[fa35jsf]

So I am still a little ways away from having enough saved up for a good gun safe, but I have been shopping around. I plan to spend no more than $5000 on one and to get it the biggest I can, BUT, I security is really at the top of my list along with American made. So here is what I have found and I would appreciate feedback from anyone who has one of these.

At the top of my list is a Fort Knox Defender safe. This is there no-frills model that can still have a lot of security upgrades added to it. Corner bolts, body and door steel thickness upgrade (although I don't know what to. Their standard is 10ga), inner lining and of course fire proofing. roughly $4000

Next is Sturdy Safe. I really like this safe because I can upgrade it to 4ga steel (almost 1/4") and add another layer of 10ga stainless steel to prevent torch attacks. Plus I can add a 1/4" stainless steel plate over the locking mechanism and a diamond/carbide resistant enclosure to the locking mechanism to "keep locksmiths out". What makes me nervous about this safe is they use different materials to fireproof it than any other safe I have seen. Some kind of ceramic mesh and glass filler. The company has done tests of real house burn-downs but has not gotten their safes UL certified. I wrote them an e-mail and they explained it was because the UL certification costs too much. Also, their safes only have locking bolts on two sides of the door but they are anchored into a thick piece of steel on the inside.

Lastly is a safe from Brown Safes which build primarily commercial safes and vaults. They use minimum 1/4" steel walls and 1/2" steel door and you can upgrade from there. They are extremely pricy though.

So does anybody have any experience with these safe companies?

[Chainfire]

I don't believe that you can buy a ready-made safe that is resistant to the most dedicated burgular. All you can do is slow them down for a few more minutes. If you are defending yourself against the casual house breaker, most any safe will do. You would be amazed what a sawzall and a couple of crow bars can do to, even a good safe, in a very few minutes. If a dedicated thief has an hour to work, you have a problem.

A safe to slow them down, an alarm system to speed them up, a dog to bite them in the a$$, and insurance to pay for the clean-up and law suit. It is mulit-faceted security system.

I have watched the building of bank vaults; now that is a safe! It would take me a week to get into one of them, working overtime, and I can tear up an anvil.

[fa35jsf]

Well I understand but from what I have seen is that even the really nice safes from your average big name store are a joke. 14 ga steel is less than 1/10th of an inch thick. It's a tin can with a fancy lock. I'm looking for something with some thicker sides and door to it to really slow down a burglar. 1/4" steel takes a lot more time to get through. Hell, half inch would be better. I also want something that is heavy enough to not just walk off. Most importantly it has to have a good fire rating because everything I have read is safes are more likely to encounter fire than a burglar.

[purehavoc]

If your truly looking for a burglar proof safe/ Fire proof , you need to take a look at Browns safes, The estate line is the top end but heres a link , nothing like this out there
F Rated Burglary Safes with Fire Protection (Door - 1.5" steel, .25" ballistic armor | body - 1" steel | 2.5" Composite Fire Cladding)

www.brownsafe.com/features_weapon_safes/Weapon_safe_single_door.html

[fa35jsf]

Originally Posted by purehavoc

If your truly looking for a burglar proof safe , you need to take a look at Browns safes, The estate line is the top end but heres a link , nothing like this out there
F Rated Burglary Safes with Fire Protection (Door - 1.5" steel, .25" ballistic armor | body - 1" steel | 2.5" Composite Fire Cladding)

www.brownsafe.com/features_weapon_safes/Weapon_safe_single_door.html

Yeah that's nice and all but definitely over my 5K price range. Hell, even all my guns added up don't equal 5K so there is no reason for that....yet. One day, one day.

[purehavoc]

Originally Posted by fa35jsf

Yeah that's nice and all but definitely over my 5K price range. Hell, even all my guns added up don't equal 5K so there is no reason for that....yet. One day, one day.

Hey bud there is 20 safes under your 5K , there are some with 1" solid steel doors and 1/2" thick steel bodies . Nothing else out there compares to what they build

[fa35jsf]

Sorry purehavoc, didn't look too closely at that link. Now I see the light. Those are pretty interesting. I like steel, and don't care much for fancy or flashy. IMO safes are meant to be hidden otherwise OPSEC is compromised.

