Best Gun Safe Solution for Me

[SB1964]

Get a Safe, Secure it to the Floor/Wall. Don`t worry about moving, but if you are, modulars a good idea. I bought a 300+ lb Canon & I`m upstairs & Bolted it to the Concrete, inside my Closet. I feel much better about KEEPING what I like & can`t replace.
People can & will take anything they can...get a safe, secure it, put evertything in it that your concerned about.

[TROYSD]

i got a cannon from costco, 800 lbs was 800.00 delivered. i think its better then the browning i replaced.

[Laythor]

1 other thing not to forget about is an alarm or warning system.

I put a dlink IP camera in my closet pointed at the safe. It's set up to text me a picture anytime it detects movement. If I ever get a text of someone I don't know in my house I can trip my alarm and call the police in under 30 seconds.

Alarm has a separate siren in the closet (i almost feel bad for anyone in the closet when it goes off, last time i did it on accident my ears rung for 3 days) which will slow down if not deter the thieves.

What I'm saying, and other's have already said, is that a safe only buys you time. Use that time wisely.

[TMcC]

because I won't have THAT much valuable stuff in there --

The bad guy is just going to see a safe and think it's got some valuable goods in it, no way for him/her to know what it will yield.

There is sticky in one of these sub forums regarding safes. ( http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=135167 ) Some of the links from that sticky have some good info to consider, including a video of a couple guys knocking a safe over and opening with a couple of pry bars.

Regardless, even if you can't bolt a safe to a concrete floor it seems that decent 700LB safe is better than no safe (or hidden room/box, etc).

Good Luck.

[baih777]

Since your renting, two smaller safes. You could always make some brackets and bolt them together in the back. Then they have to break into two safes.

[Kirk_Ferentz]

Thanks, some great advice here. I am following up on all the recommendations.

I called Homeland and they gave me a good impression. They sound knowledgeable and accomodating, and the price seems good for what they are offering.

I was looking at their Rifle Safe V -- http://www.homelandsafes.com/rifle-g...e-level-V.html

Seems like it is built pretty well and weight is over 700 lbs. Let me know if you have an opinion.

One follow up question -- I don't think I can bolt into a concrete floor in the house I'm in now. I could leave ot no bolted down or try to bolt it into floor studs. The other option would be to put it into the garage (concrete floor) and bolt it in. Obviously this makes it easy to get to the safe and get it into a vehicle. I do have a a lot of boxes and gorilla shelves wth heavy stuff in there that I could put in front of the safe that would make it very time consuming to clear the way to move the safe out. Also, you could not pull even a mid-sized car into the garage and still be able to close the garage door -- it's a small garage and we have too much stuff in there.

With that being said, I'm thinking that trying to bolt down to floor studs inside the house would be the best bet, but let me know what you think.

[NoHeavyHitter]

Bolt it down and also to a wall. I bought a 50 cu ft safe that weighs almost 1600 lbs (empty) and it only took one guy to bring it in using a set of delrin skids.

Also, when you buy - get something larger and more secure than you need now because you need to expect to use it for future growth of you gun collection. Also having enough space for irreplaceable photos and paperwork is a huge bonus.

I tell people that are buying a vault to take the same sort of approach as you would if buying a home.

[chuckdc]

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.

I have the Dakota. It's very comparable to the Cannon safe sold at Costco/Tractor Supply. Took me 2 hr to assemble the first time, by myself, including moving it from the garage into the house. When assembled it does NOT fit through my bedroom doorway, even with the door removed.

[Kirk_Ferentz]

I was excited about Homeland but looks like they have consistently bad reviews. Dean safe gets good reviews and sells good brands like AMSEC and Liberty. So far, it looks like Sturdy Safe might be the best all-around, but looks like they are in Fresno, so not sure about the delivery costs.

I'll have to think about the Dakota if it is big enough not to fit out of doors/windows. That would make up for the fact that it is lighter than I'd like, since the idea behind the weight is to make it difficult to move out. Not fitting through a door unless you disassemble it would serve that purpose as well if not better (assume that you can't disassemble it of course).

[Casual_Shooter]

I was excited about Homeland but looks like they have consistently bad reviews. Dean safe gets good reviews and sells good brands like AMSEC and Liberty. So far, it looks like Sturdy Safe might be the best all-around, but looks like they are in Fresno, so not sure about the delivery costs.

I'll have to think about the Dakota if it is big enough not to fit out of doors/windows. That would make up for the fact that it is lighter than I'd like, since the idea behind the weight is to make it difficult to move out. Not fitting through a door unless you disassemble it would serve that purpose as well if not better (assume that you can't disassemble it of course).

I wouldn't get too hung up on weight- given the safes you're looking at. All those you listed (Amsec, Sturdy, Liberty) are quality safes and will serve you well for a long time... or until you outgrow it in 2 months.

[Steve1968LS2]

Worry less about fire protection and more on security..

The whole "fire proof" deal is sort of a scam once you know how they test and understand how your safe will become a huge convection oven in a fire. It doesn't hurt, but resiliance to thieves is more important.. let your homeowners insurance cover any loss from a fire.

Just my .02

Oh, and with safes you do get what you pay for.

[Steve1968LS2]

I wouldn't get too hung up on weight- given the safes you're looking at. All those you listed (Amsec, Sturdy, Liberty) are quality safes and will serve you well for a long time... or until you outgrow it in 2 months.

Yea, weight is useless and meaningless if the safe is bolted down.. if it's not bolted down it will just be carried off, regardless of its' weight.

After all, the company delivered it to you, so that means a crook can haul it away

[uhlan1]

I got a Cannon through Amazon, free delivery and no-sales tax (before they knuckled under the bullies in Sacramento). Burglars can get into any safe with a little bit of time and know how if they're determined. I bolted mine into the concrete. Got two grumpy police dogs to watch over it. Safe is more about kids to me. Got the 24 or 26 gun model and yea, should have gone bigger. Either have to sell some guns or get a second one. "What second safe, honey? That's always been there." Dead man.
One of the things I like about the Cannon is the internal power. Can run easily a dehumidifier and lights. Open that puppy up and it looks like a disco.

[bkk6869]

i'm looking at getting a safe as well. i purchased just a cheap gun cabinet by sentry to keep the kids out until i did enough research to make a decision. all i was going to put in the cabinet was my 12 gauge, my 10/22, and my handgun. 6 guns later, i now have a pistol box on top of the long gun cabinet and i have no room in the safe at all.

moral of my story, ABSOLUTELY buy a larger safe than you THINK you need. as someone else said, i'm less worried about theives and more worried about keeping my kids out. i love my guns, but none of them are tricked out so all can be replaced by homeowners insurance if someone steals/cracks the safe or a fire takes them.

buy what you can afford for now, and get your huge, heavy safe once you get in to a permanent residence. if you bolt a cheaper safe to the floor correctly, it weighs as much as your house (haha)

[myk]

Christ man it's been 3 months and I still need to get a safe. I don't plan on owning a home but the idea of buying a giant "thing" of a safe is just daunting-it'd be the biggest thing in my apartment! I'm almost positive the number of guns in my possession, both long and hand, will never exceed 10, but I agree with others here, buy as much safe as you can afford, and most importantly be sure your insurance covers your arsenal properly...