Help me buy a Safe
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How large is your gun collection, do you wish to store important papers/valuables(jewelry, gold,etc.), how valuable are the guns you will be storing inside. Not all gun safe are the same and realize that even safes just delay the crooks in reaching what is inside. For example most safes have really thin walls that are quite easy to cut/bash through(sledge/axe,etc.). Also don't forget to bolt the safe into the concrete floor below. Get a bigger safe than you think you need(within size constraints of house/room). You do get what you pay for with safes.
I talked to a local fire fighter about fire rating of safe awhile back. He said that in his experince either the fire destroyed the contents of the house (usually along with the house) or it is contained to one room with little damage to rest of the building. He also said that water damage from putting out the fire accounted for half the damage claims.
His suggestion was plenty of home owners insurance.
His suggestion was plenty of home owners insurance.
tinygnat219
Member
Simple,
Get the biggest safe you can afford, NOW. I bought one safe that I thought would be enough. I now have a gun cabinet as well as two more safes that were afterthoughts. It's not horribly inconvenient as the two other safes are in other rooms and house emergency cash, papers, and a couple of handguns. However, the gun cabinet was bought to supplement the safe.
As for fire ratings, get one that lasts a least 30 minutes and then ensure that all your firearms in the safe are covered in those silicone treated gunsocks that protect against moisture. One guy I knew that had his house burn down was amazed that the guns inside the safe were so well protected by the gunsocks. They had kept the majority of the water damage off of them.
They are 5 bucks for a rifle, I pick one up whenever I get a new rifle. It also prevents scuffing of finishes and such while inside the safe.
Get the biggest safe you can afford, NOW. I bought one safe that I thought would be enough. I now have a gun cabinet as well as two more safes that were afterthoughts. It's not horribly inconvenient as the two other safes are in other rooms and house emergency cash, papers, and a couple of handguns. However, the gun cabinet was bought to supplement the safe.
As for fire ratings, get one that lasts a least 30 minutes and then ensure that all your firearms in the safe are covered in those silicone treated gunsocks that protect against moisture. One guy I knew that had his house burn down was amazed that the guns inside the safe were so well protected by the gunsocks. They had kept the majority of the water damage off of them.
They are 5 bucks for a rifle, I pick one up whenever I get a new rifle. It also prevents scuffing of finishes and such while inside the safe.
If you can, buy a bigger safe than you think you need and, if at all possible, one with a digital lock.
And, consider a white safe. I suspect you will be putting the safe in your garage. A white safe will 'disappear' but a dark safe will stand out.
I have an interior-lighted, 6'x 24"x30" white safe w/ digital lock in my garage. My Dear & Beloved Wife has rights to the top shelf and she is in the safe more than I. Don't overlook the value of providing space for the Wife. For some reason, wives REALLY love safes, especially if they open easily.
E.
And, consider a white safe. I suspect you will be putting the safe in your garage. A white safe will 'disappear' but a dark safe will stand out.
I have an interior-lighted, 6'x 24"x30" white safe w/ digital lock in my garage. My Dear & Beloved Wife has rights to the top shelf and she is in the safe more than I. Don't overlook the value of providing space for the Wife. For some reason, wives REALLY love safes, especially if they open easily.
E.
12131
Member
This Gun Sfae Buyer's Guide is quite informative, http://www.6mmbr.com/gunsafes.html
Being that you posted in the handgun forum, does that imply you are looking/needing less than a rifle-capable safe?
Personally I would never buy a "gun safe" again, rifles or no. Particularly if you can use something with a little less height, there are tons of options in the used safe (not RSC) market for the same to much less than an RSC.
I have found a lot of deals posted on Craigslist for my area.
Here is a quick example:
http://dallas.craigslist.org/for/657733767.html
This item seems pretty pricy on the used safe market but put this side by side with an RSC and myself, and see which one is still closed after 10 minutes.
Personally I would never buy a "gun safe" again, rifles or no. Particularly if you can use something with a little less height, there are tons of options in the used safe (not RSC) market for the same to much less than an RSC.
I have found a lot of deals posted on Craigslist for my area.
Here is a quick example:
http://dallas.craigslist.org/for/657733767.html
This item seems pretty pricy on the used safe market but put this side by side with an RSC and myself, and see which one is still closed after 10 minutes.
mossy141701
Member
TAB is right on that one, I have a large safe but the wife has about one fourth of it filled with papers and jewelry. Buy the biggest one you can afford and have room for, thay are a good investment for more that your guns.
Confederate
Member
Just a few more points. A good heavy safe doesn't need bolting down. Mine was so heavy, we had to take the door off just to move the datgum thing. Once it got filled, the incredible hulk couldn't budge it.
So here are my recommendations:
1) Get a heavy combination safe.
2) Don't get an electronic safe. An electronic safe can be fried by an electro-magnetic pulse, and EMP attacks are an ever-increasing threat.
3) Get a security safe, not a fire safe. Fire safes are not security safes and vice versa.
4) To protect your valuables from fire, put the safe in a basement. The worst that should happen is that the house partially collapses on the safe. In most cases, your guns should be fine because of the protection basements afford. Fire tends to burn upward.
5) For maximum security, get a combination safe with a key. The key locks the tumblers, making it even more difficult for an intrusion.
