How good is your GUN SAFE

[GRIZZLYBEAR]

I was surprised to learn that most of the gun safes on market are a lot less secure than what the safe manufacturers want you to believe. I was searching through some of my photo albums and run across this picture of a safe that was opened with a sledge hammer in about 6 or 7 minutes. The damage on the side was inflected after the door was opened. Yes I realize that this was done in an open area and not in the home.

This was done at my gun enablers with three of us swinging the sledge. I am not going to give the safe manufactures name, but it is a well respected brand.





grizz

[N3HCP]

As a part time lock smith I can assure you no safe is 100% thief-proof. A determined thief with the proper tools WILL get into any home safe, given enough time. IMHO the purpose of a home gun safe (and mine looks a lot like the one in the picture ) is to keep unauthorized people and the run of the mill burglar out and to provide some level of fire protection. If a professional wants my stuff there is very little I can do to prevent it. That's why I have all my firearms specify listed on my home owners insurance.

By placing my safe in the basement, bolting it to the wall and floor, placing it to make an attack like the one in the picture difficult, and adding bags of lead shot to add weight (the safe is now too heavy for the steps out of the basement to support) I have done all I reasonably can to protect my stuff. I'm at the point of diminishing returns. A more expensive safe won't add enough protection to justify the costs.

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by N3HCP

As a part time lock smith I can assure you no safe is 100% thief-proof. A determined thief with the proper tools WILL get into any home safe, given enough time. IMHO the purpose of a home gun safe (and mine looks a lot like the one in the picture ) is to keep unauthorized people and the run of the mill burglar out and to provide some level of fire protection. If a professional wants my stuff there is very little I can do to prevent it. That's why I have all my firearms specify listed on my home owners insurance.

By placing my safe in the basement, bolting it to the wall and floor, placing it to make an attack like the one in the picture difficult, and adding bags of lead shot to add weight (the safe is now too heavy for the steps out of the basement to support) I have done all I reasonably can to protect my stuff. I'm at the point of diminishing returns. A more expensive safe won't add enough protection to justify the costs.

LOL you could always use your safe as a deception tool, Lock in there all the things you need but can afford to lose, and hide the guns in secret compartments throughout the house!

Rminds me of a manager in a conveniance store in Quebec, every night he took the money and dropped it in the freezer under the ice bags, one night the store was robbed, they took both safes, and got nothing in return. Both the time safe and the ram safe in the counter where empty, had they needed Ice for the drinks to celebrate, they would have found close to $5k

Always choose the least obvious

[Rule10b5]

I've yet to see a "normal" gun safe that I couldn't open in less than 10 minutes with the tools most of you probably have in your basement or tool shed.

Sure, you can buy some $10k bespoke 4" thick steel bank job that'd keep everyone but the most skilled or determined out, but I can't see it being worth the trouble.

[kimbercdp]

Originally Posted by GRIZZLYBEAR

I was surprised to learn that most of the gun safes on market are a lot less secure than what the safe manufacturers want you to believe. I was searching through some of my photo albums and run across this picture of a safe that was opened with a sledge hammer in about 6 or 7 minutes. The damage on the side was inflected after the door was opened. Yes I realize that this was done in an open area and not in the home.

This was done at my gun enablers with three of us swinging the sledge. I am not going to give the safe manufactures name, but it is a well respected brand.





grizz

I think some guns would have been damaged/destroyed opening this safe.

[Glock22xd9]

If it takes that kind of effort, and that kind of noise to get into a safe, then it seems pretty safe to me. BG's don't wanna be in someone's house that long, and if they were to remove a safe of that size, i hope your neighbors would notice. It would take some serious time and effort on the BG's part. Something most thieves dont have a lot of. Can you bolt those monster gun safes to the floor? that would increase the challenge.

[fultonCoShooter]

all my guns use to be in display cabinets. i feel alot safer having them in a safe.

but yeah you know if someone wants something bad enough they will find a way to get it.

[LorDiego01]

Grizz..

are you sure you didnt shot that safe with the smallest caliber weapon you own?

[JustinM]

I don't have a gun safe.

[Glock22xd9]

Originally Posted by jmateer

I don't have a gun safe.

Take it from someone who knows. Get one before you're sorry.