maybe?

For an average gun collection yes.

He didn't say how much that stuff costs, but it is a lot, or how you could move that much weight.

It does cost a lot. It also costs a lot to move it. Of course people who buy stuff like that aren't too worried about what it cost to move it.

One consideration affecting many folks is that they can't get a safe where they want it, it is just too big or heavy for stairs, etc. One answer is a modular safe that can be assembled where it is wanted, like those at www.zanottiarmor.com .

I am a big fan of the Zanotti IF a modular safe is the only option. Otherwise, I would stick with a conventional unit.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Uncle Mike, just out of curiosity, why are you so down on Liberty Safes?

We have had problems from misaligned doors to binding hinges to re-lockers that did trip from being unloaded to shoddy paint to rust to...well you said it yourself safeguy, the Customer service, as far as dealers are concerned is not there.

Fire Board...you said it...they use fire board, however the better models use a blown type, or foam type insulation that as far as I understood from the reps, was the cats behind and the paperwork he produced showed way better numbers than simple sheetrock.

8) Get a model that you can easily, or learn how to, 'pin back' or 'cage' your re-lockers...so when you move the safe there is no fear of a jolt firing your re-lockers and rendering the safe useless. Obviously you wont cage the re-locker when using the safe, just moving it.

You lost me on that one as well. First, you won't fire a relocker simply by moving the safe. Tractor-trailer trucks aren't the smoothest riding vehicles on the road, and that's how they all get from the factory. With that in mind, I've seen several dropped off the back of trailers without firing a relocker. Glass relockers may be prone to such an issue, but those aren't generally used on major brands. That being said, any mechanical relocker can be "pinned" by removing the back of the door. It would be a waste of time IMO.

This exactly what Liberty, Cannon and several other manufacturers suggested we do as we were to move these units to the 2nd. story level...I apologies if your lost on this...but that IS what we were told to do...and it makes good sense if you don't have all the high speed safe moving equipment available to you...wrestle a 3000 lb. safe down the embankment, up the stairs and so on, you may bump it hard enough to fire the re-lockers...or close the door hard on a Liberty and the 2"X2"X3/16" angle that wasn't welded on shakes loose and there you go, re-locker fired. And the top of the line Liberty, the Presidential(at the time) has a GLASS re-locker.

Warranty is more smoke and mirrors than anything of substance. Given most gun safe owners will have home owners insurance, the costs associated with having a safe attacked or go through a fire will be covered by that insurance. Once again you bring up relockers, but in my 30 years I've never seen one triggered in an attack. That too would be taken care of with a claim on your homeowners policy.

Why would you turn in safe damage in to your home owners insurance when clearly all the major players offer forced entry replacement so on...? I mean when mine was damaged, Liberty replaced it, no questions asked...BUT I had to pay freight!
Again, going on what the manufacturer said.

A burglary attempt at on of our competition stores rendered the re-lockers tripped on one of there safes...they do trip, now I'm by no means an expert but twice I have come into contact with tripper re-lockers...and its been only 14 years between the instances.

Rarely is it advisable to remove a door unless you are forced to move it up or down a flight of steps. Unless the weight of the safe is too great for the steps to support, you are much better off moving it intact.

My sentiments exactly....again, thinking of the guy bench pressing his safe up the stairs with half the friends that said would help...if that door comes off, all the easier to move.
Pure physics!


14) Anchor holes in the bottom of the safe(at each of the corners). If your NOT going to anchor your safe to the floor, than tap these holes and insert bolts...this can be used to level the safe... or cut the bolts flush with the bottom, put thread sealer on the bolts and install to make a waterproof bottom. You can simply seal the holes with a good quality marine sealer also.

ever let your kid run the carpet shampooer...around the safe. This statement was totally MY idea...it is what I did, sealed the holes with sealant..there was a safe company, I believe Rocky Mountain Safes, out of business now, if this is the one...that came with tapped holes and leveling feet...good idea as our floor is not level and some of the units rock when the kids play around them...yeah, I know...but it's not my department!
Again, apologies for the nerve I must have hit....I thought it might have been a good idea! lol

Interesting. Two points, all major manufacturers can tell a locksmith exactly where to drill in the event the safe cannot be opened. How, may I ask, did you open your safe making use of your blueprint?

Had you screwed it up, you would have voided your warranty and been on your own. With that, I would strongly advise others not to follow your lead.

We have prints to all the safes we sell...the boss man gets them...? I don't know, but it is a good idea...when that angle iron came loose in my personal safe and let the re-lockers go, our friend Liberty Safe company hemmed hawed around for a month...I drilled the door and opened the safe, using the prints on that model we had at the shop...made copies. Liberty did not have a problem with it, they replaced the safe.

