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Old July 18, 2002, 09:16 AM   #1
Qwerty
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Gun safe suggestions

I am not really happy about the idea of having a few guns just laying around the house. Don't want them to get stolen, or worse yet, don't want to get sued if they will be used after they are stolen from me.
Basically I want got get a gun safe. Something large enough to hold about half a dozen of handguns and something you can't open with a screwdriver and a hammer in 5 minuts. Also, preferably heavy enough for 1 person to carry out comfortable and with an option of bolting to the floor/walls.
So far I've found a great deal on a Sentry A5865 Fire Safe Advanced Business Safe.
Exterior Dimensions: 23-4/5"h x 18-18/32"w x 18-18/32"l
Interior Dimensions: 19-21/32"h x 11-7/8"d x 14-13/16"w.
Capacity: 2.0 cubic feet
Weight: 206 lbs

Best of all, it's on sale now for $230, use a $30 off coupon code and it's $200+tax w/free delivery.
Btw, reg price is $350, which is similar to Office depot and Staples prices.

Any opinions or experiences with these kind of safes? Any other suggestions?
Thanks,
qwerty
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Old July 18, 2002, 09:21 AM   #2
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I'm using a similar model for pistol storage, you should be able to put several handguns in there along with a few boxes of ammo (if you wanted to).

Bolt it down securely, and when you do so make sure the door opens far enough to be able to remove the trays inside, it has to open a bit more than 90 degrees..so check.
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Old July 18, 2002, 10:39 AM   #3
Blackhawk
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Looks like a great choice!

As for your getting sued if somebody uses a gun stolen from you to commit a crime, your being a victim of a crime yourself shouldn't be forgotten.

The safe, however, gives you a great defense from a whole pile of other legal hazards that can arise from tacitly allowing unauthorized people access to your guns. For example, a neighbor's kid wandering into your house and finding a gun would be prevented unless he's a safecracker, in which case, it obviously really isn't your problem....
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Old July 18, 2002, 12:08 PM   #4
hksigwalther
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If you plan on getting any long guns Sentry now makes a line of affordable fire proof tall safes specifically for firearms including rifles and shotguns. They are about $100-$300 more but they are also heavier (250 - 350 lb). Heavy for any thief but light enough for you to easily move if need be. Better still to bolt it down.
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Old July 18, 2002, 01:20 PM   #5
HankB
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At only 206 pounds empty, if you don't bolt it down, you WILL lose the entire safe in the event of a burglary.

Safes are good for storing other stuff, too - good cameras, important documents, jewelry, cash - all kinds of stuff.

If you're like most TFLers, you'll soon be saying "Darn it, I should have bought a bigger safe!"
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Old July 18, 2002, 07:09 PM   #6
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Concrete filled safes have to have a very good dehumidifier, otherwise the guns will rust.
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Old July 18, 2002, 07:39 PM   #7
hitnthexring
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Safe Recommendation

Querty, I was tempted to spend that little on a safe, then I realized it was better to spend $1,000 & get something really useful. My Cannon weighs about 1,000 pounds & is bolted to the house's foundation. The safe you are contemplating weighs LESS than the one I picked up & carried to another room for a friend. If you buy that little safe, you will always wish you had a bigger one.
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Old July 18, 2002, 09:12 PM   #8
Qwerty
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Thank you all for the good advice

Bigger/heavier safe is always a good thing, but I am kind of limited in a few areas. I am probably going to move in a few years so I want the safe to be somewhat easy to take with me. And being a college student, paying $1000 for a safe is tough. A few hundred is just about all I want to spend at this point.
So I guess I should've asked what are other alternatives in the $300 range and is this particular safe even worth it, considering that it really is a fire safe with exposed hinges, not a real anti-theft safe?
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Old July 18, 2002, 11:46 PM   #9
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Consider just an inexpensive safe from Walmart or such. They are super cheap. A friend xxxx. We took many xxxxx. We screwed the safe to the floor & back wall. It is in a locked closet. (xxx edited: see below about spilling private info )

- So, buy a $15 keyed door knob made for a front door & install it in one of your closets. Keep the old one to put back when you leave. Then buy the biggest gun safe for under $90 you can get and screw it into place in the closet. Now, the thieves will have to get through your front door, closet door & break open the safe.

- Also, replace the screws on the striker on your locked doors with screws that are over 2" long. Do the same with a couple of the hinge screws on your front and closet doors. Otherwise, any front door will give with one good kick just left of the knob.

- Don't show any friends your safe and as few as possible your firearms. Many thieves are a friend of a friend who you never met and your friend doesn't realize he is spilling your private info.

*Next step better would be to get one others mentioned that are $200-400 and do as above. Getting a "heavy" safe should be of no benefit when lag screws provide so much strength.
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Old July 19, 2002, 08:30 AM   #10
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That is not a bad choice, especially given the price. What most gun folks fail to realize is that gun safes usually are not all that much better than typical fire safes. The have a strengthened door, but the walls, top, and bottom remain amazingly thin. Most gun safes are not what would be considered jewelry safes, burglar safes, etc. Most gun safes are meant to stop cursory attempts at defeating them for very short periods of time. Most gun safes are very good for keeping unwanted friends and family from getting ahold of your guns without your permission.

So, your choice for a pistol safe really isn't all that bad considering what larger gun safes usually comprise. You really must get it bolted down, however. Additionally, try to have it placed in a location that is not readily viewable. Burglars won't try to carry off or open the safe if they never find it.

As already noted, whatever you buy won't be large enough. It is the same concept as buying a house. After a time, they are no longer big enough for your stuff.

For those of you interested in more heavy duty safes, try taking a look at Brown safes. Even their gun safes are made like burglar or jewelry safes. These things are fairly massive and extremely heavy....
http://www.brownsafe.com/
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Old July 19, 2002, 09:08 AM   #11
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There is another route: Some of our governmental entites are disposing of the vaults in which the old (paper) computer tapes were stored. Presumably they have upgraded data storage systems. I came up with a safe which is about 66" high X 70" wide (double doors) X 24" deep inside. It has 4 inches of concrete (I don't know what kind of a fire rating this gives, but it is very high), and weighs about 5000 lbs. The inside did require racks and shelves, but for what I have in this unit, I'd happily do it again. Check your local gov't surplus auctions and bid low!
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Old July 19, 2002, 11:52 AM   #12
Tropical Z
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As long as you bolt it down,i think that safe would be a great choice.Please tell us who has it for that price with free shipping.
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Old July 19, 2002, 12:50 PM   #13
Qwerty
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OfficeMax

Let me know if you also want a link for the $30off coupon.

I am probably going to put it in the basement closet and bolt it down to the cement floor as well as to the cement wall.
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Old July 19, 2002, 12:58 PM   #14
4V50 Gary
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Small & light. Bolt it to the floor or it will walk.
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