GUN SAFE

[Professor Marvel]

I have been considering a safe for quite some time. I am constantly going back and forth between, is it big enough? is it too heavy? is it heavy enough? how will I get it into my house? is it fire resistant enough? I look at a $2.5 safe and it seems fine. Then I see a $5k safe and I can see it is an improvement. Then I see a$10k+ safe and it is in a completely different league. I want to put papers of value to me in it as well as a few guns I have. At this point I am trying to zero in on something without going overboard.
Do we have any opinions on a Patriot American Warrior (3/16 in walls) 6' 2hr fire resistant safe?
Also in the running is the Liberty Fatboy to just make a decision and get it. It seems sufficient and manageable.
I am also toying with the Sturdy but it has so many options (fire resisrence, additional steel) that I will probably just stay away from it.

 

[two_bit_score]

I have been considering a safe for quite some time. I am constantly going back and forth between, is it big enough? is it too heavy? is it heavy enough? how will I get it into my house? is it fire resistant enough? I look at a $2.5 safe and it seems fine. Then I see a $5k safe and I can see it is an improvement. Then I see a$10k+ safe and it is in a completely different league. I want to put papers of value to me in it as well as a few guns I have. At this point I am trying to zero in on something without going overboard.
Do we have any opinions on a Patriot American Warrior (3/16 in walls) 6' 2hr fire resistant safe?
Also in the running is the Liberty Fatboy to just make a decision and get it. It seems sufficient and manageable.
I am also toying with the Sturdy but it has so many options (fire resisrence, additional steel) that I will probably just stay away from it.

You'd stay away from more options?

From what I've seen so far even the basic Sturdy is a dang good safe. Add some armor and it gets better.

They really seem to have it together on RSC's.

 

[sandman2234]

1) Besides the bank drop box shown cut apart above, everything else discussed/pictured in this thread so far is not a "safe" -- they are termed by UL as "RSC's" -- residential security containers.
2) UL does not rate safes/RSC's by "how long it would take a professional locksmith to get into it".

UL | Safe-Testing Program


Wrooster

Either I am mistaken, or the rules have changed over the last thirty years when I was playing with safes. Bottom line, UL does rate them by how long it takes to get into them, though not by the people I mentioned or the methods I was led to believe in. Also the last would be the UL rating on the anti-dynamite safe I had using your posting would tend not be be 40 hours by todays ratings, but it took me several hours with a torch and a number 6 tip to access another one of them that was damaged. I should have used a different method, as the heat damaged the time lock mechanisms on them, that I wanted as spares for the complete/operational safe I already had.
David from jax

 

[Sigarms]

Either I am mistaken, or the rules have changed over the last thirty years when I was playing with safes. Bottom line, UL does rate them by how long it takes to get into them, though not by the people I mentioned or the methods I was led to believe in.

Only one of many articles

List of UL RSC Rated Gun Safes | Gun Safe Haven

Notice that the Sturdy safe isn't even listed?

Also notice (and mentioned in the article) that American Security only has ONE safe listed?

Let's face it, marketing sells. I love looking at some of the 2"-4"" composite doors some manufacturers brag of. They're called a gun safe, not a gun residential security container LOL

 

[two_bit_score]

So sturdy isn't on there but Winchester is.

These guys, too: Shanghai Baolei Industrial Co LTD
Models J1713, J1717, J2117, J2417, J3417, J4517, J4820, J5620

 

[Carl Bert]

Only one of many articles

List of UL RSC Rated Gun Safes | Gun Safe Haven

Notice that the Sturdy safe isn't even listed?

Also notice (and mentioned in the article) that American Security only has ONE safe listed?

Let's face it, marketing sells. I love looking at some of the 2"-4"" composite doors some manufacturers brag of. They're called a gun safe, not a gun residential security container LOL

When you said "notice that Sturdy isn't even listed", what exactly were you trying to say?

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Went to a Fort Knox dealer today. For the Executive they want $3,700 plus $320 tax and $800 shipping. So I am looking at a grand total of $4820, not counting any extras, and there are a lot of extras available.

The way i see it, why should i spend over $5000 for a 7 gauge safe, when I can get the Sturdy safe, with the extras that I want, and it's 5 gauge, for $3000. Oh, and it's larger.

The only drawbacks with the Sturdy safe are, it's not quite as nice looking, and it doesn't have nearly as many locking bolts. But I am told that a safe built with 5 gauge steel does not need that many bolts. Makes sense, to a point, but given the choice, I would still rather have the extra bolts, just not willing to spend an extra $2000 for them.

So I guess Sturdy wins. Anyone disagree?

Check with Southland Safes in Haleyville Alabama, they were hands down the best price I found when I bought my Fort Knox safe several years ago, they sell all kinds of safes and spent much time with me on the phone answering questions I had and not trying to sell me on a particular brand, they will explain all the fine print on different safe manufacture's warranty's and you will have a little better knowledge about gun safes, I have been up in the North East doing storm restoration for BG&E so maybe this isn't to late. Good luck.

 

[JB4310]

Here's a picture of the inside of mine!

Just kidding, I wish it was mine.

I've got some black guns myself, but man I think someone may have issues, taking that "stock up while you can" thing a bit far. :laughing:

I'm still jealous though.

JB

 

[Soundguy]

naw.. that's just being prepaired.


soundguy

 

[Sigarms]

When you said "notice that Sturdy isn't even listed", what exactly were you trying to say?

The ratings for a RSC is 5 minutes at the door with light hand tools. The "basic" burglar safe is a TL-15 which is 15 minutes with heavy tools (since I'm not a safe expert, if I'm wrong, someone please correct me).

What I'm saying is that the UL RSC rating seems to be a joke (one operator, no tool to exceed 18" and hammer head weight under three pounds AT the door, not to exceed 5 mintues). But...I guess that's your smash and grab LOL