Here recently, I've begun shopping for a gun safe. I've read numerous buyers guides, looked at a bunch of different manufacturer web sites, and have found myself stuck. I tend to really analyze things, to the point that "I need a gun safe" has me picking contractors to build a steel and cement 'safe room' on the end of the house. Fortunately, I have a wife to administer a reality check before heavy equipment is pulling into the yard.
What do y'all think reasonable security is? Is having a good safe bolted to the wall studs good enough? Naturally, a safe bolted to a cement surface is better, but what about when the house doesn't sit on a cement pad? Is it an important enough issue to actually cut a section of wood floor and pour a cement base from ground level to floor level to put the safe on, or perhaps running threaded rods from inside the safe to steel bars that run beneath the floor joists of the house is an acceptable substitute?
For safe location, I've seen it recommended in multiple places to hide the safe, in a closet or behind a false wall. Naturally that's better than it being out in the open, but how many folks actually do it? If I were to try to find a safe appropriately sized to fit into one of my existing closets, that's going to significantly reduce the size and capacity I can find, to the point that the safe is either just big enough for what a currently own, or perhaps even too small now, which puts me right back at the beginning.
Then there's the safe itself. From what I've read, the thinnest metal I want is 10 gauge, and the safe should weigh at least 750 pounds. External hinges are okay, so long as the door has locking pins on all four sides; the more pins the better, but once you get more than 12 locking pins it doesn't make as much of a difference. A relocker is practically necessary, and considering my price range I would probably be well advised to stick to manual combination locks. The more I have to spend on a safe the better, but I'm limited to right around $1500.00 right now.
I know each situation is different, but I'm just looking for a bit of advice as I try to figure this out. Thanks!
What do y'all think reasonable security is? Is having a good safe bolted to the wall studs good enough? Naturally, a safe bolted to a cement surface is better, but what about when the house doesn't sit on a cement pad? Is it an important enough issue to actually cut a section of wood floor and pour a cement base from ground level to floor level to put the safe on, or perhaps running threaded rods from inside the safe to steel bars that run beneath the floor joists of the house is an acceptable substitute?
For safe location, I've seen it recommended in multiple places to hide the safe, in a closet or behind a false wall. Naturally that's better than it being out in the open, but how many folks actually do it? If I were to try to find a safe appropriately sized to fit into one of my existing closets, that's going to significantly reduce the size and capacity I can find, to the point that the safe is either just big enough for what a currently own, or perhaps even too small now, which puts me right back at the beginning.
Then there's the safe itself. From what I've read, the thinnest metal I want is 10 gauge, and the safe should weigh at least 750 pounds. External hinges are okay, so long as the door has locking pins on all four sides; the more pins the better, but once you get more than 12 locking pins it doesn't make as much of a difference. A relocker is practically necessary, and considering my price range I would probably be well advised to stick to manual combination locks. The more I have to spend on a safe the better, but I'm limited to right around $1500.00 right now.
I know each situation is different, but I'm just looking for a bit of advice as I try to figure this out. Thanks!