Gun Safe in Garage

[flagman1776]

Someone I know... machinist, FFL, Match rifle builder... has refurbed an old town hall safe. He had to drill it to get it open in exactly the right place... after drilling they inserted a right size hardened ball bearing before welding back up. As he tells it "you can only drill a safe once because the ball bearing will spin if tried to drill again." When he built a new family room, it included a "closet". The safe was positioned with a crane. The wheels were removed and the rebar extended when they poured the floor.

 

[CB3]

RE: not bolting down a safe.

Not bolting a safe to something solid is not about the whole thing being lifted and carried away. It is about thwarting opening attempts that are much easier when a safe is on its back. Tipping even a large unbolted safe with some kind of levers is pretty easy.

Bolting costs almost nothing, is not very hard to do and doesn't take a lot of time. Even using a large lag bolt or two into a wall stud will prevent tipping. Any bolts used should have a wide fender washer on the inside to spread forces in a bigger area on the floor or wall.

This small amount of effort is vastly outweighed by the increase in security.

 

[Kanewpadle]

RE: not bolting down a safe.

Not bolting a safe to something solid is not about the whole thing being lifted and carried away. It is about thwarting opening attempts that are much easier when a safe is on its back. Tipping even a large unbolted safe with some kind of levers is pretty easy.

Bolting costs almost nothing, is not very hard to do and doesn't take a lot of time. Even using a large lag bolt or two into a wall stud will prevent tipping. Any bolts used should have a wide fender washer on the inside to spread forces in a bigger area on the floor or wall.

This small amount of effort is vastly outweighed by the increase in security.

Back when I was younger, I worked for a company that sold and installed safes.

If the floor was wood, we would go under in the crawl space and shore up the floor because of the added weight and make it stronger. Then we bolted down the safe.

 

[zonker5]

There are some small battery powered alarms that when tipped over sound off, they are designed for hotel doors and such. One or two of those going off just might encourage the bad guys to leave quickly.

 

[kbm6893]

Thanks for all replies. I've decided not to move the location. Just nowhere else to put it. I could make the garage work but it's not a big garage. Just one car. I've used up every inch of space in there so I'd have to have a wall or closet built around it which would be tight.

I am heavily insured for my guns. Both home insurance policy and separate insurance policy just for guns.

Where the safe is now is at least out of the way and not visible. It's a stack-on safe and it is bolted to the floor. It just struck me that I have several thousand dollars in guns housed in a $500 safe

Kicking my wife out of our closet isn't gonna happen. As it is, all of the floor stuff is mine, between handguns saves and some storage bins.

One day I'll have a man-cave where I could have a nice TV, couch, my reloading bench, and a nice big closet for my safe and man stuff. My daughters room WAS that room until she came along! Why couldn't I have had another son?!

 

[Dave from Pa]

In the garage, the humidity will get to your weapons and rust them.

Exactly, neighbor received some guns from a deceased relative.Put guns and safe in the garage where he stores a classic car.A month or so ago he brought me a Ruger Single 6 and a 870 pump, both actions rusted solid.Outside was fine since they were oiled heavily by previous owner.

 

[chief38]

Fort Knox and Liberty top of the line models are descent safes - but that said, can be broken into relatively easy with a room full of power tools and pry bars! The most important pieces of advise I can give you are #1) bolt the safe to the floor with 4 strong concrete anchors! If there are only two holes in the floor of the safe, drill two more! #2) use a Goldenrod to keep out moisture. #3) either build a closet to hide the safe in , or use some sort of tarp, refrigerator box or similar to keep it out of view from prying eyes. When you have the safe delievered, request an unmarked truck and have the men use a refrigerator box or tarp to hide what is being delivered.

While it's not great to have all those tools in the same space, you could lock up the toolbox or cabinet with all the power tools and pry bars. While that isn't total prevention of their usage, it will slow them down - and you know thieves want a quick in and out. All these little things put together add up to a descent deterrent.