Seeking recommendations: gun safe for modest arsenal

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P. Plainsman

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Hello folks,

I tried to puzzle out where to post this question about gun safes, and concluded this was a good a place as any. None of the "Tools and Technologies" forums seemed on point. Moderators, please move this to wherever you think best.

Anyway. I recently started shooting and acquiring guns, and get the feeling I will be part of this pastime for years to come. I hide and lock my guns whenever I leave the house, but it's time to be fully responsible and get a good gun safe.

When I go to the gun store and browse, all I see are the big, cabinet-sized, full-blown Browning safes. They look awesome, but I just don't have that big a collection. Right now I have only two handguns and one long gun!

I have law school loans to pay off, so my ability to acquire new firearms is bounded. (Indeed, the anticipated cost of a good safe is one of those bounds.) Looking to the future, I think a total collection of three long guns and six handguns is a reasonable upper limit for the next several years.

What are some good fireproof safes that would fit a collection of that size? How much should I expect to spend?

Many thanks. Any other, random advice about secure storage would also be appreciated.
 
I'm undergoing the same search. Basically, the advice most given is "by the biggest safe you can afford, then buy the next size up". I used to think my collection would stay with 2 long guns and a handgun, now I have 6 longguns.
 
You can do a search in "firearm accessories" for safes. I started with one of the 200lb sentry safes (hauled it upstairs myself, one of the dumbest things I've ever done :banghead: ). When I move into a house, I'm going to get a bigger safe and use the sentry safe to store ammo.
 
If you just want to keep the kids out, a Homak or Sentry from Wal Mart will do the job, $300 or less.
These will not stop a determined crook or save you guns from natural disaster but they have their purpose.
 
Ah. Duly noted.

Since I have no kids (yet), I did have the "determined crook and/or natural disaster" scenario in mind.
 
Lots of safe questions lately. I just replied in another topic in this forum, but I expect both to be movied to gun or firearm accessories since that is where they normally go.

Anyway, a sentry is good and I still have mine for odds and ends.

Go to the above mentioned forum and a search of that forum only for locker and another search for sentry will turn up lots of advise. A search for safe will come up with the more expensive stuff as well.
 
For some installations, you might want to check on Zanotti(www.zanottiarmor.com). Their modular safes can be installed where you want them and, except for the very largest, the pieces can be handled by one man, so no one else needs to know you have put in a safe. They can be bolted down if you want, and also be disassembled for moving.

The drawback is that due to the way they assemble, there is no fire resistant coating. (Note I did not say "fireproofing" - there is no such thing in a safe.)

Jim
 
I just went through the same thing.
Sentry would be a the best bet for well under $1000.
For a little more fire and burglary protection, the Champion line seems to be a good value. I picked up a scratch and dent "Victory" display model. A dime sized scratch in the paint saved me about $300.
Zanotti makes a great product, but the even the small one was well over a grand at my local shop. But then, if you are going to move a few times in the next few years, it would probably save you a lot of money being able to move it yourself. The size I needed was just outa my budget range for now.

http://www.championsafe.com/products/default.asp
 
I am somewhat in the market for the same thing: A safe that will do a good job of securing a few firearms from all but the most determined of criminals, but will be relatively inexpensive, and moveable when needed.

The acrobat files are good, but don't seem to list prices...
 
I tend to add safes never buying one that I can't move with the help of a couple friends. I'll lag them to the floor...but I want multiple safes.

Think about it this way...if you have multiple safes...it will take that much longer for them to get into each one....one large safe, cracked and it's all the guns at once.
 
Sentry Safes - Customer Service?

Been looking for a gun safe recently and have almost decided on the 14 gun model at Wal-Mart. I thought another shelf or two on the top would be better than just the one it comes with so I called Sentry customer service and asked about ordering shelves and especially the "clips" that hold the shelves in place. She said they don't sell parts and in order to get more shelves your only option is to buy another model that comes with more than one shelf. ( I'm sure at only a modestly higher price)
Has anyone on here added a shelf to a sentry safe? Cutting a piece of plywood would be simple enough but what can you use to set the shelf on if you can't order the clips that are designed to hold the shelf? Thanks.
 
thanks for the Pentagon link. Looks like a really nice deal and I'm gonna wait to see the quote they're supposed to send me. Could be the proud owner of a Footsoldier closet model in the near future!
 
Can somebody post picks of their safe if they have the Zanotti safe. I am considering one and would like a little more info than the website shows.

The one I'm thinking of is with 3 drawers, rifle section on one side, shelves on the other, with 1 top shelf.

TIA

John
 
I'd like to see more about the Zanotti safe, as well. Their spartan website doesn't make me feel very confident, but the idea is brilliant and something that I would certainly prefer.

If you have pics of a Zanotti, please share. Please.
 
P. Plainsman;

I'd suggest doing a search of RSC, or Residential Security Container.

900F
 
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