Gun safe

[BigD]

I am in the market for a gun safe. What should I be looking for in a gun safe?

 

[johnbaker537]

Fire Ratings, normally the higher the rating the heavier the safe is due to the thickness of the fire material in the safe.


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[johnbaker537]

http://www.libertysafe.com/products.php


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[fl57caveman]

no experience , other than watching youtube, but if I was to buy one, it would be a liberty safe

impressive vids btw...

 

[jogan]

get one much bigger than you think you need. If it says 10-gun, it'll hold 3....

 

[Dan1612]

I've had 2 liberties. Very nice, highly recommend.


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[Welldoya]

I agree that Liberty is a good safe for the money.
I also agree to get one much larger than you think you need. The advertised capacity is for .410 single shots and even then they will get bumped and scratched.

 

[Dan1612]

I've exceeded advertised capacity using rifle socks and pistol hangers, but don't expect to store much ammo or mags with that many guns. It just depends on what you want to store and how much of it. Long term. My Liberty is also one of the very few things Ive bought at Gander Mountain.
Check this out:
http://youtu.be/P1iDz8Yt-ys


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[Famine]

Agree on both, I have two Liberty Fat Boys and like them a lot, easy to run out of space when you put glass on a rifle.

 

[FUPAGUNT]

Using some of these will def help maximize your storage space for those scoped rifles. I love mine.
http://gulfcoastgunforum.com/showthread.php?19119-DIY-Rifle-Rods

 

[Alientaz]

I luck out and found a 1800 degree 2 hr 40 gun, I stripped it out and am rebuliting to fit my needs. There are a lot of older great safe that with a little work come out great. Plus you save a ton of money. I pot pictures as the project starts moving forward. Diamondback is one of the best offshore made safes. Ft Knox or Stillwater if you can afforded it but make sure you secure it to the floor and wall.

 

[Va boy]

1. Sturdy construction, thickest steel you can afford. I recommend 11 gage as the thinnest with 8 gage being better. A lot are built with 14 gage.
2. 180 ° swing open door that's removable. Check door fit. I've seen some welded crooked.
3. Good lock, dial or electronic. I've had good luck with Sargeant and Greenleaf.
4. Bigger than you think you need as stated earlier. If you need a 5 gun, get a 16 gun safe instead.
5. On door storage for guns or just pistol pockets or slick. Gun storage reduces shelf depth sometimes.
Pensacola Lock and Safe sells Hyman safes. Their line is the Everglades. Worth a look. See Nick

 

[FelixH]

The Hayman Everglades at Pensacola Lock and Safe are decent. Liberty might be a little better, but only marginally, if at all. But the price difference definitely didn't seem to be justified for such a slight increase in quality.
Most gun safes are overpriced. Thin metal (12 gauge or thinner) with some drywall sandwiched in between.
Unless you're going to spend $5k or $10K, or more, on a safe, they are all about the same. The minor differences don't warrant some of the price increases you'll see around town.

As one locksmith/safe professional told me, "Just find one that meets your price point, and bolt it to the floor. They're all crap, and that's why I quit selling gun safes."

Oh, and be sure to get the largest safe that will fit in the space you have.

 

[kendive]

I got my Fort Knox from http://cesafes.com/ best price I could find for the amount of steel I wanted. Ended being over 1800 lbs. Double deluxe package and another steel liner inside. One thing I like about Fort Knox is that you can customize just about anything you want.

 

[lonesouth]

the fire rating comes from the drywall installed inside the metal cabinet, not the metal itself. The cabinet is just the thin line of deterrent to a burglar. I cutoff wheel will make short work of just about any gun safe, so don't think it will be a vault, it is simply lockable storage for preventing instant access. Liberty may be better, I can't say as I haven't taken one apart, though I suspect the construction is just about the same. To that end, buy the biggest safe that fits your budget. You will absolutely fill it up. Don't be afraid to build some shelves to go in it, or adjust the layout. The internal construction is either particle board or drywall covered with a decent carpet. If you have some basic carpentry skills, you can make it just about anything you like.

If you will be moving this by yourself, i.e. not installed by the dealer, do yourself a favor and remove all of the drywall and internal structure before you move it. My safe weighs 400lbs, and I wish I had thought of that before I installed it. It will also give you a chance to see the construction first hand. If you want a longer fire rating, install an extra layer of fire rated drywall.

If it doesn't have one, install a power outlet inside the safe for running golden rods/dryers and lights. Install lights if it doesn't come with them. I'm running three LEDS through a reed switch so they are only on when the door is open.

Remember that these are mass produced, and while they may look good on the inside, they really do have cheap materials in their construction. Again, don't expect it to be a vault.

 

[Idoono]

When I looked to purchase a new safe a couple of years ago after much research I ended up with an AmSec (American Security) B/F series (Burglary / Fire). The safe empty weighs over 1800 lbs.. I was also looking at a Fort Knox - they are good also.

Idoono

 

[wildrider666]

This 30 min vid provides a ton of info on gun safes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ltK-bDbADa8

I like S&G tumbelers. Not a fan of electronic locks. There is the compromise issue and long term keypad wear (look at an old microwave). Anchor "correctly" to floor and wall. Add steel plates under bolt heads. Locking lugs on all sides, the more the merrier. A wireless sensor/monitoring system is a great security invetment. Remember you will need space for other valuables, papers, dehumidifier and maybe lights. Pull firing pins/bolts or other part to make seldom used guns inoperable, store parts elsewhere. For some people, ammo takes up a lot of space, I don't store it with guns. Run a coated cable lock through trigger guards. It will prevent gun removal through a access cut.

 

[johnbaker537]

And look into the Fort Knox safes, what I have seen and read about them they are up there with Liberty safes


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[bigbulls]

Only you know how much security and fire resistance you might need or can afford but when buying a safe remember this......

Count how many long guns you currently gun have now and double that number for the safes capacity as you will only get about one gun to every other slot. Now double that again for future long guns and the rest of the crap you will end up putting in your safe.

So, if you have 10 long guns now then get safe that has a 40 gun capacity.

 

[JBryan314]

I have a Winchester and it suits my needs well. Fireproof and 20 something guns.

Get a manual dial locking mechanism. An EMP strike will have you sealed out of your safe when you may need to get into it the most.