Gun Safe advice

Greywolf · July 29, 2007, 02:17 PM

OK, finally deciding to spend some $$ on a decent safe after years of cramming my expensive (and some NFA weapons) guns into a cheapo $150 sheetmetal safe.

Not wanting to spend a huge amount, I checked out Sam's and found this:

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...2&pCatg=6983#A

It is actually $600 if I pick it up, plus tax of course (7%). I suppose I can find a friend or two to help me move it - I have a Suburban LT so I can fit it in the back of it, get it home, put it on a dolly, and move it inside.

Decent deal, or are there better deals out there?

Creature · July 29, 2007, 02:47 PM

I have always been suspect of electronic keypad-only locks. I appreciate their speed of opening, but I have seen wire solders break for seemingly no reason. Personally I would go for a "dial" combination lock or a dual lock set up.

If someone was to burglarize your house and they decide that cracking your safe is not going to happen, a single hammer blow to the key pad will render your lock permanently inoperable. They could do that with a dial lock as well, but dial locks stand up better to malicious damage.

just my 2¢

Greywolf · July 29, 2007, 03:00 PM

Yeah, I was/am a little leery about the electronic combo units, but can't find as a good a deal locally on a good old fashioned twist dial lock. Will have to keep looking.

Creature · July 29, 2007, 03:07 PM

It is a good deal and that alone may out-weigh the drawback of an electronic lock.

All things considered, I would probably go with that safe in the end.

KMBRTAC45 · July 30, 2007, 12:55 PM

I have that same safe. The digital combo has been very reliable. You can't beat it for an inexpensive safe. I would do it again if I were looking for a safe on a budget. If you ask the people at the customer service desk they will probably have a name of somebody you can call to deliver it for you. The guy I had deliver mine only charged me $50.00(3 miles from Sam's club). He also moved a safe for a friend of mine for $75.00 IIRC, but it was heavier and a further distance.

Dave.H · July 30, 2007, 02:30 PM

I have a Liberty and love it. I spent about $200 more than that and it has a 45 minute rating. Well its actually a "Timber Ridge by Liberty", but it is a Liberty. I just recently purchased mine after our house got broken into, this was after years of putting off the decision.

I did all the research I could and for the money found I couldn't beat the Liberty. It may or may not be for you, but I seggest you go look at them if you can and watch their promotional video that shows their safe and another in a fire. Whether thatas true or not their video has some good info on it.

They are sold at Gander Mountain and probably some other places if you don't have a Gander Mountain.

We picked mine up with a truck with a liftgate, but that wasn't really necissary. Two guys and an appliance dolly and we got it in and located where I wanted it with 0 problems.

Greywolf · August 1, 2007, 07:31 PM

I'm actually considering upping the budget to about $1500. I am not too concerned with fire, as we are close to a fire station, have an all-concrete block home, etc. Low risk for fire.

But theft is my main concern. I really can't imagine needing more than a 15-20 gun safe - Hell, my little Homak can contain all my guns right now, but it is a tight fit and I don't really plan on buying any more guns for a long time (all my spare cash is going to go towards a Gen 3 NV setup).

Anyone have or know anything about Zanotti Armor take-down safes? prices? Their website has no detailed info on that.

SA1911A1/45 · August 2, 2007, 06:31 AM

Greywolf, get the biggest safe that you can afford. A few more things may have to go inside sometime.

Dave.H · August 2, 2007, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Greywolf, get the biggest safe that you can afford. A few more things may have to go inside sometime.

Yup. Theft is why we bought ours, after the house was broken into

. We got lucky that the heirloom jewelry and guns were not found, but it opened our eyes. There are a couple shelves in mine that are filled with non gun related items.

What was said above is VERY true. It will fill up quick and as time goes on it will get more and more full.

Mach II Sailor · August 2, 2007, 08:36 AM

another thing to keep in mind, if a safe is rated at say 30 gun capacity, never happen with ARs, i had to modify the interrior of my Ft. Knox safe so i could get 30+ AR-15s in it, the back row all stand muzzle up, front row muzzle down, i have three hanging on the door.
big safes have a thing about shrinking over a period of years, my next one will be a walk in !

frankxd · August 2, 2007, 09:05 AM

I have that same safe, and I love it. The guys at Sams will put it into the back of your truck. I had a couple of friends come over and used a furniture dolly to get it into the house; it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be.

The safe isn't the best on the market, but I believe it is the best value. It meets the minimum requirements for burgular/fire protection at a good cost. Like any safe, it will only fit about 2/3 of the number of rifles that it states. I hope that Sams is still selling these when I get a bigger house, because I would like to get another one.

rrp · August 2, 2007, 09:38 PM

Don't be afraid of the electric lock on the safe. I have had one for several years and love it. I can open it much easier and faster than my safe with the dial lock. And I don't need my glasses, as I do with the dial lock.

