Gun safe options

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  • Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Aug 4, 2017
    2,133
    113
    Fishers
    Just ordered another Kriss Vector and a Cobalt Kinetic and realized I'm out of room and need another safe. None of my stuff is an heirloom piece that can't be replaced through insurance so I just need a general deterrent. I need to be able to bolt it to the basement floor and my budget is $300~ I've got it narrowed down to these 2 and was hoping someone had first hand knowledge of them and could lean me one direction or the other. Or maybe there's an option I'm missing in this price range. Sorry if this is in the wrong place and I searched but couldn't find anything specific.

    Option 1
    https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ranite-safe-with-electronic-lock?cm_vc=-10005

    Option 2
    https://www.ruralking.com/fortress-14-gun-fire-safe.html
     

    K_W

    Grandmaster
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    8   0   0
    Aug 14, 2008
    5,385
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    Indy / Carmel
    They look like variations of the same basic Chinese made lock box. The fire specs are bogus, locks reportedly fail quick, and neither are secure against determined thief with a decent pry bar.

    They are better than nothing, but I'd drop another $300 and look a basic Liberty or Cannon RSC, better engineering, better and thicker materials, larger, and more reliable locks.

    If you can manage, as I think you can since you claim to have $1000's worth of guns on order, a Johnson is a phenomenal safe and made in Indiana too. They run $1000 and up but are well worth it.
     
    Last edited:

    Alamo

    Grandmaster
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    10   0   0
    Oct 4, 2010
    8,093
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    Texas
    Hate to rain on your choices, but I am going through a serious safe search right now, and I would not go for either one of those.

    For $300 it's worth considering what this guy has to say about low budget ways to protect your guns: 100 Money-Saving Ways to Protect Your Guns. Cheap gun safe alternatives and tips. - Gun Safe Reviews Guy

    They do appear to be close variant of the same box, which is (according to one of the links) 14gauge steel. This isn't really all that more robust than a Homak or Stack On at 16gauge or so, just looks more like a "safe", and I doubt the door frame is any more robust either. The real downside to me would be that electronic lock, which the manufacturer only warranties for a year. That's not a lot of confidence by the manufacturer. I would look for a two homak/stack-on types with mechanical locks for the same total price and put them in different places, hidden away in closets and bolted to the floor/wall, maybe the burglars will not think to look for two of them.

    It would be surprising if the fire protection they offer is anything more than sheet rock. Sheet rock is not meant to stop fire or heat transfer, it just slows fire down for maybe five minutes, then the sheetrock disintegrates and falls to the floor (or the bottom of the safe). Whenever I have fought a housefire (I am a volunteer firefighter), after the flames are out the ground where the floor used to be is about a foot deep or more in sheet rock crunchies. Pain in the neck to walk around in. It's basically wasting storage space in your safe. If you want realistic fire protection for your firearms, it is going to cost you some.

    Check craigslist for your area, or the nearest "big city," you may find someone wanting to get rid of a serious safe.
     

    WyldeShot

    Expert
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    3   0   0
    Jan 28, 2011
    1,248
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    Greenville
    Hate to rain on your choices, but I am going through a serious safe search right now, and I would not go for either one of those.

    For $300 it's worth considering what this guy has to say about low budget ways to protect your guns: 100 Money-Saving Ways to Protect Your Guns. Cheap gun safe alternatives and tips. - Gun Safe Reviews Guy

    They do appear to be close variant of the same box, which is (according to one of the links) 14gauge steel. This isn't really all that more robust than a Homak or Stack On at 16gauge or so, just looks more like a "safe", and I doubt the door frame is any more robust either. The real downside to me would be that electronic lock, which the manufacturer only warranties for a year. That's not a lot of confidence by the manufacturer. I would look for a two homak/stack-on types with mechanical locks for the same total price and put them in different places, hidden away in closets and bolted to the floor/wall, maybe the burglars will not think to look for two of them.

    It would be surprising if the fire protection they offer is anything more than sheet rock. Sheet rock is not meant to stop fire or heat transfer, it just slows fire down for maybe five minutes, then the sheetrock disintegrates and falls to the floor (or the bottom of the safe). Whenever I have fought a housefire (I am a volunteer firefighter), after the flames are out the ground where the floor used to be is about a foot deep or more in sheet rock crunchies. Pain in the neck to walk around in. It's basically wasting storage space in your safe. If you want realistic fire protection for your firearms, it is going to cost you some.

    Check craigslist for your area, or the nearest "big city," you may find someone wanting to get rid of a serious safe.


    Good suggestion on Craigslist. There is someone on one of my local Facebook sites that is selling a small Ft. Knox safe. It's about the size of the ones the OP posted. The guy is asking $500 I think.
     
