Gun Safe help
- Thread starter tedog
- Start date
I bought a National Security safe about fifteen years ago. It measures 60"x30"x24", holds 31 long guns. That would be 31 long guns without scopes or bolts or levers; basically 31 H&R single shot shotguns. Guns need space. Buy a safe twice as large as you think you need. The fire ratings should be listed on each safe. I suggest buying one made from inch steel rather than gauge steel (thickness) with the thickest door and most locking bolts all around the inside of the door.
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Stay far away from any safe made in China or Taiwan.
Liberty
Fort Knox
Amsec
National Security
Cannon
Patriot
Are all safes that I have first hand experience with.
I recommend a traditional lock even though the digital locks are more popular these days. If you have poor eyesight or have trouble remembering the dialing sequence then get the digital. Digital locks won't last as long but they are more convienient.
Any of the above brands as well a few others will serve you well. Find the size and interior you want in your price range and buy it. Buy at least one size bigger than you think you need. I guarantee you WILL find more stuff to put in it.
Liberty
Fort Knox
Amsec
National Security
Cannon
Patriot
Are all safes that I have first hand experience with.
I recommend a traditional lock even though the digital locks are more popular these days. If you have poor eyesight or have trouble remembering the dialing sequence then get the digital. Digital locks won't last as long but they are more convienient.
Any of the above brands as well a few others will serve you well. Find the size and interior you want in your price range and buy it. Buy at least one size bigger than you think you need. I guarantee you WILL find more stuff to put in it.
oldman45
Member
All but one of my safes have had the combination dial. The digital safe was not satisfactory for me.
I recently needed another and bought a Cannon, 12 gun with two shelves. With a small amount of reworking the interior, it now hold 18 long guns and has 20 handguns inside with room for more. Got it on sale for $400. Good fire rating but needed help in bringing it home and setting it up. I would have bought a larger safe since it will be my last but at my age, I doubt I buy too many more guns and will likely sell off some before long.
By all means, bolt any safe to the floor.
I recently needed another and bought a Cannon, 12 gun with two shelves. With a small amount of reworking the interior, it now hold 18 long guns and has 20 handguns inside with room for more. Got it on sale for $400. Good fire rating but needed help in bringing it home and setting it up. I would have bought a larger safe since it will be my last but at my age, I doubt I buy too many more guns and will likely sell off some before long.
By all means, bolt any safe to the floor.
Maximumbob54
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What you think is twice the size still won't be enough. Everyone I know that tried to follow that advice still doesn't have enough space. Just buy the biggest safe you can afford and have room for. I'm thinking of buying a second fridge sized safe and building a shelf to set across the two of them. I will have one in each corner of the room and with a window between them. It's amazing the amount of second hand smaller sized safes you can find used. Just about everyone always needs bigger faster than they thought they would. I never thought I would fill mine and now they are all N to B in there and hard to get out...
Luscious and I bought one this spring. We went with the Champion Triumph. It was a tossup between that or a Liberty. I have been told Champion was started by former Liberty guys, or vice versa. Extremely similar construction and looks. Both are highly rated in security and fire resistance.
It came down to price as delivered. And be certain to read the fine print because delivery can be a $100 or more add-on from some dealers.
It came down to price as delivered. And be certain to read the fine print because delivery can be a $100 or more add-on from some dealers.
Uncle Larry
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I have a Fort Knox with a digital lock; had it for 11 years and have replaced the batteries (2 nine volts) twice, once just to replace the batteries that came with it and again this week because the batteries are getting a little weak...other than that I haven't had any problems at all,lt's just getting a little "full" and I'm thinking about a larger safe.
Oh yeah, it's bolted through the floor too.
I'd recommend the Fort Knox brand as well as any good american made safe.
Oh yeah, it's bolted through the floor too.
I'd recommend the Fort Knox brand as well as any good american made safe.
Stonecove
Member
I bought a Champion Triumph about 4 years ago thinking it was way bigger than I needed. It seems to have shrunk-- must be the climate>>>
Great quality, fabulous paint job. A real beautiful safe if safes can be beautiful.
Good fire rating and good price.
Buy a BIG safe but don't scrimp on quality to get size. Quality is not cheap.
Good Luck,
Stonecove
Great quality, fabulous paint job. A real beautiful safe if safes can be beautiful.
Good fire rating and good price.
Buy a BIG safe but don't scrimp on quality to get size. Quality is not cheap.
Good Luck,
Stonecove
teesur
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I bought a Browning bronze with combination lock based upon the recommendation of an acquaintence in the safe and lock business. It's a little over five years old now and I'm well pleased with it. Please, heed the advice to buy one twice the size of what you think you'll need, though! You won't regret it.
teesur.
teesur.
I will reiterate what basically everyone has said so far: buy a safe twice as big as you think you'll need! I didn't believe it when I was looking for mine and guess what -- I wish I would have bought something bigger even if it had been a stretch for me financially. It's amazing how much stuff you will end up putting in it.
Buy at LEAST 50% larger than you THINK you will need. I started out with a Cannon 60" x 30" x 24" thinking I would never fill it up. HA. Ended up buying a second of the same size a few years later. I bolted them to the floor next to each other and drilled and bolted them together and to the studs in the walls. I am now in the market for safe #3. Once you have space in the safe it will fill up with "stuff", faster that you think. My #3 safe will be used for the sole purpose of getting non-gun items out of the gun safes. With all the non-gun stuff out of the gun safes I rationalized, and will have room for at least a dozen or so more guns.
Class III
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