Gun Safes - Recommendations?

About 25 years ago I bought a fairly large Fort Knox safe on clearance at a LGS going out of business sale. The price was good and it is fire rated so I didn't really do any research. After 20+ years the manual lock developed a sticking point so I had a locksmith service it. Turns out it just needed lubrication and he commented that every 10 years or so it would be a good idea to lube it.

He also said that when he has to open a customer safe due to lost or forgotten combination that Fort Knox is one of the most difficult ones to break into.

Every time the topic of safes come up the electronic lock bashing starts. I don’t get it. I’ve had mine almost 20 yrs and never had a problem. I’ve replaced the 9v battery probably 3 times !!!! There is also a key backup. So what’s the problem? Everything in our life is electronic nowadays.

Also, I don’t know how big you’re looking to go. But right now Tractor Supply has the 20 gun Winchester on sale for $399. Electronic lock and fire rated for 40 min I think. I think I’m going to pick one up for “overflow”

Be sure to buy a "gun safe" made in the USA and not China. It has been reported Chinese containers are made with materials that can be harmful to your stored weapons.

Research your options before spending your hard earned money. Visit stores that sell, deliver, and set-up inside your chosen place in the house. Get one that you can plug in electrical gadgets like a Goldenrod dehumidifier. Be sure to ask when they offer discounts and have clearance or promotional sales.

That said, you will probably be buying a "Residential Security Container" and not a Gun Safe. Years ago, I checked my RSC and found the label on my Ft. Knox Maverick "gun safe" did indeed say it was a Residential Security Container.

Manufacturers lie. First, is the container's boastful capacity; secondly, is the time to force entry into their product; and lastly, is the fire rating.

Unbelievable? Just now, found this article when I searched for "residential security container"... Gun Safes and Residential Security Containers: Know What You're Really Buying - The Truth About Guns

Everyone says buy a huge safe so you won't out grow it but I have a different thought process. Some safes cost $1000 to install or move and I've moved 3 times in the last few years and no, that was not planned in advance, it just worked out that way. I buy a good safe with S&G lock that's a manageable size for me and a buddy to move, say 350 lbs and as the collection grows I'll buy a similar size one. Two safes are twice as hard to break into as one, 3 safes are 3 times harder, and multiple safes can be bolted together so they can't be hauled out the house.

I have a very old (35 years or so) Browning with dial lock and a much later Ft. Knox with e-lock. I like the (8 year old) Ft. Knox much better. It is better looking, fire resistant, more tamper resistant and easier to access. If you go with an e-lock, I suggest a S&G lock. One thing that I find is that I always re-lock the safe with the e-lock. Sometimes I leave the dial locked safe unlocked because of the inconvenience of re-opening.

Bald1 said:

Every time the topic of safes come up the electronic lock bashing starts. I don’t get it. I’ve had mine almost 20 yrs and never had a problem. I’ve replaced the 9v battery probably 3 times !!!! There is also a key backup. So what’s the problem? Everything in our life is electronic nowadays.

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Just a point of parliamentary procedure, but if a key opens your "safe," you have a locker . . .

I moved about 10 years ago. I showed the then 30-year-old Browning safe to the mover, and said it weighs 880 pounds. He says they don't move anything over 700 pounds. I say: "Good news, open the door and that's about 300! It lifts straight up. Now it's time to work."

How many guns you can get in a saft depends on your guns! Scopes take a lot of space when mounted on guns! Unscoped single shots can almost be put in like firewood! I had some rare military bolt guns, I hung the bolt in a bag from the trigger guard, so I could get 5 in the space 3 w/bolts would take.

If you have a wife and like to keep her happy with Jewelry, You better be able to get her crate of jewels in the safe (Doesn't matter if jewels are not expensive, you give her stuff respect, she'll respect your stuff!)

Ivan

I have had my Liberty Safe for about 10 years. Electronic lock. No problems. Replaced the 9volt battery in the lock once. They recommend Duracell. Get as big as your space and budget will afford. We keep important papers, passports, wills, car titles, jewelry and other things in there as well as guns and ammo. Liberty has an option for a storage thing that attaches to inside of door. A large xtra fire resistance pouch where we keep papers. Also has pouches for handguns. Worth the extra cost.

Thanks for all the great advice. The guy who wrote the article that URIT posted was from this company: Best Gun Safes for Home Gun Storage | SecureIt Gun Storage

What are your thoughts on his approach? Lighter weight, no fire liner, no backdoor codes…

A hair over a year ago, I posted the same thread looking for a safe. I had a Browning silver series I gave to son. I did not want to move it to GA. I was not after the fire rating, and I searched all over, and I ended up with a Zanotti 6' 30 gun safe with a mechanical S&G lock. The cost was about 2900 with a deluxe interior that was on special.

