Best Gun Safe Solution for Me

[Kirk_Ferentz]

I've done my research but I think that I'm at the point where I need some pretty specific advice. I'm in LA and want to get a good gun safe into my (rented) home for the best price. If you can speak on any of the below things, let me know (I numbered them to make it easy). Thanks in advance.

1. I want to get one that is big enough that only a very determined burglar would want to try to take it but not any bigger. As a renter, I will be moving, and I will likely have to pay to have it moved. I don't want it to become a huge liability that is going to cost me more money moving around than it saves me by protecting my stuff.

From what I have seen, the 700 lbs. weight range is probably what I want. What are your experiences? Is that enough to make it very difficult to get out of the home (that is, you can't throw it on a truck cart or something similar and waltz out with two dudes or something). I will bolt it down to the floor and probably the wall.

2. For quality, I don't want to spend $5K on a safe for items that probably aren't worth that much more than that. I'm trying to stay in the $1500 range (including delivery costs). I know that this means that I won't have the greatest Fort Knox model -- maybe later when I am in a home I own. Right now, I am tending towards Amsec and Liberty. I see a lot of used Cannons -- haven't been able to get an opinon on these. I know Costco sells safes for a good price, but quality may be less. Thoughts?

3. I'm trying to factor in delivery costs. Sounds like you can get a good deal with Costco, at least delivery to your door. I see there are some movers in the area who would be able to delivery and get it to where it needs to be in the house, so that would work if I bought one off craigslist or something. I'm not sure if I could do it myself with a friend and a moving apparatus (like I said, I don't want to be able to just wheel it around with a basic truck cart) -- I've never tried to lift/move anything like a safe.

4. I want to get it relatively quickly, let's say within a month at latest. Buying used has that advantage -- I can get it right away.

[paul0660]

I've never tried to lift/move anything like a safe.

Or, I would guess, anything that weighs 700lb. Remember you can usually take the door off and save 100 lb+ while moving.

Anything is better than nothing. If you see a second story installation in your future, take that into consideration. Stairs suck.

[Casual_Shooter]

Pick one up from Costco etc. Decent safes at decent prices (in your range).

Alternately, contact Sturdy Safe. Depending on size, they may have one that fits your needs.

I also just thought of Dean's Safe. They have a good reputation and I think they are in your area.

Determined people will get into/ take anything. For the other 99% of the time, most of the current safes are fine. Install it with the idea that someone might try to take it. In my case, I bought a safe that would only fit through the doorway if I took the moulding off. After it was installed, I put the moulding back on so now it won't fit through the opening.

[winston1911]

Try homeland gun safes in poco Rivera. I bought from them before and they will make cash offer including delivery.

You can also see the safe being made. Also they can customize it any way you like.

[winston1911]

Sorry, that is PICO Rivera. Right off 605

[Laythor]

you could also look into having more then one. You could get a smaller main safe and then something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o06_s00_i00

I bought this to keep two guns in the bedroom closet so at night it's a simple matter of taking one out and putting it in the bedside table. In the morning I put it back, it's become a very easy to follow habit .

just a thought so you wouldn't have to worry so much about moving one large heavy safe.

[paul0660]

I bought a safe that would only fit through the doorway if I took the moulding off. After it was installed, I put the moulding back on so now it won't fit through the opening.
__________________

Me too!

[bubbagump]

Sportsman Steel in Long Beach

[Predaxian]

You'll get a lot of different advice on this. I've been through a few safes myself, and here is my point of view:

1. Buy the largest safe you can afford
Safes hold less than you think, so buy your second safe, first and save yourself some money in the long run.

2. Make sure it's securely bolted to the floor
Weight is a good deterrent against someone taking it, but even a 300-lb. safe is near impossible to pick up and take if it has been properly installed.

3. Security in layers
Even a commercial grade safe can be defeated fairly quickly. A true high-security safe (not a residential security container, or RSC, like most gun "safes" under $3K) has a rating of TL15 or TL30, which means it is designed to withstand an attack by tools for 15 or 30 minutes. A 21 cu. ft. TL15 weighs about 3,000 lbs. vs. around 600 lbs. for a comparable size RSC. That explains why some RSCs can be opened in as little as 5 minutes - they're built with much thinner steel, especially in the body. So if you have something worth putting in a safe, you should probably also have an alarm system, and definitely a firearms insurance rider with scheduled coverage.

As for Costco's offerings, I just bought one myself. I wanted something big and heavy, but I realized that realistically, there is no such thing as a burglar proof safe at any price -- and especially not in my sub-$1000 target price range. I bought a 780-lb. safe that measures 6' high, 3' wide, 2' deep for $978 with garage delivery and tax (Bighorn Classic 36ECB). 11 days from order to delivery, and I'm very happy with it.

As far as getting it from my garage into a back bedroom, that involved about 75 feet of movement outside, up 8 stairs, and then down a long interior hallway. I hired a professional safe mover for the job, who was equipped with a stair climbing dolly and other tools of the trade. After seeing it done, I wouldn't attempt it with an appliance dolly and even a couple strong friends. It's just too easy for the load to get away from you while it's balanced on the dolly, and a falling object of this size and weight can easily maim or kill someone standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. It cost me $200, but YMMV depending on how much distance and whether any stairs are involved.

[HighLander51]

Never put your safe in the garage, once access is gained the bad guys have tons of time to work on it. Mine is bolted to the floor and wall inside a closet, then I framed around that and then replaced the closet door with a steel exterior entry door. I also have 50K of scheduled firearms insurance.

[B. Wong]

Have you looked into modular safes? If frequent moving is an issue modular may be the way to go. Look up Snap safe, Dakota interlock XP, and Zanotti armor. I plan on getting a Dakota Interlock once I have some funds, but if you want something large Zanotti may be your best bet.

[Kirk_Ferentz]

A modular safe would be great if it provides the sort of security that the welded variety provides. It looks like Zanotti offers safes up to 800 lbs, but I guess that doesn't mean much if you can get it apart. Does anyone have any opinions on that?

To give a little more info., my current set up is a small one-floor home that has a pretty straight shot to the back bedroom areas, where I would want to put the safe. The door is a little wider than many front doors. Taking off molding, etc. is not really an option since I am renting.

I understand that very determined burglars will be able to get into a safe in the sort of price range that I am looking at. It would not be a great caper for them though, because I won't have THAT much valuable stuff in there -- some camera gear and guns and cash, probably not much more than say $5,000 at most. I would think that those sorts of burglars would have better targets in more affluent areas and nicer homes that have more valuables for them.

[Casual_Shooter]

I understand that very determined burglars will be able to get into a safe in the sort of price range that I am looking at.

Determined bad guys will get into (almost) ANY safe...

Wanted to emphasize this so you don't feel bad about buying a safe you can afford.

Never had a modular, but I imagine they are built so that they can't be taken apart unless the safe is opened.

[Kirk_Ferentz]

Sounds like there may be a huge lag time on Zanotti, which would be a big problem.

[artoaster]

Since you're renting, Ask some safe manufaturing companies (internet search) if they recommend taking off door. If they do, and with my safe mfg. they said OK, then you just have a heavy steel box to handle with good, even weight distribution instead an unevenly weighted box simply because of the heavy door.

After moving you and some help replace the door. If at all possible, bolt the floor of the safe from the inside to the floor. If not, oh well it's a safe, isn't it?