WHAT IS THE BEST BUT STILL AFFORDABLE SAFE?

[Old Salty Dog]

Another relative noob question: It is time for me to get a good safe. I've read some of the threads here on safes, but despite all the info there, I don't have a good sense of what you all think are the best quality but still affordable safes on the market.

We spent some excellent quality time with Carl at Carolina Safes today, and my first impression totally agrees with what I've read about them - quality people. It gets a bit bewildering what with Ft. Knox, Liberty, Browning, Sentry and the brands at Dicks and Fred's in Waldorf.

Just wondering what the collective wisdom here thought about the different brands.

 

[Huckleberry]

I bought and recommend Sturdy. They way there built with 7 or 8 Ga bodies make the rest look like soda cans. Plus if you use R+L Carriers for delivery, they have lift gate service to deliver right to your curbside.

http://www.sturdysafe.com/

Another option to consider a GSA 5 or 6 security containers that come up for sale in the surplus auctions, especially if you have access to DRMO office at Pax River.

 

[Jettster]

Depends on what you are putting into it. If you are putting valuable ($$ or sentimental) I would recommend a safe with at least an hour fire rating. If you are not overly concerned with a fire ruining your weapons, I like the Sentry Safe E5251 Executive Safe, relatively inexpensive, and very sturdy.

 

[wlc]

FYI - All trucking companies have trucks with lift gates if you request it.
Also, that's not the issue - the issue is getting it from the curb to the room in your house you want to keep it.

 

[Huckleberry]

FYI - All trucking companies have trucks with lift gates if you request it.
Also, that's not the issue - the issue is getting it from the curb to the room in your house you want to keep it.

Not all LTLs offer lift gate service for residential deliveries. As for moving it from curbside, you use an appliance mover and couple of friends with strong backs.

 

[mtlcafan79]

R&L are dummies. They tried to deliver an 885# smoker to my house back before Thanksgiving. They gave the guy a pallet jack and a hand truck to get it off the truck. It was so big it didn't even fit on the lift gate. It took three of us to man handle it off the truck. There's no way that guy would have gotten it off the truck by himself.

 

[j8064]

Since i recently had a huge safe delivered and moved into place I thought I'd add my 2 cents:
1) Safe's aren't cheap and you'll likely get what you pay for 'quality-wise'.
2) Consider what you'll be storing in it, the liklihood of a fire or possibility of theft in the future and how and where you're going to get it into place.
3) Do some research and make some phone calls BEFORE you decide to buy so you can weigh your options!

For my needs, the 45 long gun capacity, Stack On Elite I bought will serve me well for years. Not this particular safe, but close: http://www.stack-on.com/securityplus/elite_safes/gsx-545.html.

As has been posted, "many" trucking companies will drop a 750# plus piece of freight on your curb or driveway with a lift gate and pallet jack. Verify that beforehand. Once delivered, it's your package from there...

Crofton Piano moved my safe from the driveway into place in my house. The guys had it unpacked, inside and were done in 20 minutes. Moving cost was $225 and well worth it.

Also (from experience) consider where the safe is going to sit and make sure the spot is level. Shimming up a side after it's in place...won't be easy.

 

[trickg]

For the mid-level safes, in the research I did, I found that Heritage was the best bang for my buck. I'm not the only one either - GunBlast.com thought so too:

http://www.gunblast.com/HeritageSafes.htm

Fort Knox is on another level, but you'll pay for it.

For mine, here's what I got for a Heritage Tradition series safe:

1.) 3/8" Solid plate door (many other companies offer a composite, sheet metal door)
2.) 1200 degree for 75 minute fire protection
3.) Palusol heat activated V-Seal Smoke/Water Fire Seal
4.) Ball bearing hard plate, drill proof design
5.) 10 gauge steel body
6.) 20, 1.25" locking bolts
7.) 900 pounds empty and bolted to the floor

If I could have afforded it, I would have bought a Fort Knox, but for the budget I was looking at, I felt that this safe was the best of the safes at the next level down. Check 'em out - I think you'll like what you see and they can be purchased from the Safe Depot up in Timonium.

