gun safe.

[Jim12]

Rifle rods - pros & cons, please. tia

 

[j_h_smith]

I have considered using them, but I'd like to see them in use before I buy.

Jim Smith

 

[niftyvt]

Link to real safes, used, good prices. I called them and got a quote for shipping and white glove install. It was $800 to deliver and install a TL30 2700ish pounder in St Marys county. Total including shipping for the one I priced out was less than $4000.00. It was, and I quote their description, "refrigerator size."

http://www.lackasafe.com/categories/used-safes-specials

 

[dementlr]

I use the rifle rods and doing so easily increased long gun capacity by about 50%. The trick was to remove all of the factory dividers, holders, etc and then use spray adhesive to affix the velcro like material to the underside of the top shelf. Since you will be pulling the rifle rods from this material over and over, it is important to attach it well. I also built a small platform on one side of the safe floor to better accommodate shorter rifles. Basically a small wooden box covered in material. It is a good idea to put a shelf clip on the top side of the shelf to avoid pushing it up when manipulating the guns.

 

[Jim12]

Link to real safes, used, good prices. I called them and got a quote for shipping and white glove install. It was $800 to deliver and install a TL30 2700ish pounder in St Marys county. Total including shipping for the one I priced out was less than $4000.00. It was, and I quote their description, "refrigerator size."

http://www.lackasafe.com/categories/used-safes-specials

Wow, 2700 lbs.? Does that quote include reinforcing the floor joists?

 

[Jim12]

I use the rifle rods and doing so easily increased long gun capacity by about 50%. The trick was to remove all of the factory dividers, holders, etc and then use spray adhesive to affix the velcro like material to the underside of the top shelf. Since you will be pulling the rifle rods from this material over and over, it is important to attach it well. I also built a small platform on one side of the safe floor to better accommodate shorter rifles. Basically a small wooden box covered in material. It is a good idea to put a shelf clip on the top side of the shelf to avoid pushing it up when manipulating the guns.

Sounds good. I've seen them in ads, but not in action. Are they awkward to use?

 

[niftyvt]

Wow, 2700 lbs.? Does that quote include reinforcing the floor joists?

Concrete slab in the basement (walk in through the garage, ie no steps) The safe I got a quote on was 72"x31x28" TL30. I really want a TL30x6 though. The x6 (all sides) seems to add about 1k pounds. Sadly it sold shortly after I got the quote so I didnt even get a chance to buy it!

 

[dementlr]

Actually very easy to use. The rod is small so for 12 GA shotguns I cut out some spacers that slip over the rod just to stop the wobble. As I mention before, just take the time to get the velcro fabric affixed well.

 

[fabsroman]

Here is a question I have for you guys. Mostly the result of going over a buddy's and seeing his $500 Cannon safe and his collection a couple of weeks ago. I had recommended something in the $2,000 range to him, but when I saw his collection I kind of understood why he went with a $500 safe. Essentially, he had 2 run of the mill shotguns, a Savage 110 in .270 Win and 4 handguns in the safe. Guessing he had about $3,000 to $4,000 in firearms. If he isn't going to be adding a lot more guns to the collection anytime soon, is a $2,000 safe reasonable to protect a $4,000 investment?

How about somebody with a $2,000 collection that does not plan on adding much to it anytime soon?

I think a lot of us are gun aficionados with a good amount invested in our firearms. So, when somebody asks for a safe recommendation we just jump on the $2,000+ bandwagon and suggest a TL30. Yes, an AmVault is nice, but it isn't for everybody.

I'm just looking at it from a financial perspective of "How much does one spend on a safe to insure a specific dollar amount in investment?" Obviously, adding irreplaceable heirlooms or guns to the equation changes things up.

 

[JoeRinMD]

Correct!

When you have a safe that holds 10 long guns on one side, the "notches" are directly across from each other.

Rifles don't stand straight up in a safe. They usually lean across the mid point. And two stocks cannot occupy the same space at the same time. So you stagger them.

Out of the ten notches, (five and five) you may have five on one side but only enough room for three on the other.

Therefore, your 20 gun safe will likely only hold 16 guns. And that's tight.

On my safe the notched rails are offset, so that it actually will hold five and five. But the issue is that there are notches along the back wall (that were counted in the total.). In reality, you can't put rifles along the back wall, since there's no place for the buttstocks to go....the floorspace is occupied by the guns lining the sides.

That said, as you noted, the buttstocks lean across the centerline, which leaves space between the guns and the sidewalls of the safe. I've been able to store some narrow rifles in that space (like unscoped lever guns) having them lean forward, resting against the front door frame.

JoeR

 

[Pinecone]

Several threads I have seen on various forums recommend a turntable. Easy to get guns out, but at the loss of some capacity.

