Wanting Suggestions on a Good Safe

[luvmyberetta]

I've decided that I need to get a good quality gun safe. All my range guns are stored safely unloaded & away from my two young boys, but it's time I get them organized & secure. I only have two long guns, but my wife & I own quite a few handguns. I've found a couple safes on Walmart's website that look very promising & a couple I like at Dick's & Bass Pro. All of the ones's at both websites are rated 30 min. @1,400 degrees & look like they will hold all my guns & ammo. I'm on a limited budget & will have to sell one of my guns to fund my purchase or find someone willing to make a trade. So far the ones I've looked at have been in the $500-$750 range & I really can't go any higher than that (and hope to find one for less). Any good suggestions on an affordable gun safe for my needs?

[TNMTBik3r]

Look at Tractor Supply. They have a Cannon and Winchester safe that would be in your budget. The Winchester comes with a door storage organizer built-in which will hold a couple handguns.

[Ugly]

We also have a safe vendor on this forum, I've heard nothing but good about him and his shop.
I picked up a browning copper in Florida at a small gunshop when I lived there, it was on sale and I got it for less than 750. It was a heck of a deal. It is a good size but if you go out and buy new, buy one bigger than you think you'll need. They fill up fast with guns and other valuables. Look for used too, there was one posted in the classifieds here a little while back. Edited May 11, 2014 by Ugly

[RED333]

You cant go wrong with the Safe House in Knoxville, I know it is a bit of a drive.

Give them a call and see what they might have in stock, new or used.

I have one of there products in my place, great people, the owner

came out to help set up mine, that is SERVICE!

[RobertNashville]

For what it's worth and it's just my opinion, I'd not wast money on an inexpensive safe - I would wait until I had saved up enough to buy a good one (and while I was very happy with my Browning safe I'd probably go with Liberty).  

 

A good safe costs money for a reason and you truly do get what you pay for and if you buy inexpensive and/or too small you'll end up regretting it.

 

Just food for thought.

 

Oh and you can't beat the Safe House (I bought mine from the Safe House in Nashville; I assume it's the same company as in Knoxville). :)

Edited May 11, 2014 by RobertNashville

[East_TN_Patriot]

A gun safe thread. Always sure to be entertaining. :-)

[Dennis1209]

You cant go wrong with the Safe House in Knoxville, I know it is a bit of a drive.

Give them a call and see what they might have in stock, new or used.

I have one of there products in my place, great people, the owner

came out to help set up mine, that is SERVICE!

 

The above gets my vote. Got mine from his Nashville store delivered and very happy.

[mhl6493]

Quite a timely thread for me, as I'm also looking for a good safe.  Had not heard of theSafe House in Knoxville.  It's about an hours drive from me, but I'll check it out.  Keep the suggestions coming!

[gary_boom]

I have one Liberty 25 years old and one 2 years old and I am happy. I have switches inside my safe I have to bypass in my alarm system as a secondary back up in case I leave the safe unlocked.

[div]

I have a stackon 24 gun safe that I bought from amazon with free prime shipping for <$500.
The good: it's a safe. Sturdy, big, bolted to the floor in a closet. Secure enough that you'd need to be prepared and have some time if you wanted to get into it without the combination. I went with analog as I've had a few of the digital ones up at work where the electronics died after a few years and couldn't be replaced.
The bad: it won't hold 24 long guns unless they're all some sort of minimalist stock variety with no scopes. I can fit 8 to 10 on each side of the divider comfortably. It doesn't come with a door storage kit, and if you want to put one on you need to be careful about clearance when you close the door. I don't need one so I'm perfectly happy with it.

Overall it does what I need it to do. Buy bigger than you think you need.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk Edited May 12, 2014 by div

[gregintenn]

Save a little more and buy a Liberty safe. Also, get one way bigger than you think you need. I wish someone would have given me this advice years ago.

[Dennis1209]

Save a little more and buy a Liberty safe. Also, get one way bigger than you think you need. I wish someone would have given me this advice years ago.

 

Getting a safe bigger than you think you need can't be stated enough.

[NRA]

^{Am I the only one that thinks ......... buy an average size one at first (600-700#) and if needed then buy another one.....  just in case you have to move them? It is a good thing I took this into consideration many years ago because now I have to move them! It is much easier to move 2 600# safes than move one 1200# one.}

Edited May 12, 2014 by NRA

[Hershmeister]

Consider a used safe - that way you get the quality you want. Safe house has them all the time as trade ins.

[hipower]

^{Am I the only one that thinks ......... buy an average size one at first (600-700#) and if needed then buy another one.....  just in case you have to move them? It is a good thing I took this into consideration many years ago because now I have to move them! It is much easier to move 2 600# safes than move one 1200# one.}

 

 

Good comment. My first, and smallest safe, a Frontier; was 24x32x50. It was and still is an excellent piece of workmanship. 650 lbs and paid 600 for it. I thought I'd never need anything bigger.

 

Gee. I sure was wrong.

 

Bought a 36(?) gun Stack on from Dicks during a sale about 2003. 29x42x 50 and close to 900 lbs. I believe it was about 850 bucks at the time. Good safe, large amount of shelving space and about a third was for long gun storage. I could cram 14 to 16 assorted rifles and shotguns into it. But not neatly. And before you comment, at that time, 75% of the long guns I'd inherited from my father. He was big on shottys and rifles.

