Author Topic: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.  (Read 1084 times)

RoadKingLarry

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Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« on: September 03, 2020, 05:49:07 PM »
Time to buy a bigger gun safe.
My current safe is "better than nothing" and has shrunk up quite a bit over the last decade or so.
Looked at the box store safes. all of them seem to be equipped with E-locks and have a 1200°/30 minute fire rating and use12 gauge steel  which seems pretty lame to me.

I'm fairly set on biting the bullet and dropping serious coin on a good quality "Made in USA" safe. For the capacity/dimensions I'm looking hard at Browning with their fancy high capacity interior system, it looks like it will work for me.

My big stopper is the lock. Mechanical or electronic? When I was in the Navy I had a lot of experience spinning S&G dials so don't have any issue with them, I even had to change combos on a regular basis. My Boomer mentality doesn't completely trust electronic locks but I haven't paid them much attention in the last 20 years or so.
Any comments on the current state of reliability for E-locks?
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

Samuel Adams

Ben

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2020, 05:59:16 PM »
I think you'll get a lot of opinions on e-locks. :)

I think they have improved dramatically over the years, and good ones have ways to get in if the batteries die. Even cheap ones do.

The only electronic locking safe I have is a super cheap Barska three long gun corner safe that i have always used at my bedside if there are kids or other guests in the house. It has a biometric lock, and once I figured out how to index my finger for the fingerprint reader, it opens every time on the first try. If the batteries die, I can either use a key to get in, or else plug in an external battery pack that came with the safe to power it long enough to open up and access the main batteries.

That said, my two big safes are old-fashioned S&G. Reason being that they store my safe queens and other guns and valuables that I'm never in a hurry to get to.

If I only had one safe, I would likely make it electronic to be able to quickly get to the defensive guns, at least if I lived where I needed to keep them locked up all the time. Or else make it a mechanical safe, but also buy a smaller security container with a fast access lock for the anti-bad guy guns.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2020, 06:20:41 PM »
What is the needed capacity and what's your budget? Using those two factors you can narrow the search to a few specific models.

Brad
It's all about the pancakes, people.
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Ben

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2020, 06:24:18 PM »
What is the needed capacity and what's your budget? Using those two factors you can narrow the search to a few specific models.

Brad

The needed capacity is twice whatever he posts. :)
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

RoadKingLarry

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2020, 07:30:43 PM »
The Browning model I'm looking at claims it holds an honest 33 long guns. That gives me room for a little growth.
My budget which includes delivery/set up is about $2500
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

Samuel Adams

cordex

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2020, 08:09:50 PM »
When I was in the market I found an independent, local safe manufacturer who makes his safes to order out of thicker than standard steel. He also delivered it and took it upstairs for me, which was cool.

MechAg94

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2020, 07:20:32 AM »
When I was in the market I found an independent, local safe manufacturer who makes his safes to order out of thicker than standard steel. He also delivered it and took it upstairs for me, which was cool.
I knew a guy who used to do that.  He has a store that sells Liberty safes now. 

I would look around your area also and see if there are any stores that specialize in gun safes.  There are a lot of really good safes that you won't likely see at other places.  A lot of them will be expensive, but it will give you a good idea of what is out there for the money. 
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge

Ben

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2020, 08:44:59 AM »
I will echo looking for a local safe maker. The best safe I ever owned came from a local welding shop, and was substantially less costly than thinner mass market safes. It was just not feasible for me to bring it with me when I moved, and I needed a safe fast when I moved here, so bought a commercial safe from an LGS. It's a decent safe, but every time I open it, I feel how much less sturdy it is than my old one. Even the S&G lock feels inferior to the one on my old safe.
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

Brad Johnson

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2020, 10:13:18 AM »
Keep in mind that fire is just as much a threat as is burglary, maybe more depending on your area. As much as I like a good, sturdy, solid safe made from heavy plate, that mass of steel also serves as a mechanism for thermal transfer and heat retention.

Given your size the budget numbers, I'd be putting a serious eyeball on something like the Liberty Franklin 40 or an AmSec NF36.

Finally, call your insurance company. In some instances they will give discounts if safes meet a minimum protection criteria, a cost offset which could potentially alter your selection criteria.

