Neighbors house got robbed! Time for a better gun safe.

[uppercuts 0]

Heading out to buy a safe today for my firearms. Don't want anything to big or my wife will holler for eternity. Neighbors house got robbed when no one was home. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Although, I'll probably come back with a safe today. Either case I will update.

[mike 14]

dicks has a 19 gun safe for 400.theres no sales tax on gun safes.go online print out 10.00 coupon also.good luck on whatever you decide

[Caine 147]

Make sure you get a SAFE and not a cabinet. Big difference. Also, go bigger than what you think you need. Whatever you buy, bolt it to the floor.

 

I went with this one:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as ... 3*&topnav=

 

It's OK - shoulda gone bigger. But the price includes the shipping

[totalabuse 27]

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=2978

 

I'll take the 10/22 and $200.

[crazyboy 13]

Make sure you get a SAFE and not a cabinet. Big difference. Also, go bigger than what you think you need. Whatever you buy, bolt it to the floor.

 

I went with this one:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as ... 3*&topnav=

 

It's OK - shoulda gone bigger. But the price includes the shipping

 

How unsafe is a cabinet bolted to the floor? Clearly not as bad as just having the guns laying around, but is it that bad?

[Caine 147]

This is just my opinion, but, the material cabinets are made out of, at least most of the ones I've seen, is generally too thin to offer much protection from someone trying to break into it. Think high school gym locker. A good screwdriver and maybe a hammer, and you can probably get in within 60 seconds. It'll keep kids out and what not, and yes, it's better than nothing, but if you're looking for something that'll keep a thief out, then a "real" safe is the way to go.

[Caine 147]

Also, there's some good info in this link that explains some of the different features and what to look for:

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunsafes.html

[crazyboy 13]

That's what I figured, thanks for the info as well, Caine. Appreciate it.

[Chad 3]

This is just my opinion, but, the material cabinets are made out of, at least most of the ones I've seen, is generally too thin to offer much protection from someone trying to break into it. Think high school gym locker. A good screwdriver and maybe a hammer, and you can probably get in within 60 seconds. It'll keep kids out and what not, and yes, it's better than nothing, but if you're looking for something that'll keep a thief out, then a "real" safe is the way to go.

 

60 seconds for a cabinet? Think so? .... look at this:

http://www.libertysafe.com/homesecurity.php?page=8

 

I believe the old "you get what you pay for" saying stands true when it comes to safes. I would not spend less than $1500 if you want serious protection and at least a 70 min fire rating. Also, LAG IT TO THE FLOOR. Some ingenuity and a few golf balls or a pipe and the entire safe will be gone. Lags wont prevent it all together from being moved, but it will slow the process down a little.

 

I am sorry, but costco, lowes and home depot sentury & stack-on "safes" are nothing more than glorified cabinets in my book. 3 active bolts, and exterior hinges? C'mon now...that is not secure. Look at that video, the competitors safe was much more secure than a stack-on or sentury and it was pried open in just over one minute.

 

$1500 - $2000 is really a small investment when you look at how much we spend on our guns. That is the price of just two of them...and we all know most of us have more than two. Lest we forget family heirlooms, can you really put a price tag on granpa's old .22 lever action that he had when he was a kid ?

 

And, for goodness sakes, forget about all the fancy shmancy electronic locks, get a dial. I understand this is a hotel safe, but do you really think the technology has progressed that much that this cannot be done with a gun safe? ...

 

cPcmZ7zIqfo&feature=PlayList&p=816142F7EA57D5AB&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=17

 

I understand the electronic locks are much quicker to access, but I don't use my big safe in emergencies. Save the electronic quick access for a small, one gun strong box that stays under the bed or in the nightstand for emergencies. Worse comes to worse, you only have one gun missing instead of your entire collection.

[Urban Grunt 44]

Best defence for any safe is to hide it,keep it out of sight in a cupboard or closet and bolt to the floor and wall.

[Maksim 1,504]

great post chad.

 

and yeah, wow. Those cabinets were popped in 3 seconds.

[Chad 3]

Best defence for any safe is to hide it,keep it out of sight in a cupboard or closet and bolt to the floor and wall.

 

One of the first places a crook looks is inside a closet. They are always ransacked. Quite a popular hiding spot for valuables.

[Chad 3]

great post chad.

 

and yeah, wow. Those cabinets were popped in 3 seconds.

 

Thanks! Amazing isn't it?? The fact of the matter is nothing is secure. Anyone with enough gumption can steal Ft. Knox. All we can do is try and make it as difficult as possible.

[Caine 147]

I'm not sure if we're agreeing or disagreeing based on what you said, Chad. Cabinets are a no-go in my opinion. The 60 second number I threw out was a largely arbitrary number to get a point across... and also assumed a screwdriver and not a 30 lb pry bar that your average thief is not going to be carrying around with them.

 

I agree that if you can spend more money on a safe, that you'll get a much better product. But, not everyone can afford, or even has the room for a $1500 safe. I was largely limited to what I could get because of a door I needed to get thru, and since I just bought the house, I wasn't really interested in knocked down a wall just to get a safe in.

 

As far as the video goes... I can only speak to how I have my entry level safe set up. It IS bolted to the floor. It is also in a position that makes it extremely difficult to get any leverage with prying tools. So, the chances of 2 thieves knocking my safe to the floor and then each using 30+ lb pry bars and their entire body weight to break it open isn't really high on my list of concerns. That said, I have no doubt that if an experienced thief has time to mess with it, they'll get into it. Same way I don't doubt that there's a dozen different ways to break into my house that make the alarm largely useless.