Just passing on what the manufacturers have told us...when I worked the safe department a hundred years ago, this is what I remember. lol

We order most any safe a customer wants, as to brand. The models on the floor, as best I can remember as I have not been over to that store for a while would be Browning, cannon, Ft.Knox(the most of them) and a cheaper line...I can't remember..starts with a 'S'... and yes Alice, we do sell the horrid Liberty brand! lol

Apologies if you guys were/are offended, I know your safe professionals, again...passing along what I have been told...don't shoot the messenger! lol hehehe

 

[jkingrph]

Member

Join Date: June 22, 2007
Posts: 64 depends on what you are looking for
I am picking one up tomorrow - not fire proof since my apartment is already fire reistant and any fire here would cook any safe made. I am just trying to keep amatures out.
Getting one with an electronic lock - with emergency key just in case.
I am on a limited budget - wish i could get a Browning or something similar

Your apartment may be fire resistant, but is not fireproof. Generally in a building, paint on walls, carpet, wooden floors, furniture, upholestry, and other items placed in the building will burn. The item lining most fire resistant safes is a gpysm, the same thing in sheetrock, which when heated enough gives off water vapor and will prevent burning or charring of combustible items in the safe. You will see on specificatin plate on most safes a statement what temp it will resist and for how long. I learned most of this while working for my father in an office equipment business while in college years ago. We did not sell safes, but had fireproof(resistant) filing cabinets

What is not generally known is that a well built wooden cabinet will protect the contents from heat better than an uninsulated steel cabinet, at least until it burns through at which point the contents of a steel cabinet are already toast.

 

[alamo707]

Glad to see you join Randy(safeguy). I like this site and it has good info about guns as well.

 

[Patriotme]

Hmmm.....there's a lot of good info here. I wish I had seen a similiar thread before I bought my safe a few years ago.
I don't know about you but I'm usually on a budget for my gun stuff. I finally bought a safe after a few years of buying guns and locking them with trigger/cable locks. My main concern was child safety rather than fire and theft. My insurance policy would cover theft and while I really like some of my guns....they can be replaced. I have no heirlooms.
I'm not overly concerned about fire and my guns. If my house burns down I've got bigger problems then my guns being destroyed. Insurance will cover most of what I have. I've checked. If I had the money however I would have purchased a fireproof safe. I'm not knocking them by any means. When I decide to upgrade I will no doubt go with a fireproof safe.
I got my safe from Dick's Sporting Goods (American Security). At the time I was on a budget for how much I could afford for a safe (times are better now) and I was lucky enough to get a decent safe that someone returned. It holds 16 long guns and as many handguns as you can creatively fit. It had a scratch on the back and they knocked about 10% off. This worked for me and while I definately don't have the best safe on the market it will keep the neighbor kids out and make it difficult for thieves to steal in a smash and grab.
Anyway....the safe that I could afford a few years back is far from being the best on the market but it suits my needs and it's better than no safe or using trigger/cable locks for a couple of years while saving up for something awesome. Different strokes. It's kind of like the saying that a decent gun in your possession is better than a great gun on layaway. As I'm outgrowing my current safe I will have to upgrade in another couple of years and I will put the money into something really nice.
For home defense guns I like those small safes with the keypads on the front that you see at all of the gun stores. I bolt them to a closet shelf and the wall behind them. They are reasonably secure and pretty accessable. I keep a flashlight next to the one in the bedroom for power outages or when I want to open the safe without flipping on the lights and announcing, "We're all awake up here." Are my home defense guns (Springfield XDM and Kimber btw) immediately accessable? No but then again they are not immediately accessable for my daughter's friends when they are visiting. My security arangements will probably change in a few years when my wife and I are alone but for now this is a good compromise.
By the way, I personally know a lot of people that keep handguns for self defense and I only know two other people with safes. I really hate to say it but most just keep their guns unloaded and in the top of a closet.

 

[eye5600]

I suppose if you actually have a fire, the fire dept. would like to know about any ammo you have stored. (As well as the can of gas you have next to your mower.)

 

[Vonderek]

I suppose if you actually have a fire, the fire dept. would like to know about any ammo you have stored. (As well as the can of gas you have next to your mower.)

Hopefully if that happens it will be when you are away on business and your phone is off. Otherwise, if you tell them about that case of ammo in your closet they will stand by and let your house burn in the interest of "firefighter safety".

 

[Boolit]

Hey, Safe Experts:

Why are the S&G regular combo dial locks so rare now? I mean, I got one on my cheapie Centurion, but on the Brownings and Ft Knox, etc, they are all the pushbutton-type. I want a safe I can get into even if we have an EMP, which obviously would fry the electronics on a digital. I don't want to have to rely on a safe that needs batteries. What gives?

