Gun safes

[Power]

Going to use our tax return and buy a nice gun safe. Looking at Cabela's 72" by 40" by 27" as I know I want one that is 6' tall for decent capacity. I don't want to spend much more than the $2k that one will cost.

Is that a good one for the price? Or does someone have another option here in E. Washington that will deliver and install for about the same price that is better?

We live in town so the 45 minutes at 1250 degree fire protection is probably fine. Still, I don't know everything about safes so educate me if you have some advice please. Also, I really like the electronic keypad for the lock vs. the dial as I've tried to help a friend open his dial safe and it took us 10 minutes to get it just right to finally open, even with the combo and directions.

[Ridge Runner]

ok, if possible go local, shipping kills you, you should find a dealer who will deliver and install for free. some places offer free shipping but your responsible for getting it offthe truck and in your house.
basicly, safes are about the same, they all offer different grades with different fire protection.
Just be sure the one you buy has the gasket around the door that swells when heated to keep out smoke and water in case of fire, and most companies will replace them after a fire.
I have a heritage 56x72x30, with the S&G lock (keypad) and I rest alot easier now.
RR

[Pawildman]

C'mon, Rebel Hog....Step in here...You're the safe guru , we all know that.
I bought an Amsec probably 10-12 yrs. ago. It's 25x40x61", and I need another one badly. It has the good fireproof rating and the door gasket also. If I remember right, I think I paid around $1200 for it back then. A friend of mine and I drove 40 mi. to pick it up with his pickup. The store people helped us load it, but it took about 4 or 5 of us to get it unloaded and into the house and in position. I also have it bolted in place. If someone ever tries to relieve me of it, I think they'll have a real rough time, or cause me tremendous damage.

[stalkingbear]

If you buy local,they'll help insure that you fully know how to operate your safe just like a local bow proshop.
It's a good idea to get the largest safe you can possibly afford for 2 reasons-#1 is you can always put more in it but can't make it bigger. #2 is simple physics-the heavier it is,less likely somebody will have the resources to steal it. Most gun thefts that happen with safes involve stealing entire safe for them to open later at their leasiure. A good idea is to anchor safe in concrete using 4 5/8 grade 8 lag bolts as I did.

[DannyD]

I'd like to know a bit more about them also. I'm saving for one as we speak. I'm looking at one from Gander for around $900 i believe is made by Liberty. UL fire rating of 1450 for 45 min if i recall. It's going to be used for guns but just as importantly my Picture CD's and DVD's that I have taken over the years. I have well over 100 pic CD's and30 DVD movies of the family. From what I understand I'll need an additional media box inside the regular safe to store the CD's and DVD's. The temp in the regular safe is rated at 350 degrees and media needs to be safe to around 150 degrees so a regular fire safe is not good enough.
I may be a little off on the above info.
I'm just not sure what companies have good reliability ratings on their safes that I can afford

[kdvollmer]

I strongly suggest, IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, to buy a safe from the Halls Safe Company. I bought a used Halls safe a couple years ago, and will never go back. They are a little pricy. I think that the safe that I got, would be a little over $4000 new, but the guy who had it had it customized with all the extras. Extra locking lugs, heavy duty hinges, custom paint....etc. Halls has OUTSTANDING customer service. I had a couple issues when I first bought the safe so I called the company. All customer service calls were handled by the company president / owner. If we wasn't available, they would takea your name and number and he actually calls the customers back....personally. I can't say enough about that. But seriously, IF you can afford a safe from them, it is well worth every penny.

http://www.hallsafe.com

[Power]

I do have the option of buying locally and and kinda leaning that way, one local store is really a local store and I like to give them a lot of my business since they are my main hunting/fishing supply store too. And they have people that will come move the safe inside your house for you. I have the spot all picked out in the bottom of my split lvl house and it will be bolted into the concrete. I've heard some theives are just tying a chain around your safe and jerking it out with a truck, so I'll make sure it's as far from the street as I can get.

I'll check out that Hall Safe link, thanks kdvollmer.

What other features should I look for? I know about the fire ratings a little and that gasket. I've also been reading about trying to get a safe that is waterproof so the water from the Firefighters doesn't ruin your guns, but most of my guns are plastic so not as worried about water damage.

[kdvollmer]

I don't mean to scare you, but one of the regulars at the gun shop i spent a lot of time at in CA, had a nice gun safe. Had it up stairs, bolted to the floor. The thieves brought a to truk up there. Ran the cable through the house and around the safe, and then just took off. Got the safe, and jacked up the poor guys house pretty bad. Immagine one of those big mother safes being pulled by a cable down the hall, around corners, and down the stairs before going through the front door sideways......

[statjunk]

The best safe you have are your lips. Keep them shut about what you have and you'll likely never get robbed. Having a safe never hurt either but you get the point.

Some one that gets robbed like the story above is due to running off at the mouth.

Tom

[Power]

Yup, loose lips sink ships and all that. I try to always be vague about my very small collection and always load and unload in the garage with the door closed so no one sees me carrying guns in or out of my house.