Best Safe <$500

elwaynum1 · May 12, 2013, 11:45 PM

Hey guys,

I am in need of some recommendations for a starter safe for my growing collection that is <$500 if possible. Currently, I own 6 long guns & 4 pistols. I live with my wife in an apartment in Dallas while we finish up grad school. I have been looking at http://www.lowes.com/pd_292952-10283...ductId=1242371 but have concerns on its size.

Thanks in advance.

Nittespanker · May 12, 2013, 11:53 PM

I'm sorry I can't help you with the best safe for under $500 but I can give some good advice.
Bolt the safe to the floor if possible. I realize your in an apartment but if your protecting against theft I strongly advise the safe be secured to the floor.
I know multiple people whos LARGE safes were carried off or laid on there backs and opened.
Do not tell anyone and I mean anyone about your guns or your safe. Hide the location of the safe if possible.

sir_n0thing · May 13, 2013, 06:38 PM

I have one of those units. With 6 long guns and 4 pistols, you will definitely be full up, with a little room for some extras.
It's a nice little safe, I do like it. The configurable shelving is nice, but with 6 long guns you're not going to realistically be able to take advantage of that feature (I know because I have 6 long guns and 4 pistols in mine! Along with a few accessories and extra magazines.)

Rifleman1776 · May 14, 2013, 07:42 AM

Check out Grizzly. They sell safes at good prices. My safe is a Grizzly but, sadly, my model isn't carried by them anymore.
And, yes, do bolt to the floor or wall.

Belve · May 14, 2013, 07:48 AM

i bought a fire resistant Cannon safe at Costco for 470 shipped it hold about 14 rifles and you can fit at least 20 handguns with the rifles in it with some room to spare.

elwaynum1 · May 14, 2013, 08:13 AM

Do you have a link for the cannon at Costco? I can't find them on their website.

myusername · May 17, 2013, 02:21 AM

Especially in an apartment consider several things. One is weight - even the lightweight ones from Lowes or HD are HEAVY like a refrigerator!

Secondly - consider how you are going to move it into the apartment without everyone in the complex knowing you've got a safe full of guns. See if you can get a refrigerator box or something and try to do at night.

Don't put it on an outside wall, they will just bust through the wall and roll it off. Did that at a friends frame house - took out a 4 by 8 foot chunk of the house, siding 2X4's drywall and all, including the safe that was bolted to the 2x's! It gets better - then they loaded it into his pickup truck and stole that too! He's pretty sure it was a neighbor, but of course no proof.

Don't get the electronic locks - google it - kids can open many if not all by simply bumping some of them just right, a pro certainly can.

Consider also with the lighter safes it takes someone with a cut off saw or a circular saw with a metal blade maybe 10 minutes to cut the side open or the door off.

Belve · May 19, 2013, 09:55 AM

I purchased it 2 years ago i checked their website and couldnt find it either it went on sale last september too

rc · May 28, 2013, 12:36 AM

If you have a tractor supply, they have some chinese made winchester safes around $600 and some cannon saves that I think are made in the US around the same price. You should spend a bit more and get fire lining and get one that is a 32 gun size so you have room for other stuff like ammo. There are also safes at places like Lowes and Home Depot. Shop around and compare things like metal thickness, fire protection time, number of locking bolts, type of lock, hinge strength and overall quality. A safe can get oo big to move around to can be too small to be most useful.

May 12, 2013, 11:45 PM	#1
elwaynum1 Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 85	Best Safe <$500 Hey guys, I am in need of some recommendations for a starter safe for my growing collection that is <$500 if possible. Currently, I own 6 long guns & 4 pistols. I live with my wife in an apartment in Dallas while we finish up grad school. I have been looking at http://www.lowes.com/pd_292952-10283...ductId=1242371 but have concerns on its size. Thanks in advance.

May 13, 2013, 06:38 PM	#3
sir_n0thing Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2011 Location: WI, USA Posts: 281	I have one of those units. With 6 long guns and 4 pistols, you will definitely be full up, with a little room for some extras. It's a nice little safe, I do like it. The configurable shelving is nice, but with 6 long guns you're not going to realistically be able to take advantage of that feature (I know because I have 6 long guns and 4 pistols in mine! Along with a few accessories and extra magazines.) __________________ You can take the Texan out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the Texan.

May 12, 2013, 11:53 PM	#2
Nittespanker Junior member Join Date: May 9, 2013 Posts: 70	I'm sorry I can't help you with the best safe for under $500 but I can give some good advice. Bolt the safe to the floor if possible. I realize your in an apartment but if your protecting against theft I strongly advise the safe be secured to the floor. I know multiple people whos LARGE safes were carried off or laid on there backs and opened. Do not tell anyone and I mean anyone about your guns or your safe. Hide the location of the safe if possible.

May 14, 2013, 07:42 AM	#4
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	Check out Grizzly. They sell safes at good prices. My safe is a Grizzly but, sadly, my model isn't carried by them anymore. And, yes, do bolt to the floor or wall.

May 14, 2013, 07:48 AM	#5
Belve Member Join Date: October 2, 2012 Posts: 58	i bought a fire resistant Cannon safe at Costco for 470 shipped it hold about 14 rifles and you can fit at least 20 handguns with the rifles in it with some room to spare.

May 14, 2013, 08:13 AM	#6
elwaynum1 Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 85	Do you have a link for the cannon at Costco? I can't find them on their website.

May 17, 2013, 02:21 AM	#7
myusername Member Join Date: May 11, 2013 Posts: 99	Especially in an apartment consider several things. One is weight - even the lightweight ones from Lowes or HD are HEAVY like a refrigerator! Secondly - consider how you are going to move it into the apartment without everyone in the complex knowing you've got a safe full of guns. See if you can get a refrigerator box or something and try to do at night. Don't put it on an outside wall, they will just bust through the wall and roll it off. Did that at a friends frame house - took out a 4 by 8 foot chunk of the house, siding 2X4's drywall and all, including the safe that was bolted to the 2x's! It gets better - then they loaded it into his pickup truck and stole that too! He's pretty sure it was a neighbor, but of course no proof. Don't get the electronic locks - google it - kids can open many if not all by simply bumping some of them just right, a pro certainly can. Consider also with the lighter safes it takes someone with a cut off saw or a circular saw with a metal blade maybe 10 minutes to cut the side open or the door off.

May 19, 2013, 09:55 AM	#8
Belve Member Join Date: October 2, 2012 Posts: 58	I purchased it 2 years ago i checked their website and couldnt find it either it went on sale last september too

May 28, 2013, 12:36 AM	#9
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,769	If you have a tractor supply, they have some chinese made winchester safes around $600 and some cannon saves that I think are made in the US around the same price. You should spend a bit more and get fire lining and get one that is a 32 gun size so you have room for other stuff like ammo. There are also safes at places like Lowes and Home Depot. Shop around and compare things like metal thickness, fire protection time, number of locking bolts, type of lock, hinge strength and overall quality. A safe can get oo big to move around to can be too small to be most useful.