 

I told my wife when it was full, I'd never buy another gun.

 

You guys know where and how that went...don't you.

 

Then came the 2010 floods. I got almost everything out before the rising waters got to the safes.

 

They, the safes, survived. But I gutted them and made an ammo storage box of the Stackon. Rebuilt the interior of the Frontier and use it for handguns and a few other items.

 

But what about the long guns, You ask.

 

Well....I needed....wait for it....wait for it....A Bigger Safe.

 

So...I stored my long guns with family until I got the last one. A Browning Prosteel. Great Safe. Can't fault it for any reason. It was however, not cheap.  It weighs in at about 1300 lbs. I do not move it. The Safe House brought it out. Set it up. Helped me move the others around( Actually that's a lie. They moved them. I watched.) to better accommodate the small room I was keeping everything in. And yes, I did tip the guys for their work and extra labor. They earned it.

 

Oh...the size. It's about the size of the Stackon, just a few inches larger in all dimensions.

 

So...now I have my dad's guns, my guns, some from my wife's father, and of course I followed my vow of 2003. I never bought another gun.  :rolleyes:  You do believe me...don't you?

 

So...do I need another, bigger safe? Another smaller safe? Probably. But I going to do the unthinkable. I'm selling off some. 

 

Anyway. as the guys have said...get the biggest you can afford. Pick the biggest you think you'll need. Then get at least one size larger.

 

You won't regret it.

 

Yes the cost is a factor. But save a little and look around. It doesn't have to be a Browning Prosteel, or any other Big name in the safe industry. If I had it to do over, I might have gone to another of lower cost. Maybe. I don't know.

Edited May 13, 2014 by hipower

[tnhandgun57]

I told my wife when it was full, I'd never buy another gun.

 

You guys know where and how that went...don't you.

 

 

......sounds vaguely familiar!!!

 

 

Call Aaron at Parker's Safes and Vaults! He won't steer you wrong!!

[netmindr]

Then came the 2010 floods. I got almost everything out before the rising waters got to the safes.

 

They, the safes, survived. But I gutted them and made an ammo storage box of the Stackon. Rebuilt the interior of the Frontier and use it for handguns and a few other items.

 

Are safes typically not waterproof? I too was a victim of the 2010 floods but my collection was much smaller then with no safe, just in cases. So I just brought them upstairs. I only have a cabinet currently but I do see a need for a safe (or 2). However, I would definitely want them to be waterproof in case of another flood, or God forbid, a fire.

[monkeylizard]

No. Safes are not generally waterproof. There are some on the market that claim to be water proof, but I don't know much about them. It would take a perfect seal around the door and any holes in the safe for floor bolts/power.

[hipower]

Monkeylizard says it well. I've heard some claim to be, but I sort of doubt it.

[monkeylizard]

If Pelican cases ever makes a safe, then I'd trust it to be waterproof.

[Dennis1209]

^{Am I the only one that thinks ......... buy an average size one at first (600-700#) and if needed then buy another one.....  just in case you have to move them? It is a good thing I took this into consideration many years ago because now I have to move them! It is much easier to move 2 600# safes than move one 1200# one.}

 

The moving man... That's what he enjoys doing. Your job is to sit back, slug down a few brew's and enjoy the show. Sometimes it's better than a UFC or Bellitor event :popcorn:

Edited May 13, 2014 by Dennis1209

[luvmyberetta]

Thanks for the replies. I'm hoping to make a trip to Knoxville so I can stop by some dealers. The two main problems I've run into are dealers don't list any prices online & my own isolated location. I live over 50 miles from any large town & 75 miles from Knoxville so I can't just head out & shop for a gun safe any time I want. So far Walmart probably has the best deal I've found on a name brand safe, but even though I only live a 1/2 mile from the store, since they don't deliver they might as well be a hundred miles away. Needless to say shopping for a safe is becoming a hell of a frustration.

[luvmyberetta]

I just got back from a day of searching & found a good candidate. Here it is..... http://www.libertysafe.com/buy-a-safe-explorer-20-color-pg-76.html

My local gun shop just got this one, used from a customer. I looked it over & it's in 100% mint condition, inside & out. Not a scratch anywhere on it. They want $550 + tax & said they could deliver for an extra $50, so that would come out to around $650 (I think I could get it for a bit less though). It has the heavy dial/lock instead of an electronic keypad & hidden hinges.

 

Here's my other option I found for. It's brand new for $650 delivered. http://www.fortresssafe.com/shop/gun-security/fs24e-24-gun-safe/

 

Because of the hidden hinges & steel dial & I'm leaning toward the Liberty. Any opinions on these two?

Edited May 14, 2014 by luvmyberetta

[hipower]

Yes. Go with the Liberty. Better price, size, and construction. JMO

[TrickyNicky]

So...now I have my dad's guns, my guns, some from my wife's father, and of course I followed my vow of 2003. I never bought another gun. You do believe me...don't you?
.

:rofl: sure buddy, we believe you... :rofl:

Speaking of which, was it you who snagged up Smiths VTAC?