Cannon's Safari S21E 30-minute fire safe: $699 deilvered

BillCA · June 21, 2008, 01:02 PM

Costco has a special running on Cannon's Safari S21E 30-minute fire safe. With 21 cu ft of space this is even a better deal that last year's Liberty safe (17 cu ft). Plus Cannon safes are a little more expensive generally than the Liberty.

699.99 delivered to your home (does not include installation)

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...-_-CannonSafe#

30 MIN. FIRE SAFE
U.L.® RSC security rating
Color: textured grey paint finish offers durable good looks.
Commercial grade Type 1 electronic lock allows user to change combination
# 1 warranty in the business
21 Cubic Feet
Dimensions: 60” H x 30" W x 21" D includes handle and lock
450 lbs

EskimoPie · June 23, 2008, 11:23 PM

I had noticed this and am thinking about ordering... I've been researching safes recently and this seems like a great deal. I know this is an RSC and not really a safe, and is even probably towards the lower end of the RSC spectrum, but I'm really not TOO concerned about theft. I don't have any weapons that can't be replaced easily enough. It's mainly to keep all my weapons out of reach of my 1 and 2 year old boys. One of the main things I was looking for was an S&G electronic lock... Since pretty much all my guns will be locked in this safe I want something with quick access and a spin lock just seemed like it'll take too long. $699 delivered seems like a bargain.

EskimoPie · June 24, 2008, 04:13 PM

Well I went ahead and ordered one... I'm a little bummed that it'll take 4-6 weeks for delivery. Also of a little concern is that Cannon's website doesn't list an equivalent safe under their safari series. All of their listed safari series seem to have better stats. Is this just their bottom of the line that they're trying to get rid of inventory? Either way, it's specs satisfy my needs and the cost balances with my risk.

sholling · June 24, 2008, 07:45 PM

I saw that but it's curbside delivery. Horsing a 450lb safe through the house ain't fun. Nice safe though.

BillCA · June 24, 2008, 09:08 PM

EskimoPie,

I've heard good & bad things about electronic locks. I wanted one at first, until I talked to my local Liberty dealer. Their (Liberty) combination locks also have a key-lock feature that locks the dial. You can use the dial to open the safe and then, without spinning the dial to jumble the combination, close and lock the safe with a key. Someone could pick the lock, but for those short trips away from the house it makes it convenient.

With the combo lock jumbled AND keylocked a thief has to resort to a physical attack.

Also, it's not unusual for a company to "liquidate" older stock by selling to companies like Costco. I'd guess that Cannon has upgraded their "lowest line" of safes somehow and these are older models they're flushing out. Makes for a good deal.

EskimoPie · June 24, 2008, 11:14 PM

Well I consider the weight a good thing... it's significantly heavier than other safes in that price range... heavier means more steel and harder for a thief to move (especially when full). I figure me and a couple of buddies and a rented appliance dolly should be able to get it upstairs to the master closet.

BillCA... A long time ago I heard horror stories about how a thief with a 9-volt battery could open your safe with an electronic lock... I've never heard any evidence of that, but the locks are made by S&G (Liberty uses S&G electronic locks too) and S&G is the #1 lock trusted by the government to secure classified information. Granted it's not usually electronic locks, and it might be a 'lowest bidder' situation, but I'm hoping the S&G name means something. I specifically wanted an electronic lock for speed of access... I figure with a 3-number dial in a stressful situation I'd probably screw it up once or twice and it might be minutes to access the safe... with the key-pad I'm thinking that should be cut down to seconds....

The 30 minute fire protection is plenty for me since my house has a sprinkler system installed in every room. I can't imagine a fire would burn for very long. Now water damage is another story.

Michaelm45 · June 24, 2008, 11:19 PM

I have an old Cannon (22 years) and the S&G combo lock with key was really giving me trouble. I replaced it with an AMSEC electronic lock and for me it's so much better then the combination lock. It's really fast to open and to close it you just close the door and turn the handle and your done.

a1abdj · June 25, 2008, 09:35 AM

Quote:

A long time ago I heard horror stories about how a thief with a 9-volt battery could open your safe with an electronic lock...

