Best "bang for your buck" as far as a larger Gun Safe

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
    zmayhem

    zmayhem

    Active Member
    Feb 2, 2012
    951
    Started out with a small cheap safe, <$200. Originally thought I would just get "one gun" and was looking at the small gunvaults and similar ones to that. Everybody said "get a bigger safe than you think you'll need." So I did, but not big enough because now with a few handguns and some other documents and important items it is full. Should be adding a Mossberg 500 to the fold shortly, and then probably an AR-15 after that, so i'm thinking that maybe it's time I invest in one of the big safes that a few months ago i was "never going to need something that size!" I don't really want to spend $3,000, but I want to get something with a lot of room to grow into so I don't have to upgrade anytime soon again.

    Anybody have any recommendations for brands that are a good price without compromising quality? I have come across a few threads recommending these http://stores.ebay.com/Pioneer-Safe as the best prices for the quality of construction. Either thinking about something like this and bolting it in a corner of the basement, or maybe even something smaller like this http://www.amazon.com/Stack-On-IWC-...UTF8&qid=1343956272&sr=8-4&keywords=wall+safe but maybe deeper and concealing it with a fake piece of drywall or wainscoting. Obviously it wouldn't be as solid as a larger safe, but if I could keep it well hidden somewhere then it wouldn't really matter as much. If anybody has any recommendations as for which way to go or even other ideas that work for them, I am definitely open for suggestions. Thanks!
     
    j8064

    j8064

    Garrett Co Hooligan #1
    Feb 23, 2008
    11,635
    Deep Creek

    Attachments

    • Liberty Fat Boy DSC05481.jpg
      Liberty Fat Boy DSC05481.jpg
      77.4 KB · Views: 787
    zmayhem

    zmayhem

    Active Member
    Feb 2, 2012
    951
    phinfanfrommd said:
    Anybody have any experience with the Sentry Fire Gun Safes?
    Click to expand...

    Although I don't have any personal experience with the Sentry safes, through all the research I have done most people seem to steer people away from them. Many of the models are very easy to break into and are more for documents than weapon storage.
     
    L

    lasher9999

    Active Member
    May 31, 2010
    646
    Jacksonville, md
    zmayhem said:
    Started out with a small cheap safe, <$200. Originally thought I would just get "one gun" and was looking at the small gunvaults and similar ones to that. Everybody said "get a bigger safe than you think you'll need." .......

    Anybody have any recommendations for brands that are a good price without compromising quality? QUOTE]

    Guns are like potato chips. You can't have just one! That said, look into the Champion Trophy line of safes.
    Click to expand...
     
    O

    odomo

    Member
    May 8, 2018
    6
    Iowa,Des Moines
    Generally speaking I am not a fan of leaving firearms unsecured and adrift at various places around my house. It may work for some people, but its seldom an ideal response. It depends on how much money you want to spend. I have a 700 lb Liberty Franklin best gun safe under 1000 at secretstorages.com bolted to a concrete floor. The design is very pry resistant (high build quality) but with 11 ga steel that can be cut through using a $100 tool (cutter weighs about 3 lbs) (and plenty of spare blades) available at Home Depot in less than an hour. We're talking about a 2' x 4' hole in the side with little or no damage to the contents. Liberty makes lower end models than my safe and models with much thicker steel that requires a thicker wallet to buy.

    The lower end Liberty Centurion safes have 14 ga steel an ax can punch through.

    But I bet I could get into the top of the line with 5/16" steel safes in less than 3-4 hrs with the same tool although I may bring a spare tool in case the 1st one burned out. Any experienced burglar can get into safes like this given enough time. Your goal is to make getting into the safe require more time than the burglar is willing to spend getting into it.

    A torch will get into the safe even faster but would probably damage the contents. Any safe with steel less than 5/8" thick and super well designed can be cut into given a few hours using readily available tools. They all talk about how they protect from drilling the lock or punching back the pins (drill small hole in the side of the safe to do this if the lock has a poor cam design) but with modern mechanical cutting tools (no torch or plasma cutter needed) cutting 3/8" steel isn't that hard to do given some time.

