In the market for a gun safe soon......

codybrown

I need to buy a gun safe soon, and I was looking for some input. Currently, I have 30 long-guns, and no pistols. I am looking for a safe that has minimal ammo space/shelving. Preferably multiple rack rows. The guns that I use least can go in the rear rows, and the most used can go in the front row. I live in the country, so I am worried about theft. My main problem though is the woodstove in my basement Confused

Fire protection is at the top of my list. Any suggestions? My grandpa has a nice Browning that he paid $650 for a long time ago, and it is set up perfectly for me, but he won't sell it to me. Maybe I will have to buy the remaining guns in it, then he will sell it Very Happy

yotebuster · Member Joined: Oct 16, 2005 Posts: 216 Location: Georgia

There are so many out there to choose from. Some better than others. Especially in the area of fire-ratings. Compare carefully and get the layout that will handle your guns. One word of advise........get one larger than you currently need. Experience shows that you will appreciate the extra room in the future.
Steel prices has risen sharply and you could be in for sticker shock. But, it is well worth the peace of mind when your valuable toys are locked in a quality gunsafe.
Yotebuster Laughing

Gil Martin · Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:51 am Post subject: It depends

When I needed a gun safe, I shopped around and compared features and prices. The local gun safe dealer has annual "scratch and dent" sales of various brands of gun safes. I was able to get a 35-gun Liberty safe and a 30-gun Champion safe at substantial discounts. Hope this helps. All the best...
Gil

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

There are 2 or 3 manufacturers within 15 miles of me. If you want the most bang for your buck, look into scratch and dents. My dad gave me a 34 gun Remington Safe he picked up on a scratch and dent sale... it has 1 scuff on a back corner where it looks like they tipped it into a wall. Everything else is perfect. The Remington was actually made by Liberty Safes.

If you get a safe look into a "golden rod" or wiring up a small 20 watt light bulb to keep air circulating which prevents rust.

Oh yea, and buy a couple of those "touch lights" and stick'em in your safe, works great for lighting the dark corners.

-DallanC

codybrown

You mean when I'm hunting for my guns?? LOL

fireball 3

codybrown, i don't have a safe yet, only 11 guns in 2 cabinets. we live in an upstairs apt. the one i want would take out the floor gotta wait till we move. enjoy which ever one you buy. dave Very Happy

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

I just got a cabinet, one of thouse sheet metal jobs. Smile

Anyways since no one mentioned it if you got a basement why not buy some cement bricks and some metal rod so you can make your own "safe room" where you can store all your guns with a strong metal door (a metal industrial safety door might be able to get it cheap at a scrap yard). Then unless you get a few hundred guns you'll never need another safe agian. Smile

Dimitri

codybrown

Well, I would do that, but our basement has a tendancy to flood out when we get a substancial rain, or the springtime.

Joe Boleo

When I bought a gun safe, I had a friend who is an engineer check the floor to handle the weight. Everything checked out OK. The gun safe dealer told me about one installation where he was taking a safe down the basement steps for a customer when the stairs collapsed. Taske care...
Joe

codybrown

Well, out main floor's joists are oak. We added the second story when we bought the house. It is plenty strong, I just need to figure out which one I want.

SwampFox

Cody,
I have had a safe and cabinets for a long time. Would suggest you find a safe dealer and go by to look for what you want. Our local dealer must have about 30 safes in his store, delivers and sets them up. Make sure you know that your floors will take the weight before you buy. Also check the doors and entry steps. Nothing like a safe sitting in the driveway and the truck leaving.

As to fire, with a basement and wood floors, the safe is going into the basement if the house gets going good. The fire department will fill the basement with water in no time flat and the safe will fall first with the other debris on top. So I would consider theft as the primary exposure with fire in a rural area as a lost cause. In other words, do not worry to much about getting a brick lined safe for fire protection. Your homeowners has a limit for theft, but the general contents amount would apply to fire.

Bench safes are great for large handgun numbers, you just rug them and pile them in. If you now have 30 long guns, you might consider two medium sized upright safes, with the wood floor and all. Do your homework and you will not regret buying the safe.
Ed

codybrown

Thank you Ed. I never though about the safe falling through the floor in the event of a fire!!!!!!

bergy

I would go along with yotebuster, get one bigger than you think you need otherwise you'll be kicking yourself later. Also, would recommend getting a 72" tall safe, it's nice to have the extra room on top as I found out when I bought my 34" barrel trap gun.

Arron

Also you should consider looking into the Tax codes. Iowa has a $500 dollar tax credit when you buy a qualifing safe. Not sure if the Feds have someting in place or not, but worth looking into. Every little bit helps.

Marshall · Last edited by Marshall on Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:35 pm; edited 1 time in total

Cody,

In about the same position myself, shopping the market for a safe, and found this comparison page on Cabela's web site:

www.cabelas.com/cabela...n_saf_cabs

I had just about settled on the one they have on there which is made by Cannon until I found the very same safe at a sporting goods chain store (Academy) for $300 less. I mean, I like Cabela's but .... which one do ya think I'm getting?

Correction/update: I did get the Cannon safe from the sporting goods store and am pleased with it but need to correct my earlier statement. That is, it is NOT the VERY same safe as sold at Cabela's; the one at Cabela's appears to have the push button combination lock device whereas the one I got has the plain ole dial combination. The up grade for that is about the same price differential as the safes. So, I stand corrected.

But I can live with plain ole for the price difference.

Just one thing, tho', "30 long-guns, and no pistols" ... doesn't that make you some kind of heretic or sumthin'?? Laughing

Marshall