This isn't exactly true, especially with a UL rated lock.

Quote:

the locks are made by S&G (Liberty uses S&G electronic locks too) and S&G is the #1 lock trusted by the government to secure classified information. Granted it's not usually electronic locks, and it might be a 'lowest bidder' situation, but I'm hoping the S&G name means something.

S&G makes decent products, but have had their share of problems with the electronic locks they manufacture. The government is using a lot of electronic locks, but they are not using S&G electronics. Kaba Mas is the new #1 trusted lock, although you still see many of the S&G mechanical locks still in service.

The locks you see the government use are not the same locks that you will see on gun safes. They are a higher grade, higher rated lock built with higher standards and better materials. To give you an idea, the electronic lock on your gun safe cost $150 to $200 depending on model. The electronic lock on a government filing cabinet cost $2,000.

Quote:

I specifically wanted an electronic lock for speed of access... I figure with a 3-number dial in a stressful situation I'd probably screw it up once or twice and it might be minutes to access the safe... with the key-pad I'm thinking that should be cut down to seconds....

This is true. Many businesses at risk of a hold up have a company policy to use electronic locks on their safes. When you're nervous (with a gun to your head) it can be difficult to dial open a standard combination dial.

Quote:

The 30 minute fire protection is plenty for me since my house has a sprinkler system installed in every room. I can't imagine a fire would burn for very long. Now water damage is another story.

The fire protection offered by gun safes is very minimal, but with a sprinkler system you shouldn't have a problem at all. The safe should actually stay pretty dry under a sprinkler, as the door frame will deflect most of the water. I would be more concerned about water coming up through the bolt holes in the bottom. If you're going to be bolting the safe, shoot some silicon around the bolts before snugging them down.

EskimoPie · June 25, 2008, 10:38 AM

Thanks for the input A1... I had browsed your site before ordering the one from Costco and really liked the cheaper line you offer, but it didn't seem any of them were available with an electronic lock... Is it an option or just something you don't feel is worth the trade-off in security for your customers?

a1abdj · June 25, 2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Is it an option or just something you don't feel is worth the trade-off in security for your customers?

They are an option on just about everything we sell. They come standard from the factory with a mechanical, so that's how we list them.

The trade off isn't so much the security, as the electronic locks are actually a level higher than the mechanical locks you often see on gun safes. The trade off is the fact that an electronic lock is much more prone to failure resulting in the future expense of drilling and replacing the lock. This will run in the $500 range +/-.

rockdogz · June 30, 2008, 12:52 AM

Cool, I'm glad I found a post on this - it was the exact thing I wanted to research and I saw the Costco special too. (have you tried searching the site for 'gun safe'? You will be hard pressed to find posts about gun safes!)

The CN17 is on sale until tomorrow, but I was looking for an electronic lock as well.

I've just started looking for a good safe, and I can't quite figure out if there is a really 'good' safe line, or if everything out there is just so-so and has cheap electronics and cheap handles on it. Are the Amsec safes from your Frank Zykan site better than the Canon/Liberty? Can the public get the same government grade locks and electronics described in the other posts?

Thanks for the input,

Tom

a1abdj · June 30, 2008, 11:03 AM

Quote:

I've just started looking for a good safe, and I can't quite figure out if there is a really 'good' safe line, or if everything out there is just so-so and has cheap electronics and cheap handles on it.

As a general rule of thumb, the majority of gun safes are going to be so-so when compared to even the lightest commercial units.

Quote:

Are the Amsec safes from your Frank Zykan site better than the Canon/Liberty?

The AMSEC BF line is going to be built better than most of the name brand gun safe offerings.

Quote:

Can the public get the same government grade locks and electronics described in the other posts?

