Looking for a gun safe

[fordracing19]

I'm willing to help out if you're patient. Amsec models predominantly
Our Houston warehouse stocks more than Dallas and they don't typically stock transfer for a sale.

He can get you some good deals on whats in stock. Amsec has some nice lower end China safes.

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[black50]

http://gunsafereviewsguy.com/articles/myths-about-gun-safe-fire-ratings/

read up and you will learn that those fire ratings are completely false....

[juiceweezl]

There are 2-3 other threads about this on the forum where people have put out a lot of opinions. Recommend finding and reading those threads.

I went the Costco route, have it for about 6 years now and don't regret it. We each have to be comfortable with our choice though. Those other threads talk about features, weaknesses and such.

This is what I came to myself after countless hours of research and reading. My firearms are all documented with that information stored in another safe and electronically in multiple locations. I know everything that's in that safe (and the other one I have) at all times. The fire ratings are complete BS, and not even a super expensive safe warranties the contents. Don't fall for the BS. The fire department is just a few minutes from my house (maybe 1.5 miles if that), and I simply wanted something to keep my guns locked away from kids and and out of sight. The safe I have is heavy enough, is bolted to the foundation, and the lock will keep 99% of your smash and grab thieves out of it if my house experiences a break in. I couldn't be happier with what I received for the dollars I invested. I know I don't have a $10K safe, but I have over $9K in my pocket too.

http://gunsafereviewsguy.com/article...-fire-ratings/

read up and you will learn that those fire ratings are completely false....

This. I learned a lot reading about fire ratings such as some start the clock the minute they start applying head and not when the temperature hits the 'fire rated temp.' In the end, no safe I researched covered anything in it on a replacement basis for warranty purposes in fire (or theft if I remember correctly). All would replace the safe but not the contents.

Edit: Here's the warranty for Amsec. It covers safe repair/replacement but that's it.

http://s3.amsecusa.com.s3.amazonaws.com/support/GunSafe_Warranty_2006.pdf

[8mpg]

I spent a good portion of the day eduacating myself about safes. I've come to realize that I want a bare minimum fire rating of 30 minutes, 18-24 long gun capacity (seems to be a common denominator in configurations) and a mechanical dial lock. I think I've found what I want at Cabelas here : http://www.cabelas.com/product/shoot..._SEQ_104369580

Liberty has a very good reputation, and their pry test video on Youtube pretty much sold me on their locking technology.



I'll give them a look.



I'll take a look at the Amsec line and see what I can find that meets my criteria.



I read some pretty bad stuff about those, decided to cross the Costco stuff off the list.



Samesies.



I don't have quite enough cowskin rugs to require a safe of such magnitude.



Liberty is what I've got my eye on... my one good eye thatis.

So Im looking to spend much more than you are on a safe and I recommend thinking about saving more and buying a nicer safe. These things will literally be once in a lifetime purchase. As long as you are willing to move it with you, they will last your lifetime. $4k is a lot of money but when you divide it by a useful 50-60 years or more, its not much. I personally dont have that much valuable stuff to put in there but over time, that amount will grow.

Things to think about. The average house fire is 1100* and lasts 30 minutes. Almost all decent safes will have this fire protection. Fire rating are not standardized. Just because it has a fire rating, it is not fire proof. The drywall in most of them will cause tons of humidity and your guns will rust if not oiled well and important paperwork will be legible but not in good shape. The safe needs a door seal to help protect it.

An 11ga or less body will be opened by an axe. While it probably will stop a smash and grab, its very easy to get into with an axe or hole saw.

While Liberty is on my list of safes to look at, be aware of their warranty. Their lifetime warranty is only on their upper end safes I believe that are sold by safe companies, not their big box versions. Their warranty only replaces the safe if the insurance company isnt willing to pay for it also.

There are 2-3 other threads about this on the forum where people have put out a lot of opinions. Recommend finding and reading those threads.

I went the Costco route, have it for about 6 years now and don't regret it. We each have to be comfortable with our choice though. Those other threads talk about features, weaknesses and such.

If you read those threads, you wouldnt have gone to costco lol

http://gunsafereviewsguy.com/article...-fire-ratings/

read up and you will learn that those fire ratings are completely false....

They arent false, they are subjective. Depends on who did the test, where the sensors were placed, etc. All paperwork should be in a true fireproof document box inside the safe.

This. I learned a lot reading about fire ratings such as some start the clock the minute they start applying head and not when the temperature hits the 'fire rated temp.' In the end, no safe I researched covered anything in it on a replacement basis for warranty purposes in fire (or theft if I remember correctly). All would replace the safe but not the contents.

