Protecting Safe From Side Attack

[Outlaw Man]

I'm currently deciding between the Amsec BF and the Liberty National Security (leaning toward the Amsec). We've nearly decided on our new house, and the one we're looking at is a little lacking in spaces where I could effectively hide a "safe." It looks like it may end up going in a bedroom.

My question is, what is a good way to mitigate the risk of a side attack on the safe/RSC? It makes sense to me that putting it in a corner, particularly with the non-hinge side against the wall, would offer a good deal of additional protection. But, knowing that the front is much more resistant to attack, what are some good ways to protect that other side or ways to encourage the thief to go for the door?

Would one RSC offer better noticeably better protection on the side than the other (between those two)? I'm sure the Amsec RF series would, but I'm not sure I can convince my wife it's worth the extra money.

If it matters, the house will be alarmed and in a town with a decent police response time.

 

[heeler]

Possibly placing something heavy next to the exposed gun safe side such as a six foot tall big book shelf full of books,or maybe some kind of furniture, or even possibly a cheaper $500 gun safe next to the better gun safe.
As an owner of an Amsec BF I got around a couple of weeks ago to actually placing my older 10 gauge Amsec Highland gun safe next to the BF.
Here's another idea that I have heard of.
A good friend of mine helped fabricate this for one of his employees who lives out in a more rural area.
What they did was build a frame using 1/8" angle iron and welding expanded metal to the frame that comes in various gauge thickness to it.
They anchored it down to the slab with appropriate concrete anchors and when the safe arrived they just slide it right in and now the door only is exposed.
The "cage" was painted before it was installed.
I have not seen it myself but knowing the skills of my friend it is a pretty good protector for the safe.
Lastly,and I have mentioned this several times in these gun safe threads, is that if you at least place the safe in a strategic strong point (like you are already doing) and bolt it down the chances of a guy or two burglarizing your home coming their equipped to deal with a fairly robust RSC type of gun safe,which both of these safes you are considering are, is slim to none unless they know in advance you have the safe.
But stranger things have happened as I have seen several pictures of gun safes attacked with power tools and entered.

 

[CB900F]

Outlaw;

The best preventative method is to get an actual safe that has plate steel sidewalls. However, I also understand that that may not be possible in your circumstances.

Therefore, you might want to take a different approach to the layered defence plan. For instance, a motion detector in the immediate RSC area that will trip 140 db siren A. If A gets destroyed by an invader, a concealed B siren then trips on. Very few people can stay within earshot of one of those high level horns. Put an old game camera facing the door, put a working one that's not obvious that will show the face of whomever's trying to rip the junker off the wall. There's a thousand plans that you can think up if only you put your mind to it.

900F

 

[Outlaw Man]

Heeler, I like that idea of the metal cage. I had thought about furniture, too. My only fear was adding more readily combustible materials right next to it.

900F, while I won't discuss the details on here, for obvious reasons, let's just say I'm thinking on that same wavelength. The nice thing about those types of auxiliary security measures is that it helps protect a lot of other items in the house- maybe add some security for other items so you don't have to buy as large a safe.

 

[Teachu2]

If it's going in a bedroom, help the lady of the house pick out a sturdy amoire to set beside it - and bolt it to the wall.

 

[heeler]

Outlaw,I talked to my friend about that cage and what he said is he got the measurements of the safe and then built it in three sections complete with bolt holes.
They installed by bolting it together using red locktite on the bolt threads and the nuts were on the inside of the cage.
They then just used the predrilled holes in the bottom part of the angle track and used several concrete anchors to secure it to the guys slab floor.
He told me he used 3/16 thickness on the flat expanded metal.
Although there is no doubt power tools would get through it just as there is no doubt that it would be one more PIA barrier to get through.
And the guy was single so no wife to complain about the looks of the "cage" which according to my friend who built it it was so nice looking there should be no complaints.
The safe the guy installed was an American made Browning Medallion.

Edit to add...Actually it was in four sections including the expanded metal top.

 

[Outlaw Man]

Heeler, that would at least be annoying. They might end up cutting themselves, too, even if they get through it.

Thanks for the ideas, guys.

 

[Drail]

Place it in a corner (or better yet, two corners like in an alcove) and bolt it to the floor and walls if you can. Mine is sitting in one end of a bedroom closet with walls on both sides and built in shelves above it. The only way they're going to get a wrecking bar on the door is if they are willing to tear a wall out. Also, hiding the safe from view behind something will stop the "smash and grab" criminals. Most of them don't want to spend more than 10 minutes in your house.