Yes, but it's typically overkill. There are also higher grade electronic locks designed for the commercial market that are available. The main advantages to these types of locks apply to commercial uses where the owner may require dual control, audit trails, time delays, time lock functions, and other features usually not required for residential applications.

EskimoPie · July 10, 2008, 10:45 PM

There is now an extra $20 off this safe for a total of $220 and they extended the sale as well. If anybody else ordered one, call up Costco and ask for your extra $20 off, they didn't complain at all.

My safe actually arrived today. The delivery guy was nice enough to put it all the way in my garage instead of just at the end of my driveway. It's definitely a large safe and at 450 lbs I'll need a couple of buddies to help me drag it upstairs. For the price though I'm really happy with it.

2 things people should know though, the pictures show a very light grey, almost silver, color. Mine is a very dark gray, essentially black. I don't mind this at all since I didn't love the light gray color anyway. The black looks nice. The thing I'm not crazy about though is the pictures clearly show an S&G electronic lock. Mine doesn't have an S&G. The manual has 3 different electronic locks listed, the S&G, a "Lagard Basic", and a "LPLocks". I got the "LPLocks". It doesn't seem as well made of a lock as the S&G. I checked the website again and it doesn't say anything like "may be different than shown in pictures" so I'm going to call and complain. I'm worried Costco will just say 'fine, return it for a refund' at which point I'll just keep it since It's still the best bang for the buck I could find.

Also, the interior isn't very fancy... the carpet is pretty low-grade and the shelving system is a little chintzy, but it'll clearly do the job and for the money I'm really not complaining.

BillCoe · November 3, 2008, 04:33 PM

Well, I ordered this safe and bolted it down without drilling out the hole for the cord.

Can anyone give me the measurements, from the inside, on the location for this hole?!

Dohhh!

skeeter · November 14, 2008, 01:18 AM

a1abdj You seem to know a lot about safes and I agree that for the money AMSEC seems to be the best buy but what about a company I never heard of before, Sturdy Safes. What do you think of them?

BillCoe · November 17, 2008, 07:06 PM

Not that anyone would ever be so stupid as to bolt one of these safes down without drilling the hole first: here's the answer to my question in case you find this via a Google search.

Measured from the inside 11-1/4 from the left, 2-1/8" high. Drill a small hole and then enlarge it. I clipped the plug off an extension cord, pushed it thought, then put on a new plug on the end and plugged it into an outlet. Plugged in the goldenrod and voila!

I had called the factory and the dumbkauph had said @ 2 inches in and @ 2" up. NOT!

dakuda · November 17, 2008, 07:10 PM

I am glad to know that those numbers worked out for you.

BillCoe · November 18, 2008, 01:24 PM

Dakuda: I owe you a huge dept of gratitude. I am remiss in not having sent back a thank you via PM, but I wanted to make sure that the numbers worked. Just had finished drilling and they did. Anyway, let me take a moment now to publicly thank you for saving my ass here!

YOU RULE! THANKS SO MUCH !!!

June 24, 2008, 07:45 PM	#4
sholling Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 1999 Location: Hemet (middle of nowhere) California Posts: 4,261	I saw that but it's curbside delivery. Horsing a 450lb safe through the house ain't fun. Nice safe though. __________________ Proud Life Member: National Rifle Association, California Rifle & Pistol Association, and the Second Amendment Foundation. Annual Member: Revolutionary War Veterans Association (Project Appleseed) and the Madison Society.