Edit: Here's the warranty for Amsec. It covers safe repair/replacement but that's it.

http://s3.amsecusa.com.s3.amazonaws....ranty_2006.pdf

No one in the world will cover the contents. With enough time and effort, all safes are penetrable. Some people will keep $100k+ in cash in a safe or jewelry. You cant expect a company to lose hundreds of thousands on claims when they sell a $2000 safe. These "safes" are not considered safes, they are considered Residential Security Containers (RSC) and have a whopping 5min break in standard. If you want something with more safety, you need a true safe and there are recommendations as to value to be put in them according to insurance companies (TL15, TL30, TL30x6, etc). In the end, that is what your insurance company is for.... to replace those damaged or missing things.

[juiceweezl]

So what you're saying is that unless you drop cowskin rug coin on a safe, they aren't really all that different. Got it. So then tell me again how much different the $800 Costco safe is from the $1400 one that Cabela's or someone else has if they all have a 5 minute break-in standard? Your run of the mill smash and grab thief isn't going to jack with a safe, at least not where I live. I feel pretty confident I'm protected against 99.99% of the threats I face from theft and fire. That's just my .02 though.

[reo]

Where I'm at on the decision making is the active bolts and how many sides they are on. If I understand correctly the Liberty Franklin safe has active bolts on all 4 sides, which will keep it safe from a pry attack, and thick enough metal to prevent an ax or saw from ripping through as easily. This will put me at $2k for a safe unless I find a really good deal somewhere. I'm trying to see if there is anything comparable but haven't had any luck. Fire rating, well, I live a bit far from the FD, so I'm going to probably be depending on insurance more than anything at that point.

-Eric

[8mpg]

So what you're saying is that unless you drop cowskin rug coin on a safe, they aren't really all that different. Got it. So then tell me again how much different the $800 Costco safe is from the $1400 one that Cabela's or someone else has if they all have a 5 minute break-in standard? Your run of the mill smash and grab thief isn't going to jack with a safe, at least not where I live. I feel pretty confident I'm protected against 99.99% of the threats I face from theft and fire. That's just my .02 though.

Im just messing with you man. They are all rated UL RSC which is a 5 minute minimum. I nicer safe has thicker steel to prevent some of the nonsense stuff. A sledgehammer or axe will open a big box store safe from the side in just a couple minutes. Most thieves are dumb and will try and pry the door. Most cheap safe doors can be pried in a minute or two, especially if you can lay it on its back. So smash and grab..sure. Anyone with 5-10 minutes while you arent home...nope


ff to 2:40

[juiceweezl]

Im just messing with you man. They are all rated UL RSC which is a 5 minute minimum. I nicer safe has thicker steel to prevent some of the nonsense stuff. A sledgehammer or axe will open a big box store safe from the side in just a couple minutes. Most thieves are dumb and will try and pry the door. Most cheap safe doors can be pried in a minute or two, especially if you can lay it on its back. So smash and grab..sure. Anyone with 5-10 minutes while you arent home...nope[/IMG]

I get all that, but as I said, my 'Costco' safe is bolted to the foundation. If someone comes into my house, the TV's, stereos, computers, etc. are much more appealing and faster item to steal. Your average thief that would be in my area isn't going to spend the time trying to get into the safe, especially not with the alarm going off and the police department a few minutes away at most. Would I like to have a much nicer and better safe? Absolutely. I just couldn't justify the extra dollars it took to cover me against the other 0.01% or whatever I felt the current setup wouldn't cover.

So, now that everyone knows what safe I have, feel free to come take my shit. Just know that I have a dog, I often work from home, and there are plenty of loaded weapons not in the safe which I will use if I feel threatened.

[David]

So really if you want security you need to spend $60k on a concrete reinforced room.

[fordracing19]

I live in the county so it would take a bit for the sheriff dept or fire dept to get to my place. I wanted a TL rated safe but the size was too large to get it where I wanted it for the size I needed.

[8mpg]

So really if you want security you need to spend $60k on a concrete reinforced room.

So Im hoping to build next year and this is my plan. Shouldnt be anywhere near 60k though. A concrete block (filled with cement) room shouldnt be that expensive to build. A decent vault door is $4-5k.

[David]

So Im hoping to build next year and this is my plan. Shouldnt be anywhere near 60k though. A concrete block (filled with cement) room shouldnt be that expensive to build. A decent vault door is $4-5k.

Doesn't sound like anything some sledges couldn't defeat.

[ceyko]

Yeah, I'm not going down this rabbit hole argument. I will say two things:

1. Sometimes I noted the only real difference between an 800-900 dollar Costco safe and a Cabelas was the paint job. To some this can make a difference if going on the inside of the house and is something to consider.

2. No matter what, get a door organizer. It opens up the safe so much more since you can store handguns, little items...etc..etc there instead of taking up interior shelf space.

[SS Junk]

So what I'm getting from all this is, any safe is penetrable. The ones that cost more may take only a few more minutes to get open. Don't feel so bad with mine now.

[Shorty]

Here's the one I have from Costco. They'll run it on sale for a few hundred less with free delivery.

http://www.costco.com/Sports-Afield-...100056952.html

I bought the same one for the same reasons as you've discussed. I'm happy with it for my purposes.