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Started By
Message
Gun safe/cabinet help
Posted on 8/24/20 at 9:57 am
Posted on 8/24/20 at 9:57 am
Hey guys I need some suggestions on a gun safe or cabinet. I currently have 4 handguns and no shotguns or rifles, although I may purchase a shotgun or receive one from my dad. I have a two year old who is starting to climb and explore and keeping my firearms stored in a closet is not going to cut it. It would also be nice to have a place to store important documents. Overall my firearm collection is probably worth $1600. My ideal place to put the cabinet would be in my master closet which is upstairs.
I saw a thread from a while back discussing how most traditional safes are really only certified as gun security cabinets that are big and heavy to give the owner piece of mind. I've also seen some stuff online about how unless you are buying a high end safe with 10g steel everywhere they can easily be defeated with power tools. The mid range safes use fire resistant drywall for fire proofing that's not good for firearms. I know that insurance is a better alternative to fire proofing.
With that in mind secure it and stack on have some nice heavy duty cabinets that are around 100lbs that can be bolted down with focus on security over fire in the $400-800 range. What're yalls thoughts on my situation and the options available? The way I see it, it doesn't make a ton of sense to spend $1500 to protect $1500 of firearms but I don't want to cheap out either. Fireproofing won't make much difference for important documents because at over 300 degrees for any amount of time they will be ruined anyway.
I saw a thread from a while back discussing how most traditional safes are really only certified as gun security cabinets that are big and heavy to give the owner piece of mind. I've also seen some stuff online about how unless you are buying a high end safe with 10g steel everywhere they can easily be defeated with power tools. The mid range safes use fire resistant drywall for fire proofing that's not good for firearms. I know that insurance is a better alternative to fire proofing.
With that in mind secure it and stack on have some nice heavy duty cabinets that are around 100lbs that can be bolted down with focus on security over fire in the $400-800 range. What're yalls thoughts on my situation and the options available? The way I see it, it doesn't make a ton of sense to spend $1500 to protect $1500 of firearms but I don't want to cheap out either. Fireproofing won't make much difference for important documents because at over 300 degrees for any amount of time they will be ruined anyway.
7
Posted on 8/24/20 at 10:00 am to puffulufogous
Do you care about the guns being stolen, or just keeping your kids from getting access to them? a cheap gun cabinet with a lock should keep kids out until they are old enough to know better.
I wouldn't go buying a liberty or amsec safe to keep a few hi points in.
for the documents, just buy a scanner and save on the cloud.
I wouldn't go buying a liberty or amsec safe to keep a few hi points in.
for the documents, just buy a scanner and save on the cloud.
This post was edited on 8/24/20 at 10:02 am
Posted on 8/24/20 at 10:20 am to Hermit Crab
First priority is to keep kids, babysitters, guests out. Preventing theft would be great, but from what I understand unless you're spending good money on a safe they can be defeated with hand tools in a matter of minutes to hours. Frankly the firearms I have currently aren't worth buying an amsec, liberty, or browning. Theft deterrence seems to be focused on making it as inconvenient for the their as possible. If I'm out of town for a weekend any safe I can afford won't hold up to a determined thief. So is it worth spending >$1000 to get fire proofing versus $600 a gun cabinet that offers similar theft deterrence?
Posted on 8/24/20 at 10:25 am to puffulufogous
A locked closet will work just a good if not better than a security cabinet. It is all the ATF requires for gun storage for a FFL.
Posted on 8/24/20 at 10:33 am to armsdealer
I currently have a hollow core door on standard hinges leading to the master closet. Could you elaborate on what needs to change about that to make it as secure as a purpose built steel cabinet?
Posted on 8/24/20 at 10:36 am to puffulufogous
my opinion having gone through this 6 months ago:
If you are like me, just get the cheaper safe that meets the requirements as a residential security container. They're basically all going to be equally as easy to break into. I just wanted some degree of fire protection and most importantly, smash n grab protection.
If you want serious protection, the budget needs to expand very drastically.
If you are like me, just get the cheaper safe that meets the requirements as a residential security container. They're basically all going to be equally as easy to break into. I just wanted some degree of fire protection and most importantly, smash n grab protection.
If you want serious protection, the budget needs to expand very drastically.
Posted on 8/24/20 at 10:41 am to DownshiftAndFloorIt
That's kind of what I was thinking. What safe did you end up with and what did you pay of you don't mind my asking? I don't think I need serious protection to cover my wheel gun, Glock, and 1911.
