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Looking for a new gun safe

Cory porter

Silver $$ Contributor
I will be purchasing or looking for a new gun safe within the next couple months. I have always stored my gun growing up at my parents while I lived in apartments. I purchased my first house and will be moving in finally this week. So I can finally get my own safe.

I honestly got rid of a lot of my rifles and guns but still have my benchrest guns so I don’t need a huge one. 36 gun would be more than enough but I would still consider something slightly bigger. Any recommendations where to look ideally I’d have it delivered. I’m in Columbus ohio, we have cabelas and a place called vances as well as rural king. I know all 3 carry safes.
 
Depends on what quality of safe you want. I had a Sportsman Steel Tactical American safe that I sold with my house. I will get another when my new house is finished. It was 72x50x33.

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My thoughts:

1. get a bigger one. A 36 gun safe will hold maybe 10 rifles in a way you can get them out without dinging the others. Also, scoped rifles must have a space claim of two rifles. Also, ‘extra’ space can be used to store other valuables and documents.

2. I was able to save a good deal of money by buying a used onel. It might be worth looking into if you’re not in a hurry. Do some research to decide what you want and what you don’t so you don’t ’settle’ for something you don’t want.

3. I read quite A few stories about the digital locks having issues, so I knew I didn’t want one of those. im not sure how common the problems are, but it’s not something I have to even think about with the regular type of lock.
 
Like others have mentioned most "gun safes" aren't that safe to a determined person. And most don't offer much protection from fire. Lost an entire collection to fire.
A cheap safe from places like tractor supply are more of a lock box than a safe.

A true vault/safe will cost you 5 fold of what a cheap gun safe at most places run.

Keep your eyes out for closing financial institutions or closing jewelry shops. They typically have stand up vaults that are much more secure than a safe you buy at a box store for guns. Or call a try vault/safe store.
 
First identify where you will be putting the safe. Allow for door swing space.
Then map out how you will get/move the safe to this location. Measure all doorways, hallways, and turns along this route. Allow for any dollies or moving equipment required. WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN! Use this data as you are looking at safes.
Residential safes are really to stop the smash and grab local thief (Pro's get in anyway) so look at them that way. Make sure you bolt the safe to the floor! Safes are most vulnerable when they can be tipped over to beat and pry on.
 
Not a real big gun safe dictionary but I bought my Cannon after watching a Shockey hunting show years ago. His info was that Cannon would replace all the contents in your safe if someone breached it during a theft or break in. That was all the info I needed. I filled out the warranty card and called the company for a relay of that info. That's exactly what I got. I'm more concerned with fire so I got a model that offered good fire protection. I'm sure they've come out with better safes in the last several years but that's my experience why I pulled the trigger on the Cannon.
 
Buy 2 smaller safes. I just went thru this a year or so ago. I got 2 “30 gun” safes for less money than a bigger 36 or 40 gun. They’re easier to move around, too.
If I place the guns in them carefully, I’m able to squeeze 12-15 scoped rifles in each one, so I had to buy a third.
 
gravelyctry said:
My thoughts:

1. get a bigger one. A 36 gun safe will hold maybe 10 rifles in a way you can get them out without dinging the others. Also, scoped rifles must have a space claim of two rifles. Also, ‘extra’ space can be used to store other valuables and documents.

2. I was able to save a good deal of money by buying a used onel. It might be worth looking into if you’re not in a hurry. Do some research to decide what you want and what you don’t so you don’t ’settle’ for something you don’t want.

3. I read quite A few stories about the digital locks having issues, so I knew I didn’t want one of those. im not sure how common the problems are, but it’s not something I have to even think about with the regular type of lock.
Click to expand...
+1
Problem with bigger is you always fill-er-up.
 
I sold my giant safe and bought 2 medium safes. Easier to move, overall cost was less as well.
Youtube gun safes, lots of good information on what to look for and what to avoid.
The amount of guns that a mfg says fits is always wrong. A 12 gun safe will maybe hold 7 with scopes or less.
 
Sky is the limit.... Put your rifles in socks and stack them in... A good safe is important but a home alarm is even more necessary.... The ability to limit the time someone has to work on the safe is key.... Even a cheap sheet metal safe bolted down is better than nothing if you only have 30 seconds to work on it before the cops are on the way... Unless your buying a bank vault it can be opened with less than a hundred bucks worth of tools from harbor freight.... But it takes time , time you don't have with a alarm installed... Plus you get the added benefit of having the alarm....
 
Last edited:
Rsadams said:
Sky is the limit.... Put your rifles in socks and stack them in... A good safe is important but a home alarm is even more necessary.... The ability to limit the time someone has to work on the safe is key.... Even a cheap sheet metal safe bolted down is better than nothing if you only have 30 seconds to work on it before the cops are on the way... Unless your buying a bank vault it can be opened with less than a hundred bucks worth of tools from harbor freight.... But it takes time , time you don't have with a alarm installed... Plus you get the added benefit of having the alarm....
Click to expand...
Totally agree home alarm and safe . I have both moving safes are no fun . I have moved my small Liberty 4 times 709 lbs .This year I hired professional movers and they dropped it . I agree moving safes are a pain in the azz. . I've had a his Liberty safe for 25+ years no electronics so far all is good.
 

Stack-On TD-40-SB-E-S Total Defense 36-40 Gun Safe with Electronic Lock, Matte Black/Silver.​

These are what I use. If flood damage is not so much a concern then check out the ELITE series. What I discovered is many of the safes out there are basically mfg by 1 or 2 vendors and different names placed on them unless you shop premier-class specific mfg's. As far as extra defense, I have wireless door sensors used in my alarm system for each safe. As far as bi-passing a safe for insurance, sure no problem there but if something does occur, how much time and resources would it take to replace your collection not to mention, insurance certainly won't pay the true value. Gun safes are as secure as you permit them to be.

Personal tip; Have steel plates made to line the bottom under the pad and carpeting. Adds a sh*t ton of extra weight.
 
I bought a closeout priced Superior Master 50, 1/2" plate steel, double step door, 1400lbs, 90mins @ 1650°, and had it set in a wall recess I built specifically for the safe. Claimed capacity is double what I store in it and am very pleased I didn't buy any smaller.
 
Whatever safe we buy should have an expanding fire seal on the door. That will keep out smoke and water. When I did all the research four years ago, I found several safes that were high quality and secure. I wound up with Sportsman Steel Safes.

Their top of the line safes have a 1/4" steel body, a 10 gauge stainless liner, massive locks and re-lockers, concrete fireboard, and a Palusol expanding door seal. The door gap is so small that they cannot be pried open, and if the lock is tampered with the relockers activate and the door cannot be opened.

The only way a thief can break in is to have the combination, or cut through the safe body. While a cutting torch would make quick work of the 1/4" steel body, The 10 gauge stainless liner will stop the torch. So they'd have to cut out the liner with a saw. They'd also have to deal with the concrete fire board. All that could be done, but it will take too long for most thieves.

I had this safe when I lived in Oregon, and last summer when we were under a fire evac status we put several valuables in the safe for fire protection. It provided piece of mind knowing the house could burn down yet everything in the safe would be fine.
 
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