Large Gun Safe

Cheeseburger1976

Cheeseburger1976

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 2, 2012
200
40
48
Zionsville PA
#1
OK, looking into spending some money on a newSafe. Currently have one from tractor supply but with a pending divorce and my wife potentially keeping the house and me moving to a condo. I would just leave the Safe at her house and upgrade to get something better with stronger fireproof. What brands should I be looking at, is liberty as good as it used to be? Here’s what I currently have. I would like one at least this size or larger.
Don’t mind the homemade rosary beads for my grandmother who passed away a few years ago.
 

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#6
There is a big difference between a safe, and a residential security container.

Those 14 gauge big box store specials can be cut into in about 10 minutes with an angle grinder...double that for the 12 gauge units that most places sell for upwards of $2K these days.

The fire barrier is also a big difference.

Until you get into actual "safes" and not RSCs, you're really just buying time or deterring the unprepared thief.
 
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#7
I agree, but it can be pretty hard to put a real safe in a condo, plus the interior space can be limited for storing firearms. Most are forced to settle for an RSC and insurance.
 
#8
diggler1833 said:
There is a big difference between a safe, and a residential security container.

Those 14 gauge big box store specials can be cut into in about 10 minutes with an angle grinder...double that for the 12 gauge units that most places sell for upwards of $2K these days.

The fire barrier is also a big difference.

Until you get into actual "safes" and not RSCs, you're really just buying time or deterring the unprepared thief.
Click to expand...
Roger that , is a 6000 budget even enough?
 
#9
Cheeseburger1976 said:
Roger that , is a 6000 budget even enough?
Click to expand...

Man, I haven't even looked in a while. Last time I did, went with an 11 gauge RSC with a decent fire resistant setup instead. Then I bolted it next to the other one in my concrete floor so that someone attempting to get in will have to cut the entire top open to do so instead of cutting three sides and using a pry bar.

I figure ~25 minutes and a couple blades is how long it will take.

Is it worth the $5K + gamble instead of getting an actual "safe"? I don't know, but I've made that gamble a couple of times.

*****

edited to add:

I guess the question is how much stuff and how expensive is that stuff that you are trying to protect? A $10K collection of a dozen guns probably isn't worth the price increase of a safe over an RSC. Most dudes don't have $100K in the safe, but if you do, that 1:10 investment ratio (so a $10K safe) might be a better idea.

Even the Walmart 14ga specials are enough to keep a random thief out who broke in and is just looking for a 10-minute score of some electronics and jewelry. Just make sure they're bolted down.
 
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#10
Divorce....
Condo....
Both are sorta temporary situations, usually. Usually a guy finds a new wife and usually a guy moves out of a condo even if he doesn't find a new squeeze...
With that in mind, and having to move stuff again, I'd be thinking modular. There are a few out, this is but one maker

www.snapsafe.com

Modular Safes, Specialty Safes & Lock Boxes - SnapSafe

SnapSafe has a variety of different safe sizes and wire accessories such as organizers and racks. In addition to safes, they also manufacture lock boxes and specialty safes that can be stored in vehicles, under beds, or in walls.
www.snapsafe.com www.snapsafe.com
 
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#11
diggler1833 said:
There is a big difference between a safe, and a residential security container.

Those 14 gauge big box store specials can be cut into in about 10 minutes with an angle grinder...double that for the 12 gauge units that most places sell for upwards of $2K these days.

The fire barrier is also a big difference.

Until you get into actual "safes" and not RSCs, you're really just buying time or deterring the unprepared thief.
Click to expand...
Basically true though there are some that a very good yet not actually Safes.

That said, all you need to do is buy time for an unprepared thief and get real fire protection. You don't need to stop a pro because pros don't just stop by houses at random and see if they have a safe to break in to
 
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#13
Aftermath said:
Divorce....
Condo....
Both are sorta temporary situations, usually. Usually a guy finds a new wife and usually a guy moves out of a condo even if he doesn't find a new squeeze...
With that in mind, and having to move stuff again, I'd be thinking modular. There are a few out, this is but one maker

www.snapsafe.com

Modular Safes, Specialty Safes & Lock Boxes - SnapSafe

SnapSafe has a variety of different safe sizes and wire accessories such as organizers and racks. In addition to safes, they also manufacture lock boxes and specialty safes that can be stored in vehicles, under beds, or in walls.
www.snapsafe.com www.snapsafe.com
Click to expand...

This. I went to a SecureIt Agile 52 system and don’t see myself going back to a traditional gun “safe”.

Ever.

More than adequate deterrent and I live about a mile from a fire station in a home with a fire sprinkler system. Honestly, I’m really not that worried about a house fire happening.

It also solves my major gripe about most “safes” - guns aren’t stacked in front of other guns. I can retrieve any gun without having to move anything else out of the way. Just grab and go.
 
