Gun Safes

[Grakken]

So I have been looking at them on the internet, went to a Liberty dealer here in SD. Anyone own one? Any brand? I am looking for feedback good or bad. I am leaning towards a 25 cubic foot one and must be at 650-750 pounds. Any insight into this would be very helpful. Thanks in advance.

So far from what I have read, I like Fort Knox and Liberty. Champion seems cool but I cant seem to find any real blurb on em.

[rips31]

this prob belongs in the safe section, but i'll bite. i like canon. best warranty out there. costco has some that sometimes goes on sale...very reasonable, too. my locksmith buddies also recommend canon.

[pnkssbtz]

Everyone I've talked to (1 locksmith buddy and some people in the OC sherrifs dept.) have said American Security.

Problem is, I have no clue what these safes cost. I see a lot of people claiming to get safes for price X, but price X is no where near any of the distributors are asking.

[Grakken]

Originally Posted by rips31

this prob belongs in the safe section, but i'll bite. i like canon. best warranty out there. costco has some that sometimes goes on sale...very reasonable, too. my locksmith buddies also recommend canon.

Damn, I am such a tool. didnt even see we had a safe section. My apologies!!!

[Matt C]

Originally Posted by Grakken

Damn, I am such a tool. didnt even see we had a safe section. My apologies!!!

If you look in there you will see what I posted about study safe. It's the only decent RSC you can get for under 1k.

[anyracoon]

I have had a Liberty for several years. Only problem is that it was to big when I bought it but now it is to small. Can hold all of my rifles, pistols & hand guns. I got one with a nice finish so my wife let me put it in my office in the house. Thinking of getting a large plain black one for the shop.

[DedEye]

Originally Posted by Grakken

Damn, I am such a tool. didnt even see we had a safe section. My apologies!!!

Not your fault. No one seems to post down there .

[mike100]

sturdy strongboxes come with a lot of steel for the money, but most people want shiny "safes". I'd like to have a 1" thick TL30 rated safe, but on the otherhand, this one is paid for and lives in the garage.

here's a 3627 model (36x27 inches)

[scootergmc]

Originally Posted by Blackwater OPS

If you look in there you will see what I posted about study safe. It's the only decent RSC you can get for under 1k.

+1. www.sturdysafe.com

I have a ceramic wool lined safe. No frills (optional $$)- all function. Give Terry a call. He's very helpful. It was worth the trip to Fresno. Mine definitely was not under 1k though....

example:

[SJshooter]

Search for safes at thefiringline forum and there are some very interesting threads there about the difference between a bonafide "safe" and a "RSC" which is what the Liberty safes are. In short: the steel sides on these could be hacked through with an axe in relatively short time. That said, my neighbors had a big ol' Liberty and it slowed down the bad guys long enough that someone came home before they got in. It was hacked up pretty bad, but they didn't fully get in and Liberty replaced it free.

If you are worried about snatch-and-grabs and don't think any sophisticated crook is going to target you, you are probably great with a Liberty (that is my situation and I am in the market to buy one). But if you have more serious valuable than guns and some papers and/or are worried about losing something to a criminal with more time and opportunity, you might want to think of a less-attractive but heavier gauge safe.

[Matt C]

Yes, you could hack through a Liberty or Sentry or Cannon with an ax, 12 ga steel is not much, about a .10 of an inch. 7 ga on the other hand, stands up to an ax quite well. Some safes are made for "looks" some are made for business. Personally I prefer the ones that look like they were made for business than the "pretty" ones from liberty et al.

[Satex]

Since you are in the San Diego area, Give Ron from El Cajon gun exchange a call and go down there to hear about safes and see a nice variety.

[phil conrad]

I would like to throw my 2 cents worth in here. I have been a locksmith for over 25 years. I feel that I have more knowledge than most in this area. I do not have a favorite brand. I am more intersted in the nuts and bolts of safes. In a nut shell you get what you pay for.
There are basically 2 things to worry about, They are fire and theft. The TL 15 and TL 30 safes offer excellent theft protection. Often they are not fire rated. The ideal safe will be both. The down side to these is usually a very high cost. Someone mentioned American security safes, This is the brand I have the most experience with. They are a real safe company. Some of the others are made by fabrication shops, I feel there is a difference.
What ever you buy bolt it down. If you can move it so can some one else.
In all of my years in the trade I have never seen a safe opened on site. Of course it can be done but this usually exceeds the skills of your typical home burglar.
On the other hand I have seen a few safes that were removed from the location.

[ramon]

Sturdy uses thicker steel and says it is higher quality steel. Fire proofing(resistance) is much more scientific with themal wool and fiberglass. Worth the trip to Fresno.

[ramon]

Check out Brown Safe Co. in San Diego or San Marcos. They make some real beauties. Check their website.

[ElKabong]

IMHO, if you have a UL RSC safe, consider getting an alarm system. The UL RSC rating means it can withstand five minutes of physical attack by the UL techs. If an alarm is blaring or summoning help there is less chance they'll have time to mess with your safe.

As Mr. Conrad said a TL15 or TL30 will give you more protection and they're a LOT heavier. The Amsec TL30 gun safe (one of my dream safes) weighs... (drum roll) 3,455 pounds! And costs... (drum roll) $8,700! *cough* Okay, so maybe after I win the lottery, move to Arizona and start buying Class III firearms.

P.S. That's $8,700 retail, I've seen substantially discounted prices but still way more $'s than makes sense for me right now. For one thing IMHO the safe shouldn't cost that many times more than the value of the contents.

[Satex]

Originally Posted by phil conrad

I would like to throw my 2 cents worth in here. I have been a locksmith for over 25 years. I feel that I have more knowledge than most in this area.
...
In all of my years in the trade I have never seen a safe opened on site. Of course it can be done but this usually exceeds the skills of your typical home burglar.
On the other hand I have seen a few safes that were removed from the location.

I love it when folks with experience respond. So, in your 25 years of experience:

1) How many safe jobs did you do?
2) How many safes did you have to break into because someone forgot the code?
3) How long does it take you to break into the safe?
4) Are there safes that are much more difficult for you to work on than others?
5) How many safes have you seen damaged in a home due to a break-in attempt?

[Librarian]

Originally Posted by ElKabong

As Mr. Conrad said a TL15 or TL30 will give you more protection and they're a LOT heavier. The Amsec TL30 gun safe (one of my dream safes) weighs... (drum roll) 3,455 pounds! And costs... (drum roll) $8,700! *cough* Okay, so maybe after I win the lottery, move to Arizona and start buying Class III firearms.

P.S. That's $8,700 retail, I've seen substantially discounted prices but still way more $'s than makes sense for me right now. For one thing IMHO the safe shouldn't cost that many times more than the value of the contents.

Buy more expensive stuff?

A couple of pistols can get you over $1K rather easily, and they don't take up all that much room.

Yes, AMSEC safes do get discounted, but still over $3K for the larger models, so you have to really want one, or believe you really need one.

[ElKabong]

If I were buying one now, I think I'd aim at something like the Amsec BF6040 which sells for around $2K+. It's a lot bigger than what I need, but IMHO it's better to get something with plenty of extra room because a stuffed safe is maddening and upgrading from the next size down would be a bit of a hassle. Plus other things have a way of ending up in it (blank checks, wrist watches, etc.).

But like I said if I was in AZ, had a lot of spare $'s and was buying Class III hardware (e.g. HK G3, etc.) then that TL30 would start making sense.

[ramon]

ElKabong and oters, If you periodical check with the big commercial safe dealers, not gun safe dealers, you can get great deals on used TL burglary and fire safes. A friend got a BIG TL 30 used at Security Safe in Hayward CA for less than half price of new. It is sweet and their delivery and professional installation 150 miles from their shop was cheaper than the Amsec dealer in his home town! Let the dealers know who you are and what you're looking for and they'll help you out. Ramon

[mike100]

I think I mentioned it before, but I took about a year of researching and looking for used deals and never even heard of Brown Safe which is darn near walking distance from my house.

They aren't really involved with the marketing of gun safes. I think they would rather cater to wealthier customers who have more than $4500 to spend. ..which is not a bad business plan. I'd buy a used one possibly.

then again my $1600 sturdy strongbox is totally fine..I had to take a few months to get used to the idea of spending more than $800..used safes sell fast.

[mprahm]

I just purchased an American Securities safe from "The Safe Outlet" in Temecula. I researched for about 6 months before buying. With out a doubt it is the best safe you can buy.

[Grakken]

Well I went to El Cajon Gun exchange, they had a informative video made by a gentlemen that works there. He really likes browning safes but they were a little out of my price range (2200 + delivery 300ish). I am awaiting a catalogue from Sturdy to come in the mail. How thick is 10gauge or 12 gauge steel? I think Sturdys are 7 or 8 gauge. Typical burglaries i beleive are smash and grabs. The gentlemen at El Cajon said that Amsec's are nowhere near burglar/fire proof as the Brownings but it is hard to beat amsec pricepoint (they have both for sale). I do like how browning designed the door locker thing-a-ma-jig.
Does anyone have a Amsec BF6030? How much did you pay for it? The video they made sort of made Liberty/Remington safes look weaksauce. So any other places that have a decent amount of safes to peruse in San Diego? Also seen on Craigslist someone is San Marcos who says he has a showrrom with TL-30 style safes for under 2K (used). Has anyone dealt with him or been to his location?