Buying a safe 101

[JonS]

Any quick 101 style suggestions for a first safe?

I'm looking for

* Blend of hand gun and long gun

* Ammo and important documents

* Sub $1000 price range

Where to buy? Where to not? Who get delivery from?

[kawi kid]

Check fort Knox safes they are pretty neat. Their site will let you build one to your own specifications.

[flounder]

Ive done allot of research and here are my findings.

1. Spend more then you want to and buy larger then you think you will ever fill.

2. Buy the heaviest one you can find.. 3 guys can easily walk away with a 600lb safe

2. Whatever you get, make sure you bolt it to the floor. Almost any sub $1000 gun safe will be able to be gotten into in less than 5-10 min if they can knock it over on its back and start prying at the door.

3. If you have a dry basement, locate your safe there as it will be the coolest place in a fire and theives will be less likely to try and carry it out of the basement.

4. Do not store your power tools in the same area as your safe. Many times the theives will use your own tools to gain access to the safe or knock it over.

5. Highly consider the location you put it as temperature swings will cause excess humidity. Putting a goldenrod, desicant, or battery powdered dehumidifier in the safe is a smart idea

6. Buy a safe which is pre drilled with holes for mounting

7. Buy one that is already setup for electrical on the inside for a golden rod, lights or dehumidifier.

8. Consider how you will light your safe.

9. Fire ratings on 90% of gun safes (and the ones in your price range) are based on the number of layers of fireboard in the safe.

10. Get insurance for your guns/rifles. Safes are just a time deterrent and fire time bonus unless you start spending in the 3-4K+ range.

11. Safes are fire rated and burglary rated. If you want something with more than just a residential security rating for burglary, you are going to have to shell out big bucks!!!!

12. Personal opinion but dont by anything made by Stack On for a gun safe

14. Consider the cost of having the safe moved to your place. I can give you the name of a guy.

15. Make sure wherever you put it that your floor can support it. With sub 1000, your only going to get a 600-700lb safe max so you should be fine

16. Did you notice there was no 13?

17. For documents, just buy a smaller sentry fireproof safe and put it inside the gun safe you get.

18. You just looked for thirteen to make sure.

Edited December 17, 2011 by flounder

[chevysoldier]

#18 should be 17 instead. lol

[scottb]

Definately get one larger then you think you will need. They tend to fill up fast.

I am not sure about any of the electronic lock safes, I prefer the actual "spin-knob" type. No batteries to replace.

[Carwhore]

Ive done allot of research and here are my findings.

1. Spend more then you want to and buy larger then you think you will ever fill.

2. Buy the heaviest one you can find.. 3 guys can easily walk away with a 600lb safe

2. Whatever you get, make sure you bolt it to the floor. Almost any sub $1000 gun safe will be able to be gotten into in less than 5-10 min if they can knock it over on its back and start prying at the door.

3. If you have a dry basement, locate your safe there as it will be the coolest place in a fire and theives will be less likely to try and carry it out of the basement.

4. Do not store your power tools in the same area as your safe. Many times the theives will use your own tools to gain access to the safe or knock it over.

5. Highly consider the location you put it as temperature swings will cause excess humidity. Putting a goldenrod, desicant, or battery powdered dehumidifier in the safe is a smart idea

6. Buy a safe which is pre drilled with holes for mounting

7. Buy one that is already setup for electrical on the inside for a golden rod, lights or dehumidifier.

8. Consider how you will light your safe.

9. Fire ratings on 90% of gun safes (and the ones in your price range) are based on the number of layers of fireboard in the safe.

10. Get insurance for your guns/rifles. Safes are just a time deterrent and fire time bonus unless you start spending in the 3-4K+ range.

11. Safes are fire rated and burglary rated. If you want something with more than just a residential security rating for burglary, you are going to have to shell out big bucks!!!!

12. Personal opinion but dont by anything made by Stack On for a gun safe

14. Consider the cost of having the safe moved to your place. I can give you the name of a guy.

15. Make sure wherever you put it that your floor can support it. With sub 1000, your only going to get a 600-700lb safe max so you should be fine

16. Did you notice there was no 13?

17. For documents, just buy a smaller sentry fireproof safe and put it inside the gun safe you get.

18. You just looked for thirteen to make sure.

/thread

[Carwhore]

i bought a 56 gun safe. I will eventually fill it but no where near that right now. The big thing is if you use the shelving for documents, ammo, etc you can use up a ton of space fast.

look for a high fireproof rating. my safe is rated at 90mins for 1400*

My safe if a heritage safe which was purchased from Ohio Valley. I strongly recommend those guys. And myself, my brother, my buddy and tbuttera with two dollies it was a huge pain in the ass to move and almost not possible.

[Beegreenstrings]

Honestly, we now have two, largely due to what flounder states. should have bought bigger.

Depending on how manyguns you actually have. The safe we looked at over at TSC from winchester, is a nice safe. Not as large as I would have like but the internal features were nice.

I have a buddy that is a liberty dealer, if you might need any info one of those...

[speedytriple]

I have been checking out this guys safes he custom makes them and they weigh a ton use metal that is twice as thick as most and are fire rated for 1500 degrees for 90 mins. He also does custom layout to how you want it set up and his prices are very fair.

Sawmill safe co. 440-327-8812. it is in North Ridgeville. And he delivers for a fee.

[crb]

I have a stack on "safe" but I don't use it as a safe, I use it to keep little hands off my guns. I chose to spend the bigger bucks on a whole house alarm instead of a safe.

