If1HitU
Member
I have two Field & Stream combination lock safe's for my gun's.But I really have them mostly because I need them and my grand kids are into everything. Better to be safe than sorry!
Gun safe questions
- Thread starter Hokie_PhD
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earlthegoat2
Member
I have a safe more as a storage solution than a security device. It will make the bad guys have to try harder but let’s face it, if and when they get inside, they are going to be pretty disappointed at what they find.
TheSquire
Member
Both my two safes are second hand and are much better quality than I could have afforded if I had bought them new.
Reloadron
Contributing Member
That's a good option, you may be able to find a slightly used good container for a lesser price.
Ron
Back when the girls were toddlers I bought a cheaper safe for the reason of locking up the guns to keep the kids honest. Over the years I've now outgrown it, and am looking for either a larger or another safe. To your point I think they are worth it if you just want to keep them out of harms way and away from the normal smash and grab thief. As already said if you have many thousands worth protecting it might be a good idea to invest in something more.
I know a guy that had a good safe with a few dozen rifles and other assorted firearms inside bolted to the cement floor and wall. It was in the basement which has a walkout on the back of the house. The thieves pulled the safe out of the floor/wall through the walkout door with their truck. They must have known what they were looking for and there must have been a few guys but the point is nothing is positively going to stop everyone.
-Jeff
I know a guy that had a good safe with a few dozen rifles and other assorted firearms inside bolted to the cement floor and wall. It was in the basement which has a walkout on the back of the house. The thieves pulled the safe out of the floor/wall through the walkout door with their truck. They must have known what they were looking for and there must have been a few guys but the point is nothing is positively going to stop everyone.
-Jeff
Reloadron
Contributing Member
When we put my safe in we had to open the front of the house a little to get it in. It's bolted to the concrete deck. So while it's possible it won't be easy and I figure a neighbor will notice someone removing a section of the front of the house.
Yes, if they want it, they will get it. In your example it sounds like they knew what they wanted and how to get it out.Ron
Darkhorse
Member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2006
- Messages
- 87
Consider locking your acetylene torches in your safe, if you have them. Might slow them down a bit.
leatherman-US
Member
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2018
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- 5
I had the pleasure in selling gun safes. Cheap is NOT the way to go,,,no matter what. One customer told me he had 7 rifles stolen from his very nice house,,I asked what safe he had - reply,,,they was " hidden". Best advice is this : store them with a trusted friend etc, or until the money has been saved up.
A cheap safe is cheap and false " security " Quality cost money. My safe is very hardy, and I always feel secure.
Thank you,
Henry
A cheap safe is cheap and false " security " Quality cost money. My safe is very hardy, and I always feel secure.
Thank you,
Henry
With the exception of one rifle, every gun I own could be replaced tomorrow with a near equivalent, so rather than invest a lot of money in a safe, I opted for a "defense in depth". This involved adding a rider to my homeowner's insurance to cover the replacement cost of my guns (about $12 a year), adding a security system (protects more than just the guns), adding additional lighting, reinforcing the door frames and using ANSI Grade-2 (or better) locks rather than the common Grade-3, Placing my storage container in a non-obvious place in a closet, securing it to the structure of the house, and then adding a couple of readily-pawnable IBM Thinkpad computers (purchased off eBay) to attract the casual thief with something easier to pawn than a gun.
slumlord44
Member
I have a used safe and several security cabinets. All are bolted to the wall, floor, and each other. A pro can easily get into the best safe. Most home burglers are not pro's. They are in and out in a short period of time. Not loosing any sleep over it. The cabinets will stop the average home burgler.
I bought one of the stack on security cabinets, didn't have much money at the time and spent about $120 on the cabinet. I had it bolted to the wall in the bedroom closet. I was broken into, they knew what they were looking for...used my tools to rip the cabinet off the wall and pry the door open. This was an apartment, and I learned some valuable lessons,
1. A sheet metal cabinet is not a safe
2. A safe needs to be bolted down
3. It does not pay to advertise-
I live in a much better neighborhood than I did in those days, but I still dont carry guns out of the house in gun cases. I use a soft guitar bag for long guns and Husky tool bag for pistols. I bought a Liberty safe, the display model from Lowe's, for about $350. Also, I keep firearm related stuff off social media, present company excluded.
1. A sheet metal cabinet is not a safe
2. A safe needs to be bolted down
3. It does not pay to advertise-
I live in a much better neighborhood than I did in those days, but I still dont carry guns out of the house in gun cases. I use a soft guitar bag for long guns and Husky tool bag for pistols. I bought a Liberty safe, the display model from Lowe's, for about $350. Also, I keep firearm related stuff off social media, present company excluded.
Inexpensive safes by themselves are a waste of money. They're Residential Security Containers and you can do as well by putting a deadbolt onto a shallow closet door.
GunnyUSMC
Member
Have y’all seen this?
Lots of videos about people "breaking into" cheap, and even not to cheap, gun safes, but I still say something is better than nothing. Whether it is a cheap gun "safe", a locking steel cabinet like a Job Box, it will deter/stop some thieves vs your guns laying around, or stuck in a drawer, or in a glass "show off" cabinet, or "hidden" in the back closet.
Sure, it isn't great protection, but it is something. I hear far more stories of people having their guns stolen who had no protection than those who had them locked up in something.
