Gun Safe or Not

P

Puma prepper

Inactive
Hi , i have guns in the high teens and im starting to have a hard time storing them. Right now i have 3 gun cabinets , 1 for my Aks and Ar , 1 for Shotguns and 1 for Standard rifles. Each cabinet has storage on top and bottom so thats were the pistols go. I like this set up, but do you guys think its really worth it to buy a big $1,000 safe ? It just seems on the pricy side , also hard to spend that when theres other guns i want. Ive also heard mixed reviews on the fire resistant , being that companys just make that up when really the safe could never handle 1,400 deg for 2 hrs. I also like the security side , but just like the fire resistant ive heard mix reviews on how strong some safes really are. Let me know your thoughts thanks you :confused:
 
It kind of depends on how much the guns are worth, and if insurance would cover their loss, if the worst would happen.
With the number of guns you mention, it sounds like a decent safe would be cost effective.
And there's ways to modify and improve safes to be better than they originally are, to help keep costs down.
Sometimes hiding an less expensive safe can be more effective than buying a better one that's kept in plain sight.
 
Alright , my other thought was maybe buying 2 or 3 smaller 10 gun safes. So they werent as heavy and had the ability to be hidden , also moved easyer than a 800 lb safe. Would you think they would be as strong as a bigger say 28 gun safe ? Also more safes to break into instead of just 1 ?
 
Slap an NRA sticker on your car and a S&W sign on your door and no one will mess with you.... ;)

Like the poster above said, you can modify the cheaper safes and hide them.

I plan on building a false wall at some point
 
The size of a safe isn't necessarily an indication of the strength.
Smaller ones can be secured to the building just as well and be just as tough to invade as bigger ones.
It depends on the quality of the build, especially the door, and the materials used..
 
Best gun investment, you can will make !!!

Puma,
Sounds like your collection is on the rise rather than decrease. Also, what about the ones that you have stacked in the closet or under the bed? Of all the gun related purchases I have made, my safe is one of the smartest "investments" I have ever made. Not only did I pay a good price, but went better than most. If the serious bad guy thinks I have anything worth stealing, then I have no doubt they will but will have to work at it. I'm not worried about the bad guy getting one of my 10/22s. I'm worried about some kid doing something stupid. ..... :eek:

Be Safe !!!
 
Gun cabinets are a whole lot better than having nothing. Make it tough on those who want to relieve you of your weaponry by screwing your cabinets to the floor with lag bolts or the use of lag bolts and a short piece of cold wire alongside their screw threads in cement flooring or a slab.
Sooner or later you'll have to make a decision? "How to deter the bad guy from stealing you're guns even more than you have already."_
BTW: Your home owners or renters insurance policy only covers so much gun value. You may need to take a close look at your policy and its gun coverage. Increase that policy's coverage to cover them all> if possible.

Common sense: Your more likely to have your guns stolen by someone you know. Than lost to a fire.

When it comes to safes. If you intend on purchasing. I recommend the purchase of a Liberty brand. The now makers of >National Security safes.
 
Secure storage for firearms is what a prudent person would do.
So yes, it goes along with firearm ownership.

A smaller safe can be put in a closet, or hidden easier.

A larger safe can hold more items. Most safe interiors need re arranging to maximize usable space. Rifle rods and acorn velcro holsters can help make more usable space.
 
Get a safe. you have 16 guns get a safe that holds a min. of 48 guns.

You wont be sorry, you buy smaller you are going to end up buying again.

Get a humidifier for your safe. They are cheap and effective.

Cabinets aren't burglar or fire proof, or worse, they may not be kid proof.

The latter is more of a concern to me. Even though my kids are grown and I teach my grandkids gun safety, they bring their friends to Grandpa's to ride horses or 4-wheelers. I don't know nor have control of the training of these kids.

I'm much more afraid of kids getting my guns then burglars.

Yeah safes are much more expensive then cabinets but the peace of mind is well worth the price.

There is no such thing as "enough guns" so, there is no such thing as "enough safe".
 
Here is a serious question I've been thinking about. A good safe is going to be well over $1,000, maybe $3,000. Why not spend that money, or maybe less, to harden a closet (or small room) with a solid door with good locks, hidden hinges, and a heavy frame, and some fire-resistant insulation? It would force somebody to cut their way in through the walls. It could be wired for lighting and a dehumidifier. Lock the door to the gun closet just like you would the gun safe.

Insurance depends on your policy. The policy at my house covers the guns in the same category as the TV or couch. The agent also recommended NRA insurance.
 
One large safe is nearly impossible to steal, a few smaller safes could be hauled off.
A large safe may stand up to a fire better than smaller safes.

I'd track down a large one with some sort of heat/fire rating or certification.

Ask your insurance company, they may already know which ones hold up and its also in their best interest to assist.
Make sure you dont have a separate deductible for the guns, sometimes they're a secondary rider or even a separate policey. If so, the safe makes even more sense to buy.

Think about how much time/money you have put into reasearching/spec'ing/building your collection...
If they're lost you'd probably be willing to spend twice the amount for a safe than your willing to spend now.
 
A quality safe is a sound investment. If you can't afford a new safe, I see nothing wrong with getting one used on Craigslist.

I hear horror stories of guys with safes in their garage... thief comes along with an industrial hand dolly and single-handedly carts off their gigantic 1000lb safe onto a Tommy Lift... Gone in 60 Seconds. Placement of the safe is just as critical as buying it... having all your guns in one safe means a thief just has to steal one thing to get all your guns. Food for thought.

Perhaps 2 smaller safes in different locations? 2 safes side-by-side welded together?

Also... the safe itself should be just one variable a thief has to overcome in your overall home-defense plan. Have you made your home a hard target to begin with? Lots of things you can do to make your home less desirable to thieves than a house down the street. Dogs? Home security system? Motion lights? CCTV Cameras? Upgraded locks/windows? How often do police patrol the area? How active is the Neighborhood Watch? More food for thought.
 
 
http://www.defensivecarry.com/forum/related-gear-equipment/1299-burglars-vs-cannon-gun-safe.html

I like this story because it confirms something I was thinking about... "inside jobs". The thieves in this story didn't know the safe was there until they found it, then couldn't get into it just using what they could find in the room... the safe did it's job.

However, I read a lot of these stories where it looks like the work of a pro... and you've gotta assume that a guy who shows up with the ability move a huge safe or just targets the safe plus whatever is in plain sight knew it was there beforehand. Be careful how you advertise, even to neighbors. You never know when a trusted friend will let is slip... "Oh boy, you should see the gigantic gun-safe my neighbor has in his garage down the street, that thing is huge"... just an innocent comment an a week later you get robbed.
 
I sprang for a Ft. Knox a few years ago because I was getting way too much money invested in my handguns and some of my long guns.

It's also a very convenient place to store tax records, coins, and a few other items that I really don't feel like someone losing.
 
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