    Keep in mind that 95% of home burglars don't know how to cut a safe and want to get out of your home in less than 5 minutes so get some thick steel and slow them down if your budget allows for it and what you store in the safe is worth the additional expense.
     
    Last edited:
    Mr.Blue

    Mr.Blue

    Living In A Bizarro World
    Nov 21, 2011
    1,523
    Miserable in MD
    odomo said:
    Generally speaking I am not a fan of leaving firearms unsecured and adrift at various places around my house. It may work for some people, but its seldom an ideal response. It depends on how much money you want to spend. I have a 700 lb Liberty Franklin https://secretstorages.com/best-gun-safe-under-1000/ bolted to a concrete floor. The design is very pry resistant (high build quality) but with 11 ga steel that can be cut through using a $100 tool (cutter weighs about 3 lbs) (and plenty of spare blades) available at Home Depot in less than an hour. We're talking about a 2' x 4' hole in the side with little or no damage to the contents. Liberty makes lower end models than my safe and models with much thicker steel that requires a thicker wallet to buy.

    The lower end Liberty Centurion safes have 14 ga steel an ax can punch through.

    But I bet I could get into the top of the line with 5/16" steel safes in less than 3-4 hrs with the same tool although I may bring a spare tool in case the 1st one burned out. Any experienced burglar can get into safes like this given enough time. Your goal is to make getting into the safe require more time than the burglar is willing to spend getting into it.

    A torch will get into the safe even faster but would probably damage the contents. Any safe with steel less than 5/8" thick and super well designed can be cut into given a few hours using readily available tools. They all talk about how they protect from drilling the lock or punching back the pins (drill small hole in the side of the safe to do this if the lock has a poor cam design) but with modern mechanical cutting tools (no torch or plasma cutter needed) cutting 3/8" steel isn't that hard to do given some time.

    Keep in mind that 95% of home burglars don't know how to cut a safe and want to get out of your home in less than 5 minutes so get some thick steel and slow them down if your budget allows for it and what you store in the safe is worth the additional expense.
    Click to expand...

    ^^^This. A professional thief will get into almost any safe given enough time. Most burgulars wont want to waste time breaking into a decent safe. My big dogs and alarm system ensure that the thieves won’t want to hang around my house for long. Good luck.
     
    Clump

    Clump

    Active Member
    Sep 19, 2008
    292
    Felton, DE
    I did my research 10+ years ago and bought a Fort Knox. https://www.ftknox.com/

    I bought it from Steve's Services in Vienna, VA. They're still a dealer. It was delivered free, as I recall.

    It's a lifetime investment and worth spending the money IMO.
     
    Boxcab

    Boxcab

    MSI EM
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 22, 2007
    7,909
    AA County
    Just some thoughts...

    How long do you plan to live in your current abode? How many moves expected in the next 10 years? If you will be transitional, consider that the spot a safe fits in now, may not at a future abode. Moving smaller safes is easier then one large safe. If you are a "do it yourself" guy, consider your limitations at moving something heavy. These considerations may/will drive your decisions. For a permanent home, a built in safe room may be the best option, for apartment dwellers/renters, something smaller (multiples?) that fits up and down stairways may be more reasonable. Floor loadings on some structures may limit how big of a safe can sit on the floor and consider the stair well loading and clearances as well. (I've cracked a tile floor moving something heavy across it). Also, a properly installed safe is bolted to the floor and/or walls, will you be able to do so? If/when you move those lag bolt holes through the Pergo can be a real bitch to hide from the next owner/landlord.

    Best of luck (from a man with two safes and needs another).


    .
     
    jrumann59

    jrumann59

    DILLIGAF
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 17, 2011
    14,024
    That is why I keep all my guns in an infinity sack, easy to move and MD Gun-grabbers kind find the guns....
     
