Tell me a GOOD gun safe manufacturer/distributor

[Anonymous Poster]

I am going to have to buy a gun safe soon.
Any suggestions please,I will be storing probably about 15 guns.About how many $$$$$$ will I need to spend?What do I need to look for in quality and durability to not only theft but fire protection?

Thanks
Steel

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Gun "safes" aren't really safes, rather they are big steel lockers that theoreticly provide protection from theives.
If you want fire protection, you need to buy a safe that is designed to protect the contents from fire.
A safe provides fire protection in 2 ways, first by delaying the temperature from reaching the contents via insulation, and secondly, by sealing the contents off from oxygen. Safes are rated, on the door for 2 time periods, the first being the number of minutes the safe will require for a semi skilled burglar to get into it using a specific set of tools, and the second, being how many hours the safe can protect it's contents against a 1700 degree fire.
In today's world, there is very limited market for used large safes, so, if your floor can hold one, and you can get the safe into your building without paying a moving fee, you can generally get a 6 foot high double door for hauling it off.
One word of caution here, safes do NOT provide humidity protection for guns, so a lot of guys think it's a good idea to drill a hole into the safe and install a heater inside. This is NOT a good idea since it provides an oxygen path and voids the fire protection value.
If you do buy a new insulated safe, make sure it is thoroughly dryed out before putting your guns in there. Most "safes" are shipped from the factory with the concrete insulation still wet, and it will cause guns to rust.

 

[soarkrebel]

I personally like heritage safes. heres is link.

http://www.heritagesafes.com/

They make a line called fortress safes that are a little less than the high end safes.
if you will e mail them they will get you in contact with a dealer.
i have a friend that has been selling these and cannon safes for years . they are good safes .
he will take orders and charge only a little over his cost if you pick it up on delivery day. now it is gonna take a few buddys top move one and a good dolly.

they come from the factory with a hole for lights and dehumidifier. still covered by warranty .

If you find anybody who is giving them away to haul them away please let me know !! i will be happy to get a big rig and come get them!!

 

[cowboydoc]

Nothing but a John Deere!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

And no I'm not being funny. John Deere makes some pretty good gunsafes. Not sure if they're the best but they are solid and look great in our house.

 

[looch]

I picked mine up at a scrap yard for 100$. I took all of the old, nasty fire-proofing out. I blasted the whole thing and repainted it. I lined the inside with knotty pine and built a small chest of drawers.

As far as new ones are concerned, both the Winchesters and the Weatherbys look real nice - not sure if they make them themselves.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

LOL..........now that you mention it I did see a John Deere safe advertised somewhere,it was snazzy looking..What a hoot.
My wife/kids would cringe if I had some more Green and Yellow stuff around the house... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RobertN]

We have been happy with the Liberty safe. Ours is medium sized, and hold 15 rifle, although it is really cramped when the rifles are scoped. There are three shelves for pistols, diamond, documents, whatever. In addition to the standard style tumbler dial, the dial can be locked to add a little more complication to a thief opening it. It's the Lincoln 25 series.

We've had it about 5 years; I think it runs about $1500 or thereabouts.

I use desicators bags of dessicant stuff. You can order it with a desicator lamp setup, without voiding the fire protection. As someone else mentioned, by themselves they do not hold moisture down. A piece of metal on the carpet type interior can rust.

Having a now almost 9 year old, and neighborhood kids around, I am VERY glad we have it. When I was 4 I got in my parents closet, up to a high shelf, and carried a loaded 22 into the living room, to everyones terror. I do not remember the event, but want to ensure it never happens at my house.

Mine is rated for fire, after 30 minutes in a 1200F furnace the interior temps were below 350F. Newspaper in the safe showed no signs of of ignition, nor did it discolor from heat.(so they say).

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I went with a Fort Knoxs, 24 long guns, fire rating, sargent greenleaf combination lock with a key lockout. I really like it, took four men to gte it in the house. ouch! I did find out that I could deduct the safe on taxes if I stored important papers in it instead of a safe deposit box. That was an add benefit.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Star_Wheels: As mentioned elsewhere, check the specs. I have found the pricing difference is in the finish more than the specs. I have a "Granite Security" out of Fort Worth, Texas, (a bit under $1k) but there are many others as mentioned by other posters - I have no doubt there are "better" ones than I have, at least fancier finishes. A 2 1/2' or 3' width and 5' tall weighs a bunch and can be "carted off" only with difficulty.

Remember, these things are "safes" only in the loosest sense. Like a locked door, they will keep honest people out and delay a druggie long enough to discourage them. But they can be gotten into easy enough. I see their main benefit as fire protection. To increase the protection, you might use another fire-resistent safe inside for paper stuff (deeds, titles, cash, insurance documentation, etc.). My goal was that if the whole house burned down important papers would still be safe. What others have said about humidity is right on. Be sure any guns are well oiled before storage. Again, check the specs more than the finish (unless your are buying it for display - in which case you are "advertising" which seems a bit silly to me) before deciding

JEH

 

[Hoeman00]

When I built the house addition I built in a 10'X14' safe/shelter in basement.
It has 12" solid concrete walls w/ rebar 8" apart,16" concrete floor and 8" reinforced concrete roof.
I put lots of carbide inserts and old cutters in walls and roof (real hard to drill thru).
The local gun shop had a $2300 Browning 36" wide safe door and got it for $1350 (ordered in and customer wouldn't take).
This is GREAT unit and the reloading bench is inside too.
Walk out and lock everything up.
It's also a great tornado shelter.