Dave.H · August 3, 2007, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Don't be afraid of the electric lock on the safe. I have had one for several years and love it. I can open it much easier and faster than my safe with the dial lock. And I don't need my glasses, as I do with the dial lock.

I have been wanting to put one on mine. I figured by the time it goes through a fire whether it has the electric or the turn dial on it I am gonna need a locksmith to come open it.

What happens when the batteries wear out?

frankxd · August 3, 2007, 08:20 AM

It uses one 9V battery and it lasts a long time. I think that there is an audible warning when the battery is low (I;m still on my first battery).

That reminds me, if you buy this safe, have a 9V battery on hand when you are unpacking it. The safe comes bolted to a pallet, and the lag bolts are removed from the inside of the locked safe. Without a battery, you cannot get it off the skid. Ask me how I know this.

Dave.H · August 3, 2007, 08:27 AM

Do you change the battery from the inside or outside? I would imagine outside so that if it dies your not locked out of your safe.

frankxd · August 3, 2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Do you change the battery from the inside or outside?

Outside. I believe that there is a default code if the memory gets wiped out somehow.

firing101a · August 10, 2007, 08:50 AM

go with a dial safe, someone mentioned above about people being able to hit it with a hammer, rendering it impossible to open, i dealt with this case, and it sucks. not fun.

mrgrinch · August 14, 2007, 07:43 PM

Sam's Club recently stopped carrying the $581 Winchester safe. My local Sam's replaced it with a $1000 National Security safe the exact same size that I think is made by Liberty. It has a S/G digital lock, pretty paint, and a 45minute fire rating. The weight is exactly the same at 575 pounds, so it probably has the same thickness of metal. I wish I had picked up the $581 before it was too late.

panamint · August 15, 2007, 11:31 AM

I bought a Liberty safe and got one of the larger ones so I could grow into it. After putting the guns cameras important papers & jewelry not much room left. Get the biggest you can afford. I bought mine at a gun store with no interest for 12 months. It has the electronic key pad and I love it, the only way to go.
Scott

ruprex · August 15, 2007, 11:25 PM

I own that safe...bought it from sams last year. I like it quite a bit. I keep mine in the garage with a goldenrod in it. Here's a good tip if you keep it in the garage...cut the back of the box the safe came in out, leaving a lip on the top side. This way you can keep the box over the safe and no one knows you have a safe in your garage...looks like a waterheater box. with the back cut out, you can lift the box up an inch and then out. Works well.

OJ · August 15, 2007, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Greywolf, get the biggest safe that you can afford. A few more things may have to go inside sometime.
__________________

+1 (at least) on that. We camp regularly for five days at a time in the summer and my wife's jewelry goes in there and, always, important papers such as the deed to our house, marriage certificate, wills, and financial papers reside in there without crowding the important stuff like guns.

I bought an American Security large safe some 10 years ago and paid $1500.00 plus another $200 for delivery. It sits on concrete in a fairly small storage room on our lower level and would require removing several doors to steal it even if the thieves could work up the muscle to do so. It has some thirty or so rifles and at least that many handguns for added weight that wasn't there on delivery.

They don't wear out and, amortizing the cost over a lifetime, it's cheap insurance.

You'll be surprised the number of things you will want to put in there when you get the safe. GO BIG.

Bottom Gun · August 16, 2007, 10:01 AM

Get the largest you can afford. You will find a way to fill it up.

By the way, if you keep your tax records in your safe, it's a deductible expense.

I originally bought my safe to keep my tax records secure and it worked great and I took a deduction for it.
I was later very pleased to discover that my long guns and handguns would fit into the safe as well. Imagine that.

Just a thought. . . . . . . . .

Dave.H · August 25, 2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

By the way, if you keep your tax records in your safe, it's a deductible expense.

Um, I have been out of the public accounting game for several years now, but I am not to sure about that one. That may be a bit of a stretch.

Greywolf · August 25, 2007, 11:04 AM

I'd be interested in the deductibility! Any ideas how to do this?

Update - I bought the AMSEC 6030 safe with regular mechanical lockset.

THANK GOD I bought it locally and had it delivered and installed. Cost $250, but well worth it. This sucker is almost 900 pounds, required two guys to get it in, took about 2.5 hours. It was a very tight fit with lots of turns but it got done much to my satisfaction, and they bolted it down very nicely.

Still have lots of room even after all my rifles, pistols, spare mags, optics and some ammo have been put in there.