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#14
Brown makes damn nice true safes for a decent price but again, heavy as hell. I don’t have one but on paper Sturdy seems like the best crossover between concrete filled monster and cheap sheet metal cabinet.
 
#15
Is this an amicable divorce? Or, is she bending you sideways?

What’s the actual threat?

I’ve had a gun safe (RSC) for over 20 years, and the house hasn’t been broken into yet. Wasted money? No, it keeps the guns organized and the kids can’t get to them w/o supervision.

I mean, are Ethan Hunt and Danny Ocean teaming up to steal your gun collection?

Moving even a decent RSC into and then out of a condo would suck balls.

When we rented an appt, I put the gun cabinet in a climate controlled storage unit with all of the other stuff we didn’t want to move 2x. It was close buy, so it wasn’t much of an issue to grab a rifle on the way to the range, or the night before a match.
 
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#17
Arc Light said:
Being Sniper's Hide, the requisite recommendation for a gun safe is a decommissioned bank vault with a one foot thick door, weighing in at 30,000 lbs.

Anything less and you may as well just put your guns out on the curb with a "steal me" sign :)
Click to expand...
Just put a camper shell on the truck. Store the guns there and call it good.
 
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#19
hlee said:
Is this an amicable divorce? Or, is she bending you sideways?

What’s the actual threat?

I’ve had a gun safe (RSC) for over 20 years, and the house hasn’t been broken into yet. Wasted money? No, it keeps the guns organized and the kids can’t get to them w/o supervision.

I mean, are Ethan Hunt and Danny Ocean teaming up to steal your gun collection?

Moving even a decent RSC into and then out of a condo would suck balls.

When we rented an appt, I put the gun cabinet in a climate controlled storage unit with all of the other stuff we didn’t want to move 2x. It was close buy, so it wasn’t much of an issue to grab a rifle on the way to the range, or the night before a match.
Click to expand...
So far it’s actually amicable . Might just pay someone to move my safe and bail on getting a new one until I buy a new house. Just gonna move it to my condo to wait out the interest rates, the condo costs me nothing so I have all the time in the world to wait and then once I buy a house I’ll get a big heavy safe that can live in the garage.
 
#20
Cheeseburger1976 said:
So far it’s actually amicable . Might just pay someone to move my safe and bail on getting a new one until I buy a new house. Just gonna move it to my condo to wait out the interest rates, the condo costs me nothing so I have all the time in the world to wait and then once I buy a house I’ll get a big heavy safe that can live in the garage.
Click to expand...
Ugh, rethink the garage. Put the safe somewhere climate controlled.
 
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#23
#24
Before you do anything that involves a safe, purchase insurance.

Gallagher Insurance offers $40K for $180. That includes some of your reloading equipment and shooting supplies.

Then, purchase a good-quality gun cage. Gun Safes are expensive and do not offer protection from fire or theft. You need to spend big money before you get even close to something fireproof/theft-resistant

So, for a $3K investment, you could cover your insurance cost for nearly 17 Years.

I would rather have a $300 locking cabinet and insurance than a $4K safe.
 
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#27
plt228 said:
I just sold my Liberty 23 safe(rsc) and replaced it with a SecureIt Agile 52. It’s not as pretty as the Liberty but takes up less than half the space and I can pull every gun out without having to move another gun.
It may only be a gun locker but for me it beats a traditional safe. Might be a good option for a condo.
Click to expand...
Actually thinking about the Agile 52 for a backup storage area
 
#28
hlee said:
Is this an amicable divorce? Or, is she bending you sideways?

What’s the actual threat?

I’ve had a gun safe (RSC) for over 20 years, and the house hasn’t been broken into yet. Wasted money? No, it keeps the guns organized and the kids can’t get to them w/o supervision.

I mean, are Ethan Hunt and Danny Ocean teaming up to steal your gun collection?

Moving even a decent RSC into and then out of a condo would suck balls.

When we rented an appt, I put the gun cabinet in a climate controlled storage unit with all of the other stuff we didn’t want to move 2x. It was close buy, so it wasn’t much of an issue to grab a rifle on the way to the range, or the night before a match.
Click to expand...
Just curious, did your storage facility not have firearms/ammo listed as prohibited items in your contract? Most commercial storage centers don't allow firearms to be stored. How did you avoid coming and going with gun cases and not have anyone catch on?
 
#29
Perhaps some are more gun friendly, depending on location. I live in a very Red state and there are a few climate controlled storage areas near me that accommodate firearms. One even has a loading dock for moving a medium size safe. A lawyer friend used that service dealing with an estate collection recently.
 
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#30
I believe you ought to get insurance before you do anything using a safe. Although they are heavy as hell, Brown creates incredibly nice genuine safes at a reasonable price. Sturdy appears to be the greatest choice on paper.
 
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