Talk to me about big 'ol gun safes

[patrick0685]

costco has some nice safes

[funkymonkey1111]

Good God some of those prices are way more than I was expecting to spend. I looked at that Liberty Fatboy and it looks like it is just the right size, and not too terrible pricewise. Would a place in Buena Vista really deliver all the way out here for free?? That seems like a heck of a trip. I've only been to one safe store, and it was the Superior/Champion place over at I-70 & Holly, with the gigantic yellow safe parked out front of the warehouse. The guy that showed me around was extremely helpful, but I was truly clueless and didn't really know what I was looking for. I've also been to places like Gander Mountain, Murdoch's, Bass Pro, etc., but I could tell right away that all those chain stores have a very limited selection, and all of it is entry level stuff.

Yes, he will deliver. Instead of asking us, ask him. I have a Sturdy on order. It should be here in a few weeks

[muddywings]

costco has some nice safes

I bought one. I'm happy. Not very high end but fits nicely in the office and quick to open with the electronic keypad. If you got the cash, go big. If you don't, this is not a bad option (I supplement it with a Foscam motion detection camera).
I think if regardless of the safe, you should budget for one or two cameras in the house (one sitting next to the safe) that can take pictures. When my Foscam has motion detection turned on and it will email me pictures. Generally I don't do that for every day but if we're gone for a weekend, I turn that on. Those cameras only cost $70-100 and worth the price IMHO

[bnred9]

Yes some of the lower end Liberty Safe are made in China.

Liberty's Response:
We strive to be upfront regarding those safe still made as imports. Currently, we produce 80% of our safes in the US, while 20% are imported from China. Due to demand, we have added another production line here the USA and a second shift for that new line. The goal continues to make all products in the US.

[Holger Danske]

I had friends lose there safes in Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires. I think a good fire rating is important and will possibly get you through a house fire. If you face a wildfire take your guns with you.

[MarkCO]

I investigate fires professionally, and I have seen a lot of safes in houses that were burnt to the ground. If the house burns to the ground, your guns will be ruined in any consumer style safe. Not until you get up to $3K or more are you really gaining any fire protection that will withstand a grounder. Pretty much any fire rating is sufficient for a gun safe in a metro residential city. I think the Liberty brand is one of the better ones.

A few tips...wherever you place the safe, elevate it a few inches off the floor. Best bet if you have something over 400 pounds is to build a 2x6 pedestal that spans several floor joists. Lowest level of the house, but slightly elevated. That way, in a grounder, you won't end up with a safe full of water. Don't store primer or gunpowder in the safe. A small amount of ammunition is okay, but not cases of it.

[BuffCyclist]

I bought a Winchester "24 gun" safe from Tractor Supply last year on Black Friday for around $500. It was too good of a deal to pass up, and I wasn't really in the market for them yet. At the time, it was huge, but now that I've had it for a while, it is really quite small. I really like the door panel storage on it, keep a few pistols in that and lots of other things (cash, silver rounds, spare locks, shotgun shells for the SD gun etc). If I had done it all over, I would have spent at least $1k and gotten one much bigger. Then again, the closet where I put the safe only allowed the size of safe that I got, and even that one I had to cut into the door frame a bit to allow the safe hinges to clear. It is drilled to the concrete slab and anchored that way.

It works for opportunistic thieves, ya know, the type that see an ipod sitting on a table and realize it'd be easy to swipe it. But I doubt it would do much in a real fire or if someone had the right tools.

I keep chamber locks on the guns in the safe, redundant yes, but I don't need those guns for SD so its okay. I also got dessicant and a heating rod (go as big as possible on that) because I have an evaporative cooler that adds humidity to the air in the summer.

When I was researching them, its best to put the safes on an outside wall if you're worried about fire (because it would be on the perimeter of the fire and probably not as prone to the high heat that the middle of the house would reach). Also, have it so the door opens towards a wall, so that you can't stick a pry bar in the opening. Mine is a pain in the ass to get into, but thats good.

And to echo what MarkCO said, no powder or primers in the safe. I keep any ammo in my safe in smaller lots in ammo cans, just so I can grab it easier for the range.

[Delfuego]

Englewood Lock & Key on Broadway sells American Security, nice guys, nice safes, but not cheap.

[Dave]

MarkCO: What level fire rating would you recommend? I was looking at Patriot safes and theirs say 2 hours at 1880* F. Not sure if that is high end or low end. I know it's higher than ones I looked at at Gander, but I was looking at under $1k ones then.

http://www.patriotsafe.com/Collector...al-_p_491.html This is what I am thinking.

[Rooskibar03]

Mark with Safe & Warm in Buena Vista is a super nice guy (and a shooter). They sell Liberty and others, have good prices and free delivery.

Got mine from Mark. Top notch guy, great price and excellent service.

My problem is do I sell my current safe and go bigger or just add another one to it?