Gun safe
- Thread starter BrentB
- Start date
Look into the level of security you want with the gun safe. The average gun safe can be fairly easily broken into by a skilled thief. It all has to do with the thickness of the side and front panel. Mine is over 1/4' steel on the sides top and back, and hardened 1/2" steel in the way of the lock mechanism. There are 10 1" hardened bars which are the "lock" mechanism. Many safes are just sheet metal. Look at the fire protection--degrees vs time. As I recollect ours is 1200 degrees x 60 minutes.
I have a fairly large safe, and it weighs over 1200 lbs. Professionals installed it, including the bolt to the slab of the house. They cracked two floor tiles, even with plywood protection and a special safe moving dolly.
Look at the configuration of shelves; Both guns and shelves for other items.
It may also be a good idea to have a in the slab, or at least in poured concrete, hidden safe, for the real "valuables" or precious metals/cash you might keep. One like this may have 1" hardened steel plus the fire protection.
Fort Knox, and Sturdy both make high quality safes. Here is Sturdy's site, lots to read in the questions and construction section. Read the "how they are built" and "Questions" sections. Excellent tutorial on safes--and very enlightening about how un secure "gun safes" may be.
I have a fairly large safe, and it weighs over 1200 lbs. Professionals installed it, including the bolt to the slab of the house. They cracked two floor tiles, even with plywood protection and a special safe moving dolly.
Look at the configuration of shelves; Both guns and shelves for other items.
It may also be a good idea to have a in the slab, or at least in poured concrete, hidden safe, for the real "valuables" or precious metals/cash you might keep. One like this may have 1" hardened steel plus the fire protection.
Fort Knox, and Sturdy both make high quality safes. Here is Sturdy's site, lots to read in the questions and construction section. Read the "how they are built" and "Questions" sections. Excellent tutorial on safes--and very enlightening about how un secure "gun safes" may be.
I bought an American Security thousand pound unit* from a local
non-box gun store. They recommended a local company that
specializes in heavy item delivery which I used. They placed it.
I anchored it to the floor. I'm happy but wallet is $4K thinner.
Aye.
* 1/2" steel plate door, 11 ga steel liner, advanced poured
concrete insulation (no gypsum board).
Buy American made quality; avoid foreign made cheap stuff.
non-box gun store. They recommended a local company that
specializes in heavy item delivery which I used. They placed it.
I anchored it to the floor. I'm happy but wallet is $4K thinner.
Aye.
* 1/2" steel plate door, 11 ga steel liner, advanced poured
concrete insulation (no gypsum board).
Buy American made quality; avoid foreign made cheap stuff.
beermanPDX
New member
Foggy":8tqg5ngu said:
I have the same safe (AmSec BF series) with the optional 4 ga liner, bolted in to concrete. It's a beast, but is very well made. It also has a 2 hour fire rating.
Even so, a safe expert could get in to it in a matter of minutes. What it will hopefully avoid (or make the job more difficult) is the smash and grab pry bar / sawzall type criminal. Some videos I've seen of how easy it is to get in to most safes is shocking.
Most safes come with a electronic keypad these days. I bought my safe with an optional mechanical backup. So I can get in to the safe with the rotary knob or the keypad. I'm glad I did this because my keypad failed after 9 months.
I'd highly recommend AmSec (American Security).
starcrafttom
Active member
Friend bought a costco safe and just put it in his truck. 4 of us unloaded it and slide it up stairs. Carpet on the stairs made it easy. It was a really big 40 gun safe. Not sure of the weight but with 4 or 5 guys its not to bad. If you have to move it on tile get a think bed spread ( fleece is best) and lay the safe on its side and just slide it around.
On another note neigbor down the street had a safe installed and bolted to the floor. 2 inch bolts anchored in concrete, It got stolen. took the whole thing. If they want it they will take it.
best gun safe I every saw was no safe at all. Guy had removed a old electric heating unit from the inside of his house. large intake vent on one wall and a door on another side of the wall. He sheet rocked over the old door way to cut off access. We removed the heating intake grill and crawled / stooped in to the empty space behind the wall. Gun racks for 60 rifles on the 4 walls of the 3 by 4 foot space that used to house the heater. You would never find it or even think to look there. If you looked thru the grill you just saw black. He backed the grill with a 4 inch deep box painted black. You just thought you were looking into the vent.
