Gun Safe?

[schmism]

from a firefighters perspective (at least volunteer) we stand back and let it burn... keep other structures from burning down if we can.

but that is rural IL... not a metro area.

 

[Podunkadunk]

Oh before I forget. Wallyworld sells a great dehumidifier and it's really cheap. I don't have a fancy electric one, after I found these at Wal-mart, I stopped looking for an electric model.

The product is made in Japan, is imported by a company called Willert Home Products in Texas and is labeled "Keep it Dry, Closet Dehumidifier". It has a granulated dessicant in the top portion, then a separate portion at the bottom to hold all the water the dessicant pulls in. It holds about 1 cup of water. THEY ARE AMAZING! You throw the container away when the water level gets to a line on the container, then simply put another one in your safe. It won't spill over and is fragrance free. It has a one-way permeable layer on top of the container...let's moisture in, but none out. Best things since sliced bread. One lasts me about 6 months in the safe. Oh and I almost forgot...Do Not Eat!

Here's a link, but they are cheaper at wallyworld:
Keep It Dry Closet Dehumidifier - Closet Moisture Remover

Podunk

 

[schmism]

for $4 i dont know why you would want to, but you can heat the desiccant to dry it out and reuse it.

 

[MossRoad]

I have a Fortress Model 3060 27 gun safe made by Heritage kinda like the one Podunkadunk has. I bought it at Southern States in Oneonta, Alabama. I purchased the optional dehumidifier to go inside the safe. It wasn't very expensive.

After some mumbling my wife agreed to put it in our bedroom. She hasn't complained much since. She does like the idea of being able to keep any cash or important papers inside the safe instead of in a safety deposit box ($40.00 year) at a bank 10 miles away. She also saves all her pictures to a flash drive and stores them in the safe.

One note on placing the safe in a garage or workshop. Most safe companies advise against this. Do you have a torch, sawsall, or other metal working tools??? If so, thiefs can use them to open the safe.

I was going to put my safe in my workshop until I read this.

Chris

If you open a safe with a torch (a good safe, at least) most of the stuff in side will be destroyed before you get it open. A sawsall will not touch a good safe, either, in any reasonable amount of time. A good alarm system is cheap and loud. Most burglars will run really, really fast if the alarm goes off. Very few will stick around to see if anyone shows up. However, a few will. That is why it is important to have a monitored alarm system so someone will come out and check within a reasonable amount of time.

 

[MossRoad]

...
Also, from a firefighter's point of view, what is protocol for when you guys show up to a burning home and you hear ammo going off inside?

Podunk

If they're on the west side of our town, they'd drop their hoses, pull their pieces and return fire!

Just kidding.

That's a good question. I have heard of a few instances where they backed off and let it burn because it was unsafe to approach.

 

[Podunkadunk]

Most high dollar safes are capable of withstanding homefires without cooking off ammo inside. Anyhow, the question really isn't pertinent to me anymore, not since I sold off everything firearm related and donated to the mission. I had always wondered though and saw that he was a firefighter, figured I'd throw it out there.

Podunk

 

[firefighter9208]

Podunkadunk,

Depends on the situation as far as shells going off. We usually would hit the fire from a distance with a monitor (deluge gun) until the "popping" stops. The thing with house fires is it depends on the mode your in. Offensive (interior attack) or defensive (protect surrounding structures). Now if there is the possibilty that there is someone inside you say a prayer and enter the house.

As far as storing ammunition this is what Heritage says: Heritage Safe Company. Home Safes, Office Safes, Gun Safes. Technical Question and Answer . They recommend to store it seperately outside the safe.

As far as opening with a torch/sawsall, etc... I'm just passing along the info. I read. Of course if you live in the boonies where I do it might take a deputy 30-45 minutes to get to your house when an alarm goes off.

I got a call at work one day that my burglar alarm was going off. I left work and drove home (20-25 minutes) and still arrived before the deputy. The misses has placed a new plant over an A/C register. When the A/C came on it set off the motion sensor. The only way we figured this out was the deputy and I were standing in my living room looking dumbfounded trying to figure out what set off the motion sensor when the A/C came on and "her" plant started waving at us.

Chris

 

[Tororider]

Most high dollar safes are capable of withstanding homefires without cooking off ammo inside. Anyhow, the question really isn't pertinent to me anymore, not since I sold off everything firearm related and donated to the mission. I had always wondered though and saw that he was a firefighter, figured I'd throw it out there.

Podunk

Podunk,
You figure now we can all testify that we knew you got rid of all your weapons if anyone asks? If thats the case, I got rid of my few guns too, hehe.

 

[Podunkadunk]

As far as storing ammunition this is what Heritage says: Heritage Safe Company. Home Safes, Office Safes, Gun Safes. Technical Question and Answer . They recommend to store it seperately outside the safe.

As far as opening with a torch/sawsall, etc... I'm just passing along the info. I read. Of course if you live in the boonies where I do it might take a deputy 30-45 minutes to get to your house when an alarm goes off.

I got a call at work one day that my burglar alarm was going off. I left work and drove home (20-25 minutes) and still arrived before the deputy. The misses has placed a new plant over an A/C register. When the A/C came on it set off the motion sensor. The only way we figured this out was the deputy and I were standing in my living room looking dumbfounded trying to figure out what set off the motion sensor when the A/C came on and "her" plant started waving at us.

Chris

Firefighter,
Thanks for the link. I didn't realize it would get so hot in either of my safes. I checked out Browning too. Seems it has a little higher temp threshold, but still within limits to set off cartridges. Still no matter, before selling off all my stuff for the mission donation, I kept thousands of rounds of ammo in my safes. This wasn't because of the possibility of losing it all during a fire, but losing it to mr. burglar. If I have a fire, my house is gone in a "poof". Bald cypress house, antique heart pine floors (you and I know it as 'fat lighter' ). Insurance would have more than paid for more ammo. Of course, I guess my guns would have been ruined with all the rounds penetrating them. I would have said the same goes for the insurance on them too, but in not too many more months, I wouldn't have been able to replace the stuff in my safes.

Again, thank goodness I sold all that evil stuff.

Podunkadunk

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Also, from a firefighter's point of view, what is protocol for when you guys show up to a burning home and you hear ammo going off inside?

Podunk

My house burned Nov. 28, 2007. I had about 5,000 rounds in the basement. Mostly .22's BTW. The fire department kept going like nothing was happening. They did ask me what the heck I had down there.