I am shopping around for a gun safe to buy. My collection has reached a point where I should have a gun safe. It should be large enough to fit 5 rifles/shotguns and 5 pistols as well as ammo and other around the house stuff that is best kept securely. I live in Hawaii, so it needs to be shipped here, and need a dehumidifier if possible. There are enough "toy" collectors out there to give me some advice........How about it fellas?
What brand of gun safe to buy
- Thread starter wabi
- Start date
Bronco
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I guess living in Hawaii could be a significant factor to consider here with regard to potential shipping costs. I purchased a Fort Knox safe some years back and can highly recommend them, but unfortunately couldn't tell you how prices would be affected by shipping out of the lower 48. If there are no decent gun shops in Hawaii that offer a selection of safes, I'd suggest getting on the net and searching out dealers to see exactly what their shipping policies are.
I would imagine that Fort Knox and Browning are still two of the better brands available (although I'm not a big fan of the way Browning rebrands and resells everything from safes to flashlights to boots). Cannon also sells a lot of safes, though I believe their quality to be a half notch below the aforementioned. Homak also makes some reinforced gun "cabinets" that might work well if you're on a tight budget. These can often be found at K-Mart, Walmart and Target stores, so perhaps that's an option for you.
Assuming your safe will end up anywhere near an electrical outlet, I would advise you to get one of the electric rod type dehumidifiers. They are sold separately in a variety of lengths, plug right into the wall, and set unobtrusively in the bottom of your safe. Most safes have a small hole drilled in the back to accommodate the cord. Basically all they do is heat up slightly (they just get warm to the touch) ensuring that the temperature inside the safe is always slightly warmer than the outside temperature such that any moisture or humidity is continuously transported (evaporated) outside the safe. They're relatively inexpensive, use very little electricity, and mine's been running for 10 years without a problem.
You may also want to drop fellow Hawaii resident and gun aficionado Tom Mayo a line. He may have some suggestions regarding a local source of supply. Good luck in your search.
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Semper Fi
-Bill
I would imagine that Fort Knox and Browning are still two of the better brands available (although I'm not a big fan of the way Browning rebrands and resells everything from safes to flashlights to boots). Cannon also sells a lot of safes, though I believe their quality to be a half notch below the aforementioned. Homak also makes some reinforced gun "cabinets" that might work well if you're on a tight budget. These can often be found at K-Mart, Walmart and Target stores, so perhaps that's an option for you.
Assuming your safe will end up anywhere near an electrical outlet, I would advise you to get one of the electric rod type dehumidifiers. They are sold separately in a variety of lengths, plug right into the wall, and set unobtrusively in the bottom of your safe. Most safes have a small hole drilled in the back to accommodate the cord. Basically all they do is heat up slightly (they just get warm to the touch) ensuring that the temperature inside the safe is always slightly warmer than the outside temperature such that any moisture or humidity is continuously transported (evaporated) outside the safe. They're relatively inexpensive, use very little electricity, and mine's been running for 10 years without a problem.
You may also want to drop fellow Hawaii resident and gun aficionado Tom Mayo a line. He may have some suggestions regarding a local source of supply. Good luck in your search.
------------------
Semper Fi
-Bill
I have an older Cannon safe and it is fine for the money. I also have a new Fort Knox on the way. Whatever brand you decide on, get one bigger than you think you will ever need. Sport utility rifles ( like an AR 15 ) take up lots of room due to carry handles and pistol grips. Everyone I know that owns a safe echoes this sentiment. Good luck.
I went with a sheet metal safe with two medico locks and a full length piano hinge.
It bolts to the studs of an inside wall through the back.
I cannot imagine anyone getting into this safe with less than a day's noisy work.
They would probably cut through the wall and remove the wall and the safe and take it somewhere to work on it at their leisure.
This all starts to sound too much like work.
Anyway, I spent less than $120 and I have complete confidence in this safe's ability to keep my guns out of the hands of typical burglars.
Master thieves?
Sophisticated equipment?
No.
Crowbars?
Yes.
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Luke 22:36, John 18:6-11, Freedom
If one takes care of the means, the end will take care of itself.
It bolts to the studs of an inside wall through the back.
I cannot imagine anyone getting into this safe with less than a day's noisy work.
They would probably cut through the wall and remove the wall and the safe and take it somewhere to work on it at their leisure.
This all starts to sound too much like work.
Anyway, I spent less than $120 and I have complete confidence in this safe's ability to keep my guns out of the hands of typical burglars.
Master thieves?
Sophisticated equipment?
No.
Crowbars?
Yes.
------------------
Luke 22:36, John 18:6-11, Freedom
If one takes care of the means, the end will take care of itself.
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2000
- Messages
- 495
Several years back when I worked part time at a gun shop one of our customers was the owner of a Lock and safe company...He said that most safes could easily be opened with a chisle by "splitting" open the welds at the corners..Also dont let anybody know where you keep your firearms or knifes..If they dont live in the house dont let them know..HAD A friend who my mother raised for 7 years because his family was abusive...He became a crack addict and helped several people to break into my house and steal all my firearms..
Quack
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Formerly Endura Duck
Quack
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Support Bladeforums..Buy your gear here.
What's wrong with talking to yourself?? It's sometimes the best conversation and eitherway your always right... -Me-
Formerly Endura Duck
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Duck, what our talking about is known as "peeling" using a hammer, chisle and often vise-grips to peel open the safe by breaking the welds and peeling down the layers of sheetmetal.This works on layed safes often of the firesafe type.Another old way was "punching" that is knocking off the dial and using a punch to drive the spindle through the gut box taking all the tumblers with it.The way they first stopped this was by switching to a lead spindle,today they mount the tumbelers on a bushing and only have the drivewheel directly on the spindle.
Btw its often possible on piano type hinges to use a nail and hammer to drive the wire that goes through the hinge a little way out,then grip it with vise-grips and pull it all the way out.Now if you don't have deadbolts on the hinge side you just open the door right up from the hinge side.Done it myself in less time than it took to type this.
Buy the best safe you can afford,bolt it down,cement it to the floor,put it in a corner to make it harder to get at it with bars.Try to hide it,through a blanket over it pile junk around it,hope for the best.
Btw its often possible on piano type hinges to use a nail and hammer to drive the wire that goes through the hinge a little way out,then grip it with vise-grips and pull it all the way out.Now if you don't have deadbolts on the hinge side you just open the door right up from the hinge side.Done it myself in less time than it took to type this.
Buy the best safe you can afford,bolt it down,cement it to the floor,put it in a corner to make it harder to get at it with bars.Try to hide it,through a blanket over it pile junk around it,hope for the best.
What is your price range? This will define what sort of quality you get.
How much resistance to attack do you want?
Is fire protection important to you?
"Gun Cabinets" of the sheet metal kind run ~$150 to $250 around here.
I got Security Products "Inferno" models with upgraded plate steel. These cost significantly more (>$4K).
Stay Sharp,
Sid
How much resistance to attack do you want?
Is fire protection important to you?
"Gun Cabinets" of the sheet metal kind run ~$150 to $250 around here.
I got Security Products "Inferno" models with upgraded plate steel. These cost significantly more (>$4K).
Stay Sharp,
Sid