Comments on new safe?

J

Joe Klug

New member
I've finally decided to get a good safe for both security and peace of mind. The set up I have now is fine for basic security but as the collection grows I worry more about it becomming an attractive target and a real safe is the only good solution.

I've looked at 3 different model safes in depth and have decided on a Liberty "Franklin Series" F35. It is 36.25" X 60.25" X 27.5" which I'm hoping is big enough to last me a while. One of the things I like best about the Liberty safes is that they have the fire lining inside the walls of the box. Other safes seem to rely on sheetrock panels secured to the walls for fire protection.

Anyway, the fit and finish, the quality of workmanship, features and reputation seem to be all there in the Liberty safe line. Any experience with them I should know about? Any good or bad things you want to share? Since this is supposed to be a once in a lifetime purchase I want to make sure I get it right the first time. :)

Joe/Ga
 
Joe , I have a Liberty and really like it . Mine is the Lincoln model with the Remington graphics . I have the same size you are looking at and wish I had one twice that size . After you start putting cameras , jewelry , coins , etc. in it you will run out of room for guns . I use stackable plastic containers to keep the smaller items in and that way I can utilize every square inch . If you have a "Sams club" in your state you might look there for your safe , they have the Liberty Lincoln with Remington graphics in the size you are looking at for $899 in my area , 1/2 mile away there is a Liberty store and the same safe is $1350 there . Good luck , Mike...
 
Mike,

Thanks for the reply. I didn't even think of Sam's Club. The ones I have been to here in the Atlanta area either don't carry gun safes or hide them -very- well. :)

I just got back from the safe store. I ended up buying a Cannon instead of the Liberty. I had every intention of buying the model I described last night (above) but the salesman at the store today was very helpful and knowledgeable. After we talked for over an hour I decided on the Cannon due to the thinker walls, manipulation resistant electronic lock, full length internal hinge which -should- resist any future door sag, better fire rating, oak faced shelving and (best of all) lifetime warranty. I also ended up getting a much larger size than I was thinking about yesterday. This one measures out at 40" wide X 73.5" tall X 28" deep. I don't think I'll run out of room any time soon with this model. :)

The Cannon ended up costing me about $165 more than the similarly sized Liberty but the electronic lock on the Liberty is a $150 option by itself. What kills me is the $250 delivery charge, but I have no choice since this thing weighs 990 lbs and I can't move it myself.

Now all I need to do is clean out a good place to put this monster :)

Funny how things worked out. I started this quest looking to spend $1,000 or less on something with reasonable capacity and good security. I ended up spending over $2,000 on a model that offers huge capacity and excellent security. I guess it's probably better this way. If I had got something smaller or less secure I would most likely not be as happy in the long run and then be looking at spending even more on another safe at that time.

Joe/Ga
 
Joe - Keep us (i. e., me) posted on how the delivery, setup, etc., goes. I'm leaning toward a compromise between the huge model in the garage and the small one in the closet - I'm now thinking of setting a mid-size model right in my living room. I'm especially interested in hearing about negotiating doorways.

Re your last sentence: you paraphrased an old Scottish proverb that goes, "Get what you want the first time, otherwise you'll pay twice."
 
Joe you did well, just count the number of guns and other things that you wish to protect and calculate the value/cost to replace. Not to mention how you(we) would feel knowing that our guns were in the hands of some dirtbag on the street.

------------------
WFM
Life NRA, LLEA, Quail Unlimited,Ducks Unlimited
 
Joe , you will be glad you got a bigger safe . I made a pedestal for mine to set on out of 2x4's and wrapped in oak to match the footprint of the safe , this keeps water out if you burst a pipe and the floor gets flooded and keeps the sweeper from knicking the neat paint job . Throw a few cases of heavy ammo in the bottom for ballast and place it in a corner if you can with the side that contains the long guns facing the side wall , usually when people break into these they peel the sides , the thinnest part , and remove the guns through the opening . Placing the long guns against the side wall will only expose 1 safe wall to attack and they will have to tear the shelves out to gain access to the long guns , hopefully someone will catch them in the act by that time . Dont forget a Golden Rod , or dessicant pack . If you have the safe on a wood framed floor you also might want to put a steel support post under it , in a fire they say the most damage is done when the wood floor gives way and the safe falls to the floor below . Good luck , Mike..
 
