Anyone have a Stack-On safe?

H

Hedley

New member
Since I've grown tired of hiding all of my rifles throughout my apartment, I'm going safe shopping tomorrow. From my online research, I think the Stack-On GS-410 is what I'm looking for. It's under $300, holds ten rifles and weighs right at 200 pounds. And they have them on sale at Academy. I know I could go bigger and badder for a $100 or so more, but anything over 300lbs would require a massive undertaking in getting it in my apartment. Does anyone have one similar? Any complaints? Any suggestions?

I live on the first floor of an apartment building, but it's about 20' above the foundation. My apartment is at the west end of the building, which is split by a breezway running east-west. At the east end of the breezway, there is the entrance, and the opposite west end is railed off with a 20' drop to the woods. To get to my front door from the parking lot, you have to go down a steep set of about 8 steps to about 20 yards of exposed sidewalk with about three random step-downs, then down a crooked 15 step downhill concrete walkway through a wooded area, then up 6 stairs to the building, across the 40' breezway, then down another 6 steps to my door. The only other way to get to my aprtment is to scale the 20' of siding and entering through the sliding glass door or a small window.

I've heard that most "light" safes like the 410 are considered portable by thieves, but I seriously doubt anyone would take the trouble to get the safe to their truck(but I have doubted wrong in the past). Heck, my 250 lb TV is the only reason I've resisted moving since graduating from college. That took a good 30 minutes to get it from my truck to my living room.

And does it matter where I put the safe? Obviously, it's not going in the living room or anywhere in plain view from the front door, but I don't want to have to put it in a closet either. God knows my fiance needs her closet space. I know it's a rather large chunk of steel, but should I try to conceal it, or do you think it would be fine in a spare bedroom against the wall? Keep in mind, I'm confined to a 950 square foot 2 bedroom apartment.
 
I have one. Just bolt it to the wall or the floor (holes are already punched in the safe). It may be portable, but they would have to rip it off the wall or floor to get it.
 
Two hundred pounds would do little to stop 2 men, a blanket and a furniture dolly. Bolting it down would be a must, IMHO.

That being said, however, I have to wonder, is the concern over having one's gun collection stolen, when housed in even the most inexpensive locking cabinet, really warranted?

I would love to hear stories from folks who actually had someone attempt to breach their "safes", unsuccessfully or successfully.
 
The GS-410 model is a safe with 3 locking bolts, and not a security cabinet. I also had an epiphany when I woke up this morning. I've got at leat six 45lb iron barbell disks I can play with. That's 270 lbs right there. I'm thinking that if weight is an issue, I can just stack as much weight in the bottom of the safe, and line the top of them with a blanket to prevent any dings to the rifle butts.

But I think if I put it in the very back corner of my bedroom, I'll be ok. Most of the burglaries in this part of town are teanage smash and grab types, so I really don't think Ocean's 11 is going to drop in for my pitiful firearms collection.

http://www.academy.com/index.php?page=content&target=products/outdoors/hunting/firearm_safes&start=0&selectedSKU=0340-03254-0924
 
I would love to hear stories from folks who actually had someone attempt to breach their "safes", unsuccessfully or successfully.
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It happens all the time. Safes get burglarized, and homes with safes burn down. Since I'm in the safe business, I probably see it more than people who aren't.

The GS-410 model is a safe with 3 locking bolts, and not a security cabinet.
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I'll slightly agree with this statement. Just because you put a dial and locking bolts on a security cabinet does not automatically make it a secure safe. I could put a dial and locking bolts on a cardboard box

The steel thickness is normally ALWAYS the weekest link on gun safes. The steel is usually thin enough to be torn apart easily with common hand tools. It doesn't matter how many deadbolts are on a glass door, since the glass is the weak link.