Very happy with this monster, and I don't think I will have to worry about going away for a week now.

Mach II Sailor · August 26, 2007, 08:53 AM

one other thing to keep in mind, INSURANCE !! i notified my agent we had a safe to keep "valuables" and "collectables" in and our fire insurance droped $50 a year !! not that big a deal but nice to know.

July 29, 2007, 02:17 PM	#1
Greywolf Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2002 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 251	Gun Safe advice OK, finally deciding to spend some $$ on a decent safe after years of cramming my expensive (and some NFA weapons) guns into a cheapo $150 sheetmetal safe. Not wanting to spend a huge amount, I checked out Sam's and found this: http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...2&pCatg=6983#A It is actually $600 if I pick it up, plus tax of course (7%). I suppose I can find a friend or two to help me move it - I have a Suburban LT so I can fit it in the back of it, get it home, put it on a dolly, and move it inside. Decent deal, or are there better deals out there?

July 30, 2007, 12:55 PM	#5
KMBRTAC45 Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2006 Location: The valley of the sun scorched earth(Phx,Az) Posts: 117	I have that same safe. The digital combo has been very reliable. You can't beat it for an inexpensive safe. I would do it again if I were looking for a safe on a budget. If you ask the people at the customer service desk they will probably have a name of somebody you can call to deliver it for you. The guy I had deliver mine only charged me $50.00(3 miles from Sam's club). He also moved a safe for a friend of mine for $75.00 IIRC, but it was heavier and a further distance. __________________ NRA Life Member, USCCA Member Freedoms precious metals:Gold, Silver & Lead Tactical Pro II w/EE over 2000 rnds NO MALFUNCTIONS

August 2, 2007, 06:31 AM	#8
SA1911A1/45 Member Join Date: August 19, 2002 Location: California Posts: 67	Greywolf, get the biggest safe that you can afford. A few more things may have to go inside sometime. __________________ Keep your powder dry.

August 15, 2007, 11:25 PM	#20
ruprex Junior Member Join Date: August 8, 2007 Location: !!!TEXAS!!! Posts: 3	I own that safe...bought it from sams last year. I like it quite a bit. I keep mine in the garage with a goldenrod in it. Here's a good tip if you keep it in the garage...cut the back of the box the safe came in out, leaving a lip on the top side. This way you can keep the box over the safe and no one knows you have a safe in your garage...looks like a waterheater box. with the back cut out, you can lift the box up an inch and then out. Works well. __________________ The best "first aid" for a gunshot wound is immediate and accurate fire at the person(s) who caused you the wound . -John Farnum

July 29, 2007, 02:47 PM	#2
Creature Junior member Join Date: April 8, 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,769	I have always been suspect of electronic keypad-only locks. I appreciate their speed of opening, but I have seen wire solders break for seemingly no reason. Personally I would go for a "dial" combination lock or a dual lock set up. If someone was to burglarize your house and they decide that cracking your safe is not going to happen, a single hammer blow to the key pad will render your lock permanently inoperable. They could do that with a dial lock as well, but dial locks stand up better to malicious damage. just my 2¢

July 29, 2007, 03:00 PM	#3
Greywolf Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2002 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 251	Yeah, I was/am a little leery about the electronic combo units, but can't find as a good a deal locally on a good old fashioned twist dial lock. Will have to keep looking.

July 29, 2007, 03:07 PM	#4
Creature Junior member Join Date: April 8, 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,769	It is a good deal and that alone may out-weigh the drawback of an electronic lock. All things considered, I would probably go with that safe in the end.

July 30, 2007, 02:30 PM	#6
Dave.H Member Join Date: July 30, 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 34	I have a Liberty and love it. I spent about $200 more than that and it has a 45 minute rating. Well its actually a "Timber Ridge by Liberty", but it is a Liberty. I just recently purchased mine after our house got broken into, this was after years of putting off the decision. I did all the research I could and for the money found I couldn't beat the Liberty. It may or may not be for you, but I seggest you go look at them if you can and watch their promotional video that shows their safe and another in a fire. Whether thatas true or not their video has some good info on it. They are sold at Gander Mountain and probably some other places if you don't have a Gander Mountain. We picked mine up with a truck with a liftgate, but that wasn't really necissary. Two guys and an appliance dolly and we got it in and located where I wanted it with 0 problems.

August 1, 2007, 07:31 PM	#7
Greywolf Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2002 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 251	I'm actually considering upping the budget to about $1500. I am not too concerned with fire, as we are close to a fire station, have an all-concrete block home, etc. Low risk for fire. But theft is my main concern. I really can't imagine needing more than a 15-20 gun safe - Hell, my little Homak can contain all my guns right now, but it is a tight fit and I don't really plan on buying any more guns for a long time (all my spare cash is going to go towards a Gen 3 NV setup). Anyone have or know anything about Zanotti Armor take-down safes? prices? Their website has no detailed info on that.