June 24, 2008, 09:08 PM	#5
BillCA Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2004 Location: Silicon Valley, Ca Posts: 7,117	EskimoPie, I've heard good & bad things about electronic locks. I wanted one at first, until I talked to my local Liberty dealer. Their (Liberty) combination locks also have a key-lock feature that locks the dial. You can use the dial to open the safe and then, without spinning the dial to jumble the combination, close and lock the safe with a key. Someone could pick the lock, but for those short trips away from the house it makes it convenient. With the combo lock jumbled AND keylocked a thief has to resort to a physical attack. Also, it's not unusual for a company to "liquidate" older stock by selling to companies like Costco. I'd guess that Cannon has upgraded their "lowest line" of safes somehow and these are older models they're flushing out. Makes for a good deal. __________________ BillCA in CA (Unfortunately)

June 24, 2008, 11:19 PM	#7
Michaelm45 Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2004 Location: NV Posts: 215	Electronic Lock I have an old Cannon (22 years) and the S&G combo lock with key was really giving me trouble. I replaced it with an AMSEC electronic lock and for me it's so much better then the combination lock. It's really fast to open and to close it you just close the door and turn the handle and your done.

November 3, 2008, 04:33 PM	#14
BillCoe Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2008 Posts: 121	Help? Well, I ordered this safe and bolted it down without drilling out the hole for the cord. Can anyone give me the measurements, from the inside, on the location for this hole?! Dohhh!

June 21, 2008, 01:02 PM	#1
BillCA Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2004 Location: Silicon Valley, Ca Posts: 7,117	Cannon's Safari S21E 30-minute fire safe: $699 deilvered Costco has a special running on Cannon's Safari S21E 30-minute fire safe. With 21 cu ft of space this is even a better deal that last year's Liberty safe (17 cu ft). Plus Cannon safes are a little more expensive generally than the Liberty. 699.99 delivered to your home (does not include installation) http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...-_-CannonSafe# 30 MIN. FIRE SAFE U.L.® RSC security rating Color: textured grey paint finish offers durable good looks. Commercial grade Type 1 electronic lock allows user to change combination # 1 warranty in the business 21 Cubic Feet Dimensions: 60” H x 30" W x 21" D includes handle and lock 450 lbs __________________ BillCA in CA (Unfortunately)

June 23, 2008, 11:23 PM	#2
EskimoPie Junior Member Join Date: June 23, 2008 Posts: 6	I had noticed this and am thinking about ordering... I've been researching safes recently and this seems like a great deal. I know this is an RSC and not really a safe, and is even probably towards the lower end of the RSC spectrum, but I'm really not TOO concerned about theft. I don't have any weapons that can't be replaced easily enough. It's mainly to keep all my weapons out of reach of my 1 and 2 year old boys. One of the main things I was looking for was an S&G electronic lock... Since pretty much all my guns will be locked in this safe I want something with quick access and a spin lock just seemed like it'll take too long. $699 delivered seems like a bargain.

June 24, 2008, 04:13 PM	#3
EskimoPie Junior Member Join Date: June 23, 2008 Posts: 6	Well I went ahead and ordered one... I'm a little bummed that it'll take 4-6 weeks for delivery. Also of a little concern is that Cannon's website doesn't list an equivalent safe under their safari series. All of their listed safari series seem to have better stats. Is this just their bottom of the line that they're trying to get rid of inventory? Either way, it's specs satisfy my needs and the cost balances with my risk.

June 24, 2008, 11:14 PM	#6
EskimoPie Junior Member Join Date: June 23, 2008 Posts: 6	Well I consider the weight a good thing... it's significantly heavier than other safes in that price range... heavier means more steel and harder for a thief to move (especially when full). I figure me and a couple of buddies and a rented appliance dolly should be able to get it upstairs to the master closet. BillCA... A long time ago I heard horror stories about how a thief with a 9-volt battery could open your safe with an electronic lock... I've never heard any evidence of that, but the locks are made by S&G (Liberty uses S&G electronic locks too) and S&G is the #1 lock trusted by the government to secure classified information. Granted it's not usually electronic locks, and it might be a 'lowest bidder' situation, but I'm hoping the S&G name means something. I specifically wanted an electronic lock for speed of access... I figure with a 3-number dial in a stressful situation I'd probably screw it up once or twice and it might be minutes to access the safe... with the key-pad I'm thinking that should be cut down to seconds.... The 30 minute fire protection is plenty for me since my house has a sprinkler system installed in every room. I can't imagine a fire would burn for very long. Now water damage is another story.