Brad
« Last Edit: September 04, 2020, 10:53:20 AM by Brad Johnson »
It's all about the pancakes, people.
"And he thought cops wouldn't chase... a STOLEN DONUT TRUCK???? That would be like Willie Nelson ignoring a pickup full of weed."
-HankB

BobR

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #9 on: September 04, 2020, 10:32:51 AM »
I picked up a discontinued Liberty 50 a about 15 yeats ago. It has an electronic lock that has worked fine all of that time. Also ask your safe guy if he has any scratch and dent safes he can discount. I either have to start selling guns or get another safe. 🤔

 bob

MechAg94

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #10 on: September 04, 2020, 11:29:59 AM »
I picked up a discontinued Liberty 50 a about 15 yeats ago. It has an electronic lock that has worked fine all of that time. Also ask your safe guy if he has any scratch and dent safes he can discount. I either have to start selling guns or get another safe. 🤔

 bob
If you haven't been selling the last 6 months, you have been missing an opportunity. 
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge

BobR

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #11 on: September 04, 2020, 12:37:43 PM »
If you haven't been selling the last 6 months, you have been missing an opportunity. 

Maybe. But retiring, selling a house, relocating and getting a new place to live has been the priority. When I get settled I will take a hard look at what I have. I am amazed at what some of my guns may be worth now. Maybe I will sell my Ljungman and Hakim as a (mis)matched set. Cousins sort of. I know I will sell, with the passing of our son there is no one to give an instant collecton to, but the thought of selling is somewhat traumatic. 🤔

bob

Pb

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #12 on: September 04, 2020, 01:47:41 PM »
It is my understanding the most important thing is having the steel as thick as possible.  (also get a bigger one than you need!)

I've not bought a safe, but I have heard good things about this company:

https://www.sturdysafe.com/

RocketMan

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #13 on: September 04, 2020, 02:15:30 PM »
I think everyone is approaching this subject in a completely backwards fashion.  We should be collecting gun safes, not guns.  Every time we buy a new gun safe, of course it needs to be filled with new guns.  Otherwise, what would be the point of collecting gun safes?
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MechAg94

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #14 on: September 04, 2020, 02:30:52 PM »
The Browning model I'm looking at claims it holds an honest 33 long guns. That gives me room for a little growth.
My budget which includes delivery/set up is about $2500
For that budget, you ought to be able to get a pretty good safe with a higher capacity than that.  Mine was in that range as far as final price.  Somewhere around 11 gauge steel all around and the door has an overlap so it has a double seal.  You can't see the locking lugs from outside. 

I haven't looked for online safe sellers.  During normal times, there would be people at gun shows selling safes.   
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge

RoadKingLarry

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #15 on: September 04, 2020, 03:27:31 PM »
This is the model I bought today.

https://www.highnoblesafe.com/collections/gun-safes/products/browning-select-slt33

It may not be as big as I would have liked but the exterior dimensions are as big as I can fit in the room I want to put it in.
The 80 minute @ 1550°F is far better than any box store offering.
I chose the dial lock and textured charcoal exterior.
The "Made in USA" was a must.

I bought from a local dealer that will deliver to the room for a more or less reasonable price($298) which includes some mileage charges above their standard fee since I'm outside of their 20 mile range.
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

Samuel Adams

BobR

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #16 on: September 04, 2020, 03:39:46 PM »
I should have said earlier.a 33 gun safe will probably hold 25 guns comfortably without knocking into the one next to it, as long as the bolts are removed. It is the gun safe truth.

bob

RoadKingLarry

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #17 on: September 04, 2020, 06:34:10 PM »
I only have 2 bolt action rifles. An 1891 Argentine Mauser and a Crikett .22.
A bigger safe would be nice but I have space constraints and the wife said no to parking it in the living room.
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

Samuel Adams

RoadKingLarry

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #18 on: September 16, 2020, 07:24:41 PM »
My new safe was delivered today.  =D
The delivery was well worth the cost. They had all the proper stuff to get it right to where I wanted it with no drama.
Capacity is more than adequate for my current needs and allows me room for some "growth". I do have some longer long guns and that eliminates the use of one of the moveable shelves but not something I'm going to lose sleep over.
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

Samuel Adams

MechAg94

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Re: Another "gun safe shopping" thread.
« Reply #19 on: September 16, 2020, 10:23:31 PM »
Good to hear.

Did you get it bolted down to the floor?
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge