How effective are gun safes

[MikeinnLA]

big enough for me to stand up inside of.

For God's sake, don't ever let the door shut behind you. Yikes!

[pat038536]

I'm thinking on buying a safe myself.. any recommendations, places to avoid..etc?

TDS in Loomis recommended ColdSteelSafe cause they did their setup.

[Bad-mofo]

Ok... Just to put things in perspective I only have one rifle and two handguns now. Though special for me, all three are absolutely ordinary as far as black market value goes with the Buckmark .22 probably being 100% useless in the criminal world. Sure, they'll sell it to Mexican cartels. I'm planning to get another rifle when the funds allow and that'd be it for a while. Is it worth a $1000+ safe?

I don't know how professional gun thieves get their info (assuming you don't brag about your collection), but if it's DROS or any other database there are many people in line before me with larger collections. While I'm on the topic it's scary how many places require your address: primarily shooting ranges. Plus it can be obtained by your car license plate. Not officially of course, but I'm sure criminals know. Am I being too paranoid?

So I'm only concerned with amateur theft. If they can quickly break into the safe they'll sure take the guns being a hot commodity on the black market. But if it's too much hassle for them to open the safe they'll take whatever is lying around: jewelry, electronics, notebooks, bicycles. And yes, I have a small "jewelry" safe in plain view, so they won't leave empty-handed. I'm just wondering what common thief safe-cracking skills are.

[professorhard]

booby trap it

[eccvets]

just get insurnace and buy a new set of guns. So what if someone steals your guns, you can just buy brand new ones! Seriously, just call the cops and report your guns stolen (no your not gonna be responsible or anyone getting shot with your guns if they were stolen!); then call insurnace company, they write you a check for whatever you lost and bingo, your back to square one!

As for those with the mega safes, 2 words for you... Thermic Lance! I'll get thru your biggest safes in just a few minuets if not less! If that doesn't work or I can't afford one and I really want in to that safe, me and my 5 buddies will just take you hostage or one of your loved ones and make you open the safe for me! It really isn't that hard or complicated. Bottom line is why stress about something you really have no control over? Just buy insurnace!

[eccvets]

You have to think about security as a layered thing. The harder it is for a thief, the less likely he is to come visit you.

The safe is the last barrier.

Hahahahaha your kidding me right? If a thief wants something from you, there isn't a thing in the world you can do to stop him! Personnaly if I was a theif, I'd be more inclinded to come and pay you a visit knowing that you actually have something to protect! Why in the hell would I wanna steal from someone which has nothing compared to someone which has a big safe with goodies inside?

If you need the peace of mind to sleep at night and a safe will give that to you, then that is a good reason to buy it but if you think a safe will actually keep your **** safe, think again. Oh yeah, if your afraid of a fire, then buying a fire resistant safe to give you peace of mind is also a good investment.

[Travis8128]

the theives would have to find my safe first

[deleted by PC police]

I'm thinking on buying a safe myself.. any recommendations, places to avoid..etc?

TDS in Loomis recommended ColdSteelSafe cause they did their setup.

I got mine from cold steel in roseville, Cool people, I just wish they had been more helpfull when my lock crapped out.

[RANGER295]

For God's sake, don't ever let the door shut behind you. Yikes!

[B Strong]

I had two rifles stolen 10 years ago and while I'm mostly to blame for being careless about gun safes and security alarms, I still tend to think a conventional gun safe only makes it marginally harder for a professional thief. There's no doubt such professional broke into my house and it was later confirmed by all police officers who inspected the scene. You're going to hate me for this remark, but I was impressed myself. As much as we hate thieves, it's just another line of work, and some people are experts.

I do have both the safe and home security now, but have been thinking of getting a better safe. Anyone has a successful (for you, not the thief) theft/burglary story about their safe? I tend to think the alarm would suffice, as the Sheriff's station is around the corner, but what do I know about professional thieves. Anyone tried to open (or just take) your safe and failed? And if they did, what are the chances those people would break into your house again with the proper tools?

Pros are few and far between, and they don't waste time on residential burglaries.

The typical burglar is a dope fiend looking for a quick score, whatever is easiest to carry away without arousing suspicion.

If your safe is too big for two skinny meth heads to carry away, you're good to go.

[Swiss]

just get insurnace and buy a new set of guns. So what if someone steals your guns, you can just buy brand new ones! Seriously, just call the cops and report your guns stolen (no your not gonna be responsible or anyone getting shot with your guns if they were stolen!); then call insurnace company, they write you a check for whatever you lost and bingo, your back to square one! (snip)

Another reason to buy a safe, or secure your firearms in some other way, is to avoid having them wind up on the streets and used in homicides. From your post I sense you don't give a d*mn about that, but you need to realize that it's a big problem.

[eccvets]

Another reason to buy a safe, or secure your firearms in some other way, is to avoid having them wind up on the streets and used in homicides. From your post I sense you don't give a d*mn about that, but you need to realize that it's a big problem.

who the F gives a S if they end up on the street? are you telling me there arnt thousands of gun already out on the street? Your right, i dont give a d*mn about it because one way or another, gang bangers are gonna get their guns. Buying a safe does not change it one bit! Why spend good money and worry about stuff you can't change or make a different in?

[ThatFishGuy]

Alright i dont mean to break up this little fight, but i have some info that might help, at least with one aspect of safes. I know alot of people here get quality safes for all the right reasons, to guard all sorts of valuables, not just firearms. my family did the same. I dont know exactly which brand/model we had but this thing was intense. the safe measured about 5' tall by maybe 2' wide and deep. it weighed a s***-ton and the walls were almost 3" thick, had 7 cross locking bolts, and was insulated to "fire proof" for several hrs at i forget what temp rating. (guessing several hundred degrees).

Heres the FACT: when a real house fire is raging....its not only a few hundred degrees...internal temps can hit 1000+ we had a fire and keep in mind it was limited to only about 3 rooms (actual flames) though the entire house was destroyed. all firearms were corroded, some beyond repair, along with just about everything else inside. before leaving for school i had intentionally gone through and detail cleaned + lubed every one of them. didnt help one bit. if there is something you really NEED, make copies if you can (and store in another location) or dont store in your house. thank god we had insurance, many irreplaceable things were lost, including some guns, but at least we could replace most. Im sure there's some safes that could withstand this out there....but im betting most of yours wont. here's your eye-opener:

[Jonathan Doe]

I have a Fort Knox safe that has 6 1" bolts on the sides, 1 on top and 1 on bottom and 1 on each corner for the total of 18 1" bolts and 3/8" thick door, 800 lbs empty. I feel pretty safe with it. It is fire proof for 1 hour also.

[Swiss]

who the F gives a S if they end up on the street? are you telling me there arnt thousands of gun already out on the street? Your right, i dont give a d*mn about it because one way or another, gang bangers are gonna get their guns. Buying a safe does not change it one bit! Why spend good money and worry about stuff you can't change or make a different in?

You're a poster child for the Brady bunch and don't even realize it. Of course there are other ways for thugs to obtain guns, but locking up what you don't need for personal defense is one way to limit what they get their hands on. If gun owners don't give a d*mn about how guns get on our streets then the criticism from the left will be richly deserved. How about you put your selfish attitude aside for a sec and consider what's best for the all gun owners?