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Posted: 9/3/2005 7:35:49 PM EDT
What is the cheapest way to get a decent quality safe?

I need say 20 gun capacity.

All the good safes are way way way expensive for me right now.  I saw winchester safes for sale at Sam's club for $800 but I didn't get one.  Wish I had now.

I tired of hoping that nobody steals my stuff.

Can I buy a scratch and dent?  A used safe?

I'm looking to get an actual safe, not one of those crappy stack on things.


I guess I could "do the right thing" and turn my rifles in for a "gun buy back" for their "street value" of $25 each.  LOL!!  Liberals make me laugh, the fuckers.


Link Posted: 9/4/2005 6:19:33 AM EDT
[#1]
If there's one near you, actually GO to Sam's.  The 60x30x22" Winchester safe (made by Granite safe) is $598 in the store.

Rich
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 6:41:00 AM EDT
[#2]
If they(sams) have the winchester get that one over the remington. You can get into the remington safe with a crow bar in under 20 mins. I've even seen it done with two 14" screw drivers.  For a "safe" you are going to spend over $800+. What area of PA are you in? If south PA I know a few safe dealers that you might want to check out.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 6:42:56 AM EDT
[#3]
I paid $700.00 for my American Eagle safe by Cannon. It's fire rated at 1200 degrees for 30 minutes, has 4 locks, a digital keypad plus enough room for 24 guns or you can customize it anyway you want with the shelving that's included. It's not the best out there but it's also not one of those cheap one's you see at Dick's Sporting or other places either.

I was in the same boat as you hiding my firearms under beds and in closets and the thought of someone stealing them and doing harm was always on my mind. Do yourself and others a favor and get a safe ASAP.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 6:48:53 AM EDT
[#4]
FWIW,
The Sam's safe is a good one (not Ft. Knoxx good, but a lot less money too).  It's 1200 degree for 30 min rated, electric UL lock, etc, 22 gun capacity.

This is from a safe dealer.....

"The Winchester safes at Sam's are built by Granite out of Texas.  They are a decent gun safe.  I don't have one here to give you a detail by detail comparison, but really what it comes down to is this.......Gun safes aren't really safes.  They are steel cabinets with a lock and boltwork.  The weakest part of the gun safes are the thin steel that they are constructed out of.  When it comes down to it, it would take just about the same amount of time to get into any of the gun safes currently on the market."


Rich
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 6:49:35 AM EDT
[#5]
If you have 20 or more guns, you can afford to get a safe.  Hell, I'd get one even if I had to use my credit card.  With that many guns, there is no excuse for not having a safe.

If you simply can not get a safe, look into creative ways to hide your firearms.  One can not steal what one can not see/find.  Old freezers, AC units, etc, make for good hiding places.  Areas inside your attic, under insulation, are also good hiding places.

Buy Once, get the best you can.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 6:50:27 AM EDT
[#6]
Watch for the sales at Gander Mountain... I got my 50something cubic foot safe for $1200 - room is nice.  I don't like stacking my guns.  They are made by Liberty.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 6:54:17 AM EDT
[#7]
Question:  Do any of you keep the safe in the garage?  Obviously, not optimal.  My problem is that my place doesn't have a basement, so the only location that could safely support a 20 gun, fireproof safe would be my garage.  I live in NC, so a primary concern is the humidity.

Let me know as I've seriously outgrown my current 8 gun lockbox.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 7:12:28 AM EDT
[#8]
I keep mine in a spare bedroom in my house so humidity is not a problem plus they're close by. I live alone so I guess that using the bedroom makes sense but if I was with someone or had a family then I don't know where I'd put it.

Some of these safes are actually meant to be part of the decor in many situations and from some of the ads I've seen, they even have them pictured in dens and living rooms so that's another option.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 7:13:33 AM EDT
[#9]

Quoted:
Question:  Do any of you keep the safe in the garage?  Obviously, not optimal.  My problem is that my place doesn't have a basement, so the only location that could safely support a 20 gun, fireproof safe would be my garage.  I live in NC, so a primary concern is the humidity.

Let me know as I've seriously outgrown my current 8 gun lockbox.



Get a goldenrod dehumidifier.  Should be fine.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 7:16:32 AM EDT
[#10]
Another big +1 for the Winchester (Granite) 30x22x60 safe from Sam's.  I paid $700, and it was a helluva deal.  S&G group 2 lock, good drill plate, fire rated, best bang for the buck in "real" safes.  
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 7:18:44 AM EDT
[#11]

Quoted:
I keep mine in a spare bedroom in my house so humidity is not a problem plus they're close by. I live alone so I guess that using the bedroom makes sense but if I was with someone or had a family then I don't know where I'd put it.

Some of these safes are actually meant to be part of the decor in many situations and from some of the ads I've seen, they even have them pictured in dens and living rooms so that's another option.



My current safe is in a bedroom closet, on the second floor of the house.  I'm a bit leary of putting a 500-600 pound steel safe up there.  1.  Weight  2.  getting it up there.   My wife would shit the proverbial brick if I had something like that in my living room.  She's way supportive of my gun hobby, so I'm not looking to push it.

I know it would be secure in the garage due to it's weight and by bolting it down.  Again, humidity is the main concern.  
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 7:18:48 AM EDT
[#12]
One word of advice: Get a larger-capacity safe than you feel you need for two reasons.