I'm thinking that if weight is an issue, I can just stack as much weight in the bottom of the safe, and line the top of them with a blanket to prevent any dings to the rifle butts.
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Weight is no substitution for bolting. I've seen 5,000 pound safes walk off in the middle of the night. I'm 140 pounds, and can slide a 1,000 pound gun safe around with ease without any equipment. I know you're in an apartment, but if you can bolt it down, do so.

Bolting a safe has another advantage aside from removing the safe from the property. It is much easier to beat and pry on a safe laying down than it is standing up. Bolting it down will help to prevent that situation.

so I really don't think Ocean's 11 is going to drop in for my pitiful firearms collection.
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Again, a dial and bolts tend to make people assume they've got a bank quality vault on their hands. Anybody over the age of 8 who can swing an axe or operate a prybar could get into many of the gun safes in the sub $1,000 range, and even some of the more expensive brand names.

Luckily, many smash and grab theives don't bother with the safe, but in some cases they do. If that's a risk you're willing to take, then it's acceptable. However, don't think that the 1/10" sheet steel (12 gauge) has any sort of magical properties just because it's got a dial attached to it.
 
It happens all the time.
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Luckily, many smash and grab theives don't bother with the safe, but in some cases they do.
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a1abdj, is there anyway you can quantify your quotes, above? Put some kind of number to them?

For example, how many through the side attempts on "residential security boxes" do you see, or hear of, in a year?

Are most of those attempts in rural areas where there aren't many folks around to hear all the ruckus?
 


These are my 2 Stack-On's. The thing to remember about home break in's is insurance statistics show that over 80% of home burgularies are committed by kids under the age of 18, and most are in the house for less than 2 minutes. "Smash and run" type hits. These will protect as good as any from this type of hit. I also have a Cannon and a Liberty. The Liberty is a deluxe model with full fireproofing and a automotive type finish. The Cannon is a plain "no frills" model. All serve their intended purpose well. Bill T.
 
a1abdj, is there anyway you can quantify your quotes, above? Put some kind of number to them?

For example, how many through the side attempts on "residential security boxes" do you see, or hear of, in a year?

Are most of those attempts in rural areas where there aren't many folks around to hear all the ruckus?
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I'm in the St. Louis metro area, so most of our business is within populated city limits. There are also about 8 other companies that do what I do, so their experiences may be different than mine.

Residential burglaries tend to be a little different than those involving businesses. The Residential jobs tend to be more on the amateur side although there are some exceptions. When safes are involved, the theives tend to show up prepared at a business, and not as prepared at a home. Many of the attempts on safes made in a home are made using tools there at that home.

On average, in residential settings, I may see one burned safe every 6 months or so. I might see two safes a month from burglaries. About half of those were opened, the other half just damaged.

We also get somewhat regular calls from those involved in a divorce. Sometimes the ex comes back and takes the safe with the other's property still inside. These aren't burglaries by definition, but a fairly common situation.
 
Appreciate the feedback, a1abdj.

My bride has put up with me for multiple decades, so I'm probably safe there.

Good tip on the young'uns using homeowner's tools. I'll lock 'em up or hide them from view from now on.

It sounds like a 10-12 gauge steel safe, bolted down hard, and perhaps some type of an area alarm system will keep my Jimenez safe and secure. :D
 
Hey guys, just got back from Academy, and from the looks of things, I'm going to have to spend well over my budget to get what I want. Everything under $500 seemed rather rickety and poorly built.
 
One "trick" a friend used when living in an apartment. He put the sate (a Stack On) inside the closet...then welded on angle iron so that it was too big to get back out of the closet door. Most apartment owners take a dim view of bolting things to the wall or floor, this was his solution.

Sure was ugly, but with a 7 foot length of angle iron welded vertical and one horizontal, you'd have to take down the wall to get it out of the closet (or have a cutting torch with you...or spend the better part of two hours sawing through the angle irons).

