Gun safe Question

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!

    • Register Log in
    outrider58

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    50,068
    Used to be a guy here named Safe cracker. He doesn't come on much anymore but he might have an email. Real good dude.
     
    Sundazes

    Sundazes

    Throbbing Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 13, 2006
    21,660
    Arkham
    I was going to say, buy bigger than you think you need, but DAMN......
    Have someone deliver and set it up. Talk to some of the IP's....
     
    j_h_smith

    j_h_smith

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 28, 2007
    28,516
    That's a heavy safe. If not installed on a concrete floor, make sure the floor joist are up to the job. Do not rest this safe on just 2 floor joist. It must run perpendicular to your joists, not parallel to them.

    I can tell you from experience, safes are not at all easy to move without proper tools. A set (4-5) of 1 inch rollers made from black pipe make it much easier to move once inside the home. My largest safe is 72 x 40 x 24 and that was a bear to get into the house. I have a walk out basement, so it was easier than most but still difficult to get in through the doorway. That safe is slightly lighter than yours, so I wouldn't want to try bring yours into a house.

    Pay the money and someone who knows what they're doing get the job done as safe and quickly as possible.

    Good Luck!
     
    L

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,741
    Honestly at that point you might as well convert a corner of your house in to a walking safe. A few sheets of rolled 1/8" steel or even 3/16", welded up using steel studs for the internal frame and line that frame with a few layers of 5/8" X-rated drywall alternating the seams. Then get a safe door.

    You could probably get them as 4'x4' sheets of steel are about 80lbs at 1/8" thickness. Heavy, but 2 strong guys could easily handle it. About 120lbs for 3/16" sheets. Now if you had to hire someone to weld and construct it I'd imagine it would end up costing a lot more than the safe, but if you know how to weld I bet you could construct the whole thing for under 2 grand depending on the door.

    Building up against a basement foundation wall and you can save one or two walls worth of steel. Don't have to do the ceiling in steel depending on comfort level.

    I am kind of considering that in my house depending on how I expand the house (a 4.5x5ft walk in armored closet would kick ass).
     
    j_h_smith

    j_h_smith

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 28, 2007
    28,516
    I thought of doing that (turning a room into a safe) but a quality safe door is just as expensive as a large safe. Once you box it in with steel, you've got to ventilate it somehow and that should be fireproof/fire resistant. You have to probably run a dehumidifier full time too. I just found it easier to just keep adding safes. Since I sold my Garand collection, I have a LOT of room in my safes, so the room isn't as big a thought for me now.
     
    T

    TerminatorSVT

    Active Member
    Aug 26, 2012
    100
    Behind Enemy Lines
    If you are looking at spending that kind of money on a safe, I would look into Sturdy Safes. They make a great product and the customer service is great as well. They use a thicker gauge steel and the gap between the door and frame is tiny. No chance of a pry bar attack.
     
    DoormanTNT

    DoormanTNT

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 17, 2012
    1,844
    Glen Burnie
    lazarus said:
    Honestly at that point you might as well convert a corner of your house in to a walking safe. A few sheets of rolled 1/8" steel or even 3/16", welded up using steel studs for the internal frame and line that frame with a few layers of 5/8" X-rated drywall alternating the seams. Then get a safe door.

    You could probably get them as 4'x4' sheets of steel are about 80lbs at 1/8" thickness. Heavy, but 2 strong guys could easily handle it. About 120lbs for 3/16" sheets. Now if you had to hire someone to weld and construct it I'd imagine it would end up costing a lot more than the safe, but if you know how to weld I bet you could construct the whole thing for under 2 grand depending on the door.

    Building up against a basement foundation wall and you can save one or two walls worth of steel. Don't have to do the ceiling in steel depending on comfort level.



    I am kind of considering that in my house depending on how I expand the house (a 4.5x5ft walk in armored closet would kick ass).
    Click to expand...



    Steel is less expensive then you may think. ...just picked 2 sheets of 1/8" at 6'x12' for under $200 a sheet. Granted it had a ship weight of 360 pounds but with machinery it ain't hateful.


    Edit... same in 4'x8' was $85 a sheet....was cheaper for this job to get 6'x12 and cut it up.
     
    B

    Bean Guy

    Active Member
    Apr 4, 2013
    433
    Eldersburg
    Try A1 Safes in Bel Air, I got a Liberty Big Boy from them. The delivered it to my basement down a flight of concrete steps with a special machine. Very reasonable, came when they said they were coming. Smooth transaction. I'm a do it youselfer kind of guy, but moving things that weigh over 800 pounds is best left to professionals. They make a mistake, they have insurance. Do it yourself and make a mistake and it could be fatal.
     
    adit

    adit

    ReMember
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 20, 2013
    19,698
    DE
    FWIW I was at Sam's Club in Salisbury this afternoon and they had a Stack-On 40 gun safe for $599.
     
    L

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,741
    DoormanTNT said:
    Steel is less expensive then you may think. ...just picked 2 sheets of 1/8" at 6'x12' for under $200 a sheet. Granted it had a ship weight of 360 pounds but with machinery it ain't hateful.


    Edit... same in 4'x8' was $85 a sheet....was cheaper for this job to get 6'x12 and cut it up.
    Click to expand...

    Yeah, but I was mostly thinking $700-1200 for the door. Then you'll run $200 or so for a bunch of layers of fire rated drywall, some steel studs, fasteners, etc.
     
    j_h_smith

    j_h_smith

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 28, 2007
    28,516
    lazarus said:
    Yeah, but I was mostly thinking $700-1200 for the door. Then you'll run $200 or so for a bunch of layers of fire rated drywall, some steel studs, fasteners, etc.
    Click to expand...

    When I looked at this idea, I was looking at $3000-$4000 just for the door. I'm sure you can find them cheaper, but this was the price point I found acceptable for my safe room.
     
    L

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,741
    j_h_smith said:
    When I looked at this idea, I was looking at $3000-$4000 just for the door. I'm sure you can find them cheaper, but this was the price point I found acceptable for my safe room.
    Click to expand...

    Well damn. i guess I'll just be going with multiple safes.
     
    j_h_smith

    j_h_smith

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 28, 2007
    28,516
    lazarus said:
    Well damn. i guess I'll just be going with multiple safes.
    Click to expand...

    There are cheaper doors, but for me, if I'm going through all of that, I wanted a REALLY nice door.

    If you already had a room and all you wanted to do was line it with steel and install a safe door, it wouldn't be too bad. But I think most (me included) would need to build the room from scratch. This added so much to the cost, I did the multi-safe option as well.
     
    L

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,741
    j_h_smith said:
    There are cheaper doors, but for me, if I'm going through all of that, I wanted a REALLY nice door.

    If you already had a room and all you wanted to do was line it with steel and install a safe door, it wouldn't be too bad. But I think most (me included) would need to build the room from scratch. This added so much to the cost, I did the multi-safe option as well.
    Click to expand...

    I'd absolutely build the room from scratch. Heck, if you just wanted something cheap and more secure, get a steel fire door, long screws through the hinges and latches. Screw on some 3/4" plywood over the outside wall, fire rated drywall over that. Inside the room so two layers of fire rated drywall alternating the seams. Do the same in the ceiling for the fire rated drywall. Call it a day.

    That'll stop a snatch and grab and would likely provide sufficient protection against anything other than "house burned to the ground" fire.

    You could probably do that for under $600.
     
    You must log in or register to reply here.

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
    Busted Gun in MD ad

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    275,588
    Messages
    7,287,646
    Members
    33,482
    Latest member
    Claude

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom