[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Not your typical GD safe thread (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 1/11/2015 4:21:56 AM EDT
|
I'm going to take a look at a safe on Monday and wanted some opinions as to what it's worth. It's an antique double-door model made by Barnes out of Pittsburgh, PA and it has a known, working combo. The seller says it's approx. 6'6" tall, 4' wide, and 2'6" deep. There is a large set of outer double doors that open to reveal a smaller set. He says it weighs between 2500-3000 lbs. It's located at a warehouse with access to a forklift, so loading it onto my trailer will be a non-issue.
Here are some pics of similar looking safes. 
Thoughts on price? |
I'd give up durability for capacity when it comes to firearm storage, unless I had guns worth $10k+ each.
|
Quoted:
The interior dimensions he gave me are 55" tall, 44" wide, and 22" deep. Also forgot to put that he's asking $800. if those are the interior, with doors like shown above, its going to be 7 feet tall, 6 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and weight 3000 lbs. no thanks |
|
Still seems like a kinda high price for the safe. although a regular gun safe with similar inside dimensions would be around the same price if not more. Also what does it weigh?? if they can put it on a trailer with a fork, how are you going to get it off and moved at home? |
|
Quoted: if those are the interior, with doors like shown above, its going to be 7 feet tall, 6 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and weight 3000 lbs. no thanks Quoted: Quoted: The interior dimensions he gave me are 55" tall, 44" wide, and 22" deep. Also forgot to put that he's asking $800. if those are the interior, with doors like shown above, its going to be 7 feet tall, 6 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and weight 3000 lbs. no thanks |
|
Quoted:
I have one with similar outside dimensions, larger inside. Still not enough room... <a href="http://s192.photobucket.com/user/chadwimc/media/garage7.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z64/chadwimc/garage7.jpg</a> <a href="http://s192.photobucket.com/user/chadwimc/media/gun4.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z64/chadwimc/gun4.jpg</a> The Fudd is strong here. 
|
|
Quoted:
The interior dimensions he gave me are 55" tall, 44" wide, and 22" deep. Also forgot to put that he's asking $800. 
Math doesn't seem to add up, but if it's a functional safe in good working condition, and if you can do the handling safely, and if you're sure you want a beast like that, I say go for it. Those side walls look like they're thicker than 4 in. Does that height measurement include the wheels, or is it just the safe body? «tc2k11» |
|
Quoted:
The Fudd is strong here.
Quoted:
Quoted:
I have one with similar outside dimensions, larger inside. Still not enough room... <a href="http://s192.photobucket.com/user/chadwimc/media/garage7.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z64/chadwimc/garage7.jpg</a> <a href="http://s192.photobucket.com/user/chadwimc/media/gun4.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z64/chadwimc/gun4.jpg</a> The Fudd is strong here.
And jealousy raises its ugly head...That's only *ONE* safe...
|
| One thing I've learned when it comes to safes is #1 the stated capacity is always half of what it says (unless you want your firearms literally laying on top of each other), and #2 bigger IS always better. I have 3 safes and still not enough storage, so I agree with one of the previous posters, worry about capacity first, then durability, but fire rated is a must. |
|
Quoted: One thing I've learned when it comes to safes is #1 the stated capacity is always half of what it says (unless you want your firearms literally laying on top of each other), and #2 bigger IS always better. I have 3 safes and still not enough storage, so I agree with one of the previous posters, worry about capacity first, then durability, but fire rated is a must. |
|
Quoted:
The Fudd is strong here.
Quoted:
Quoted:
I have one with similar outside dimensions, larger inside. Still not enough room... <a href="http://s192.photobucket.com/user/chadwimc/media/garage7.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z64/chadwimc/garage7.jpg</a> <a href="http://s192.photobucket.com/user/chadwimc/media/gun4.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z64/chadwimc/gun4.jpg</a> The Fudd is strong here.
Not if the XM177-E2 is real. 
|
|
Quoted: Safe Fire rating for any fire that burns the structure down essentially will result in the contents being lost as well. Quoted: Quoted: One thing I've learned when it comes to safes is #1 the stated capacity is always half of what it says (unless you want your firearms literally laying on top of each other), and #2 bigger IS always better. I have 3 safes and still not enough storage, so I agree with one of the previous posters, worry about capacity first, then durability, but fire rated is a must. |
|
Quoted:
I bet that much steel weighs 5k or more. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The interior dimensions he gave me are 55" tall, 44" wide, and 22" deep. Also forgot to put that he's asking $800. if those are the interior, with doors like shown above, its going to be 7 feet tall, 6 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and weight 3000 lbs. no thanks Is it possible most of the volume is fire-retardant material, not steel? |
|
Quoted:
Is it possible most of the volume is fire-retardant material, not steel? Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The interior dimensions he gave me are 55" tall, 44" wide, and 22" deep. Also forgot to put that he's asking $800. if those are the interior, with doors like shown above, its going to be 7 feet tall, 6 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and weight 3000 lbs. no thanks Is it possible most of the volume is fire-retardant material, not steel? No A safe of that age is solid steel |
|
Assuming solid steel weighing 0.2833 lbs. per cu. in., with the given outside (78x48x30 in.) and inside (55x44x22 in.) dimensions, that's a volume of 112320-53240=59080 cu. in., and a weight of almost 17k lbs.
If you take 8 in. off the height for the wheels/base, that's still 13.5k lbs. ETA: Show work: (78*48*30-55*44*22)*0.2833=16737.364 lbs (70*48*30-55*44*22)*0.2833=13473.748 lbs «tc2k11» |
|
Is it possible most of the volume is fire-retardant material, not steel?
No A safe of that age is solid steel There are laminated steel safes, as well as cast iron fire safes. The safe in the photo is a fire safe. It will have a fairly then outer layer of cast iron (if it's as old as the first safe shown), or if it's a bit newer, mild steel. Those big thick doors will be filled with a cast insulation. The thickness of the fire fill will determine the weight. Thin walled version of a safe that size can easily weigh 2,000 to 3,000 pounds. Thicker walled versions can weigh up to 6,000. If the safe was laminated steel, it would likely have a pressure system to force the doors closed. A laminated safe that size would easily be over 10,000 pounds. |
| I bought out a watch repair shop about 20 years ago that had a very similar safe. The guy offered it to me for $400.00. A week later he reduced the price to $300.00. A couple of months later he called me and asked me if I wanted it for free. It probably weighed 4500 pounds or more and I had nowhere to put it. Safes like this are hard to get rid of, I think $800.00 is about twice what it's worth. |
|
Quoted:
There are laminated steel safes, as well as cast iron fire safes. The safe in the photo is a fire safe. It will have a fairly then outer layer of cast iron (if it's as old as the first safe shown), or if it's a bit newer, mild steel. Those big thick doors will be filled with a cast insulation. The thickness of the fire fill will determine the weight. Thin walled version of a safe that size can easily weigh 2,000 to 3,000 pounds. Thicker walled versions can weigh up to 6,000. If the safe was laminated steel, it would likely have a pressure system to force the doors closed. A laminated safe that size would easily be over 10,000 pounds. That's the only way the given weight makes sense. «tc2k11» |
|
Quoted:
Do It. Old safes are cool. There is one just like that near me in a church...........basement  . If I knew how to get it out of there I'd offer them a "donation" for that safe. Contact a local locksmith to see if he knows any safe movers. The local locksmith shop here is always buying old safes like OP's and he has guys lined up to buy them to use as gun safes. Either the guys in his shop move those safes or he knows of a firm that moves them. You'll probably find out something similar for your area. |
|
It's been raining here all day so crappy ipotato pics are all I could get tonight.
To whoever was calculating the weight based on it being solid steel, it's not. I pulled a tape on the exterior and interior and came up with 20k lbs (using the previous poster's formulas). I'll dig into it deeper once it's off the trailer and into the garage. 66"x55"x32" exterior and 54"x44"x19" usable interior. |