Jeff,

>I'm leaning toward a compromise between the huge model in
>the garage and the small one in the closet - I'm now
>thinking of setting a mid-size model right in my living
>room.

FWIW, I was advided against putting a safe in the garage because it would be too easy for a theif to back a pickup in there and tip it over into the bed. No matter the size, tipping it over is easier than picking it up.

>I'm especially interested in hearing about negotiating doorways.

I might not be much help there as this one will only need to go straight though 2 doors to get where I want it. You will find that all residential safes are no deeper than 29 inches because residential doorways are 30 inches wide. I do know that delivery charges go up quite a bit depending on how many stairs the safe has to go up.

>Re your last sentence: you paraphrased an old Scottish
>proverb that goes, "Get what you want the first time,
>otherwise you'll pay twice."

How about that. And I'm not even Scottish. :)

Joe/Ga
 
WFM,

>.....just count the number of guns and other things
>that you wish to protect.....

I can't count that high. :) The wish list seems to grow daily.


Mike,

>I made a pedestal for mine to set on out of 2x4's and wrapped
>in oak to match the footprint of the safe

Sounds nice. However, if I did that I probably wouldn't be able to reach the top shelf. :) This sucker is tall.

>Placing the long guns against the side wall will only expose
>1 safe wall to attack and they will have to tear the shelves
>out to gain access to the long guns

Sounds like a good plan except I have a lot more invested in pistols than long guns. :) I get the point though. I don't know exactly how easy it would be to "peel" 10 gauge plate steel........ :)

>in a fire they say the most damage is done when the wood
>floor gives way and the safe falls to the floor below

Got that covered. This one is going on the concrete foundation that is covered in linoleum. My whole office was done this way so the chairs with wheels would work good.

Good advice on the dessicant pack. I plan on getting one of those and will most likely invest in some kind of dehumidifier after I get the safe wired for electricity (I'm going to install rope lighting first).

Joe/Ga
 
Joe , I have seen peeled safes . They do it pretty easily until the thickness gets over 1/4" [.250] , 10 gauge is only .135 , all it takes is a decent cold chisel and a hammer . A local gun dealer kept a 4' wide Browning safe full of his personal stash in his storage area with his tools that included an acetelyne torch . They used his torch to open his side wall , dont make it easy for them . I use the large "can style" dessicant sold in the Brownells catalog . Good luck , Mike...
 
Mike,

Your points are well taken. I guess it's a lot like cars in that if someone wants it bad enough they will get it. The safe, to me, is a deterrent to the average home burglar and a source of good fire protection. I'm aware going into this that no safe built for residential use will stand up to a professional safe cracker but it will be a great source of aggravation for someone looking to break in to your house in a quick search for valuables to feed their drug habbit.

In any case, though, I would consider putting the safe in the same area as an anacetelyne torch a bad idea. :)

Just for comparison purposes, how much should one of those can type dessicant packs cost me?

Joe/Ga
 
Joe
Heard it is best, for fire protection, to locate the safe near as many exterior walls as posssible rather than in the middle of the house/apartment. A corner where both walls are located at the end of the house will be an area where there is less fuel and heat. I think it is very important to bolt the safe to the floor, I used these expanding nuts, which I also epoxied into the concrete. Without bolting the safe down it is just too easy for three guys and a dolly to wheel it away.
The side of the safe which is exposed I lined with those thin 30 cal ammo boxes from floor to top of safe. inside them is ammo and powder then they are connected to a 3/4" plywood board inside the safe, do not think they will be able to cut or torch into it. Certainly not throught the door. All my arms are in water proof Pelican cases. Thinking of putting a automatic telephone dialer into it soon - dials message direct to police or/and any other programed number( like a beeper).
 
Joe , Midway sells the dessicant can like I have for $25 . Do a search on this forum for "Golden Rod" and you should find a discussion about the Golden Rods and dessicant cans . I put a Golden Rod in my safe the day I got it and within a few days even my stainless guns were rusting , went to a dessicant can and have had no problem since . Others swear by the Golden Rod . Good luck , Mike...
 
Skeeter,

Thanks for the suggestions. Good idea to put it in a corner.


Mike,

Thanks for the info. $25 is not bad for the dessicant. I'm surprised to hear of your experience with the Golden Rod and rust. I've never used one myself but others I've talked to describe them as the best thing since sliced bread. Maybe I'll just use both the dessicant and a dehumidifier of some type to cover all the bases. :)

Joe/Ga
 
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