Posted on 8/24/20 at 10:42 am to DownshiftAndFloorIt
What did you end up going with? I’m in the same position as the OP. I’m looking for something to keep kids out and smash and grab protection.
Posted on 8/24/20 at 10:46 am to sloopy
quote:
What did you end up going with? I’m in the same position as the OP. I’m looking for something to keep kids out and smash and grab protection.
I personally keep the majority of my guns unloaded in my above ground tornado shelter in my garage which has a good lock (allegedly). However I keep my primary home defense handgun (G19 w/TLR-7A) and my EDC G43 loaded in a V-Line Brute on my nightstand.
I only really care to keep it away from my kids not necessarily for protecting them from burglary. Although if you look at reviews of the Brute it’s pretty strong and California DOJ approved.
Posted on 8/24/20 at 10:49 am to puffulufogous
Liberty USA 30. I think it was about $1300 out the door.
I dont think it was the best value purely from a protection standpoint, but it looks nice and has an old school combination lock, and came with a door liner that has lots of pockets and handgun holders and stuff. It seemed like most other cheap safes didn't have RSC certification and this one does.
I dont think it was the best value purely from a protection standpoint, but it looks nice and has an old school combination lock, and came with a door liner that has lots of pockets and handgun holders and stuff. It seemed like most other cheap safes didn't have RSC certification and this one does.
Posted on 8/24/20 at 10:55 am to puffulufogous
quote:
Gun safe/cabinet help
Whatever size you think you need, go bigger.
Posted on 8/24/20 at 11:33 am to WPBTiger
Yeah I have heard that. Was considering a secure it 40 with a door organizer which would give me room for long guns in the future and some storage bins for paperwork. $530 for that doesn't sound so bad.
Posted on 8/24/20 at 2:26 pm to puffulufogous
Given what you have right now, but a fireproof filing cabinet used.
Cheap. Work.
Cheap. Work.
Posted on 8/24/20 at 2:31 pm to armsdealer
quote:
A locked closet will work
This is what I did. In a guest room closet I just put up wall hangers for rifles to store horizontally, then put an actual locking door knob, keyed, not the kind a kid can jimmy open.
Then I keep the ammo and any removable bolts in a separate cheap Sentrysafe firesafe safe(s) in a completely different closet. The keys to those safes are hidden in the back of a kitchen drawer.
That's what I used to do before the boating accident.
This post was edited on 8/24/20 at 2:33 pm
Posted on 8/24/20 at 2:41 pm to puffulufogous
When I was in your shoes a couple of years ago I just put a combination door lock on the closet door in my home office and stored all my stuff I didn’t want the kids messing with in there. I went with the combo lock so I didn’t have to search for keys every time I wanted to get into the closet and also bc the kids could get in with the keys just as easy as I could.
Posted on 8/24/20 at 2:57 pm to MikeBRLA
Well part of the issue with that is that one of the air registers for our bedroom is in that closet so keeping it closed at all times isn't optimal. I could use another closet, but then I don't have my revolver handy for home defense. It seems like by the time I buy a new lock for the closet, get a fireproof cabinet/box, and get a quick access handgun safe for the nightstand I'm already halfway to a steel cabinet right?
Posted on 8/24/20 at 3:06 pm to MikeBRLA
quote:
When I was in your shoes a couple of years ago I just put a combination door lock on the closet door in my home office and stored all my stuff I didn’t want the kids messing with in there. I went with the combo lock so I didn’t have to search for keys every time I wanted to get into the closet and also bc the kids could get in with the keys just as easy as I could.
This is what I did as well. I've got all of my guns/ammo/knives stored in a closet upstairs with all of my hunting gear, and I just put a padlock on there. All I wanted was to keep my boys out (3.5 and 1.5) and we all stay downstairs. I keep an 870 super mag turkey gun under the bed for defense; I figure I've got a few years before the boys can work a pump
Posted on 8/24/20 at 6:09 pm to Hermit Crab
quote:
I wouldn't go buying a liberty or amsec safe to keep a few hi points in.
Hi-point? Now why you wanna slander the man like that?
Posted on 8/24/20 at 8:27 pm to TigerstuckinMS
S and w model 66 no dash, gen 1 g19, and a Ruger sr1911. Not hi points by any stretch. The model 66 was actually a qualifying weapon for a late NOPD officer from what I understand. I was basing the values on what I paid for them, not what they've been going for in recent years. Besides, the Smith and Glock both have sentimental attachment for me and I wouldn't part with them.
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