Gun Safes

[Guest dakota.d]

I am looking for a gun safe AMERICAN MADE. I know you pay for what you get. I dont want too cheap but dont want to pay over 7k for one either. I want a quality safe but not one from the big box stores. There price is cheap for a reason (less quality). I want one with a warranty for the lifetime of the safe. So if something happens to me, my son will take over the safe and if anything happens to the safe it will be covered while he or his kids have it. I want the pros and cons of the safes pics would be nice to see. I am going to be keeping guns, coins, heirlooms, paperwork, jewelry, delicate items, and etc. So size, layouts, and getting the most use out of the safe is a big factor (20+guns & more on the way). Fire protection needs to be very high (internal temp needs to stay low) from anywhere 90-120mins. I have looked at Ft.Knox, Browning, AMSEC, Champion, National Security, Liberty and stuck on what to get. I like the Browning 65 series in the Gold or Platinum because of the door package, but im not wanting the browning name on everything. Ft.Knox needs to be either the 7251 or 7261 but what model. AMSEC needs to be the BF-7250. Then electric or dial lock. So any hard facts pros/cons and neat features that yall have about the safes that can help me make my purchase the right one. Thanks

[Guest safes]

call me 205 486 2320 shop we will go over this thanks Daryl Rowe

[Guest safes]

reading this post again do you want 10 gauge or 3/16 body do you have to have high gloss paint or will dull finish work electric lock will give more trouble but that wont matter if you buy the right brand most dont give but two years on the lock lifetime on safe just some more to think about

[Guest dakota.d]

how much of a gain/loss will i get from 10 gauge or 3/16 body. i know that paint does not add any protection all its for is adding looks to the outside and im guessing that high gloss is going to cost more than textured. so that being said whats the difference in the paint choice do i limit myself to body thickness. and when you say the right brand of lock what trouble will i run into without the right brand.

[Guest safes]

how much of a gain/loss will i get from 10 gauge or 3/16 body. i know that paint does not add any protection all its for is adding looks to the outside and im guessing that high gloss is going to cost more than textured. so that being said whats the difference in the paint choice do i limit myself to body thickness. and when you say the right brand of lock what trouble will i run into without the right brand.

I don't know how to say it any plainer.The thicker the steel the more time you buy when someone is trying to break into the safe.As for the paint, we start with the Defender and start adding to what you want,any steel thickness you might want.Options include corner bolts,regular e-lock,or the new Lagrad redundant lock system Fort Knox is putting on their safes opens with a combo or the key pad.Most of the manufacturers give a 2 to a 10 year warranty on the lock.Fort Knox gives a life time.They also have a remote relocker that other safe companies don't offer.You have to make up your mind on what is important to you.Fort Knox is not that much more than Browning when it comes down to it.Just let me know how i can help.I will be glad to price you any brand safe you want.

[av88tor]

Dakota,

If you would like to drive over to our showroom in Nashville and take a look at our selection, we have over 200 safes on display and more in the warehouse to choose from. We have all but the Ft Knox in stock and would be happy to show you the difference in the brands and models. No pressure just the facts, you can decide which one you like best. Also, the Browning safes can be special ordered with out any logo on them if you prefer that look. You can call us at 615-255-0500.

MB

The Safe House

[NRA]

[Guest dakota.d]

Ok here are the 2 safes I like. Browning G65 series. Fort Knox Guardian 7251. Which is the better of the 2. I have looked and seen them both in person. I want to know which safe overall has the better fire rating. 1680deg./120 min or 1200deg./100 min. No opinions just straight hard facts, Im breaking the safes down without any shelves or door packages. just a plan empty safe. thanks

[Guest safes]

Ok here are the 2 safes I like. Browning G65 series. Fort Knox Guardian 7251. Which is the better of the 2. I have looked and seen them both in person. I want to know which safe overall has the better fire rating. 1680deg./120 min or 1200deg./100 min. No opinions just straight hard facts, Im breaking the safes down without any shelves or door packages. just a plan empty safe. thanks

well looks like you answered your own question 1680/120 min hotter and longer everybody shows pictures of there safes that do good in fires but what about the ones that dont nobody wants you to see them call me i will give you rock bottom prices on the safes thanks Daryl Rowe 205-486=2320 plus Fort Knox has more steel in the door and we need to compare the protector 7251 with corner bolts to the G65 lifetime lock on Fort knox 5 year on browning Edited December 8, 2011 by safes

[av88tor]

Ok here are the 2 safes I like. Browning G65 series. Fort Knox Guardian 7251. Which is the better of the 2. I have looked and seen them both in person. I want to know which safe overall has the better fire rating. 1680deg./120 min or 1200deg./100 min. No opinions just straight hard facts, Im breaking the safes down without any shelves or door packages. just a plan empty safe. thanks

Just the facts?