 

An entry level safe isn't the answer for everyone, and if that's the impression I gave based on what I said, then I misspoke and should have chosen my words more carefully. It is however an option, and IS a better option to a cabinet. The link I posted has quite a bit of info that covers a number of different options for a wide variety of price ranges and needs and is of much more value than any of my opinions

[Chad 3]

I agree cabinets are a no-go. Like I said all we can do is try and slow a thief down a little and it sounds like you are doing a good job at that as far as placement is concerned and by using lags. I just don't want to see anyone have a false sense of security.

 

I didn't mean to throw the price thing out there like that, it just seems to me that all the safes with better fire ratings, thicker gauge steel, interior hinges and the like generally are more expensive than ones without. So, if someone wants to go balls to the wall secure they might consider spending a little more than what was originally intended.

[bbk 188]

Honestly, if I'm out of the house, I compartmentalize my rifle (and would with all of my long guns). Meaning, I'll disassemble, place the lower one place, the upper in another, and bolt carrier/bolt and charging handle elsewhere. Of course all of it is for naught if I don't have good places to stow them away... but I figure its better then nothing. As for the specifics of my precautions, I'd rather not divulge (OPSEC!).

[Urban Grunt 44]

Reason's why i would hide your safe away are.

 

1.In a cuboard/closet you block access to the sides of the safe.

 

2.Limited space means less room to use pry tools.

 

3.You can bolt to the walls aswell as the floor.

 

4.Anything that makes the safe harder to move helps deter would-be thieve.

 

5.Don't put your safe in the garage so the thieves can use your tools to open the safe.

 

6.If it's not easy money most won't touch it,time is your friend.

 

Just my views take it or leave it because for over 20 years of breaking into homes/changing locks/crime scenes i've seen a thing or to.

[Maksim 1,504]

Heading out to buy a safe today for my firearms. Don't want anything to big or my wife will holler for eternity. Neighbors house got robbed when no one was home. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Although, I'll probably come back with a safe today. Either case I will update.

 

btw, what town did this happen in?

[Celraysoda 7]

A friend on mine uses one of the Homak gun cabinets. His house was broken into last year, either they were amateurs or left early but he said the whole side was bent and hammered and still kept locked. He claims that it was because the left side of the cabinet was against a wall making is difficult to force that side out.

 

Who knows.

[tony357 386]

besides my safe,I have a 4 leged alarm system.

 

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/produ ... 72.2292624

 

[matt6669 71]

Chad, I can't afford an expensive safe, and since I think you need to upgrade your safe, want to give me your old one, and buy a new one for yourself.

 

OR better yet, lets design a walk in safe/room for you, that would kick ass!!!

 

ps tony, your dog is gorgeous!

[Guest]

I have a Liberty Colonial. Quality construction. Lagged to the floor and I also keep all my hammers, sledgehammer and prybars in it. Don't want to give them any tools to use. Let them use their own tools. The Colonial can be had for $950.

[Chad 3]

Matt...No problem, feel free to come by and pick it up. The door is broken, so come in thru the window, and be sure to take one of your pistols along, I live in a bad neighborhood. (this is a good start for justifiable shooting / home invasion)

 

Anyway...Reese, what gun capacity is that one? I need another, I have the liberty presidential PX-40 now, and I'm out of room. I want to dedicate one for guns, and one for other things. Where did you get it?

 

Thanks!

[matt6669 71]

 

Anyway...Reese, what gun capacity is that one? I need another, I have the liberty presidential PX-40 now, and I'm out of room. I want to dedicate one for guns, and one for other things. Where did you get it?

 

Thanks!

 

Thats a shame, a gun safe that size, and its full, yet the guns never get shot. Tisk Tisk Obama and Pelosi and the rest of them love you Chad, your almost like a poser.

 

So if anyone comes across a used safe in the neighborhood of 400 bucks, please let me know because I need to upgrade badly, but don't have 1500 bills to dump on a safe.

 

M

[Chad 3]

Ehhh its not full of guns, I wish it was

[Guest]

Matt...No problem, feel free to come by and pick it up. The door is broken, so come in thru the window, and be sure to take one of your pistols along, I live in a bad neighborhood. (this is a good start for justifiable shooting / home invasion)

 

Anyway...Reese, what gun capacity is that one? I need another, I have the liberty presidential PX-40 now, and I'm out of room. I want to dedicate one for guns, and one for other things. Where did you get it?

 

Thanks!

Chad mine is the Colonial model 23. They say 25 gun capacity but I only have 3 rifles in it. The rest is for my handguns, ammo and other stuff. It is plenty for me.

[Chad 3]

Cool...that sounds like it will work for me also. Thanks.

[djg0770 481]

Matt, you need to surf Craigslist as much as you surf gunbroker. You can easily find a safe if you're willing to invest the time.

[matt6669 71]

Matt, you need to surf Craigslist as much as you surf gunbroker. You can easily find a safe if you're willing to invest the time.

 

trust me, I'm always looking on CL and there is never anything on there. booo

[bbk 188]

My brothers-in-law's place where some of them stay with their mother was broken into yesterday or the day before. It was an apartment complex, and in North Brunswick. (I just got the word right now.) Fortunately no one was home at the time... should be fine as they're insured. Still, its hitting closer and closer to home (pun intended). Time to go back on "fire watch."