Gun Safes

[TexasRedneck]

No way to safely get most of 'em up into an apartment - but here's a few options:

SnapSafe - Bedroom Closet Safe, Closet Gun Safe, Safes for Home, Document Safes

Gun Safes for your home or business | Zanotti Armor®

 

[Clockwork]

Never knew about these! Thanks for those links!

 

[TexasRedneck]

My pleasure!

 

[Clockwork]

The reviews I've seen for the Zanotti safes are really good, but they're pricey. Still, seems like the perfect thing for someone that moves around fairly frequently.

Still, at 600+ lbs I'd be worried that it would crash through my floor and flatten a neighbor.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Still, at 600+ lbs I'd be worried that it would crash through my floor and flatten a neighbor.

Bear in mind that the psf floor loading would be factored by the surface area of the safe footprint. ie, a 31 x 25 base would give you 775 sq in / 144 = 5.4 sq ft, or about 111 lbs/sq ft. By installing a 3' x 3' sheet of 3/4" plywood under the safe, you could spread the loading out to 67 lbs/sq ft.....

Bear in mind...mine weighs 1879 lbs (41 x 30), so it's got a floor loading of 218 lbs/sq ft - THAT is the one ya don't wanna put upstairs! View attachment 4699

 

[Clockwork]

Touche, sir.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

This has been the big show stopper for me. I'd like to purchase a nice safe but I live in a 2nd floor apartment and just about everybody will only deliver to the curb-side. The stairs going up to my place are STEEP, there is no way I could get a hefty safe up those stairs. It's frustrating.

FYI....My 800+# safe was delivered by one man using a motorized dolly & he is able to get a safe up stairs using it.
Now, whether your apt. stairs would support it is another thing,, lol....

 

[TexasRedneck]

Gettin' it up that way works...but now you're forced to use a mover every time ya move - THAT would be the stopper for me!

 

[Mike Boyd]

I bought a Sentry 14 gun safe at Walmart several years ago. It is the old fashioned three digit dial with a large lever below the dial to open the door with three large steel lugs. It is not fire rated, but very heavy. I would buy another one in a heartbeat, if I could find it with a good price. I like the dial because you can leave it locked with the dial turned just off of the last number, then just turn it to the last number to open it in an emergency. Anyone else would turn it too far or incorrectly and it would require the complete combination to be used to open it again.
I also have a couple of the smaller electronic pushbutton programmable pushbutton pistol safes mounted on top with the key. You can leave the key in the lock as it still requires six numbers to be input to open with the key. If you select numbers that can be quickly entered without looking, you can have a loaded pistol in hand in less than 15 seconds.
Academy sports just had a large fire rated gun safe on sale for $399.99, if I had the money I would buy it as my safes are all full to overflowing.

 

[TexasRedneck]

With all due respect....while a $400 safe certainly beats nothing - there is no way I'd begin to consider them "secure" storage. I'll grant it as a "starter" safe, certainly - but someone proposing to buy another one.....I'd pass.

 

[Texan2]

With all due respect....while a $400 safe certainly beats nothing - there is no way I'd begin to consider them "secure" storage. I'll grant it as a "starter" safe, certainly - but someone proposing to buy another one.....I'd pass.

You have the "Cadillac" of gun safes....
Many can't afford those.....I always give kudos to anyone who takes the initiative to get ANY gun safe, as it puts them in a small minority of gun owners.

 

[TexasRedneck]

You have the "Cadillac" of gun safes....
Many can't afford those.....I always give kudos to anyone who takes the initiative to get ANY gun safe, as it puts them in a small minority of gun owners.

I understand that - I readily confess that I bought in excess - but I'm also protecting some pretty hard-to-replace stuff.

I apologize if ANYONE misread what I meant to say. A $400 safe beats hell out of nothing - period. No question. What I'm also saying, however, is that as the collection grows and the financial resources to acquire same grows.....give some serious thought to upgrading the level of protection you're offering your firearms. It's kinda like our first home. It was great - WAY better than the apartment we had!!! There's also no way I'd want to be living in it today! <G>

 

[Outbreak]

I did a bunch of research when I was shopping for a safe, but it came down to feel. The only place in town that had a decent selection was Academy. The had the standard Cannon and Sentry, etc. They had just started stocking Browning safes, though, and just touching it, feeling the edges and around the door and frame...it felt a lot more solid. I don't know if it is really any more solid, but I spent a little more than the same size in Sentry or Cannon because it didn't feel cheesy. Of course, those other brands seemed fine until I inspected the Browning.

Knowing I spent the price of one good pistol on a safe to protect many nice guns lets me sleep when I'm TDY and deployed.

 

[Rusty Gun]

A great link and you are right much to learn. I am new to the high humidity of Houston and a recent check showed minor rust spots on several weapons. I am scrambling for a reliable solution and the link you supplied was perfect.

I am adding a small light to increase the safes internal temp and already have added door gaskets and moisture absorbing silca gel. It will be bolted to the floor in a corner this weekend.

 

[Lmccrock]

Just saw a Cannon for $999 at Tractor Supply. I have not priced safes lately, but that one is bigger than the Cannon I paid $1200 for about 15 years ago. Not sure if there is any delivery assistance; the one I bought was delivered and installed.

Lee

ETA: There was an outlet on the inside of the TSC Cannon, so you can plug it in then plug in any lighting, dehumidifier, etc.

 

[West Texas]

A great link and you are right much to learn. I am new to the high humidity of Houston and a recent check showed minor rust spots on several weapons. I am scrambling for a reliable solution and the link you supplied was perfect.

I am adding a small light to increase the safes internal temp and already have added door gaskets and moisture absorbing silca gel. It will be bolted to the floor in a corner this weekend.

Guitars and other such instruments are very sespectable to heat and humidity...too much or too little of either, and you have a guiatr that was worth 5-10K that is now worth nothing....check any of the top-end guitar stores (NOT Guitar Center) and you can find dehumidifiers that will keep your guns dry without cracking a wood stock because of not ENOUGH moisture.

One of hte reason that my wife loves me buying guns is she's seen what my guitars cost

 

[Outbreak]

I tossed a gallon jug of silica kitty litter in the bottom of my safe. Almost a year later, no rust.

I'm not in Houston, either.

 

[beav]

Regardless of brand, buy a bigger safe than you currently need. Guns multiply faster than rabbits!

 

[TexasRedneck]

Yeah - tell me about it. 72 x 41 overstuffed.....lookin' at double-doors, but dunno that I wanna take up THAT much more room!

 

[The_Hunter]

Yeah - tell me about it. 72 x 41 overstuffed.....lookin' at double-doors, but dunno that I wanna take up THAT much more room!

It sounds like you just need a gun room