Posted: 1/21/2011 3:38:12 PM EDT
| looking at gun safes, and am interested in some made by liberty, specifically the ones from cabelas (got some points, and they're on sale). curious if anyone has any experience, specifically w/ warranty work and pros and cons of a combination dial lock versus a digital key pad. thanks. |
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I have a Liberty Colonial with the dial lock. I like the fact that I don't have to worry about batteries, and if the house burns down, I can still most likely open the safe without a locksmith. Since owning it for the last year and a half, I would say that I am starting to think that I might would rather have had the digital lock just for the ease of getting into the safe.
I bought the safe at a gun show in the last half hour of the show. I got a little better deal on it because he wouldn't have to haul it back. He said that I could have it upgraded to the digital lock if I wanted to, but that would probably cost more than I want to spend on just a lock. I say that to say this, Take the time to make sure you get the type of lock that you are going to be happy with long term. I bought what the guy had on hand that day, and had it been the digital lock type, that is what would have followed me home. SInce the safe is chock full already, I can see another in my future, and it will have a digital lock. I did not buy from Cabelas, so I cannot speak to anything about them. I will say that the Liberty safe seems to be a quality safe, and I would definitely buy one again. Mine is the green marble finish with gold trim and it looks really nice. It sits in the room where it is seen, and really looks good against my hardwood floors. If it were to be hidden from view, I would strongly consider a Cannon Safe. My brother has a widebody Cannon with digital lock, and it seems to be a nice safe as well. It came from Tractor Supply, and they do run specials on them from time to time. They had a nice sale on them before Christmas, and he got his widebody for less than the regular one sells for normally. You can't argue with that. I have had no warranty issues. |
| I have a Ft. Knox. Before that, I had a Liberty. The dial lock is very rugged. It is also a pain in the ass to get into quickly or in the dark. An electronic lock is much easier to change the combination or have multiple combination. I like my Ft. Knox more than the Liberty, but I don't have any real complaints about the Liberty, maybe it was just the lock. I do like the corner bolts on the Ft. Knox though, that was a selling point for me. |
| Not sure about the Liberty safe specifically but I would recommend getting one with the digital key pad. Mine has a battery indicator to let you know when the battery is getting drained. It also had a hidden key lock just in case the unfortunate event you spoke of occurs. |
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I looked at the Canon safes with the digital lock.
The keypad just hung on the outside on a screwhead, kind of like a picture might be hung. The thing just slips right off of the safe door. I don't like the fact that a potential thief might get pissed and just rip the keypad off of the thing...the only thing securing it is a ribbon cable. Then where would I be? |
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Gun safes are best bought used! My first was a Browning and it's a really nice safe. It cost me about $1200. My second was a Liberty that is lighter then the Browning but still a good safe. I paid about $300 for that one off the forums here years ago. My third is a Ft Knox and it is a heavy Mother (1300+ pounds) and I got that one through the newspaper for $400. All three are about the same size externally, the Ft Knox is just really thick steel compared to the either of the other two. Hell, the Browning still weights about 900-pounds but you rap on the side you sure can tell the difference! |
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nothing against cabela's, i shop there often. but, might i suggest you look at costco online if you have a membership (do they have costco back there?). costco occasionally has very good deals, that include shipping. Speaking of, Costco currently has a Bighorn Classic on sale right now. I'm considering it. I posted a question over in the "safe" forum under the Armory, and damn that's one snobby forum. If you don't have a Sturdy safe, it's a piece of shit. Either way, I may hop on this one. http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?whse=BC&topnav=&prodid=11542470&ec=BC-EC877-CatHome&pos=8&lang=en-US |
| wife and I went to cabelas yesterday and saw those safes that were on sale. They looked good to me and if I didn't already have mine, I'd be seriously considering one of them. I went with the large canon one from tractor supply when they had them on a really good sale 2 years ago around thanksgiving. My canon is the digital lock one and I have had no issues with it. I'd say either the cabelas sale ones or the canon from tractor suuply when on sale would serve you well for general use. Just be sure to anchor it down whichever way you go. I talked to a locksmith and he said that not anchoring safes properly is the number one mistake most safe owners make. |
| I have a really nice Browning with the keypad. So far the 9V battery has been A-OK for the past 4-5 years. I keep a spare plus the smoke alarms use the 9V. I find the keypad much faster and I can give other people their own combination..or take it away if I need. |
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Check out the Safe forum lots of good info their, like the FAQ.
I too am looking for a new safe, and have it narrowed down to a Sturdy safe. Sturdy uses some of the thickest steel you will see in a RSC (residential security container). If you are for something more than just keep the kids out my minimum would be 10 gauge steel, a re locker, and no stitch welding. |
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I too am looking for a new safe, and have it narrowed down to a Sturdy safe. Sturdy uses some of the thickest steel you will see in a RSC (residential security container). i have a Sturdy and they are one of the best values in RSC's going. no fancy frills, and beefy construction. door fits tight, everyone (except my wife) who has looked at/in it has made compliments. my wife thinks it should covered in dark distressed oak and look like high end Shaker furniture. i am an engineer and more practical... lol. good people to work with as well. when i called them to order they said "we can do that –– however we do have the exact same model with cosmetic glitch on one side, and if you want to save some money i will email you hi-res pictures to look at and you can have a new one for $X or the cosmetically glitched one for $Y." ar-jedi |
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I posted a question over in the "safe" forum under the Armory, and damn that's one snobby forum. Snobbery, on ARFCOM? Surely you jest. It's in your best interests to own combat-proven optics on Tier 1 AR's cleaned with $300/oz Organically Grown Synthetic CLP and pallets of $2/round ammo. Of course you need a $15k safe that requires a crane and demolishing half your house to install. And if wifey objects to the Caterpillar tracks through the begonias or that you now have easy access to your basement from the street, EJECT! ETA to be slightly more useful: I read (here? Safe board? Another site? I can't recall) about a nightmare experience someone had when the digital lock on his safe just died without warning. I'll try to find the link, but it really turned me off to digital locks. As a counter point, a local dealer here said the difference between dial and keypad was user preference... but we were talking about more expensive models (Original). |
| We purchased a Champion safe (made in Arazona) years ago (dial combo). One of the best buys ever (about $1500.00 new). Heavy, fire proof (resistant) and can bolt it to the concrete floor. It would be a bitch to get into in, move it or otherwise compromise it - could not be happier with the thing. |
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nothing against cabela's, i shop there often. but, might i suggest you look at costco online if you have a membership (do they have costco back there?). costco occasionally has very good deals, that include shipping. Speaking of, Costco currently has a Bighorn Classic on sale right now. I'm considering it. I posted a question over in the "safe" forum under the Armory, and damn that's one snobby forum. If you don't have a Sturdy safe, it's a piece of shit. Either way, I may hop on this one. http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?whse=BC&topnav=&prodid=11542470&ec=BC-EC877-CatHome&pos=8&lang=en-US To each their own, but I have learned a lot about safes from the snob's in that forum, like why sturdy safes are better than all the other pieces of shi# safes 
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| I have a Liberty Fatboy safe. I got the dial. I was always worried about the keypad crapping out, or just "what if" scenario. I like the ability to lock the dial if i'm going away on vacation. I put one of those battery operated push lights above the dial, so I could use it in the dark if necessary. |