 

[Pinecone]

Here is a question I have for you guys. Mostly the result of going over a buddy's and seeing his $500 Cannon safe and his collection a couple of weeks ago. I had recommended something in the $2,000 range to him, but when I saw his collection I kind of understood why he went with a $500 safe. Essentially, he had 2 run of the mill shotguns, a Savage 110 in .270 Win and 4 handguns in the safe. Guessing he had about $3,000 to $4,000 in firearms. If he isn't going to be adding a lot more guns to the collection anytime soon, is a $2,000 safe reasonable to protect a $4,000 investment?

How about somebody with a $2,000 collection that does not plan on adding much to it anytime soon?

There two factors. How much is your collection worth? How much sentimental value? How much (if at all possible) to replace?

If you have anything that is now banned, you lose it, it is GONE. You have to move out of state (and stay there) to be able to replace them.

As the video mentions (and many other places) most of the chain store "safes" are actually storage cabinets. Not really hard to get into them.

 

[fabsroman]

There two factors. How much is your collection worth? How much sentimental value? How much (if at all possible) to replace?

If you have anything that is now banned, you lose it, it is GONE. You have to move out of state (and stay there) to be able to replace them.

As the video mentions (and many other places) most of the chain store "safes" are actually storage cabinets. Not really hard to get into them.

Alright, let's put this fact pattern out there then:

Collection is worth $2,000, there will be no additions for at least another 2 years, and everything can be replaced because it is neither banned nor sentimental. What safe would you guys recommend in this situation?

 

[niftyvt]

Alright, let's put this fact pattern out there then:

Collection is worth $2,000, there will be no additions for at least another 2 years, and everything can be replaced because it is neither banned nor sentimental. What safe would you guys recommend in this situation?

If thats the line of thinking then get something that will just protect from a smash and grab, keep the kids/visitors out and provide some mediocre fire protection. Personally my only requirement would be a mechanical lock in that case.

I would think the Winchester safes at tractor supply or other safes that are similar would work fine in this case.

 

[fabsroman]

If thats the line of thinking then get something that will just protect from a smash and grab, keep the kids/visitors out and provide some mediocre fire protection. Personally my only requirement would be a mechanical lock in that case.

I would think the Winchester safes at tractor supply or other safes that are similar would work fine in this case.

See, that is the thing when people come on here asking "What safe should I get?" There is no way to understand what they are protecting, how bad of a neighborhood they live in, does the house have a sprinkler system, what is the collection worth, is there any sentimental value, can the person self insure, etc.

When the OP posted about what he had, it was 3 rifles, a shotgun, and 2 handguns. Well, is the shotgun a Remington 870 or a Krieghoff? The handguns two Saturday night specials or are they Desert Eagles? Are the rifles Blasers or run of the mill Remington 700? Where does he live? How much will he be adding to the safe over the next 5 to 10 years? Assuming he is married, will he store his wife's jewelry in the safe?

 

[Safetech]

See, that is the thing when people come on here asking "What safe should I get?" There is no way to understand what they are protecting, how bad of a neighborhood they live in, does the house have a sprinkler system, what is the collection worth, is there any sentimental value, can the person self insure, etc.

"Sentimenatl value" is something many people don't think of.

They say, "I have insurance!"

Several of the rifles and shotguns in my safe were gifts from/left to my by my father and gradnfather. All the insurance money in the world cannot replace them.

I would hate to have them end up like this...

Bighorn Gun Safe

 

[Beetljoos]

Absolutely not! Much too small. I bought a 24 gun safe and within a year it is very crowded. If you have a membership to costco, BJs or price club, or check out WalMart.com. I found some great deals there. Not too much need for a fire safe. Good luck!

 

[Tomcat]

"Sentimenatl value" is something many people don't think of.

They say, "I have insurance!"

Several of the rifles and shotguns in my safe were gifts from/left to my by my father and gradnfather. All the insurance money in the world cannot replace them.

I would hate to have them end up like this...

Bighorn Gun Safe

So Safetech, what caused the damage, heat or water or both? I find it somewhat odd that the rifle barrels are that bad yet the plastic case on the shelf is intact.

 

[Pinecone]

Fire proof safes work by having a material that reduces the heat transfer. Many times by boiling out water. The water vapor then condenses on the cool contents. If not WELL protected, you can end up like the pictures. A lot of time, the material is simply dry wall material in the walls of the safe.

But exterior rust can be dealt with. You can remove the rust, repolish and reblue. Not as good as new, but not bad.

 

[Safetech]

Some insulation works in a way that releases moisture to raise the humidity inside the safe.

Even on many good gunsafes the first thing you want to do -ASAP - is to remove the guns and clean and oil the. (So, in all fairness, that picture was a bad example I guess.)

The third picture is more heat/fire damage. (And that was a Browning!) I'll try to post a few more examples later.


On a side note, a friend of mine opened one a while back that sat for a long time after the fire, because of an arson investegation. (Owner was eventually cleared.) Because the safe wasn't opened right away, all of the guns in it were ruined. Had it been opened right away (as soon as things cooled down) they could have been saved.

Last I heard, the owner is now sueing the local LEO agnecy for not letting him have the safe opened for so long.