June 25, 2008, 10:38 AM	#9
EskimoPie Junior Member Join Date: June 23, 2008 Posts: 6	Thanks for the input A1... I had browsed your site before ordering the one from Costco and really liked the cheaper line you offer, but it didn't seem any of them were available with an electronic lock... Is it an option or just something you don't feel is worth the trade-off in security for your customers?

June 30, 2008, 12:52 AM	#11
rockdogz Junior Member Join Date: June 30, 2008 Posts: 14	Cool, I'm glad I found a post on this - it was the exact thing I wanted to research and I saw the Costco special too. (have you tried searching the site for 'gun safe'? You will be hard pressed to find posts about gun safes!) The CN17 is on sale until tomorrow, but I was looking for an electronic lock as well. I've just started looking for a good safe, and I can't quite figure out if there is a really 'good' safe line, or if everything out there is just so-so and has cheap electronics and cheap handles on it. Are the Amsec safes from your Frank Zykan site better than the Canon/Liberty? Can the public get the same government grade locks and electronics described in the other posts? Thanks for the input, Tom

July 10, 2008, 10:45 PM	#13
EskimoPie Junior Member Join Date: June 23, 2008 Posts: 6	There is now an extra $20 off this safe for a total of $220 and they extended the sale as well. If anybody else ordered one, call up Costco and ask for your extra $20 off, they didn't complain at all. My safe actually arrived today. The delivery guy was nice enough to put it all the way in my garage instead of just at the end of my driveway. It's definitely a large safe and at 450 lbs I'll need a couple of buddies to help me drag it upstairs. For the price though I'm really happy with it. 2 things people should know though, the pictures show a very light grey, almost silver, color. Mine is a very dark gray, essentially black. I don't mind this at all since I didn't love the light gray color anyway. The black looks nice. The thing I'm not crazy about though is the pictures clearly show an S&G electronic lock. Mine doesn't have an S&G. The manual has 3 different electronic locks listed, the S&G, a "Lagard Basic", and a "LPLocks". I got the "LPLocks". It doesn't seem as well made of a lock as the S&G. I checked the website again and it doesn't say anything like "may be different than shown in pictures" so I'm going to call and complain. I'm worried Costco will just say 'fine, return it for a refund' at which point I'll just keep it since It's still the best bang for the buck I could find. Also, the interior isn't very fancy... the carpet is pretty low-grade and the shelving system is a little chintzy, but it'll clearly do the job and for the money I'm really not complaining.

November 14, 2008, 01:18 AM	#15
skeeter Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Posts: 883	a1abdj You seem to know a lot about safes and I agree that for the money AMSEC seems to be the best buy but what about a company I never heard of before, Sturdy Safes. What do you think of them?

November 17, 2008, 07:06 PM	#16
BillCoe Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2008 Posts: 121	Not that anyone would ever be so stupid as to bolt one of these safes down without drilling the hole first: here's the answer to my question in case you find this via a Google search. Measured from the inside 11-1/4 from the left, 2-1/8" high. Drill a small hole and then enlarge it. I clipped the plug off an extension cord, pushed it thought, then put on a new plug on the end and plugged it into an outlet. Plugged in the goldenrod and voila! I had called the factory and the dumbkauph had said @ 2 inches in and @ 2" up. NOT!

November 17, 2008, 07:10 PM	#17
dakuda Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 65	I am glad to know that those numbers worked out for you.

November 18, 2008, 01:24 PM	#18
BillCoe Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2008 Posts: 121	Dakuda: I owe you a huge dept of gratitude. I am remiss in not having sent back a thank you via PM, but I wanted to make sure that the numbers worked. Just had finished drilling and they did. Anyway, let me take a moment now to publicly thank you for saving my ass here! YOU RULE! THANKS SO MUCH !!!