Not to say someone couldn't rip out the wall or un-weld the bars, but it would slow them down and proably raise the notice of neighbors. Besidces, it wouldn't fit though any of the other doorways even if you did dig it out of the closet. Not enough room inside the closet to really get at it with a fire ax or a craw bar large enough to do the job of oepning it.
 
I have one of the green ones just like BillT posted a pic of. I live on the 3rd floor,it's bolted and anchored to the wall (landlord be darned!! I'll just fix it myself,before I move) and I added my own secret method for some extra weight. So, at least in my case, if somebody can get in my heavily locked door,past my dog,get the safe off the wall,then get it down 3 flights of stairs,past my busy-body neighbors, and past the apartment security during the few hours a week there isn't someone walking around my apartment with a gun handy they can have the dang thing, because that is dedication!:D
 
Both of my Stack On's are lag bolted to the wall studs. I also keep 8 bags of shot on the bottom of each of them, (200 pounds). That way even if they get them pryed from the wall, they'll break their backs carrying them out. Bill T.
 
Other than the obvious securing method of bolting it down....Also consider positioning it so someone with a 6' prybay can't easily pry it open. Mine is built into a corner with a concrete reinforced wall on the outside. The safe is positioned so that you can't get a pry bar into the door on the handle side.

I am also fortunate that there is a basement support post right in front of the safe....it would be very hard to swing a sledgehammer to pound on the safe.

Concealment is another big plus. Hide the darn thing and don't tell anyone other than your spouse where it is.
 
One "trick" a friend used when living in an apartment. He put the sate (a Stack On) inside the closet...then welded on angle iron so that it was too big to get back out of the closet door. Most apartment owners take a dim view of bolting things to the wall or floor, this was his solution.

Sure was ugly, but with a 7 foot length of angle iron welded vertical and one horizontal, you'd have to take down the wall to get it out of the closet (or have a cutting torch with you...or spend the better part of two hours sawing through the angle irons).

Not to say someone couldn't rip out the wall or un-weld the bars, but it would slow them down and proably raise the notice of neighbors. Besidces, it wouldn't fit though any of the other doorways even if you did dig it out of the closet. Not enough room inside the closet to really get at it with a fire ax or a craw bar large enough to do the job of oepning it.
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THAT is not a half bad little plan; thanks.

I've got 2 stack-on-type lockers, bolted to the wall, for what that is worth, one main safe bolted to the floor, and one small fire safe for handguns, bolted to a very heavy wooden workbench. As has been said, these stack on type sheet metal lockers will work for the smash & grab, but not a determined thief with any time. Sure better than nothing though. Of course, high on my to-buy list is a second main safe. I've not been in much of a hurry though, since I also have security bars/gates on my house, which is a deterrent to crooks (more mental than actual however).
 
playing the odds.

Anyone w/the proper tools, know-how, time, and determiniation can probably break into/steal anything. Anything you do that mitigates these risks puts the odds further in your favor. My opinion would be to get the best you can afford, rig it up w/some of the ideas put forth here, and realize, it may not keep everyone out. But wouldn't you feel just a little bit stupid if some jerk, broke a window, had 2 minitues and found your gear...

1. under the bed?
2. in the closet?
3. behind the sofa?

...Just because you may not be able to defend against the pro does that mean the amateurs shouldn't be looked at as a viable threat?
 
Well I think I found the one I want this morning at another Academy. It's the Sentry GS5311 and seems more substantial than what I had in mind. I didn't have a whole lot of time to inspect it fully, as it took the whole Academy staff 20 minutes to try to find the code for the floor model. Do you guys trust keypad style locks or should I stick with a combination style?
 
Insurance for your collection will enable you to replace that pitiful collection with some upgrades if the worst happens. If its locked up the payout should be quick and hassle free. Also that locked box may keep the lawsuits away should anyone be hurt by your stolen guns. To my knowlege no court has put a minimum price tag on a locked storage container for firearms yet. Take lots of pics, burn them onto a disc and store it someplace else in case of fire. (works for anything else of value too)
 
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