This is modular construction, 6 pieces, shipped to your door well packaged on pallets. They only ship by R&D Trucking. cost was 321.00 COD on the freight.

I probably would have tried to assemble it myself 20 years ago, but not today. . I hired 2 guys and they assembled it in 35 minutes. After doing 1, you could do a second in 20 minutes.

The assembled unit is 600 pounds and rock solid. A hammer is the only tool needed for tapping locking pins. Door is fully assembled with S&G dial lock. They have too many issues with electronic locks.

This is a precision fit assembly that was assembled and taken apart before you get it. Slick system, USA made in IOWA. About 8 weeks to get.

Check website out. I would buy another

I recommend a Liberty, I’m on my third one. I have a SG dial lock because a friend had an electronic lock that went bad and he could not get into his safe. I dont recall the safe or lock brand but it was not a Liberty . I spoke to the Liberty safe salesman and he had never heard of Liberty having an issue with electronic locks. Good luck on your search.

I’ve had this Liberty Centurion Deluxe Series Model D-23 for 14 years now. Weighs about 500lb and is mounted to the original 4 x 4’s on which it was delivered.

Suits me for its intended purpose.

This is what happens if you get a good quality, fire-resistant gun safe:









That was a Browning Pro-Steel gun safe. Nothing inside was burned but some of the plastic storage boxes (think jewelry and valuable documents) warped or melted just a little. The fiberglass stock of my M1A warped, we replaced it with GI wood, which I hated, so I sold it. Some of my snubbie S&W revolvers were stained by water or maybe foam used by the fire fighters so I sold them, too. Still fine shooters. That was the extent of the damage, some warping and staining. As you can see, the gun rugs and gun sox were unharmed.

I called in a locksmith because the dial lock had literally burned off. He opened the safe with a crow bar, as you can see.

My new safe is also a Browning Pro-Steel safe but it has an electric lock and I don't like it nearly as much as a typical dial lock.

Winchester Safes in Mansfield, Texas makes some of the best safes I have ever seen. But I'd put my Browning up against them anytime.

Bear Safes are excellent, too, if they are still around. They open using special keys in recessed locks. You keep those keys where you can always find them, or you memorize a combination. I have no issues with either method, and I also have four gun cabinets that all lock with keys.

I have been advised that when the battery fails on my electric lock the combination remains in its little computer memory and it will work as soon as a new battery is inserted. After 4 years that 9 volt battery is still going strong. But I wish it was a dial......

YODA, how easy was it to open with a pry bar? Did it open easily because of fire damage?

SafeTFirst said:

Thanks for all the great advice. The guy who wrote the article that URIT posted was from this company: Best Gun Safes for Home Gun Storage | SecureIt Gun Storage

What are your thoughts on his approach? Lighter weight, no fire liner, no backdoor codes…

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These look more like cabinets? I already recommended the Zanotti made in Iowa

TheTinMan said:

Buy a safe 2x bigger than what you think you need. First, whatever the safe is “rated” to hold is a lie. Second, safes fill up. It is a law of nature. I actually had to sell 2 lever action rifles recently … to make room for other lever action rifles that just keep showing up!

I have a Champion and have had Browning safes.

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No closets?

SECURITY PRODUCTS north of WACO ( ELM MOTT) Texas makes the best HAND MADE custom safes in AMERICA. 254 829 0191
[email protected] . I own TWO.

Make sure you can get in easily, the crook will not attack the lock, they will use a 4" battery powered off set grinder and go thru the sides or back if left accessible.

ISCS Yoda said:

This is what happens if you get a good quality, fire-resistant gun safe:

That was a Browning Pro-Steel gun safe. Nothing inside was burned but some of the plastic storage boxes (think jewelry and valuable documents) warped or melted just a little. The fiberglass stock of my M1A warped, we replaced it with GI wood, which I hated, so I sold it. Some of my snubbie S&W revolvers were stained by water or maybe foam used by the fire fighters so I sold them, too. Still fine shooters. That was the extent of the damage, some warping and staining. As you can see, the gun rugs and gun sox were unharmed.

I called in a locksmith because the dial lock had literally burned off. He opened the safe with a crow bar, as you can see.

My new safe is also a Browning Pro-Steel safe but it has an electric lock and I don't like it nearly as much as a typical dial lock.

Winchester Safes in Mansfield, Texas makes some of the best safes I have ever seen. But I'd put my Browning up against them anytime.

Bear Safes are excellent, too, if they are still around. They open using special keys in recessed locks. You keep those keys where you can always find them, or you memorize a combination. I have no issues with either method, and I also have four gun cabinets that all lock with keys.

I have been advised that when the battery fails on my electric lock the combination remains in its little computer memory and it will work as soon as a new battery is inserted. After 4 years that 9 volt battery is still going strong. But I wish it was a dial......

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Holy cow, change that battery! I like the recessed special keyed locks.