Re: gunsafes- what I did to armorize a Homak...

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Re: gunsafes- what I did to armorize a Homak...

Posted: 1/1/2002 2:30:31 PM EDT

Sure, the unit I bought at Wal-Mart was the $99 one (that resembles a locker). On its own, I give it 5 minutes vs. a crowbar.

However,

I put it in a small closet that gives little room to swing a screwdriver, let alone a hammer or prybar.

The safe is in a corner and I framed it in with a second wall, then covered the whole thing with 5/8" plywood. The safe door is covered by a sliding 5/8" plywood door that has a padlock on top, in the middle, and at the bottom of the plywood.

All seams and joints are "armored" with 1/8" metal plates fastened by screws and nails.

Steel locker with two tumbler locks, rugged plywood with three padlocks, steel covering the seams, and not alot of room to work in. Not inpregnable by any stretch, but pretty darn secure.

Posted: 1/1/2002 2:47:47 PM EDT

[#1]

I've got a smilar "po-man's" safe. I figured that a BG would try to take the whole thing instead of messing around trying to open it (Dual "pop-machine cylindrical locks). So, I cut a 2" hole in the bottom of it and in my floor. I bought some 3/8 case hardend chain and ran it under the house and around a concrete floor support. The chain is bolted to a piece of 1/16 plate metal inside safe. They could yank all damn day and it ain't commin out.

But, they still have to make it past my German Shepard, Black Lab, and Rhodesian Ridgeback first.

I'd like to have a real safe, but whenever I have that much cash, I buy another weapon.
[:D]

Posted: 1/1/2002 3:26:03 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
I've got a smilar "po-man's" safe. I figured that a BG would try to take the whole thing instead of messing around trying to open it (Dual "pop-machine cylindrical locks). So, I cut a 2" hole in the bottom of it and in my floor. I bought some 3/8 case hardend chain and ran it under the house and around a concrete floor support. The chain is bolted to a piece of 1/16 plate metal inside safe. They could yank all damn day and it ain't commin out.

But, they still have to make it past my German Shepard, Black Lab, and Rhodesian Ridgeback first.

I'd like to have a real safe, but whenever I have that much cash, I buy another weapon.
[:D]

View Quote

LOL.

Posted: 1/1/2002 3:31:33 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
... I figured that a BG would try to take the whole thing instead of messing around trying to open it (Dual "pop-machine cylindrical locks)...

View Quote

A buddy lost all his guns with one of those. Seems the bad guys used his electric drill to drill out the pop-machine locks and open the cabinet. Buddy thinks it probably took less than 15 minutes. He only got 1 gun out of 7 back 8 years later. It was a S&W model 15 that was trashed beyond repair. He has a real safe now.

Do the dogs have run of the house? If not, you might want to consider an alarm or something.

Posted: 1/1/2002 3:33:23 PM EDT

[#4]

"On its own, I give it 5 minutes vs. a crowbar."

it took me about 2 minutes with a crowbar when i lost my keys before.

Posted: 1/1/2002 3:45:47 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
"On its own, I give it 5 minutes vs. a crowbar."

it took me about 2 minutes with a crowbar when i lost my keys before.

View Quote

Funny story. A couple of months ago I had my bathroom remodeled. One of the walls was shared with my "playroom." Half-way through the first day of demolition, the carpenter hands me a set of three keys (for my padlocks) and asks me if I know what they are to.

I say "Oh, yeah, but nothing important."

Whew!

Posted: 1/1/2002 4:08:45 PM EDT

[#6]

I couldnt get into mine when i lost my keys without breaking something.Tried prying off the wall but there are no studs where you need them and i put a hole in the wall instead.

Posted: 1/1/2002 5:21:00 PM EDT

[#7]

DnPRK, Thanks man. So much for that AR-10.

Anyone got a good safe for sale?

Posted: 1/1/2002 8:39:18 PM EDT

[#8]

I don't mean to second guess you, but that 5/8" plywood is not going to buy you much time. Don't get me wrong, plywood has made me about $90,000 richer than I would otherwise be and I love the stuff, but any mediocre 18V cordless circular saw is going to make mincemeat out of that. You can zing through 11 ply, 1-1/2" thick Doug fir plywood with a 24 Dewalt, plunge cutting, no problem at all.

I estimate that it'll buy your guns another five minutes. Putting the safe in close quarters was the best idea.

Re: the lameness of the Homak, uh oh, because that's all I've got.

Seems like the >$500 safes are the way to go.

Posted: 1/1/2002 9:16:57 PM EDT

[#9]

I saw at Wal-mart before X-mas. They had some Sentry steal safes for $300.00. If I where you I'd save up the $300.00 and have your nearest Wal-mart order you one. It has about 1/4 steel. You can always fire proof it with 5/8" or 3/4" sheetrock. I too have a peice of crap Homak. I plan to use part of my tax return to buy a Sentry safe. Although I'll buy there model with 5 bolts instead of the 3 bolt. Just a suggestion! I think the real real safes are overpriced.

Posted: 1/1/2002 9:17:26 PM EDT

[#10]

Reports lately indicate that 2 burglers and 1 chainsaw will take care of your safe in about 3 minutes. They just cut thru the wall, studs, conduit, etc...and take it all in one piece.

