Gun safe recommendations?

[Ndfarmer]

I Don't need fireproof safe that's what insurance is for. If my house burns down the cost of guns will be minor. Pictures and values of everything in bank safety deposit box. Safety of family is most important.

 

[Rifleman97]

Get the one that has the internal layout that works best for you. Pick the size you think you need and then purchase the next size up.

That's funny, back in 08 when we needed a safe for the 10 guns or so I had, ended up with a 64 gun Liberty safe. Back in the day it was $900 and never once regretted it.
Before the safe was too full, I used it for my tax paperwork of the previous 3 years at any given time. Highly recommend liberty.

 

[L.Sherm]

I didn't vote because I don't know much about the brands listed. I think if we have our next house built, I am going to have a "closet" made like a safe, with the safe door and metal walls behind the Sheetrock. I will probably have the house built in such a way that the door can be hidden behind a bookshelf or something.

I built mine from concrete block the size I wanted when I built my house. I got the frame and door from Pendelton in Huntington beach, CA. I think that's were there business is loacated.
As stated above make it bigger than you think you will need if you got the space and if you can do it that way you can make it and customize it how you want.

 

[Bang4theBuck]

I bought a blue dot second amendment safe. I originally found them on Ebay. They ship out of California, and drop ship to the curb. I got a 23 Gun safe with heat resistance at or above all of the big brands, a carpeted interior, accessory pockets on the door and a digital lock for right at about $750. The must have accessory is the plastic dowels with the velcro ends on them to hold the guns perfectly vertical. You can actually get almost the number of guns that the safe is rated for with these devices, assuming you have a mix of long guns, with and without scopes.

 

[mfk]

Looking at my local dealer, I have the options of

Summit Series
Browning
Liberty
Fort Knox
Champion
Bighorn

What options / upgrades have you enjoyed? What is a must? What is a waste of time?

Fireproof Features? : I would not spend a lot of extra money for that feature, if that affects your decision. If your house burns down, a 30 minute vs 90 minute rating at whatever temperature rating probably would not save your stuff from being ruined. Your safe will be an oven for your stuff. I know there are probably many that would disagree, but it seems like the cost/benefit isn't there for typical residential safes when looking at spending more for higher fire ratings.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I didn't vote because I don't know much about the brands listed. I think if we have our next house built, I am going to have a "closet" made like a safe, with the safe door and metal walls behind the Sheetrock. I will probably have the house built in such a way that the door can be hidden behind a bookshelf or something.

I looked at that with the house we just built.
The safe doors are quite expensive ($4k), and then you have to deal with humidity, etc in the enclosed space.
Less $ to buy another safe.

 

[LanceK]

I didn't realize the doors were that expensive. I figured I would just drop a duct in there from the hvac system to deal with the humidity. Around here, humidity isn't a big concern.

 

[mjkten]

I bought a Griffin Safe, I spoke with the owner of the company who gave me his take on fire protection and security. The youtube videos are very entertaining, it seems to go from the regular "reasonably priced" safes to one offering real fire protection, you need to really step up the cost. But putting valuable documents inside a Sentry security box, then placing it inside the safe will protect them well. http://www.griffinsafes.com/
Not saying theirs is the way to go, but I do recommend watching the fire videos. Enjoy!

 

[azrogermoore]

Looking at my local dealer, I have the options of

Summit Series
Browning
Liberty
Fort Knox
Champion
Bighorn

What options / upgrades have you enjoyed? What is a must? What is a waste of time?

Whatever you do, do NOT buy a Cannon safe. I have a new one bought in November. The combo does not work and seventeen (17) calls to Customer "Service" went unanswered - even after holds of more than an hour - different days of the week and times of the day.
Emails from their website also went unanswered.

ZERO CUSTOMER SERIVCE! Now I have to return it.

 

[Snoplop]

https://gunsafereviewsguy.com/

Having gone through a house fire I can attest to the lack of anything being "fire proof".
One safe with concrete insulation fell through the floor and survived much better than the gargantuan Browning gun safe we had. The Browning safe did keep the guns and pictures intact but- it turned into an oven. Pictures and important documents were inside a secondary container and that saved them. Safe in a safe works.
Now- I have a massive concrete walk-in.
Any safe can be broken into.
It isn't furniture so don't buy it for the glamorous picture on the door or glitzy interior.
My goal was to prevent a child or adolescent access and slow down / p!$$ off burglars. The less obvious and dam heavy decoy safe we have should do the job but if a miscreant discovers the (very) hidden access to the walk in it should take them quite a while to get in to it.

 

[cornchuck]

There has been a lot of talk about fire protection and thieves using tools to get in safes. What about interior hinges (ie. Liberty Safes) compared to exterior hinges (ie. Suprerior Safes). I always thought I would like the exterior hinges because the door would open 180 degrees compared to 90 degrees. Thoughts?

I am also in the market of a safe.

Jason

 

[Barrelnut]

If you are concerned with fire. Don't put your safe in the center of the fire (center of house). Put it against an exterior wall. Temps are not as hot there and the fire department might be able to protect it with water.

 

[ophious]

Don't get a safe... get a Vault. Fort Knox.

 

[WildRose]

Looking at my local dealer, I have the options of

Summit Series
Browning
Liberty
Fort Knox
Champion
Bighorn

What options / upgrades have you enjoyed? What is a must? What is a waste of time?

I found some old bifold vualt doors in a building being torn down, bout them and the frame and just built a walking closed that has been hardened and put the doors in place.

Lot's of bargain safe's out there but they have little or no fire protection and are light enough two teenagers can take the whole thing with just a couple of crowbars and be gone with them in minutes.

If you're going with a commercial safe be sure it has concrete lined walls and weighs enough to be a problem for thieves to easily get it out of the house.

Of your list Liberty is probably the one I'd look serious at based on what I"ve seen.