Any recommendations on a gun safe?

CrtsHarris · Feb 20, 2013

Anyone have a recommendation on a gun safe? I am thinking of a 24-30 gun size. That leaves plenty of room for weapons as well as personal effects and valuables.

Any help on which manufacturers or big chain retailers to go to or stay away from would be helpful.

Thanks

Wall · Feb 20, 2013

whichever brand you go with, get the model up (or 2 up) from the one you think you need.
You'll be surpised at how quickly you run out of room in a safe.

Jeff T. · Feb 20, 2013

Wall said:
whichever brand you go with, get the model up (or 2 up) from the one you think you need.
You'll be surpised at how quickly you run out of room in a safe.

Tony has the facts.
I wish I had bout the next size larger than I did.
I have a Bear Safe(http://www.bearsafes.net/) and love it.

CrtsHarris · Feb 20, 2013

Yeah I agree about the size, I only have 7 weapons total with 3 of them pistols, so I went with three to four times more space than I needed. Bear safes looks like a great company, but I live in Houston and their shipping costs would be way too high!! Thanks again though Jeff T.

WillR · Feb 20, 2013

http://cesafes.com/

Watch the video at the bottom.

Jeff T. · Feb 21, 2013

Great video Will!

DoctorJJ · Feb 21, 2013

I did a lot of research and for me it came down to either a Graffunder or a Ft Knox. I went with a really big Ft. Knox with a lot of upgrades. It did cost me about 7 grand but I know it's a great safe and it would take a well equipped professional quite a bit of time to get into it. The multiple layers of steel liners that you can do, even AR500 steel, makes it a difficult safe to brute force attack. My safe will weigh a little over 2,000 lbs. That's a lot of steel.

As for Bear safes, I suppose they are decent security for the money but they aren't fire rated at all and the locks SUCK! I hate trying to get into my dad's Bear safe.

Matt1911 · Feb 21, 2013

What are everyones thoughts on Liberty safes?
I've been eyeballin one at h&h lately, and really like the fire ratings.

P.E. Kelley · Feb 21, 2013

Given enough time, desire and a modicum of skill any gun safe can be breeched.

Safes keep the smash and grab burglar out. I believe fire is more likely to happen.

Buy the biggest you can afford.

I have both Liberty and AMSEC and am happy with them.

DoctorJJ · Feb 21, 2013

P.E. Kelley said:
Given enough time, desire and a modicum of skill any gun safe can be breeched.

Safes keep the smash and grab burglar out. I believe fire is more likely to happen.

Buy the biggest you can afford.

I have both Liberty and AMSEC and am happy with them.

Absolutely. Anything made by man can be destroyed by man. Give me a Metabo and several blades and I'll make hole big enough to grab guns through in that 1" thick Graffunder. It will take me 45 min or so but I can do it. Give me that same Metabo and I can rip a hole in a standard 10 gauge safe in about 5 minutes. Literally. Once you step up to 3/16 steel, you can't use a grinder to rip it like a skilsaw. You have to grind and move, grind and move. It takes exponentially longer.

I agree that fire is more likely. That's why I went with Ft. Knox and another reason why I don't like Bear.

CrtsHarris · Feb 22, 2013

Thanks for the replies. I think I may go with a less expensive safe and a monitored security system. If I get this job I want in Japan, I dont want to worry while Im gone most of every month.

DoctorJJ · Feb 22, 2013

CrtsHarris said:
Thanks for the replies. I think I may go with a less expensive safe and a monitored security system. If I get this job I want in Japan, I dont want to worry while Im gone most of every month.

If you can afford to step up to a 3/16 body on the safe, that helps tremendously against a brute force attack.

Scott Hearn · Feb 23, 2013

If you go with a less expensive safe do your homework. I agree with P.E. Kelley in that fire is probably the biggest issue for most people. A $600 Cannon or Winchester properly located and bolted down will foil most burglars but not so much a good fire.

The Browning rep that I talked to was very informative. When I upgrade it will likely be the upper tier of Browning or Liberty. Maybe a Ft. Knox if can get an equivalent for the same money but I really dig the Browning's door storage for scoped rifles, it's slicker than snot and one might be able to buy a smaller size than others and store just as many long guns.

CrtsHarris · Feb 23, 2013

If mymostly wood construction condo burns, then my safe will be falling 3 floors to the ground, so fire protection would be nice but not a deal breaker.