[fmj]

Originally Posted by fa35jsf

Well I understand but from what I have seen is that even the really nice safes from your average big name store are a joke. 14 ga steel is less than 1/10th of an inch thick. It's a tin can with a fancy lock. I'm looking for something with some thicker sides and door to it to really slow down a burglar. 1/4" steel takes a lot more time to get through. Hell, half inch would be better. I also want something that is heavy enough to not just walk off. Most importantly it has to have a good fire rating because everything I have read is safes are more likely to encounter fire than a burglar.

A good liberty or Cannon is all you need.

I am a metal fabricator w/ well over a decade experience fab'ing heavy gauge steel. 10 gauge is ore than enough. I am TOTAL agreement with Chainfire on this one. Multi levels of security is your best bet. 1/8th inch or 1 inch steel takes generally the same amount of time to hack thru, torch or recip. saw.

As with anything else, plenty of "bells and whistles" to make you go oooo ahhhh, take your money and leave you with nnot that much more actual protection from thieves.

Now fire protection is different tale to be told. Get the best you can afford in that area.

But thieves, given the time, will get around any protections if so motivated.

[purehavoc]

FMJ you should watch some of the torture test out there on opening safes , there arent too many thieves that are going to pack off with a 3000# safe thats bolted to the floor or even attempt to move it let along there not going to stick a 4 ft pry bar in a 1/2-1" thick door and peel it back like a 10 ga door. I have seen some of the cannons opened up in less than 2 min with a large pry bar . The libertys are a little better construction depending on the model most of the libertys are 1/4" steel doors .
Most thieves arent going into a house with a torch or plasma cutter either . They are looking for a quick easy in and out in a few minutes or less . happened to a buddy of mine , fortunantly he had 400# of shot in bags in the bottom of a 680# safe and when they tried to wheel it out they lost the balance point and it fell on the the door handle and they couldnt get it back up to wheel it out . He should have had it bolted down yes but he didnt and the shot he had in the bottom and the weight of the safe saved his valuables in it . I suggest with any safe that it be bolted to the floor and if possible anchored to concrete, put it in a tight place , closet if possible , non hinged side close to a wall , this will prevent as much prying .
Heres a short video of a better quality safe from your average sporting store and it doesnt take long to get access

YouTube

YouTube

[fmj]

Originally Posted by purehavoc

FMJ you should watch some of the torture test out there on opening safes , there arent too many thieves that are going to pack off with a 3000# safe thats bolted to the floor or even attempt to move it let along there not going to stick a 4 ft pry bar in a 1/2-1" thick door and peel it back like a 10 ga door. I have seen some of the cannons opened up in less than 2 min with a large pry bar . The libertys are a little better construction depending on the model most of the libertys are 1/4" steel doors .
Most thieves arent going into a house with a torch or plasma cutter either . They are looking for a quick easy in and out in a few minutes or less . happened to a buddy of mine , fortunantly he had 400# of shot in bags in the bottom of a 680# safe and when they tried to wheel it out they lost the balance point and it fell on the the door handle and they couldnt get it back up to wheel it out . He should have had it bolted down yes but he didnt and the shot he had in the bottom and the weight of the safe saved his valuables in it . I suggest with any safe that it be bolted to the floor and if possible anchored to concrete, put it in a tight place , closet if possible , non hinged side close to a wall , this will prevent as much prying .
Heres a short video of a better quality safe from your average sporting store and it doesnt take long to get access
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBhOjWHbD6M

What you say is correct....

1) if a thief is motivated, he/she is gonna get in/get your stuff. one way or the other.

2) you just advocated what was said previously...layers of protection. Fence, light, dog, safe, location, contents etc. etc....

Its all a matter of time + motivation of the thief if they are gonna get you or not.

Know a guy here in town had his class III stuff as secure as possible...top end safe, bolted to concrete etc...a recip. saw a heavy duty tow strap and a 1 ton pickup made short work of his safety measures. They simply cut a hole in the side of the house, attached one end of the strap to the safe, the other to the hitch of the truck and away they went.