[lonyaeger]

All these years I've been pressing my luck by not keeping my firearms in a safe. I have to change that because some day it will catch up with me.

So can y'all recommend a good safe that won't break the bank? Looking to spend up to about $1,200....can I get a good one for that amount? I see lots of them from $2,000 and way up, and I don't want to do that.

[cpttango30]

Remember to buy 3 times what you think you are going to need. The only way you will fit 32 guns in a 32 gun safe is if they are all bb guns and you stack them right.

I have a Timber Ridge (Liberty safe made for Gander Mnt.) I got a 23 gun safe and now I have 10 rifles. I have to take the bolts out and move 3 out of the safe to fit the remaining 7 in there. half of my rifles are rimfire at that.

I would look at a Cannon safe or an Amsec. Might be a bit above your budget but they are nice. Browning makes some nice safes as well.

Gun Safes

Cannon Safe Series | Cannon

AMSEC Safes

Now if you want the MAC DADDY gun safe of all gun safes. Then look no further than a Graffunder. HOLY CRAP are these babies are awesome. Where as all the other all use sheet metal albeit thick, it is still sheet metal. These guys use steel plate 1.5 to 2" thick in places. They have glass re-lockers and the whole shebang. Of course the small one weighs in at 1230# that is the baby low class safe where as a cannon 22 gun weighs in at 620# that Graffunder is more then twice that.

Graffunder Safe and Vault Doors from Sage Safe Co.



Here is my thinking behind why I say Cannon when they are double what you want to spend. Buy big buy good and don't worry about it. I look at my safe as an investment. If you don't have 50 guns but you know you might end up with that many then get the 50 gun. I wish I would have. The extra space can be used to hold important documents. I have a small firesafe with the most important documents in side my gun safe. Both are rated to resist fire for 90 minutes. So I figure the stuff is double safe.


If you are dead set on not spending more than $1200 there the only one I see is the ( I HATE this) Gander Mountain http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=420985&pdesc=Gander_Mountain_Timber_ Ridge_Series_25_Gun_Safe_Brass_Hardware&aID=510L1& merchID=4006

[Dillinger]

Lon - I would recommend you watch this video. I posted it before in a thread for Scubie, and I think you were in that thread so maybe you have seen it.

YouTube - Quality Gun Safes

YouTube - Quality Gun Safes

Tango is right, Graffunder is the Mac Daddy of all safes, unless you buy an old bank and use their vault as your personal gun paradise.

I did a TON of research before I upgraded. My first safe was not a good choice. It was small, it was "affordable" and it could have probably been defeated in less than the 1:44 in that video.

That said, it kept my stuff safe and sound and made me "feel" better about having my weapons locked up.

I visited several safe makers' booths at SHOT for a couple of years. Kept himming and hawing back and forth. Couldn't pull the trigger.

I really wanted the Graffunder, but I could not justify the kind of money they wanted for it. I didn't have that kind of cash to blow on a safe and still be able to afford to eat.

After a long search, I ended up getting a Summit Safe, the Cascade series. They have a lot of the same protection features that Graffunder has in their safes ( full welds on an all steel body, active-locking bolts, punch proof locks ) but it wasn't nearly as expensive.

http://www.summitsafes.com/cascade.html

I don't hold any illusion that it is "as good as" a Graffunder, but it's a damn good safe and it's locked down to my concrete slab garage with 4 monster bolts so it is not going anywhere.

I would strongly recommend doing a lot of research before just settling for the safe you think you "need" right now.

JD

[Yunus]

Don't forget the other aspect of most safes. Fire protection. Make sure that whatever safe you choose has decent fire protection. I have been told by safe dealers at gun shows that fire ratings are not as standardized as they appear so a 1 hour rating on one safe might actually mean something different than a 1 hour rating on another safe. I don't know how true that is, I thought a UL rating was supposed to be standardized but maybe there are other raters out there or something.

[lonyaeger]

Thanks guys, good feedback all. I WILL do a lot of research because I am a "research kind of guy!" I knew I could count on y'all to get me on the right track.

And Brett.....enough is enough with the sig line already. Cheesh!!!

[lonyaeger]

Originally Posted by Dillinger

After a long search, I ended up getting a Summit Safe, the Cascade series. They have a lot of the same protection features that Graffunder has in their safes ( full welds on an all steel body, active-locking bolts, punch proof locks ) but it wasn't nearly as expensive.


JD

Couldn't find the price for the Cascade on the link, JD. Do you remember about how much you paid for it?

[cpttango30]

Lon this place is not by you but it does dive you a price to look at.

Cascade Edition

[shadecorp]

Years ago I bought a Sports man safe.
Great Quality.
Great Price.
Great after sale service.


www.sportsmansteelsafes.com/options.htm]Gun Safes and gun vaults by Sportsman Steel Safe Company

[lonyaeger]

Originally Posted by cpttango30

Lon this place is not by you but it does dive you a price to look at.

Cascade Edition

Day-yum! Thanks man. Guess you get what you pay for and I agree that this is something that I should not scrimp on. Plus, you're right about using it as a safe to store all other valuables in as well.

[jbd]

I bought a Liberty ''Centurion" 23 gun safe 30 min. fire rating about two years ago have been impressed with the safe. I paid 650.00 out the door from the Liberty dealer here, but as Tango said I wish I would gotten double the size. I would suggest a look at Liberty.