Small Safe Recommendations?

[Spartikus]

I am looking to purchased a small safe for my house to keep a few of my pistols as well as some paperwork and valuables. I talked to a local store and they mentioned that the fire safes you buy at home depot and the like are pretty easy to break into but will keep things safe from fire. He also said I could get a safe for theft that was not fire proof for a decent price but to accomplish both I would be looking in the $700 range.

I don't really want to spend over $200 and wondered if anyone could give me some advice on this subject.

 

[EvilBetty]

Bought two of those from Lowes during Black Friday for $300 each.

 

[mlk18]

I was talking to a contractor once who specializes in fire proof or fire resistant structures. He told me he bought a standard gun safe and then lined it was fire proof sheet rock. If there is ever a serious fire then his gun safe will become a steamer, but his guns should survive. He estimated his total cost to be around $400 (which was $350 less than they wanted for the same safe with fire protection).

 

[Oldiron]

First off, if you need a small safe you don't have enough guns. Sheetrock is what the safe companies use as fire protection. You can make a fire proof safe out of a metal cabinet, just line it with 3-4 layers of sheetrock (including the door) and make it as air tight as possible. I made my first safe out of plate steel. Added door hooks and shrouded locks to protect from theives. Course the pound of FFF at each hinge should add a deterent if they try a tourch. As I got older I had less time and more money so I just bought the rest.
Larry

 

[JcMack]

Keep the guns and "papers" in separate locations. Get a small lock box for important papers at your bank. If you get a small (like 2X3) safe for hand guns, make sure it has previsions for drilling holes in the base to mount it to a floor or a ton of something underneath. Hide it in plain sight under a box labeled toys or something innocuous.

 

[DCWilson]

You have to be careful of those small Sentry fire safes you can get at Home Depot. They WILL allow moisture build-up inside. Use them only with moisture absorbent packs and open them regularly to check on the guns.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I am looking to purchased a small safe for my house to keep a few of my pistols as well as some paperwork and valuables. I talked to a local store and they mentioned that the fire safes you buy at home depot and the like are pretty easy to break into but will keep things safe from fire. He also said I could get a safe for theft that was not fire proof for a decent price but to accomplish both I would be looking in the $700 range.

I don't really want to spend over $200 and wondered if anyone could give me some advice on this subject.

There have been several threads discussing safes that may help.

STAY AWAY FROM ANYTHING MADE IN TAIWAIN/CHINA.

I do safes for a living. So save some money if you have to. Look at it as an investment.

 

[5Wire]

I'm a big fan of safes with Simplex locks. No batteries to replace, keys to lose. They come in different sizes for different purposes.

 

[BruceB]

You have to be careful of those small Sentry fire safes you can get at Home Depot. They WILL allow moisture build-up inside. Use them only with moisture absorbent packs and open them regularly to check on the guns.

We got a couple of those at work to store things like data backup tapes. After not opening it for some months, when it finally was opened again, everything inside was soggy wet. We got it replaced, the store said they were shipping and selling those so fast the insulation gunk they line them with hadn't been allowed to cure, so it just gave up it's moisture inside.

Can't imagine what guns would have looked like kept in that environment.

 

[Kanewpadle]

We got a couple of those at work to store things like data backup tapes. After not opening it for some months, when it finally was opened again, everything inside was soggy wet. We got it replaced, the store said they were shipping and selling those so fast the insulation gunk they line them with hadn't been allowed to cure, so it just gave up it's moisture inside.

Can't imagine what guns would have looked like kept in that environment.

A regular fire safe will NOT protect any kind of computer media, film, negatives, etc..

It takes a double insulated safe to keep the temperature below 350 degrees.

 

[EvilBetty]

I've got a plug in heater bar in mine. I've been keeping an eye on it as the temps and humidity have increased, but haven't seen any sign of moisture.

I have the door open several times a week though.

 

[Steve in Vermont]

You have to be careful of those small Sentry fire safes you can get at Home Depot. They WILL allow moisture build-up inside. Use them only with moisture absorbent packs and open them regularly to check on the guns.

Right on. I use a cup of Damp Rid and change it every 3 months. Works fine, but remember to change it. And keeping handguns in Bore Stores doesn't hurt.