 

[K31]

Yeah, good advice about the freight delivery. Be sure they will provide a truck with a lift gate before you order otherwise a regular semi may show up at your door expecting to find a loading dock. I ordered a 400 lb. or so steel basement door one time that showed up that way in spite of my asking for a lift gate truck.

 

[trickg]

To piggyback onto what others have said about ponying up the cash for delivery and installation, just factor that into your overall cost - as the others have said, it's well worth it. I base that on the fact that my fickle wife didn't like the first two locations I chose for my 900 pound safe, and wanted it moved - fortunately to other locations on the same floor. I went to Home Depot and bought four large deluxe Teflon furniture sliders, but it still took me and my friend to move it - a 900 pound box doesn't go anywhere easily.

When The Safe Depot delivered my safe, they were quick, professional and knew what they were doing - plus, they had a stair climber which is how they got it up the front steps and into the house. I can't even fathom how I would have managed that on my own.

Anyway, the delivery fee is well worth it in my opinion - it might seem a little steep, but it takes a lot of the headache out of it.

 

[Winged Pig]

Fort Knox.

 

[trickg]

Fort Knox.

The title of the thread is the best "affordable" safe - for some, Fort Knox doesn't really make the grade in terms of affordability.

 

[jason.krywicki]

Take a look at American Security.

http://www.amsecusa.com

Take a look at the BF series. Not super cheap, but one of the best bangs for your buck. If you're looking for a great dealer, talk to Frank Zykan. He's in Missouri, but ships from distributors all over the country. Frank's very knowledgeable in the safe business and extremely helpful.

http://www.zykansafe.com

Jason

 

[trickg]

Take a look at American Security.

http://www.amsecusa.com

Jason

Those look really nice - they seem to be a step up from what I have with my Heritage safe, but I'm not sure what they cost - my thought is that based on the features it's probably somewhere between the price point I paid for my Heritage and the Fort Knox safes.

 

[jason.krywicki]

Check this link out:

http://zykansafe.com/amsecgunsafes.html

It would be about $2500 delivered for the BF6030.

Jason

 

[trickg]

Check this link out:

http://zykansafe.com/amsecgunsafes.html

It would be about $2500 delivered for the BF6030.

Jason

That fits what I posted about the price being between what mine was and a Fort Knox. Mine is 72" tall by 30" wide and 28" deep, plus mine is in gloss finish. Mine was about $2500 delivered, but it's a foot taller than the 6030 Amsec safe, so it falls somewhere between the 6030 at $2,772 and the 7240 at $4,886. A Fort Knox in the same size with similar features (Guardian Series) I believe would have been around $4-5K.

 

[Old Salty Dog]

Thanks to everyone for the wisdom here and for sharing some very good info. As always, lots to think about.

 

[trickg]

Thanks to everyone for the wisdom here and for sharing some very good info. As always, lots to think about.

I'm not sure if I helped or confused - I didn't do what could be consider "exhaustive" research, but I dug enough to find a dealer that was local and had a product I could be comfortable with, and to that end, I've been pretty happy with my Heritage safe, both for the price I paid and for the protection it offers.

 

[Sundazes]

To piggyback onto what others have said about ponying up the cash for delivery and installation, just factor that into your overall cost - as the others have said, it's well worth it. I base that on the fact that my fickle wife didn't like the first two locations I chose for my 900 pound safe, and wanted it moved - fortunately to other locations on the same floor. I went to Home Depot and bought four large deluxe Teflon furniture sliders, but it still took me and my friend to move it - a 900 pound box doesn't go anywhere easily.

When The Safe Depot delivered my safe, they were quick, professional and knew what they were doing - plus, they had a stair climber which is how they got it up the front steps and into the house. I can't even fathom how I would have managed that on my own.

Anyway, the delivery fee is well worth it in my opinion - it might seem a little steep, but it takes a lot of the headache out of it.

+1 on the delivery and placement. Safe Depot did mine as well, twice. When I moved, I had them move mine for me. My house mover said, oh, I think we can do it. Hmmm... A 900lb safe, stairs with a 90 degree turn ( it took S.D 3 hours to get it into the house and down the stairs), and no stair climber. No thanks. It was not cheap, but worth every penny. You really need to know what you are doing with that kind of weight and bulk.

 

[herr.baer]

I have a Liberty and am pleased with it.