Help buying a safe

[Walkalong]

This Sturdy will hold a modest collection and provide a great deal more protection than all the $400 to $700 options available through places like Costco, Tractor Supply, etc etc. It is worth the extra money in the long run.

My goal is mainly to deter opportunistic thieves and kids.

The gun "safes" you are asking about will not stand up to determined and prepared thieves, but have a good chance against the average smash and grab crack head looking foe a fast easy score. It will definitely work to keep kids away from the guns, and that is very important. All responsible gun owners should have their collection locked up some how. IMHO of course.

I leave easy pickings out for the smash and grab thieves. I could care less if my TV, laptop, etc get stolen. I'll buy another one.

I bought my two kids a Winchester from Tractor Supply because I could not afford two nice Sturdy units for them. I reinforced the bolts. See how the Sturdy bolts are boxed in. Most bolts on RSC units have no resistance to the door being pried open. They just pivot and the door opens. I also reinforced the opposing edge they ride against when locked. I figure that will deter thieves another few minutes. Some day when they have more than 3 or 4 guns, they need to upgrade.

 

[DUNEZRUNNER]

Walkalong,

Can you elaborate on how you reinforced you kids Winchester safes? I have been thinking about doing this to my safe after seeing my dads safe get opened by prying and bending the weak locking bolts.

 

[leadcounsel]

For ammo storage, you might find one of those steel truck lockable tool boxes used online. They are designed for basic rugged theft/unwanted access. Also lays flat to spread out the significant weight.

 

[Walkalong]

Walkalong,

Can you elaborate on how you reinforced you kids Winchester safes? I have been thinking about doing this to my safe after seeing my dads safe get opened by prying and bending the weak locking bolts.

Might be hard to explain in words.

Unlike the Sturdy door I linked to with the boxed in bolts, the cheap $500/$700 RSCs bolts have nothing to keep them from pivoting in the hole they protrude from. If you open the inside of the door you can see the bolts do not ride on anything on the inside. That allows them to pivot outwards on the inside, and inwards on the outside, letting the door pop open. You can see this in the pic on page 1 You can put something in between them, or the piece they are welded to, and the front of the door, and it will help them a little bit to resist pivoting.

The edge of the body that the bolts go behind when locked is very thin and bends easily. You can reinforce it as well with a piece of steel etc running along it from top to bottom.

This certainly doesn't stop people from prying them open, but will make it a little harder, so it takes longer, giving you a better chance of them losing interest.

Bottom line these "safes"; are the least amount of security you can buy, and should be a stepping stone to something better when you have more to protect or have saved enough pennies for a better option.

 

[Fossil4Life]

I usually research the hell out of every little item I buy but I've trying not to do so with this purchase and instead lean on some collective knowledge. I'm interested in buying two gun safes. Here's what I'm looking for:
Safe 1:
<$500
10 guns plus

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/winchesterreg;-gun-safe-24-gun-capacity

This. It's the only game in town near your price point and is pound-for-pound vastly superior to anything that Dicks, Cabelas, Bass Pro Shop or Gander Mountain sells. Goes for $550 on Black Friday, $700 rest of the year. Even at $700 you aren't going to find another safe that can compete with it.

 

[leadcounsel]

This Sturdy will hold a modest collection and provide a great deal more protection than all the $400 to $700 options available through places like Costco, Tractor Supply, etc etc. It is worth the extra money in the long run.

The gun "safes" you are asking about will not stand up to determined and prepared thieves, but have a good chance against the average smash and grab crack head looking foe a fast easy score. It will definitely work to keep kids away from the guns, and that is very important. All responsible gun owners should have their collection locked up some how. IMHO of course.

I leave easy pickings out for the smash and grab thieves. I could care less if my TV, laptop, etc get stolen. I'll buy another one.

I bought my two kids a Winchester from Tractor Supply because I could not afford two nice Sturdy units for them. I reinforced the bolts. See how the Sturdy bolts are boxed in. Most bolts on RSC units have no resistance to the door being pried open. They just pivot and the door opens. I also reinforced the opposing edge they ride against when locked. I figure that will deter thieves another few minutes. Some day when they have more than 3 or 4 guns, they need to upgrade.

It's twice the OPs budget, but 100 times more useful for both thieves and fire.

I am happy with my Sturdy.

 

[Savage99]

Any safe is better than no safe.

I have had safes for decades.

If I move or get another safe it will be one that I can assemble where I want it and move it when I want to.

Such safes are made by Zanotti, Champion, Snap Safe and perhaps others.