You owe it to yourself and other law abiding people out there to invest some time and money into locking up your guns. The layered approach is great, and should be taken even if you have a TL-30 safe and no tools in the house.
My gun safe saved me.
They smashed the door with its heavy locks and long screws, they searched through everything in the house, they stole my TV, my battery drill set in a case, and a shotgun I had neglected to lock up. For whatever reason they walked right by the tablet, laptop, etc that were intended as easy pickings for the smash and grab crowd. They broke their screwdriver tip off on my safe door. (I enjoyed that a little bit.)
Have 3K of guns and don't want to spend 2K to protect a growing collection, but will buy another 2K of guns in the next couple of years? Now you have 5K of guns and no protection? At what time/price point are you going to invest in some decent protection?
I bought a cheap gun "safe" early on, then upgraded to a little better, then to better still when the guns were worth close to 10K (Top/replacement price, not pawn shop price). Which isn't a lot of guns these days. 5 rifles with scopes, 5 handguns, and your getting pretty close already. I have a handful of rifles, a couple of nice ones, a handful of pistols, and a couple of shotguns, and I would be neglectful if I did not have them locked up with a reasonable amount of protection. IMHO, you owe it not only to yourself, but the community, to have them secured in some way.
I have heard way too many people tell me about how their guns were stolen and it is always the same thing, the guns were not secured.
Get something, layer your protection.
Sure, it isn't great protection, but it is something. I hear far more stories of people having their guns stolen who had no protection than those who had them locked up in something.
You owe it to yourself and other law abiding people out there to invest some time and money into locking up your guns. The layered approach is great, and should be taken even if you have a TL-30 safe and no tools in the house.
My gun safe saved me.
They smashed the door with its heavy locks and long screws, they searched through everything in the house, they stole my TV, my battery drill set in a case, and a shotgun I had neglected to lock up. For whatever reason they walked right by the tablet, laptop, etc that were intended as easy pickings for the smash and grab crowd. They broke their screwdriver tip off on my safe door. (I enjoyed that a little bit.)
Have 3K of guns and don't want to spend 2K to protect a growing collection, but will buy another 2K of guns in the next couple of years? Now you have 5K of guns and no protection? At what time/price point are you going to invest in some decent protection?
I bought a cheap gun "safe" early on, then upgraded to a little better, then to better still when the guns were worth close to 10K (Top/replacement price, not pawn shop price). Which isn't a lot of guns these days. 5 rifles with scopes, 5 handguns, and your getting pretty close already. I have a handful of rifles, a couple of nice ones, a handful of pistols, and a couple of shotguns, and I would be neglectful if I did not have them locked up with a reasonable amount of protection. IMHO, you owe it not only to yourself, but the community, to have them secured in some way.
I have heard way too many people tell me about how their guns were stolen and it is always the same thing, the guns were not secured.
Get something, layer your protection.
kmw1954
Member
Slight different take as I have only pistols in the house. This started because the wife and I wanted a quick access pistol lock box to keep next to the bed basically to keep the small grandkids out. It will act as a deterrent for most break-ins but I doubt it would stop a real criminal that knew what they were doing. At the same time I found an old 2 drawer metal filing cabinet with locks that is larger enough that I can put each of out pistol range bags into and can lock them up. I again figure this leaved them out of sight out of mind a break-in thief won't know what is in a file cabinet.
Trunk Monkey
member
You need to read the post right before yours
Reloadron
Contributing Member
Another note on a "Gun Safe". While the large safe serves as home to the majority of my more expensive guns it does much, much more. It also is home to many important documents like the deed to the property, birth certificates, passports. Additionally jewelry and assorted valuables. My wife has a jewelry collection which likely can rival my guns. So a gun safe can serve as much more than a secure location for guns looking ahead and down the road. The original poster is just looking for a relatively secure location for some guns but looking ahead, maybe years ahead, that can all change.
Ron
Ron
Sav .250
Member
If it will do what you intend it for...………...buy.
HOWARD J
Member
I have a 1/4" steel safe BUT I have a burglar alarm system attached to a alarm co. that monitors the alarm.
As i am now home most of the time it is not necessary but at night it makes me feel better.
As i am now home most of the time it is not necessary but at night it makes me feel better.
Reloadron
Contributing Member
old lady new shooter
Member
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- Apr 26, 2015
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- 30,562
They are also offered from time to time at estate sales. estatesales.net will show you all the estate sales in whatever area you select.
old lady new shooter
Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2015
- Messages
- 30,562
If the state is California, the safe has to be on the DOJ approved list.
DeepSouth
Random Guy
It’s simple, buy the best and biggest safe you can afford and upgrade when/if your able.
Start where you are and buy something better than what you have, then do it again as soon as possible.
Start where you are and buy something better than what you have, then do it again as soon as possible.
If you are at home and they get the jump on you, no safe will hold up, they'll put a gun to you or your loved ones head and you will open it. Security needs to be layered for that reason as well.
I think you got all the good points - pointed out to you but the one left out is how long do plan staying put? If you have a job that moves you around a lot there are now bolt together safes that are easily taken down and put back together again. I'm retired so pretty much stay put but during my military years it was a pain in --- to move my gun safe every 3 to 4 years.
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