On another note neigbor down the street had a safe installed and bolted to the floor. 2 inch bolts anchored in concrete, It got stolen. took the whole thing. If they want it they will take it.
best gun safe I every saw was no safe at all. Guy had removed a old electric heating unit from the inside of his house. large intake vent on one wall and a door on another side of the wall. He sheet rocked over the old door way to cut off access. We removed the heating intake grill and crawled / stooped in to the empty space behind the wall. Gun racks for 60 rifles on the 4 walls of the 3 by 4 foot space that used to house the heater. You would never find it or even think to look there. If you looked thru the grill you just saw black. He backed the grill with a 4 inch deep box painted black. You just thought you were looking into the vent.
Comfortably Numb
New member
I had been looking around for a gun vault for a while...wanted it in the basement for a variety of reasons. That presented a challenge, despite the fact that we have a stout set of stairs that go straight into the basement from the garage. You are still trying to get something very heavy down a full flight of stairs without killing anyone in the process.
In researching for a while, I came across Snap Safe (www.snapsafe.com), and was a bit skeptical because of the fact it is a modular unit. That is, it comes in pieces and you bolt it together. After reading as much as I could as to actual performance, I took the plunge a few weeks ago. It arrived by common carrier, and the driver got it into my garage. My about to be son-in-law and I took it downstairs in pieces (I bought the Super Titan XL), and put it together. Because I had additional help available, I had a couple of more big boys help us get it on its feet and into place. With a bit of help, it's completely manageable. And no one got hurt. I am very pleased with its construction and quality. The bolts and nuts holding it together are considerable, as are the modular pieces themselves...they even send you a real nice ratchet to put it together.
Fire rating is 2300 degrees for an hour. I am trying to protect against fire and amateur/idiot kid vandalism/theft. I am sure a pro could do what he/she wants with it, but that's not my likely scenario...good luck.
In researching for a while, I came across Snap Safe (www.snapsafe.com), and was a bit skeptical because of the fact it is a modular unit. That is, it comes in pieces and you bolt it together. After reading as much as I could as to actual performance, I took the plunge a few weeks ago. It arrived by common carrier, and the driver got it into my garage. My about to be son-in-law and I took it downstairs in pieces (I bought the Super Titan XL), and put it together. Because I had additional help available, I had a couple of more big boys help us get it on its feet and into place. With a bit of help, it's completely manageable. And no one got hurt. I am very pleased with its construction and quality. The bolts and nuts holding it together are considerable, as are the modular pieces themselves...they even send you a real nice ratchet to put it together.
Fire rating is 2300 degrees for an hour. I am trying to protect against fire and amateur/idiot kid vandalism/theft. I am sure a pro could do what he/she wants with it, but that's not my likely scenario...good luck.
My safe rules/philosophy:
- Everything else being equal, judge safe quality by weight.
- If bolting down, do so well away from edges. A Sawzall blade can easily slide between safe and floor, cutting through bolts like butter. The goal isn't to keep a thief from stealing your safe, but to prevent it from being easily tipped over. Prying the door open is far easier with the safe lying on its back.
- When installing on concrete, use a vapor barrier underneath to suppress rust
- If minor flooding is a concern (basements, garages, water heaters), you'll gain significant protection placing the safe on a 6-8" platform.
- Adding drywall to the interior will significantly improve the fire rating
- Don't skimp on humidity control - it's cheap insurance. I run two electric rods and keep a large box of desiccant inside as a backup.
- Everything else being equal, judge safe quality by weight.
- If bolting down, do so well away from edges. A Sawzall blade can easily slide between safe and floor, cutting through bolts like butter. The goal isn't to keep a thief from stealing your safe, but to prevent it from being easily tipped over. Prying the door open is far easier with the safe lying on its back.
- When installing on concrete, use a vapor barrier underneath to suppress rust
- If minor flooding is a concern (basements, garages, water heaters), you'll gain significant protection placing the safe on a 6-8" platform.
- Adding drywall to the interior will significantly improve the fire rating
- Don't skimp on humidity control - it's cheap insurance. I run two electric rods and keep a large box of desiccant inside as a backup.
Gene Stebbs.
New member
I would look into possible " point loading" of the roofs structual capacity and the exterior use of the safe used.