Safe information

[dee]

10 minutes at the most. A torch and chipping hammer was all that was needed. That was going through the door.

[Ruffdaddy]

I've broken into an $8000 Fort Knox safe for the ATF a few years back.

How long did that take?

[dee]

I've broken into an $8000 Fort Knox safe for the ATF a few years back.

[Trick Pony]

I have a house alarm too so hopefully my safe would buy me enough time that thieves would leave before they can get at my guns. As opposed to just being able to grab them and run out I think it's a lot better than nothing. The one I got also weighs over 800 lbs empty, so it wouldn't be easy to carry it out of there either.
Obviously if you have a skilled burglar, they're going to get what they want regardless, but at the same time I don't see some professional burglar bothering to break into my modest house anyway.
For the average asshole or punk kid that's breaking in to steal things, I thing what I have would stop them.

[ceyko]

I have to ask, are we really doing this for theft prevention or fire?

I personally am mostly concerned about fire. If a thief really wants in your personal gun safe he is going to get in it no matter how much you spend.

Guessing each has their own reasoning. It's just that fire rating, there is no real industry standard either. So, it is what it is on their marketing terms.

heh, I've even thought about encasing mine in a couple layers of dry wall.

[FATHERFORD]

I have to ask, are we really doing this for theft prevention or fire?

I personally am mostly concerned about fire. If a thief really wants in your personal gun safe he is going to get in it no matter how much you spend.

[Tyrone Biggums]

Watched the video last night. Very informative. A friend of mine has a huge Fort Knox. Now I know why he ponied up for it.

[YALE]

I know Im not rich, but if you plan on putting $8k in guns + other valuables, a cheap POS safe is a waste. Hell a $500 safe to put my guns in is less than a single gun that I own. I think Id save longer and buy a quality one.

Ordinarily, I would agree with you, but I need to meet insurance requirements, and if I can slow a thief down even a little bit, so much the better.

[ceyko]

I know Im not rich, but if you plan on putting $8k in guns + other valuables, a cheap POS safe is a waste. Hell a $500 safe to put my guns in is less than a single gun that I own. I think Id save longer and buy a quality one.

This is what I do not really understand. Why is it a waste?

As opposed to being vague the reason I think a lower end safe is better than nothing is mainly due to it stopping/deterring most idiots who are out there stealing from you.

From a fire rating point of view I only have close knowledge of one case. It was a high end, nice safe in a dude's garage. House burned down and it was unable to protect the guns very well. The company replaced the guns, but that's not helpful if you have anything sentimental. However, cheap safe or good safe - the guns are equally screwed.

DO NOT get me wrong. If I had the disposable income, I'd buy that (I think) German made safe that is really bad ass for my home. I just don't think that a lower end safe is a waste of money at all. It is easy to compromise and so forth, but there are little things to help with that (crowd the area, bolt it down...etc).

[8mpg]

I know Im not rich, but if you plan on putting $8k in guns + other valuables, a cheap POS safe is a waste. Hell a $500 safe to put my guns in is less than a single gun that I own. I think Id save longer and buy a quality one.

[ceyko]

That one and the one larger than that for 800-900 usually. Plus a little dinky one for 299

[Trick Pony]

For the entry level safes, you won't beat Costco's pricing. More so in store, but some online prices are okay too.

They often have this one in store at the ones I go to in Plano:

http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/xdtalk-chatter-box/205058-winchester-24-gun-fire-safe-costco-deal.html

[ceyko]

For the entry level safes, you won't beat Costco's pricing. More so in store, but some online prices are okay too.

[YALE]

They are a made in China entry level safe. 12 gauge steel, fire rating of 30 minutes @ 1200F. So compared to a GOOD safe, no they're not any good. Compared to other entry level safes they are pretty similar, although not as good as some.
They only have 1" bolts on 1 side of the door, but If somebody really wants in the safe and knows how to go about it, the door is not where they'll attack it anyways.

Right on. All I have now is a Stak-on metal cabinet. I need a step up from that, so I can meet insurance requirements. I'd really like something with a set of shelves in one side, but it's hard to find what I want in a price range I can afford as a college student.

[Trick Pony]

Are those Liberty Centurions any good?

They are a made in China entry level safe. 12 gauge steel, fire rating of 30 minutes @ 1200F. So compared to a GOOD safe, no they're not any good. Compared to other entry level safes they are pretty similar, although not as good as some.
They only have 1" bolts on 1 side of the door, but If somebody really wants in the safe and knows how to go about it, the door is not where they'll attack it anyways.