The truth about gun safes

[WNYBuckHunter]

Ive started looking around for a new safe, which i plan on buying sometime in the near future, and have always been confused about why some cost more, what certain things mean, etc etc. i ran across this on another forum and figured it would be something good to post here. I learned a lot from it.

[fasteddie]

That's a long video but quite educational ......

[Phillygunns]

Great video on a topic seldom spoke about.

[2GRIT]

Great info. Just like with anything, you get what you pay for

[ny hunter]

WOW great video very interesting.Thanks

[Lawdwaz]

Nice video.  A bit of an advertisment for Fort Knox but thats OK.  Theft is always a big concern but your more likely to have a fire than a burglary, IMO.

A friend works in the construction/fire repair industry and saw a safe that had been through a fire a few weeks ago.  It had an electronic lock and it was toast.  They hired a locksmith to crack it open.  It took 3 hours IIRC to drill out the beast.  Everything inside was chicken chow mein.........

The heavy smoke got past the seals and ruined everything.  Heat damage was eveident also.

What does a fire rating really mean?  Will the contents be fine after 30 minutes in a 1200 degree fire?  I highly doubt it.

If I had any guns, I'd by a safe to protect from burglary and snooping kids.  As far as fire or water damage goes, good luck.

Edited March 5, 2012 by Lawdwaz

[Nomad]

I did not watch the video yet. I'll address the fire ratings though. I worked at the worlds first and still largest maker of fire safes for 9 years, the next 22 as a firefighter....

Fire ratings to mean anything need to be U.L. listed period. Those with them mean A LOT. U.L. stakes their reputations on them and they work very well. There are many ratings 1/2 hour, hour so forth. Some are heated,dropped 20 feet like if they fell a couple floors into a basement,re heated and the papers and such inside must be undamaged. We got letters all the time from folks who lost everything but the papers and such inside the firesafes.

If a company sells fire safes with there own 'rating" and not U.L.'s there is a good reason for that, they won't pass U.L.'s .

There are 2 main types of safes, fire safes and RSC(residential security containers) one for fires one for theft....sometimes combined all should have ratings if you want to trust them. Also keeping them out of sight and installed correctly goes along way...

As for gun safes. years back its was a cheap $100 locker type or a expensive high dollar one. marketing studies showed most gun owners had a few guns whose totel value was LESS then the good gun safes cost, so they did without.

This brought about the mid price point ones of today ,and they took off big time. Then some started making cheap ones that looked as good.... this forced some makers to join the race to the bottom, because Joe 6pack kept wanting cheaper.

As was already said, you get what you pay for. For keeping young kids away from guns or a smash and grab burgler most cheaper ones will work. Would I put thousands of dollars worth of things in a $500 safe? No way Jose.

OH and buy BIGGER then you think you'll need.Its kinda like tents "sleeps 6" means 4 at best.... then you'll always buy more guns and stuff anyways,so buy BIG.

Edited March 18, 2012 by Larry302

[bkln]

Dang, 10 Grand for a safe, No Thank You.....

[Nomad]

But there are plenty of well off folks who will, I know more then one who's watch cost that much . Some not all that well off too, I work with a guy( I'm a firefighter) who has one rifle alone that cost 10k,he built a vault in the basement of his new house.

10K IS a lot if your young and just starting off, with little to go in it yes. Send two kids through college till they get Masters degrees, and your view on costs change...

[WNYBuckHunter]

Ive been looking around and will most likely be getting a Liberty Lincoln. Great features and fire rating for the cost. Solid steel door, solid welds with an 11ga body. The only add on im thinking of is a backup manual lock if they offer one.

[hunter]

I saw a show that advised against putting safes in basements. Much more likely to flood, either natural causes like rain or ground water. Then you have plumbing leaks and water from fire dept. if you have a fire acculmulating down there. Great video WNY thanks.

[Setters4life]

Informative. Thanks for posting.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Itemize and document and make sure the content value of your Home Owners Insurance is up to par. I have quite a few guns but I don't think enough to cover the cost of a 10 grand safe. I cna't see spending it for me. I went the stack-on route. more to keep unwanted hands off them

[WNYBuckHunter]

Culver, the Liberty safes arent that bad. The one I am looking at is @ 2500 and has most of the features of the safes in that video.

[Single_shot]

Itemize and document and make sure the content value of your Home Owners Insurance is up to par. I have quite a few guns but I don't think enough to cover the cost of a 10 grand safe. I cna't see spending it for me. I went the stack-on route. more to keep unwanted hands off them

Same here....buy what I can,with the money I have. Not too concerned with fire as much as some young punk idiot trying to pull my safe from the floor. Took 3 BIG MEN to put it there. Aside from that,I have insurance.

EDIT: thanks for posting,good info there.

Edited March 21, 2012 by Single_shot

[jusputtn]

I have a cheap Stack-On to keep the kids safe and I carry the ArmsCare Plus insurance that's endorsed by the NRA. A few of my guns have a little setimental value but nothing I wouldn't get over.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I also plan on using the safe for more than just guns. All of my important papers, computer backups and other valuables will be stored in there. My cheap steel cabinet will get some shelves and become ammo storage.