[The King]

Buckeye Outdoor in Heath.....Liberty Centurion....or you can buy mine..

[speedytriple]

^specs? I am in the market also.LOL

[flounder]

The Liberty Centurions are 30 min if memory serves me. Gander sells a Liberty build specifically for them which is the Timber Ridge I believe. Pretty close to the straight Liberty Franklin series. You can get a Liberty Fat Boy 64 for right around 1100-1200 if you catch one on sale.

[vf1000ride]

I have one of the Gander mountain Timber Ridge branded Liberty safes. It's based on the Colonial 23 series. Mine is the 45 minute rated 80,000BTU safe. Comes with the floor predrilled for anchors and the back wall has the pass-through in it for electrical wiring. It's rated as 565lbs empty so it is a little lighter than some options but it is anchored into the floor with 4 very big fasteners. It's rated at 25 long guns but it does truly start to get crowded before that point. I have 14 in it and you have to be very careful to keep from rubbing them together getting guns in and out. New they list for roughly $1300, I got mine as a two year old floor demo model for $850 plus delivery.

[The King]

FYI, I have all my long guns in gun socks so they can rub together without scratching....well worth it IMO..

[MidgetTodd]

I have a stack on "safe" but I don't use it as a safe, I use it to keep little hands off my guns. I chose to spend the bigger bucks on a whole house alarm instead of a safe.

I could kick in your front door, find all your guns, throw them in my truck and leave before the alarm company got the police there and your neighbors wouldnt do a thing to try and stop me because I have guns in my hand and they dont want to be involved.

Get a safe before the alarm.

[crb]

I could kick in your front door, find all your guns, throw them in my truck and leave before the alarm company got the police there and your neighbors wouldnt do a thing to try and stop me because I have guns in my hand and they dont want to be involved.

Get a safe before the alarm.

I live a 1/2 mile from the police department firstly. Secondly if you steal them, they are insured so Allstate will write me a check the next time in the mean time I would replace at least one to protect my house. I don't own any firearms that I couldn't stand to lose. I did a lot of research into safes and I learned I would have to spend $4,500 or more to get a safe that met my requirements, I just couldnt see spending $4500 on a safe that could buy firearms, ammo, and accessories. I will probably will get a real safe down the road for now I don't have one. You also wont get many guns out of the house before the cops arrive because they are spread out through the house and you would have to find them.

[flounder]

I live a 1/2 mile from the police department firstly. Secondly if you steal them, they are insured so Allstate will write me a check the next time in the mean time I would replace at least one to protect my house. I don't own any firearms that I couldn't stand to lose. I did a lot of research into safes and I learned I would have to spend $4,500 or more to get a safe that met my requirements, I just couldnt see spending $4500 on a safe that could buy firearms, ammo, and accessories. I will probably will get a real safe down the road for now I don't have one. You also wont get many guns out of the house before the cops arrive because they are spread out through the house and you would have to find them.

Like I said earlier, Safes are just a time deterrent. What where your so called "requirements"?

Also, most standard home owners policies have something like a 5-7k limit for firearms with a $2,500 max for an individual firearm. Now when you get in to coverages above that you'll probably be paying about $500 a year depending on what you need covered.

[crb]

Like I said earlier, Safes are just a time deterrent. What where your so called "requirements"?

Also, most standard home owners policies have something like a 5-7k limit for firearms with a $2,500 max for an individual firearm. Now when you get in to coverages above that you'll probably be paying about $500 a year depending on what you need covered.

I have a rider on my home owner's policy and it doesnt run me $500 a year. I was looking for a very long fire time, very heavy, large capacity, plenty of bolts, thicker side walls, predrilled for mounting, and a few other things. Basically I was wanting a good safe probably more of a commercial safe and not a standard homeowner style.

Locks and safe only keep honest people honest, if somebody wants it, they will get it!

[MidgetTodd]

I live a 1/2 mile from the police department firstly. .

Thats about how far I am too. They are never around when you need them, you have better luck being 1/2 mile from Krispy Kreme.

[flounder]

I have a rider on my home owner's policy and it doesnt run me $500 a year. I was looking for a very long fire time, very heavy, large capacity, plenty of bolts, thicker side walls, predrilled for mounting, and a few other things. Basically I was wanting a good safe probably more of a commercial safe and not a standard homeowner style.

Locks and safe only keep honest people honest, if somebody wants it, they will get it!

Very true. Smart move on the rider for the ho policy. Sounds like you got a better deal then what I was quoted for the extra policy.

[Beegreenstrings]

I had to actually go away from the rider and pick up separate policy to cover everything. Standard policy only covers up to 1,000.00 which wont even cover my berreta. Went to a separate policy. Kind of policing shit. But it covers the gun in its entirety as long as the serial number is on file and that is fine for me on the Over unders and the standard rifles and handguns. On everything else... hmmm... yeah!

[crb]

I had to actually go away from the rider and pick up separate policy to cover everything. Standard policy only covers up to 1,000.00 which wont even cover my berreta. Went to a separate policy. Kind of policing shit. But it covers the gun in its entirety as long as the serial number is on file and that is fine for me on the Over unders and the standard rifles and handguns. On everything else... hmmm... yeah!

A"rider" is beyond the standard and can be as much as you want I believe. The "rider" is a seperate policy basically, hell I am not even sure why its called a rider other than maybe it gets paid with my homeowners. You can add riders for lots of things, I used to have one to cover computer equipment. Now when I was with state farm it was a totally seperate policy. Homeowners policies or renters even need to be read they have limits on things like sporting goods, jewelry, etc.