Gun Safe Advice Sought

tompehret

tompehret

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2012
Messages
421
Reaction score
414
My stepson turns 30 next month. He's a good guy who recently left the Coast Guard after 8 years. Married, with a new baby, working and in school.
The wife & I want to get him a gun safe for his b-day. He currently owns 2 long guns & 2 pistols so his capacity needs are small (that will change someday). Also, they're in a small apartment so compact size is important.
Any recommendations for a good, compact, fire-rated, secure safe? Any of you know a reputable dealer in the Tampa Bay FL area? We're in Albuquerque NM and we think it best if he bought one locally (to him) from a dealer. New or used would be OK with us. Thanks for any & all advice.
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
After a lot of thinking...

I decided on a plain combination lock rather than the electronic stuff. That is a GREAT gift idea for someone with growing kids.

I got a Stack On. Cheap yes, but I just needed something to keep guns out of the hands of kids and teenagers.
 
Last edited:
rwsmith said:
I decided on a plain combination lock rather than the electronic stuff. That is a GREAT gift idea for someone with growing kids.

I got a Stack On. Cheap yes, but I just needed something to keep guns out of the hands of kids and teenagers.
Click to expand...

Robert--I looked at one of their "locking guns/ammo cabinets" on the web-site. Where did you actually buy yours? I have a super nice Liberty Fatboy but am going to get one of their locking cabinets for my ammo (to free up safe space).
 
ChattanoogaPhil said:
Young guy going to school, just a couple long guns, married with a growing family living in a small apartment... do they really want a 500lb brick to live with and lug around until more settled?
Click to expand...

Phil--You are 100% correct. I was speaking in general terms from advice I was give here prior to buying a Liberty Fatboy a few months ago. I had PM'ed the OP with what I had found on highly portable, lightweight safes I had looked at in addition to my main safe.
 
ChattanoogaPhil said:
Young guy going to school, just a couple long guns, married with a growing family living in a small apartment... do they really want a 500lb brick to live with and lug around until more settled?
Click to expand...

I'm with Phil on this one. There are plenty of options that would meet their needs at this point in their lives, and when they have a greater need "someday" they can fill it at that time instead of now. With so few guns in the house at this point, finding ways to keep them from being stolen should not be difficult, without going to the expense and size of a full-blown gun safe.

Best regards to your stepson for his service in the Coast Guard! :)
 
Do-it-yourself Safe

Somebody makes a safe in kit form that you assemble in place. Once assembled, it is quite sturdy. You have to get inside it to disassemble it and they come in different sizes.

Of greater importance: the safe should be concealed from view, located where a random burglar just might overlook it and it must be fastened to the house structure, preferably a concrete floor.
 
It is not about the brand, it is about the issues you need to address. I have a safe big enough and heavy enough that it is a permanent feature in my basement.

Do not get those super cheap safes that someone can pick up and carry out the door, but get one that does not require a team of professional movers and an crane to remove.

Look for a fire-proof safe that can hold some other important collectables and papers.

You do not need to pay the premium that goes with an electronic lock, just find a good combination lock model.

Make sure you have room for the ammunition storage as well as the guns.
 
Last edited:
federali said:
Somebody makes a safe in kit form that you assemble in place. Once assembled, it is quite sturdy. You have to get inside it to disassemble it and they come in different sizes.



Of greater importance: the safe should be concealed from view, located where a random burglar just might overlook it and it must be fastened to the house structure, preferably a concrete floor.
Click to expand...


Zanotti safe company. They did have a 9 + month backlog, but that was a while back.

http://www.zanottiarmor.com
 
I live in a small apartment and having a 500lb safe isnt very practical for me and since I only own two pistols I bought a small stack on low profile safe and bolted it upright in the bottom corner of the closet. Its not going anywhere, in addition I replaced the closet door knob with one that has a lock.
 
Last edited:
rwsmith said:
I got a Stack On. Cheap yes, but I just needed something to keep guns out of the hands of kids and teenagers.
Click to expand...

I just bought a Stack On safe for my daughter and son-in-law. With a nearly 3 year old grandson and a 2 month old granddaughter, my wife and I both wanted to get them something to keep the little ones from getting their hands on their guns.

My son-in-law only has a shotgun and a 22 rifle, so they did not need a large safe. I bought them the Stack On model FS-14-MB-E on sale for around $400 plus tax from MC Sports. It only weighs 300 pounds, so they threw it in the back of my minivan and the son-in-law and I drove it the 2 hours to their house. My son-in-law's father helped us get the safe down to the basement using a hand truck.

This particular safe comes with adjustable shelves so that you can set it up however you want for long guns, pistols, ammo, etc. It is fire rated with an electronic lock.

https://www.stack-on.com/categories/stack-on-safes/products/247
 
Keep in mind he lives in an apartment, and will most likely move a couple times before buying a home and settling down. I would get him something secure but not necessarily a big heavy fire rated monster. He will have to move this thing several times, and his needs aren't great (at this time). He can always sell it and use that for partial payment on a bigger safe as need arises..
 
I would buy a small safe and then get other safes as my collection grows. Bolt them down in a corner, get an alarm system and insurance. It takes more time to breach or steal multiple safes than it does one safe.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top