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Started By
Message
First Gun Safe
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:31 am
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:31 am
Hello all
I need to finally pull the trigger on a gun safe, I don't have a massive amount of guns, but I've decided to go with a 26 gun safe. I'd like to keep the budget at $1500, but I want the best options for that price.
Tractor Supply has a Remington 26 gun safe for $1199
I also saw a Steelwater Heavy Duty 26, slightly more than I wanted to spend for $1700 on GovX. Normal price is about $3500.
Is the Steelwater that much better to account for that price difference?
Also, I'm open to recs from the OB.
I need to finally pull the trigger on a gun safe, I don't have a massive amount of guns, but I've decided to go with a 26 gun safe. I'd like to keep the budget at $1500, but I want the best options for that price.
Tractor Supply has a Remington 26 gun safe for $1199
I also saw a Steelwater Heavy Duty 26, slightly more than I wanted to spend for $1700 on GovX. Normal price is about $3500.
Is the Steelwater that much better to account for that price difference?
Also, I'm open to recs from the OB.
8
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:33 am to EnragedPlatypus
If its not a liberty, Look for the best fire rating. Stay away from external hinged models.
Get one bigger than you "Need". In reality, a 26 gun safe is more like a 13 gun safe
Get one bigger than you "Need". In reality, a 26 gun safe is more like a 13 gun safe
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:47 am to EnragedPlatypus
Total weight is a good indicator of quality of like sized safes
not necessarily, depends on design, my browning gold has external hinges but the bolts go in all 4 directions so cutting the hinge off does nothing , look at diameter and strength of bolts
old school logic was get a much bigger safe than you think you need because they dont hold as many as advertised and you will always end up getting more guns.....better thinking is to get several smaller safes as you need them, that makes it harder for a thief, now they have to find and breech multiple safes , and after they find one they will most likely stop looking
and dont forget to insure your guns, Eastern insurance has a historic firearms policy for about $150/year with great coverage, low deductible, dont have to list your firearms and is a stand alone policy that is not connected to your homeowners so a claim will not hurt you
quote:
Stay away from external hinged models
not necessarily, depends on design, my browning gold has external hinges but the bolts go in all 4 directions so cutting the hinge off does nothing , look at diameter and strength of bolts
old school logic was get a much bigger safe than you think you need because they dont hold as many as advertised and you will always end up getting more guns.....better thinking is to get several smaller safes as you need them, that makes it harder for a thief, now they have to find and breech multiple safes , and after they find one they will most likely stop looking
and dont forget to insure your guns, Eastern insurance has a historic firearms policy for about $150/year with great coverage, low deductible, dont have to list your firearms and is a stand alone policy that is not connected to your homeowners so a claim will not hurt you
This post was edited on 12/16/25 at 11:26 am
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:49 am to EnragedPlatypus
Cannon was really good to me after the flood. I had a small safe that flooded in 2016. Luckily, I got all my guns out before the water came in. When I was gutting my house, I got the safe outside and noticed a sticker that claimed a lifetime warranty against fire and flood. I called them, and they just requested a send in some pics. A few weeks later, they called me and said my safe was discontinued, but they'd be upgrading me to a bigger model at no charge. They delivered it 2-3 months later.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:51 am to Tic44
quote:
In reality, a 26 gun safe is more like a 13 gun safe
This is an understatement. I have a Winchester 36 gun safe. Half shelving and half for long guns. With 3 scoped rifles, 2 non scoped, and 2 shotguns, it's tighter than I prefer
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:51 am to Tic44
quote:
a 26 gun safe is more like a 13 gun safe
I doubt you could get that many in it.
26 gun safe is about a 5-6 long gun safe.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:54 am to Tic44
quote:
In reality, a 26 gun safe is more like a 13 gun safe
That's why I'm looking at the 26 gun safe. They even indicate the average would be 16-18 guns.
I hadn't looked at the Canons, just completely skipped over those for some reason.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:58 am to TigerDeacon
No joke, the wasted space in most them is infuriating. I'm to the point I think I'm going to just build out a room, not exactly sure what material I will be using but tired of leaving guns out during this time of year because of the pita it is to fit them in the safe only to take them out in four days.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:59 am to EnragedPlatypus
Go much bigger than you think you will need. Guns with scopes eat up a lot of space. Also take into consideration if you will ever inherit guns possibly from a family member. My 30+ liberty filled up really quickly with the addition on my dads guns.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 9:13 am to EnragedPlatypus
I'm a huge advocate for multiple safes vs one huge one and pleased to see that someone else got to that topic already.
On the topic of fire rating be aware that fire ratings are for a certain temperature and a certain duration. So for example if you put the safe in your basement and your house is fully engulfed in a fire such that the structure collapses into the basement, your contents are done for.