    L

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,725
    zmayhem said:
    WOW! I hope my collection doesn't grow that quickly, otherwise I may not be able to afford a house to keep my new safe in! lol Very impressive though!
    Click to expand...

    My collecting better slow down. I’ve only owned guns for 3 1/2 years. I got a muzzleloader to start deer hunting. Then I picked up a Mossberg plinkster and an 870 on a Black Friday sale later that year. The next year a hand-me-down Sako Forrester in .308, swapped out the plinkster for a 10/22, an old Winchester 370 20ga single shot and my first AR-15 lower just in case with mid term elections coming up. And then built it in to a 20” AR-15 against my better judgement and realized I friggen loved AR-15s

    Then last year I got 2 more lowers, built one in to an AR pistol, picked up an old .410 pump, an m1 carbine, built a 16” upper and a 6.5 grendel 18” upper. Oh and picked up a Glock 17 80% and a pair of .308 lowers.

    So far this year I’ve built that 80%, got my C&R license, picked up two CAV-15 polymer lowers (actually those were at the end of last year also) and built one to house my 6.5 grendel upper, got a Mauser 98, a Yugo M57 and my CMP Garand just showed up.

    The 25 gun safe I picked up around Thanksgiving is starting to look awfully full. I would have gone 40, but I am pretty sure my wife would have just divorced me on the spot if I had. As it stands, my collection cannot expand past the capacity of that safe for a few years or I will be on the street.

    PS, I picked up a Redhead (BPS brand) 25-Gun basic safe. They are Winchester Bandit clones. Not super heavy duty, but they are at least 45 minute fire rated and mechanical locks (I don’t trust electronic ones), good dividers and door pockets, pass through electrical cable/outlet.
     
    L

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,725
    Boxcab said:
    Just some thoughts...

    How long do you plan to live in your current abode? How many moves expected in the next 10 years? If you will be transitional, consider that the spot a safe fits in now, may not at a future abode. Moving smaller safes is easier then one large safe. If you are a "do it yourself" guy, consider your limitations at moving something heavy. These considerations may/will drive your decisions. For a permanent home, a built in safe room may be the best option, for apartment dwellers/renters, something smaller (multiples?) that fits up and down stairways may be more reasonable. Floor loadings on some structures may limit how big of a safe can sit on the floor and consider the stair well loading and clearances as well. (I've cracked a tile floor moving something heavy across it). Also, a properly installed safe is bolted to the floor and/or walls, will you be able to do so? If/when you move those lag bolt holes through the Pergo can be a real bitch to hide from the next owner/landlord.

    Best of luck (from a man with two safes and needs another).


    .
    Click to expand...

    Other than my wife divorcing me if I got a larger safe, that is why I went with what I did. It was about 430lbs with door. With door off it was still about 300lbs. It had to go in my basement and anything bigger wouldn’t have fit down the outside steps (and my wife would not let me take anything through the inside of the house).

    She helped me get it halfway down the steps when the dolly smacked her in the leg and left a big bruise. She told me to F-off and do it myself or get my neighbor to help (you know, while it is halfway down the steps). So I had to get it the rest of the way down on my own. Then I rocked it over the lip, through the door (on a towel) and dragged it all the way through my entire basement in to my storage room. The floor was just slick enough with a towel under the safe and no damage. It still took me 45 minutes on my own to get it in place dragging, walking and rocking it. She at least helped me carry the door down then.

    My next safe, if I am ever allowed to get one, is probably going to be a slightly smaller one, but heavier duty. That or it’ll be the same size or larger and go in my garage or something and where the less important stuff is stored (because easier to snatch and grab out of a garage).
     
    You must log in or register to reply here.

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
    Jlowes gun sales Maryland

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    275,382
    Messages
    7,279,463
    Members
    33,442
    Latest member
    PotomacRiver

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom