After reading about the guy who's nephew screwed him out of an m16, I've decided to get a safe.  I'm a dirt poor college kid right now, but I want to get something good. Any suggestions on a brand, how much to shell out, and/or where to buy?

Depends on what you are looking for.  If you are dirt poor and in college then most likely you won't have the money for a good high quality safe and it would be a pain to drag it around every time you move.  What I would suggest is getting a steel gun cabinet.  These are a lot lighter than a safe, will prevent people from walking off with your guns, and they are cheap.  You can get a cheap steel 8 gun cabinet for $100.  You mount it to studs in the wall so it can't be carried out of your place.  It will keep prying hands off but won't do to much to protect it from fire.

Thanks for the suggestion,

Much oblidged.

Yeah, those cabinets are OK, a lot better than nothing.  I had one in college, used to fill the bottom with bags of shot.  Keeps light-duty criminals away from your stuff.

Now that I have the space and funds, I bought a Liberty safe, but the cabinet still is handy for mags and the like.  Get something, you'll have an easier time when you're away from your house not worrying about some lowlife ripping off your fine firearms.

Liberty was about $1200, fire-rated.

Here's a starting point for some prices:
http://www.deansafe.com/contents.html

They have some low end models starting at $300 that look good and hold up much better than a cabinet.  Some are even firelined.

Paid about $1000 for an American Securty safe, fire proof and is about 375lbs empty. Money well spent!

I just priced out a few liberty safes this weekend.  A local store has the Liberty 17 for $775, the 23 for $875, Franklin 17 for $925 and Franklin 23 for $1025.  Delivery was $125 to $150.  They are firelined as well.  Of course, at 460# and up, they aren't easy to drag around.
I haven't decided which safe to get yet.  I would like to get a look at the Dean Safe co.'s safes as well.  
Lastly, I'm sure others will point out that you should get a safe that will hold up to twice the number of weapons that you have now.  This way as your collection expands you will have some room to comfortably put stuff.  

Anoother option is construction boxes. Look at Home Depot, Lowes, etc., most of these stores have them. They set flat, but are usually large enough to put several guns in. Most are a little more heavily made than the gun lockers and are locked with two padlocks. You might even be able to take one and make it look like a coffee table or something. The large ones seem to run around $300.

BMB      

Man double the guns!! I don't think they make a safe that big for me! I don't know how much money you have but pretty much anything you can put a gun in that has a key is better than nothing.


CHEF

Another option is to check out www.Sportsmansguide.com  and use the 20% off code. They have steel cabinet safes for $100 or "real" safes. I don't remember the discount codes but they were given to me by a couple of generous members on a post I made last night on this forum. If you are in an apartment you may want to get a less expensive steel one for now and upgrade later when you get setteled and get funds for the safe of your choice. Good luck.