Posted: 1/1/2002 9:33:23 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
You can always fire proof it with 5/8" or 3/4" sheetrock.
Has anyone done this? Does it work?

Posted: 1/1/2002 9:34:45 PM EDT

[#12]

These 99 dollars "safes" are a huge step in the right direction. You can also resell them for 75 bucks later on - this was an easy sell in my case.

I realize I can't stop the real professionals. I wanted to stop the neighborhood bad boys or crack heads who can't open a window without smashing it. The 99 dollar safe covers these bases.

Of course, the best system is a hell of a lot more expensive but this will cover most of the danger.

EDIT: Fireproofing. I bought a fire rated 40 gun safe and put it in my basement. Three walls and the top are covered with 1 - 2 layers of 5/8" garage fire rated sheetrock. I haven't made a door yet as I am still thinking of a good way to do it. My house may burn to the ground but my guns (& camera & coins & stuff) will make it.

Posted: 1/1/2002 9:41:51 PM EDT

[#13]

Very timely post. I am in the process of doing the home made safe thing. There be no working room to cut or pry and it is well hidden. In addition I am adding an alarm. It ain't going to be a Fort Knox, but I don't imagine I will be robbed by a brain surgeon either.

Posted: 1/1/2002 10:03:54 PM EDT

[#14]

Here's what I think happens when burglars come into the house:

They go into bedrooms first looking for cash, jewelry, guns, and anything else of value. they proceed to look for home electronics of value in rooms throughout the house and they search every closet, too.

When they come to this safe and think they've really found a jackpot and all they have to do to start is to begin breaking it up, they will. They won't have the same regard for the surrounding enclosure that you do and will manage fine on their own.

What you do, is leave a note in the empty safe saying "Time's up, Asshole" and leave it at that. It will really screw with their heads and they will soon leave.

All the while your guns have been sitting in cardboard boxes with cable locks securing them to a solid anchor point in the attic.

Until you can afford a real safe, don't go halfway.

Posted: 1/1/2002 10:43:40 PM EDT

[#15]

As I heard a friend say, the metal cabinets are great. They're great to store ammo in after you buy a real safe. Seriously, when a locking steel cabinet is only about twice the price of a poor quality set of particle board shelves, what do you have to lose? Don't let these guys make you feel bad about your purchase. You can always use a steel cabinet in your shop to store tools if you later buy a safe.z

Posted: 1/2/2002 1:14:04 AM EDT

[#16]

This is turning into a useful post, because I don't know @#%t about safes and security and frankly haven't thought about it much recently. Thanks for the information; never thought about the sheetrock insulation, but I imagine done right it would work.

punkatomic inspired me-- how about booby trapping the empty basement homak with some phosgene gas or Teller Mine or at least a couple of sandbags poised to fall on the perp. Kind of like the fly trap in Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.

The great thing is that even if my meager collection gets stolen, Y2K has resulted in the US being awash in affordable magazine-fed weapons. I can afford one for each room. I can't get a PKM for three large sacks of beans Angola-style yet, but here's keeping the fingers crossed. Gott sei dank

"This is the greatest country that ever existed"
--B.L. PhD Statistics

Posted: 1/2/2002 3:33:03 AM EDT

[#17]

If you do get a safe, MAKE SURE you get a large one. I just bought a new Liberty Colonial 23 safe for $899. It weighs a little over 600lbs and looks to be very well made, but it is too small. If they say they will fit 30 guns prepare for about 18. The dealer I bought the safe from is willing to work with me and I am going to trade this one in on a Fort Knox. The Fort Knox that I want is the Defender 6637, which weighs a little over 1000 lbs and gives me about 13 more cubic feet of space than the colonial.

Have you guys looked at those Sentry Safes? It looks like 2 men could easily walk away with one of those if it wasn't bolted down. Buy a real safe (500lbs +) and have it for a lifetime.

Posted: 1/2/2002 4:59:34 AM EDT

[#18]

I've seen Gobblin's safe. Its a homak on steroids. [:D]

The there is that OTHER safe he has, in 'crete.

Now THAT'S a safe. You'd be better off robbin' Fort Knox.

[:D]

Posted: 1/2/2002 3:49:43 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
I don't mean to second guess you, but that 5/8" plywood is not going to buy you much time. Don't get me wrong, plywood has made me about $90,000 richer than I would otherwise be and I love the stuff, but any mediocre 18V cordless circular saw is going to make mincemeat out of that. You can zing through 11 ply, 1-1/2" thick Doug fir plywood with a 24 Dewalt, plunge cutting, no problem at all.

I estimate that it'll buy your guns another five minutes. Putting the safe in close quarters was the best idea.

Re: the lameness of the Homak, uh oh, because that's all I've got.

Seems like the >$500 safes are the way to go.

View Quote

You are correct about the cordless saw deal and plywood. However, you failed to remember that I added steel strips all over the thing. No more problem with any saw whatsoever.

G-man has seen both safe havens for my goodies. The armorized Homak is for stuff I use alot. The other stuff is, well, good luck finding it first. Then, unless you brought a bulldozer, er, TANK (or explosives) you ain't gittin' what I got.

PS If you choose to use the above mentioned tricks, my stuff won't be of much use to you anymore anyway.[smash]

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Re: gunsafes- what I did to armorize a Homak...

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