August 2, 2007, 08:36 AM	#10
Mach II Sailor Junior member Join Date: March 22, 2007 Posts: 480	another thing to keep in mind, if a safe is rated at say 30 gun capacity, never happen with ARs, i had to modify the interrior of my Ft. Knox safe so i could get 30+ AR-15s in it, the back row all stand muzzle up, front row muzzle down, i have three hanging on the door. big safes have a thing about shrinking over a period of years, my next one will be a walk in !

August 2, 2007, 09:05 AM	#11
frankxd Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2006 Posts: 211	I have that same safe, and I love it. The guys at Sams will put it into the back of your truck. I had a couple of friends come over and used a furniture dolly to get it into the house; it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. The safe isn't the best on the market, but I believe it is the best value. It meets the minimum requirements for burgular/fire protection at a good cost. Like any safe, it will only fit about 2/3 of the number of rifles that it states. I hope that Sams is still selling these when I get a bigger house, because I would like to get another one.

August 2, 2007, 09:38 PM	#12
rrp Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2006 Location: west central Wi Posts: 300	Don't be afraid of the electric lock on the safe. I have had one for several years and love it. I can open it much easier and faster than my safe with the dial lock. And I don't need my glasses, as I do with the dial lock.

August 3, 2007, 08:20 AM	#14
frankxd Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2006 Posts: 211	It uses one 9V battery and it lasts a long time. I think that there is an audible warning when the battery is low (I;m still on my first battery). That reminds me, if you buy this safe, have a 9V battery on hand when you are unpacking it. The safe comes bolted to a pallet, and the lag bolts are removed from the inside of the locked safe. Without a battery, you cannot get it off the skid. Ask me how I know this.

August 3, 2007, 08:27 AM	#15
Dave.H Member Join Date: July 30, 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 34	Do you change the battery from the inside or outside? I would imagine outside so that if it dies your not locked out of your safe.

August 10, 2007, 08:50 AM	#17
firing101a Junior Member Join Date: August 10, 2007 Posts: 2	go with a dial safe, someone mentioned above about people being able to hit it with a hammer, rendering it impossible to open, i dealt with this case, and it sucks. not fun.

August 14, 2007, 07:43 PM	#18
mrgrinch Member Join Date: August 17, 2005 Posts: 21	Sam's Club recently stopped carrying the $581 Winchester safe. My local Sam's replaced it with a $1000 National Security safe the exact same size that I think is made by Liberty. It has a S/G digital lock, pretty paint, and a 45minute fire rating. The weight is exactly the same at 575 pounds, so it probably has the same thickness of metal. I wish I had picked up the $581 before it was too late.

August 15, 2007, 11:31 AM	#19
panamint Member Join Date: February 6, 2000 Location: Inman SC Posts: 38	I bought a Liberty safe and got one of the larger ones so I could grow into it. After putting the guns cameras important papers & jewelry not much room left. Get the biggest you can afford. I bought mine at a gun store with no interest for 12 months. It has the electronic key pad and I love it, the only way to go. Scott

August 16, 2007, 10:01 AM	#22
Bottom Gun Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 1998 Location: Arizona Territory Posts: 1,092	Get the largest you can afford. You will find a way to fill it up. By the way, if you keep your tax records in your safe, it's a deductible expense. I originally bought my safe to keep my tax records secure and it worked great and I took a deduction for it. I was later very pleased to discover that my long guns and handguns would fit into the safe as well. Imagine that. Just a thought. . . . . . . . .

August 25, 2007, 11:04 AM	#24
Greywolf Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2002 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 251	I'd be interested in the deductibility! Any ideas how to do this? Update - I bought the AMSEC 6030 safe with regular mechanical lockset. THANK GOD I bought it locally and had it delivered and installed. Cost $250, but well worth it. This sucker is almost 900 pounds, required two guys to get it in, took about 2.5 hours. It was a very tight fit with lots of turns but it got done much to my satisfaction, and they bolted it down very nicely. Still have lots of room even after all my rifles, pistols, spare mags, optics and some ammo have been put in there. Very happy with this monster, and I don't think I will have to worry about going away for a week now.

August 26, 2007, 08:53 AM	#25
Mach II Sailor Junior member Join Date: March 22, 2007 Posts: 480	one other thing to keep in mind, INSURANCE !! i notified my agent we had a safe to keep "valuables" and "collectables" in and our fire insurance droped $50 a year !! not that big a deal but nice to know.