Brownng Gold G65F

Size: 72 x 56 x 28

Wgt: 1665 lbs

10 guage body

1 1/2 bolts with corner bolts on both sides of the door,

Anti Pry extended throw locking bolts

1 hour 40 min fire rating , inside temp raise did not exceed 275 on the interior during test, this is standard on Gold Series

Omni Barrier Lock Protection

Drill Resistant Deflector Plate

DPX Door Package with long gun storage standard

Exterior hinges for greater access

Fort Knox Guardian 7251

Size: 72 x 51 x 27

Wgt: 1692 lbs

10 guage body

1 1/2 bolts with corner bolts

90 minute fire rating , inside temp did not exceed 350 on the interior during test, 120 minute fire rating special order only and cost more

Drill Resistant Ball Bearing hard plate

Door Package not standard, Special Order

Exterior hinges not standard, Special Order

We have the Browning G65F in stock and ready for delivery and if you compare prices and features the G65F is a better value for the money. We have done service work on both of the Browning and Fort Knox safes and have had to drill open both brands. For a professional safe tech, both brands are difficult to drill and open , but one isn't any harder than the other no matter what a website or a brochures says. For a common thief both will hold up under normal and extreme attacks, when you get into this level of safe you can't pry open the door or beat the safe open in a reasonable amount of time. The only way to get the safe open is to drill it or cut it open with a torch, which both would take someone who knew what they are doing to accomplish or one other way would be a gas powered saw with a metal cutting blade to cut the safe open, oh and a water hose to put out the fire you would start with the sparks. So the short of it is you won't get in either safe easily.

If you really want to compare try the Browning Platinum PP65F and it won't cost any more than the Fort Knox Guardian and it will have the features of the Titan series at the Guardian price. One other thing to consider is the Browning Warranty, NO ONE in the industry can beat their warranty and the way they stand behind there products. In all of the years I have sold safes the best warranty I have seen is the Browning / Prosteel warranty.

If you have any questions, of course call us at 615-255-0500

Edited January 28, 2012 by av88tor

[Guest dakota.d]

Mark thanks for the info. Now can you tell me how both company's heat their safes to come up with the time and temp internal & external? And can you explain how the PP65F have the features of the Titan with the cost of the Guardian. Sorry for all the questions im just trying to get all the facts before I spend that much on a safe. But right now im not worried about the door packages or hinges I worried about the safe empty without shelving or accessories. Thanks

[Guest safes]

well lets see what he comes up with next before the real facts come out

[av88tor]

well lets see what he comes up with next before the real facts come out

Drum Roll Daryl........ Dakota, if you would like to call me I would be happy to discuss the difference in features between the two safes. If you would like me to type the features out on this board it will be a few days before I have time to do so. Of course Daryl feel free to add your literay skills to this discussion and type out the features of both models.

If you would like a real world test instead of a paper chart I would be happy to send you a few pictures of a Browning Medallion M39F that was in a full house fire, over two hours and the house burned completely down. This is Brownings 90 minute fire rated safe and all of the contents were protected, PM me and I can email the pictures to you.

Mark

The Safe House

Edited December 9, 2011 by av88tor

[mikegideon]

Mark thanks for the info. Now can you tell me how both company's heat their safes to come up with the time and temp internal & external? And can you explain how the PP65F have the features of the Titan with the cost of the Guardian. Sorry for all the questions im just trying to get all the facts before I spend that much on a safe. But right now im not worried about the door packages or hinges I worried about the safe empty without shelving or accessories. Thanks

I had a bunch of questions too. It's helpful to get face to face with Mark and fire away. He was very patient with all my dumb questions. It's also real helpful to have the actual safes in front of you. What I'm sayin'... set up a time and visit the store.

[D3vo]

[mikegideon]

Yep. They already said "Merry Christmas" and everything. Looks like it may be on again now.

[monkeylizard]

Let's get ready to rrrrrrrumble!?!?!?!?!

[av88tor]

Mark thanks for the info. Now can you tell me how both company's heat their safes to come up with the time and temp internal & external? And can you explain how the PP65F have the features of the Titan with the cost of the Guardian. Sorry for all the questions im just trying to get all the facts before I spend that much on a safe. But right now im not worried about the door packages or hinges I worried about the safe empty without shelving or accessories. Thanks

Dakota,

Found a few minutes before I go out of town for a few days, lets see if I can answer your questions.