Further to the above, placement is critical. I see lots of people with their safe standing out in the open in a room - bad idea. Find a spot that's next to a wall - preferably an outside wall (see fire comment above) - and then build a half- or full wall on the other side of it. And be sure to bolt it to the floor and/or wall studs. You see the door is the strongest portion of a safe but the back and sides are thin enough to cut through with a battery powered grinder so some thieves will pull them over and cut through the back.
Of course no "safe" is 100% against a professional with time on their hands while you're in Mexico for the week. Most of us buy safes for the smash-n-grab crackhead burglaries and to keep them out of kids (more specifically their friends) hands.
On the topic of fire rating be aware that fire ratings are for a certain temperature and a certain duration. So for example if you put the safe in your basement and your house is fully engulfed in a fire such that the structure collapses into the basement, your contents are done for.
Further to the above, placement is critical. I see lots of people with their safe standing out in the open in a room - bad idea. Find a spot that's next to a wall - preferably an outside wall (see fire comment above) - and then build a half- or full wall on the other side of it. And be sure to bolt it to the floor and/or wall studs. You see the door is the strongest portion of a safe but the back and sides are thin enough to cut through with a battery powered grinder so some thieves will pull them over and cut through the back.
Of course no "safe" is 100% against a professional with time on their hands while you're in Mexico for the week. Most of us buy safes for the smash-n-grab crackhead burglaries and to keep them out of kids (more specifically their friends) hands.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 9:14 am to TxWadingFool
quote:
No joke, the wasted space in most them is infuriating. I'm to the point I think I'm going to just build out a room, not exactly sure what material I will be using but tired of leaving guns out during this time of year because of the pita it is to fit them in the safe only to take them out in four days.
When we build our house I'm doing this. I plan on having a reinforced room with a vault door. But that's years away so for now I just want something for the guns I have.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 9:20 am to Don Quixote
Based off this...
Would multiple 24 gun safes be better? Or smaller capacity safes?
quote:
I'm a huge advocate for multiple safes vs one huge one and pleased to see that someone else got to that topic already.
Would multiple 24 gun safes be better? Or smaller capacity safes?
Posted on 12/16/25 at 9:47 am to TheBoo
quote:
his is an understatement. I have a Winchester 36 gun safe. Half shelving and half for long guns. With 3 scoped rifles, 2 non scoped, and 2 shotguns, it's tighter than I prefer
I'm in the same boat. I've got 6 rifles/shotguns, an SBR with foldable stock on a shelf, and my handguns. If I took out the shelving side, I can store another 4-6 rifles. And it's already a pain getting the ones in the back out. So the 36 gun safe is usefully holding 15 or so guns reasonably.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:15 am to EnragedPlatypus
When I built my house I made a spot for a 64 gun safe.......didn't take me long before I had to add another 64 gun safe....they just don't hold that many guns. Of course I have other stuff than just guns in there but when you have rifles with scopes it's hard to get more than 1/4 of what they are supposed to hold in there.
This was all before my boating accident of course.
This was all before my boating accident of course.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:19 am to Tic44
quote:
Get one bigger than you "Need". In reality, a 26 gun safe is more like a 13 gun safe
Why does it have to be like this? I bought a 12 gun safe for 8 guns and could barely get 5 in there. Who is doing this math?
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:53 am to EnragedPlatypus
Liberty Colonial 50
Posted on 12/16/25 at 12:00 pm to GRTiger
quote:
Why does it have to be like this? I bought a 12 gun safe for 8 guns and could barely get 5 in there. Who is doing this math?
They count Red Ryder, 22lr and lever actions as long guns. I have a 30 gun liberty. It's holding 8 guns but besides the shotgun they are all scoped and its getting tight. You can put 30 red Ryder bb guns in it but you aren't putting 15 scoped rifles in it.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 2:21 pm to EnragedPlatypus
Stay away from the store bought cheap thin metal cookie cutter safes and get you a custom built one. better capacity use, truly safe and a true fire rating. These mass-produced models you see in every store use a fire rating formula that's garbage. YouTube has some videos showing all of them want last 30 min in a true house fire. None of them with either external hinge are not can stop 2 crowbars and 10min. SO easy to pop them. like butter. If your serious about your gun collection why would you buy a under equipped safe at a price range of any one gun..... to attempt to protect THOUSANDS $$$ you have invested? Makes zero sense to me.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 3:27 pm to OleBallCoach
quote:
OleBallCoach
You sound like a thief to me
Posted on 12/16/25 at 4:02 pm to Tic44
Not proud, but have a family full of em! Most in and out of prison
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