standaman

don`t know where to put this on the forum but i`d like to know what size you guy`s have as far as safes - i`m interested in one but really don`t wanna spend $1,000

jeepkid

I have a big Cannon from Tractor Supply. They can be found for under $800 on sale and I really like mine.

Oldtimr

I have a Browning, it is a 14 gun safe w/ electric push button lock, I bought it before I had more than 14 guns and I now have more than 14 guns in it. The only reason I can get away with that is because I store my long guns barrels down. The problem with buying gun safes going by the numbers they say it will hold, is that guns are of different configurations, some have scopes, some don't, some are short, some are tall and you have to allow for that when you load the safe. I won't tell you which brand to buy because almost all of them are pretty much the same, I will advise you of this, buy a bigger one than you think you need right now because if you stay with hunting, you probably will at some point need more space than you know now.

Topgun 3006

I also have a big Cannon with electronic push button lock that activates a mechanical wheel that is turned to open it and then to lock it back up. I can't remember how much I paid for it, but it was somewhere around $800-$1000. I'm not sure how many guns I have in it, but it's a lot less than what it was rated or they would have been jammed together. I have all my most expensive stuff in it and the rest are in a homemade welded steel plated one that was made by a friend of my Dad. It is 1/4 inch steel plate and the padlock area is covered with steel plate such that just the bottom of the padlock is accessible with a key and the bottom then comes off to allow the top to be removed and the door opened. It sits on an outer wall in a big closet such that if there was a fire that the area would probably not get hot enough to ruin anything inside it. The Cannon is a good fireproof one that is in my man cave.

CalHunter

Jeep and Top, I bought a 64-gun Cannon safe a couple years ago from Tractor Supply also as the sales price was under $800 also which was an excellent deal. The inside dial seized up after about a year. Cannon was good about the warranty and fixed it but I ended up selling it as I just didn't trust it after that. I hope you have good luck with your safes.

The locksmith they sent out was incredibly talented and had been in the business for 25+ years. I asked him if this was a somewhat common problem and he said yes, due to the quality and design of internal components. I asked him which safes he'd recommend and he said Liberty, Fort Knox and I can't remember the 3rd one. He explained it was the quality of parts and internal design that these brands used that made them better. Based on his recommendation, I sold the gun safe after he fixed it. Obviously YMMV as Jeepkid's has but buyer beware--Having your guns stuck in a safe when you want to go shooting or hunting is a very uncomfortable feeling.

In answer to the OP's question, most people tell you to divide the listed # of guns the safe can hold by 2 if you have black rifles, rifles with scopes, etc. that take up more room. It's generally pretty good advice. Do some research on the internet about gun safes. Most of us started out not wanting to spend too much on a gun safe and learned through trial and error that it's wiser to buy the right safe in the beginning. I'd rather buy a smaller yet higher quality safe and plan on buying a 2nd safe when I can afford it than buy a lesser quality safe that will let me down.

I'll end up buying another safe in this coming year and it will probably be a Liberty as Fort Knox is much more expensive. The locksmith recommended I check out the showrooms when they're having sales and look for a blemished one (the paint has a ding) as they usually mark those down even more. Hopefully this helps some in making your decision.

jeepkid

Was yours the electronic lock or manual?

Mines the electronic and luckily I haven't had any issues besides the battery dying and freaking me out since I couldn't get in lol.

My Dad has a big Browning and his manual lock broke inside the door. It took the locksmith several times out to fix it, it has a terrible design, it was obvious why it broke. Fortunately it broke the day we brought it home so he didn't even have any guns in it. It was a showroom model so we think it was locked and someone tried a bit hard on the handle and broke it internally.

Oldtimr

My Browning electronic lock safe has access to the battery just under the keypad on the outside of the safe. It is no problem if it goes dead which it has twice. I always have extra 9 volts around for my smoke alarms anyway so it is no problem.

Topgun 3006

Cal---Please tell us exactly how your Cannon safe worked that broke and was sold due to what the locksmith told you. Mine, as I mentioned, has a circular electronic keypad that uses a 9 volt battery. I'm not sure how it works when you punch in the 6 digit code because obviously the part it hooks up to that allows the manual wheel below it to be turned that works the four bolts in the door to lock and unlock are inside the door. I've had it for a long time, so if it's the same as yours I'm a little worried. Then again, maybe that means mine will have no problems if it hasn't over the length of time Iv'e had it.

Topgun 3006

That is exactly how mine is and works. Do you then have to turn a manual wheel below it to move the bolts in the door that lock into the side of the safe? That is how mine works and it seems like it is a simple design that very little could go wrong with. At least I hope so! I would think that system is made by some company that all the big safe companies buy from, but maybe not.

Oldtimr

Top, mine does not have a wheel, it has a heavy handle that I move to the left which retracts the bolt back into the door. Same principle as yours just a different method.