1) can you explain how the PP65F have the features of the Titan with the cost of the Guardian: Well for one thing Fort Knox is one of, if not the most expensive gun safes on the market for the features that you get. I think they are a very good safe but pricey. When I say the Platinum has the features of the Titan this is what I mean.

Body thickness : 7 guage , both the Platinum and Titan , 10 guage on the Guardian

Fire Rating: Browning Platinum 120 minutes at 1200 degrees , internal temp raise 275 , certified fire test.

Fort Knox Guardian 90 minutes at 1680 , internal temp 350 , certified fire test. If you look at the amount of fire board ( yes both use the same material) both have about the same thickness of fire resistant

material, so why the difference ? The Fort Knox brochure says "up to 2 11/32 wall thickness, Browning says 2 1/2 of fire board, both use the same door seal system. So why does Browning only do their test to

1200 degrees? I think it is because most home fires don't burn much hotter than 1200 degrees, is 1680 hotter , yes or course but if you look at the internal temp during the test and the material that both

companies use , I don't see much difference in the fire ratings. Like I said in my last post , if you want to see a real world test on a Browning Medallion that survived a complete house fire that was over two hours

long and burn the house completely down around the safe , just let me know and I can send them to you.

Plus all of th other standard features on the Browning are options on the Fort Knox or not available at all.

Daryl before you get your underwear in a bunch , remember that I don't think that Fort Knox is a bad safe , just a little expensive for the features you get compared to other safes.

One more thing before I go, If you really want a tough safe with the most protection and fire rating, get a TR TL 30 x 6 jewelry rated safe, it blows both of the Browning and Fort Knox safes out of the water protection wise and you can get one in your price range, but this is a different level safe that the gun safes are not design to.

Edited January 28, 2012 by av88tor

[Guest safes]

Dont have time tonight to respond But house fires get a lot hotter than 1200 degrees LOL

Edited December 11, 2011 by safes

[gr8smiles]

I have bought 2 safes from Mark. One back in 1997 and another last year. He and his company have treated me well and I would/will buy from them again. Obviously, you realize that buying from a box store is not really the best option. I am sure Daryl has some nice safes as well, but you can't go wrong with Mark.

[av88tor]

Dont have time tonight to respond But house fires get a lot hotter than 1200 degrees LOL

Here is one study that was done on house fire temp's , its a boring read but it shows that typical house fires will run between the 800 to 1400 max. Of course, there are always different ways to test fire ratings but this is just one test that you can research one line about fire temps.

Just saying

[Guest Cooter]

Here’s my $.02, I dealt with several of these guys when I was buying my safe, and was given information that was just plain old wrong. My experience was not so different than what is going on here. I ended up doing more research than I should have had to do and found in the end that I just needed to pick up the phone and verify what I was being told. I would suggest you do the same, call both the Co. that are being discussed and verify what your being told. After I did that I knew who I was buying from.

My BS detector goes off on a few things in this thread but the internal maximum temp of 275 gets it shrieking. Almost every safe I saw tested to 350 and had a 275 temp “riseâ€, the difference from start to finish. Be careful many of these guys will tell you anything to get your money. I bought the Titan and the body is not just 7gauge, that’s just the outside on the inside it has another “body†of 10 gauge. I believe what I was told about why some tests only go to 1200 is true, what I was told was that if the safe does not have thick enough steel in the door the door will warp with temps over 1200. My titan has a 10 gauge outside and a 3/8â€thick steel plate all the way across, top to bottom inside. That was huge, they don’t list it, and you figure out why when you find out that most brands have very thin steel doors, not a ½†or anywhere near that. The thickness of the door does not mean anything, it’s the thickness of steel the door is made from.

The last thing that put me over the top was that every safe came with a lifetime warranty but only one would fix the lock for a lifetime, you take away the lock after a couple years and leave me with coverage on a big steel box???

I am getting ready to buy my next one so don't ignore what they say, buy big!

[mikegideon]

buy big!

The MOST useful information in the entire thread. My safe is jammed full. No ammo, valuables, etc. Just guns.

[Guest safes]

I have bought 2 safes from Mark. One back in 1997 and another last year. He and his company have treated me well and I would/will buy from them again. Obviously, you realize that buying from a box store is not really the best option. I am sure Daryl has some nice safes as well, but you can't go wrong with Mark.

Thanks if you want to price shop next time give me a call Daryl

[gr8smiles]

I did.