need a good gun safe, any suggestions

[Rocky Raab]

I'm in the security over fire camp, also. My safe isn't fireproof and for the difference in cost, I can afford insurance.

Be aware that if you buy a "Browning" safe or a "Remington" safe, they are not only identical, but they cam off the same assembly line. We have two safe companies here in Utah (Both are owned by the same family. One split off from the other.) You can literally watch them apply a Browning decal to one and a Remington decal to the next one.

It ain't the decal that keeps the bad guys out. And the ones with no decal are about a third cheaper. Buy a good "company name" safe like American or Liberty and sleep well.

Finally, be VERY sure you understand what they mean by "delivery." Some companies will deliver it - but they mean they arrive with it in their truck, and they expect you to get it OUT of the truck and install it. Ask! And if you have to hire a moving company to get it from your driveway to where you want it, hire them. If they get crushed underneath, or they drop it through your stairwell, they pay to fix things. If you do either one...

[fabsroman]

Skeet,

I carry insurance on the things I cannot afford to lose (i.e., my house, my life, and my wife's life). Yeah, it will hurt to lose some or all of my guns, but I can still replace them, and with brand new guns instead of used ones. We all like to think that our guns will appreciate over time, but my Benelli has been beat up so much that I seriously doubt it. Granted, they will appreciate over time because the cost of living will increase, but the same thing will happen to the insurance premium.

By the way, I carry insurance on my car for three reasons:

1) Because it is mandatory in Maryland,
2) just in case my wife or I are at fault in an accident and somebody is really hurt we will not lose our house. However, neither of us have been at fault for an accident ever,
3) for the underinsured/uninsured coverage just in case some irresponsible uninsured/underinsured non-asset having driver hits my wife or me and is at fault, and somebody in our cars is injured.

I do not carry collision on my 1989 Mustang, my 1998 Taurus, or my wife's 2002 Hyundai Sonata because it just isn't worth it. I carry collision on my 2003 F-350, but might drop it in a year or two once the truck is worth around $20,000.

We also carry a separate rider on my wife's engagement and wedding rings, but not on her 1.5 carat earrings because we can afford the loss of the earrings.

To me, insurance is something that should be used if you cannot afford to lose something. My guns are worth more to me in sentimental value than they are in dollar value. So, instead of spending the money on insurance, I would rather spend it on better safes and better rooms.

Rocky,

The only reason I want the Browning safe over the Remington safe is because of the Duo door that allows me to store 10 guns on the door. I'd put the 10 most used shotguns on that door, with the most used rifles in the front portion of the safe. The worst thing about my dad's safe is having to move 10 guns out of the way to get to the gun I want in the back.

By the way, the delivery of my dad's safe was incredible. The delivery terms were that they would deliver it to the front door, which was fine. The first time they came to deliver it, they didn't have a lift on the truck. The second time, the guy dropped the safe off the back of the truck and it had to be returned to the manufacturer. The third time was the charm. After that, my dad, brothers, and I moved the safe indoors. It is an American Security safe and I like it plenty. I think it cost us $1,600 around 7 or 8 years ago.

[Rocky Raab]

Fabs, if there's a special feature you must have, then that alters things, of course. But except for special features, safes are pretty generic. One brand is no better than another.

That's the kind of horror story I hear a LOT about safe delivery, and that's why I brought it up.

[PJgunner]

One thing that I have not seen mentioned is once the safe is in place, bolt it to the floor. In my case, they sit on a concrete slab. Holes were drilling into the slab and threaded bolts epoxied into place. We used a special type of epoxy made for that purpose. IIRC, we got it at Home depot along witht he threaded rod. We gave the epoxy 48 hours to cure, the placed washers on the threaded rod which were then tightened up using more epoxy on the threads to more or less make it permanent.
If you don't do this, all a burglar need is a decent dolly and away goes the safe and the gun collection.
Paul B.

[Duffy]

Good point. Mine is bolted to the wall.

[fabsroman]

If we end up building our own house, along with the walls to my dream room being poured in cement, I am going to have rods coming up from the floor slab in the basement so that I can bolt down the safe. The only thing I worry about with that is if the safe will still be fire proof after drilling some holes in it.

PJ,

How many holes did you drill in your safe? Do you think a single rod is sufficient, or would you recommend 2 or more.

[skeet]

Fabs Most of the safes have holes already in them. If not, you are going to put the holes either in the bottom or lower back to lag it down and it won't really matter. The only thing you get in a fire safe is a 30-45-60 minute rating that they won't go over 350 degrees. Hopefully the FD will have the fire out before that time.

[fabsroman]

Skeet,

Just read on Browning's website that if I drill the holes in the floor, I don't have to reseal them. However, if I drill the holes in the back wall they recommend that the holes be sealed with fire resistant silicone. I guess that is in case the back wall is on fire.

First, I have to get the dream house built, then I'll start worrying about the safe and drilling holes in it.

[skeet]

Join NSSA or NSCA(both are really together now) and BUY INSURANCE. Drop the insurance on the jewelry

[fabsroman]

Again, I always weigh the cost/benefit of these things. My wife's rings are more likely to be stolen or damaged than my guns. I work from home, so I am home most of the time. When my wife and I go on vacation, we usually have somebody stay at our house to watch the dog. So, there is usually somebody at our place most of the time, which usually deters thieves. Now, my wife's rings are almost always on her finger. I can just imagine her slamming her ring in a car door or having some thief mug her for them. Of course, they have sentimental value to her too, so we wouldn't want to lose them either. However, they are more likely to be lost or stolen than one of my guns. Plus, even if I destroy one of my guns, it will only cost me $4,000 at max to replace it, and most of my guns are cheaper than that (i.e., around the $1,000 range). So, it just makes more sense to insure her rings than my guns. I have had some of these guns now for 15 years, and not having insurance on them has probably allowed me to buy additional guns with the money I have saved.

It is just a risk assessment that I am doing. If my wife and I were out of the house all day at work, then I might really be worried about a thief stealing them, but that just isn't the case. To protect my life and family should a thief happen to come by while I am home, I have the guns and life insurance should they happen to get past me. Hoping I don't ever have this issue come up.

Also, when we do finally buy a home, we are going to get ADT, or a comparable alarm company, for alarm service. So, between the safe room and the alarm service, we should be in good shape. The alarm system will protect my family, the sentimental value to me of my guns, bikes, and Mustang, and my client files. Might just be able to write off a portion of the monthly payments for the alarm system since I'll have a home office.

[muskrat30]

I am looking into a Zanotti safe for my 2nd safe. It comes in parts(sides,bottom,top) & you put it together. The deal is it is easier to move into position & you can move it in the future if you have to.