Opinions Needed on Safe Choices--Key lock vs. Bolt action

[ShootingGuy]

I am a new member here, and I found the site while researching lots of options for gun safes. I have been blown away by the quality and depth of knowledge that is shared on this site! Thank you for sharing.

I currently do not have secure storage for our firearms, so everything is made child-safe with individual locks. We have decided to move forward with the purchase of an RSC, but we live in a small house, and the most appropriate place for it is in the master closet. Because of this, I can accommodate a maximum depth of 18" including handle (20" if I remove the drywall and set the back of the safe in the stud bay). I have found a local safe manufacturer who can build a safe 72" tall, 32" wide, and 18"-20" deep with a 1/4" door and 10 gauge body. It will also have a high-gloss finish and be fire-lined with one layer of drywall, 1/2" ceramic wool, and a fully-welded/sealed 12 gauge liner. The manufacturer is Security Products in Elm Mott, Texas, and their specialty is a double key lock design, which is also used by Bear Safe and Armor Vault in Oklahoma City. I have not found ready-made options that meet these space restrictions unless I go with a much smaller safe.

Questions:
1) I can choose either the double key lock design or a robust, traditional bolting door that is locked by two independent key locks (active bolts on top and side; everything welded; gear-operated; 1" stainless bolts are welded to the carriage, pass through square tubing and then behind the jamb). The double key lock door requires both locks to be locked all the time for security, but the door assembly itself is thinner (about 1.5 inches) and would allow less heat transfer in a fire. The bolting model is fully locked with only one of the locks engaged, which would be more convenient, but the bolting system adds an additional 2.5 inches to the door thickness with a low profile handle and takes away from the already shallow usable space. I would need to go with the 20" version for sure if I get the bolt system. Bolt system also adds $800 to the price, so I would probably only choose it if it is a more secure system in general. Is one of these options better? The manufacturers who make the key lock safes claim the door has never been breached, but there are far fewer of them out there than traditional bolting systems.

2) I can upgrade the body of the safe to 3 gauge for about $600. Worth it? We live in a moderate crime area, but property crime is increasing. I am not sure whether the additional body thickness would make a big difference in the likelihood of it being breached.

I would appreciate any thoughts you have on these choices, especially the question of dual key locks vs the boltworks design.

 

[CB900F]

Shootingguy;

It's my opinion that you'd probably be more cost effective to simply buy an inexpensive locker & save for a much better unit in the future. Key units are not terribly secure regardless of whether or not it's a double or single design, though the lock mechanism itself can make a good deal of difference. But if you lose a key, your security is lost also. Much better to go with a unit that has a good mechanical dial lock if at all possible. That way if you believe the combination has been compromised, it's easily changed by a locksmith. Don't buy the cheapest mechanical dial you can, many of them are garbage.

It sounds as though your interior available space is critical. With that being said, taking space out of the interior with thermal insulation may not be the best use of your money. Effective, read U.L. certified, thermal protection isn't cheap and simply having a layer of sheet rock & some ceramic wool doesn't mean you have good thermal protection. But you're going to pay for it and it may very well not do the job you've been led to believe it will.

I'd do some research & see if insurance plus just a sheet metal cabinet may not be the better short term solution for you. If you're not a member already, join the NRA & opt for their insurance that is available with the membership. I believe it covers up to $2,500.00.

When you can get into a bigger house, you may be able to finagle the cost of a true safe into the deal, but that'll depend on your lender. You'd pay interest on it for decades, but the additional monthly cost would be low.

900F

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

I faced a similar dilemma. I ultimately decided if I was going to spend real money, I should get a real full size safe and not compromise. Otherwise I would still worry. The safe you describe still sounds like it could be hauled out of your home by a determined meth addict, especially if it does not have sufficient weight from insulation. If I was primarily concerned about burglars, I would look at something like a jobsite box. You can fill the bottom with ammo, making it too heavy to carry out. You can also put a top and dust-ruffle around it describing it from snatch and grab types. A safe looks like a safe.

 

[ShootingGuy]

Thank you both for your responses and thoughts. They have been very helpful in considering these choices.

Our house is small, but it is likely our permanent home unless we move to something smaller way down the road. The size and location is perfect, but the downside is having to work with the existing floorplan. Tough call. If the space was a little bit deeper, there would be a lot of options, but the limited depth really shrinks the number of options.

 

[CB900F]

ShootingGuy;

I'ts my advice to never store your ammo with your guns or other valuables. I'm a retired locksmith & I've personally seen what happens in the interior of a unit where the thermal protection was low enough to allow stored ammo to cook off in the container. It creates a cloud of incandescent gas that's very high temperature & everything in the unit is either heavily damaged or destroyed. Besides, exterior storage allows you more room for higher value items within. In your case surplus military ammo cans are probably a better option for that purpose.

900F

 

[ShootingGuy]

Yes, important tip to remember. That would definitely be a bad situation.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

I decided spending some on a heavier safe was more palatable than losing firearms worth two or three times that cost by going with one of the standard commercial gun safes. I bought Sturdy Safe company's 24" X 19" X 60" unit with 4 ga walls, 3/8" plate door, fire liner and 16 ga steel inner liner. They do some unique things with the mechanism with the rather long bolts.

I see that they do not have the 19" in 32" width, but I believe they do custom work.

https://www.sturdysafe.com