 

[a1abdj]

Why are the S&G regular combo dial locks so rare now?

They aren't rare. Retailers are simply ordering them from the manufacturer with electronic locks because that's what the consumers want.

I'm looking forward to all of the extra income that will result from this practice.

Truthfully, the S&G locks found on most gun safes are the lower end units. If you want a mechanical lock from S&G I would use the 6730 at a minimum. If you buy a gun safe from somebody that's a "real" safe company, you can get whatever lock you would like, even if it is not offered by that particular safe manufacturer.

 

[Ryder]

Mine has concealed hinges (no safer, the bolts hold the door) and I had to position it a certain way to see much inside (My door only opens 90 deg., so in a corner, it can be awkward to access it). I had to move it to another wall.

Mine is like that. Tight fit between the door and the wall (haven't measured but probably about 3.5 feet) but once I get the door open and work my way in there it makes for a fairly decent bullet shield

 

[Brian Dale]

Otherwise, if you tell them about that case of ammo in your closet they will stand by and let your house burn in the interest of "firefighter safety".

Not in my old Fire Department, and I've never seen that taught in firefighter training, either. Various fuels, pesticides and electricity are greater hazards to firefighters than stored ammunition. Yeah, ammo will burn, but it won't blow up like a propane tank.

 

[a1abdj]

once I get the door open and work my way in there it makes for a fairly decent bullet shield

I realize you're probably joking. The doors and bodies of most gun safes will not stop a bullet.

 

[Vonderek]

Apologies for the brief thread hijack but a quick reply RE: Firefighters letting a house burn. Stories come out from time to time. Here is a link to one along with an excerpt:

http://www.youngstownfire.com/forums/index.php?topic=8868.0;wap2

Fire and rescue vehicles clogged Coit Road as Lowellville firefighter Bill Ruess directed traffic away.

“Do you hear that?” he said. The fire was sending out a continuous barrage of popping sounds similar to firecrackers.

It was ammunition. Pat Naples is a hunter, Susany explained.

That ammunition posed a danger for firefighters.

“We won’t go in a house if there’s ammunition,” Ruess said, unless someone needs to be rescued. By then, firefighters were reasonably sure the house was empty. The house was valued at $213,600, according to the Mahoning County auditor’s office.

 

[danprkr]

Get the best one you can afford.

The higher the firerating the better.

If you think it's big enough, it's not go bigger. (trust me)

Ditto ditto ditto

As to my purchase. I looked around for what I wanted, and then found the distributor in my area. I went to him, and found a deal on a floor model they'd taken back from a gun store that went out of business. I saved several hundred dollars, and it's been a much better investment than I'd ever dreamed it would be.

In addition to my guns of course there are all our important papers (birth certificates, insurance policies etc), our jewelry, and other valuable family heirlooms.

The only time I regret it is when it comes time to move it

 

[SafeGuy]

A couple more thoughts here. Too bad this place doesn't have a quote function as it would make it easier to address things.

First, contrary to what you see on the movies, modern ammo in a fire does not kill bad guys or firefighters. You have to have chamber pressure to have the bullet come out of the case with any more speed than the primer will. In most cases, the primer will pop, the powder will burn, and the bullet might travel a few feet. I've heard exceptions to this where older military ammo is used. This has to do with the way the primers are seated.

Second, S&G locks are still the industry standard for major manufacturers. It is still the standard lock on Browning, Champion, and Fort Knox, and as best I recall, on Liberty as well. That being said, I've had very few problems with LaGard locks over the years. This goes for both mechanical and electronic locks. The only electronic locks I've dealt with which proved to be problematic were those made by Kaba Mas.

Third, what I said about warranty and homeowner's is very much true. I'm surprised to see the comment about a Liberty safe being replaced without regard to independent homeowner's insurance. I know of an instance where a guy had a Liberty safe go through a fire, and he tried to pull a fast one by getting them to honor their warranty despite the fact his homeowner's already bought him another one. I know this because I stored the damaged safe for the guy through a second party.

As for why anyone would hesitate to file a claim for a burned up safe, I don't have a clue. It's not like it's going to matter in the overall scheme of things if your house burns down. Personally, I would point out to my insurance company that the safe was covered by a separate warranty. Then I would let them deal with the manufacturer.

Last point, and not to knitpick, has to do with leveling a safe. Yes, they do need to be level for a number of reasons. The lock won't function properly if they are not level, same with the locking system (bolt pressure), and the door may chase you or slam shut on an out of level safe. Neither is good. As for using leveling feet/bolts through the anchoring holes, that will concentrate every bit of the safe weight on four very small points. Not good for your floor, and not as stable as it should be. Shims are the only way to go.