1. They never hold the amount they say they will, unless you put really thin, unscoped firearms in there scratching against one another.

2. You'll eventually be buying more firearms in the future than you currently think you will.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 7:27:41 AM EDT
[#13]

Quoted:
One word of advice: Get a larger-capacity safe than you feel you need for two reasons.

1. They never hold the amount they say they will, unless you put really thin, unscoped firearms in there scratching against one another.

2. You'll eventually be buying more firearms in the future than you currently think you will.



Great advice.  I wish I had been given this insight a few years ago.  I'd say take 25% off the number of guns they say a safe will hold.  To get 10 guns in my 10 gun safe would require a degree in engineering and physics.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 7:32:59 AM EDT
[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I keep mine in a spare bedroom in my house so humidity is not a problem plus they're close by. I live alone so I guess that using the bedroom makes sense but if I was with someone or had a family then I don't know where I'd put it.

Some of these safes are actually meant to be part of the decor in many situations and from some of the ads I've seen, they even have them pictured in dens and living rooms so that's another option.



My current safe is in a bedroom closet, on the second floor of the house.  I'm a bit leary of putting a 500-600 pound steel safe up there.  1.  Weight  2.  getting it up there.   My wife would shit the proverbial brick if I had something like that in my living room.  She's way supportive of my gun hobby, so I'm not looking to push it.

I know it would be secure in the garage due to it's weight and by bolting it down.  Again, humidity is the main concern.  



I understand your point of view... but it occurs to me... a 500-600 pound safe isn't much different than 3 adults standing in close proximity.  I think my upstairs floor could support 3 adults standing in close proximity to one another.  That said, I am also in the market for a safe, but it will be on my ground floor.  I don't have a basement, unfortunately.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 7:44:36 AM EDT
[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:
I keep mine in a spare bedroom in my house so humidity is not a problem plus they're close by. I live alone so I guess that using the bedroom makes sense but if I was with someone or had a family then I don't know where I'd put it.

Some of these safes are actually meant to be part of the decor in many situations and from some of the ads I've seen, they even have them pictured in dens and living rooms so that's another option.



My current safe is in a bedroom closet, on the second floor of the house.  I'm a bit leary of putting a 500-600 pound steel safe up there.  1.  Weight  2.  getting it up there.   My wife would shit the proverbial brick if I had something like that in my living room.  She's way supportive of my gun hobby, so I'm not looking to push it.

I know it would be secure in the garage due to it's weight and by bolting it down.  Again, humidity is the main concern.  



I understand your point of view... but it occurs to me... a 500-600 pound safe isn't much different than 3 adults standing in close proximity.  I think my upstairs floor could support 3 adults standing in close proximity to one another.  That said, I am also in the market for a safe, but it will be on my ground floor.  I don't have a basement, unfortunately.



I grew up in the mid-west where basements were in abundance.  Here in NC, they're a rarity.  If I ever build my own home, I'll be dropping a Vault into the basement before the framing begins.  In the meantime, the only friggin slab I have to work with is in the garage.  Thus far, it doesn't seem as though many others have my issue.  We'll see.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 7:47:14 AM EDT
[#16]
I don't know about PA but down here in Florida we have a store called Tractor Supply...  This time of year they carry a Cannon safe for Christmas.  It's $650.  The thing weighs about 510 LBS.   That's something to look into.  I'd take one over the Sams Club safe because of the warranty alone.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 8:08:56 AM EDT
[#17]
Rule of thumb is to get a bigger safe than you *think* you actually need.  You WILL fill it up.

I used to have 10+ guns hidden all over the house.  After seeing how quick a house can be cleaned
out and that most crooks know where to look, I cannot believe how ignorant and irresponsible
I had been before I bought my safe.

Unless you have hidden spaces in the walls or in furniture, you are silly to hide stuff around the house.  If you ever are ( pray to God that it never happens to any of us ) broke in to chances are you will lose most of them.  

My friends father is over 60 years old and has ALWAYS used the "Hide Around the House" method.  He has had more firearms stolen over the years than his son and I own put together.  Another friend of mine that had fireams and no real safe ( he had them in a glass front gun cabinet with the key on top )
lost all of his along with a spatula and a tube of toothpaste when someone broke into his home after he left for work.

Get a safe, a BIGGER safe than you believe you need.  You will be thankful later...


LB


LB

Link Posted: 9/4/2005 8:24:37 AM EDT
[#18]

Quoted:
FWIW,
The Sam's safe is a good one (not Ft. Knoxx good, but a lot less money too).  It's 1200 degree for 30 min rated, electric UL lock, etc, 22 gun capacity.

This is from a safe dealer.....

"The Winchester safes at Sam's are built by Granite out of Texas.  They are a decent gun safe.  I don't have one here to give you a detail by detail comparison, but really what it comes down to is this.......Gun safes aren't really safes.  They are steel cabinets with a lock and boltwork.  The weakest part of the gun safes are the thin steel that they are constructed out of.  When it comes down to it, it would take just about the same amount of time to get into any of the gun safes currently on the market."

Rich



They say "made in China"  IIRC.
Link Posted: 9/4/2005 8:45:25 AM EDT
[#19]
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