6) Get a home security system. Use ADT or Brinks. It will add extra safety, plus save you $$$ on your home insurance.
7) Send me a copy of your key, your combination, security codes and the location of your safe as a backup in case you lose your key or forget the combination. Oh, and include your address and the times you're going to be on vacation so we'll be extra-vigilant.
That's it. Can't think of any more security measures. Oh, and I like to secrete a few weapons between my door and the safe just in case. Cold Steel makes a number of Nightshade knives, made of durable and cheap fiberglass they call Grivory. They go for about ten bucks per, so they're cheap enough to have one almost anywhere.
So here are my recommendations:
1) Get a heavy combination safe.
2) Don't get an electronic safe. An electronic safe can be fried by an electro-magnetic pulse, and EMP attacks are an ever-increasing threat.
3) Get a security safe, not a fire safe. Fire safes are not security safes and vice versa.
4) To protect your valuables from fire, put the safe in a basement. The worst that should happen is that the house partially collapses on the safe. In most cases, your guns should be fine because of the protection basements afford. Fire tends to burn upward.
5) For maximum security, get a combination safe with a key. The key locks the tumblers, making it even more difficult for an intrusion.
6) Get a home security system. Use ADT or Brinks. It will add extra safety, plus save you $$$ on your home insurance.
7) Send me a copy of your key, your combination, security codes and the location of your safe as a backup in case you lose your key or forget the combination. Oh, and include your address and the times you're going to be on vacation so we'll be extra-vigilant.
That's it. Can't think of any more security measures. Oh, and I like to secrete a few weapons between my door and the safe just in case. Cold Steel makes a number of Nightshade knives, made of durable and cheap fiberglass they call Grivory. They go for about ten bucks per, so they're cheap enough to have one almost anywhere.
There was a couple of long threads recently about how gun safes are not safes at all, but cabinets based on the relatively thin sidewalls. There is a safe and lock shop near my near place of emply so I dropped in for grins.
American Security has a smaller safe (15-20 gun?) that is based on TL-30 design. Super heavy duty. Unfortunately that is the only one... they don't offer a larger one. I compared the one full size TL30 they have on sight to my Cannon at home. The TL is very roughly finished (read ugly), not pretty anywhere. It is taller and deeper than mine. It also is significantly smaller on the inside, meaning buying one TL30 would not do it for me.
And the cost quote was $6300. I believe I will just have to bight the bullet and stick with my Crown Series gun 'cabinet'. These will just have to do until I build my secret gun room.
American Security has a smaller safe (15-20 gun?) that is based on TL-30 design. Super heavy duty. Unfortunately that is the only one... they don't offer a larger one. I compared the one full size TL30 they have on sight to my Cannon at home. The TL is very roughly finished (read ugly), not pretty anywhere. It is taller and deeper than mine. It also is significantly smaller on the inside, meaning buying one TL30 would not do it for me.
And the cost quote was $6300. I believe I will just have to bight the bullet and stick with my Crown Series gun 'cabinet'. These will just have to do until I build my secret gun room.
I think it is bad advise to tell people NOT to bolt it down just because the safe is heavy. With enough time and some extra guys, a safe could be carted away no matter how heavy it is. It probably isn't very likely that it will happen, but I think it's important to bolt a safe down to the floor no matter what so that way you are covered.
I agree on the advise to buy bigger gun safe then you may need right now. The reason is, you will always find more items to put in it and you will probably buy more guns down the road.
If you don't have a MONITORED burglar alarm, get one. The amount of time a burglar will spend trying to find your safe, and then trying to break into it once he finds it, will be pretty low since the alarm going off will scare him away.
As far as the difference between a combination lock and an electronic lock, it is really personal preference. Neither one offers more security then the other. The electronic locks are nice because you can set your own combinations whereas the combination locks need a locksmith to change them. They are also easier to use but having said that I still like the combination locks better.
I would recommend getting a gun safe with at least a one (1) hour fire rating on it. Gun safes with 1/2 an hour or 45 minute ratings MAY protect your guns and other items in a fire, but the hour fire rating has a much better chance. If you want one of the BEST gun safes made today, the AMSEC BF6032 gun safe is at the top of the list. Not only does it have a 1 1/2 hour fire rating, but it also meets the UL Residential Security Container RSC Burglary standards and is a very good safe.
I agree on the advise to buy bigger gun safe then you may need right now. The reason is, you will always find more items to put in it and you will probably buy more guns down the road.
If you don't have a MONITORED burglar alarm, get one. The amount of time a burglar will spend trying to find your safe, and then trying to break into it once he finds it, will be pretty low since the alarm going off will scare him away.
As far as the difference between a combination lock and an electronic lock, it is really personal preference. Neither one offers more security then the other. The electronic locks are nice because you can set your own combinations whereas the combination locks need a locksmith to change them. They are also easier to use but having said that I still like the combination locks better.
I would recommend getting a gun safe with at least a one (1) hour fire rating on it. Gun safes with 1/2 an hour or 45 minute ratings MAY protect your guns and other items in a fire, but the hour fire rating has a much better chance. If you want one of the BEST gun safes made today, the AMSEC BF6032 gun safe is at the top of the list. Not only does it have a 1 1/2 hour fire rating, but it also meets the UL Residential Security Container RSC Burglary standards and is a very good safe.
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