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Aug 4, 2017
    2,133
    113
    Fishers
    They look like variations of the same basic Chinese made lock box. The fire specs are bogus, locks reportedly fail quick, and neither are secure against determined thief with a decent pry bar.

    They are better than nothing, but I'd drop another $300 and look a basic Liberty or Cannon RSC, better engineering, better and thicker materials, larger, and more reliable locks.

    If you can manage, as I think you can since you claim to have $1000's worth of guns on order, a Johnson is a phenomenal safe and made in Indiana too. They run $1800 and up but are well worth it.

    I'm not worried about them being stolen. I just want them somewhere other than the closet.
     
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Aug 4, 2017
    2,133
    113
    Fishers
    Hate to rain on your choices, but I am going through a serious safe search right now, and I would not go for either one of those.

    For $300 it's worth considering what this guy has to say about low budget ways to protect your guns: 100 Money-Saving Ways to Protect Your Guns. Cheap gun safe alternatives and tips. - Gun Safe Reviews Guy

    They do appear to be close variant of the same box, which is (according to one of the links) 14gauge steel. This isn't really all that more robust than a Homak or Stack On at 16gauge or so, just looks more like a "safe", and I doubt the door frame is any more robust either. The real downside to me would be that electronic lock, which the manufacturer only warranties for a year. That's not a lot of confidence by the manufacturer. I would look for a two homak/stack-on types with mechanical locks for the same total price and put them in different places, hidden away in closets and bolted to the floor/wall, maybe the burglars will not think to look for two of them.

    It would be surprising if the fire protection they offer is anything more than sheet rock. Sheet rock is not meant to stop fire or heat transfer, it just slows fire down for maybe five minutes, then the sheetrock disintegrates and falls to the floor (or the bottom of the safe). Whenever I have fought a housefire (I am a volunteer firefighter), after the flames are out the ground where the floor used to be is about a foot deep or more in sheet rock crunchies. Pain in the neck to walk around in. It's basically wasting storage space in your safe. If you want realistic fire protection for your firearms, it is going to cost you some.

    Check craigslist for your area, or the nearest "big city," you may find someone wanting to get rid of a serious safe.


    Thanks. Like I said, I don't need it to withstand fire or a pry bar. Just a general deterrent.
     

    jagee

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Jan 19, 2013
    44,415
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    New Palestine
    Oh, INGO, you never dissapoint.

    First 2 responses give opposing views, and the 3rd doesn't answer the question.


    We've had this discussion before...

    OP: Glock or M&P??
    1st post: Glock all the way!!!
    2nd post: M&P is what I run.
    3rd post: Get yourself an HK, way better than both of your options.


    (I have nothing of quality to add to the discussion, just here for the :stickpoke:)
     
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Aug 4, 2017
    2,133
    113
    Fishers
    We've had this discussion before...

    I apologize but I did use the search function and didn't see any discussions similar to my question. Based on the responses I've gotten, (not yours) it looks like I'm not rich enough to play in this sandbox. I promise I'll wait until I spend another $7500 on guns before I ask anything else.
     

    jagee

    Grandmaster
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    24   0   0
    Jan 19, 2013
    44,415
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    New Palestine
    I apologize but I did use the search function and didn't see any discussions similar to my question. Based on the responses I've gotten, (not yours) it looks like I'm not rich enough to play in this sandbox. I promise I'll wait until I spend another $7500 on guns before I ask anything else.

    I'm a very sarcastic poster, don't feel the need to apologize to me.
    I don't know that we've had this exact discussion about safes, but the general flow of the conversation has definitely happened before.
     
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Aug 4, 2017
    2,133
    113
    Fishers
    Oh boy, Oh boy !!!!!

    Just get a BIGGER JOHNSON !!!!!

    Was that directed towards me? Is it an insinuation that I have a small cock? I assure you these guns aren't for overcompensation. I have a son who has shown an interest in shooting and we're using this sport as another way to bond. You know how many times I've shot the Vector? Once. One time to make sure the bullet went down the range. You know how many times I've shot the Glock 20? Once. Wanna guess how many times I'll shoot the Kinetic?

    This isn't something I'm using to prove I'm a man. I'm not a collector, aficionado, or a "flipper" as I was so elegantly called on my first day here. I've used this as a resource for knowledge to share with my son.
     

    K_W

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Aug 14, 2008
    5,385
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    Indy / Carmel
    Those sheet steel boxes are not much of a deterrent, especially if someone knows you have $3000 guns inside as you claim.

    If, as you claim, you have guns costing that much you can afford better. Insurance won't bring back people killed by someone who steals your guns.

    Was that directed towards me? Is it an insinuation that I have a small cock? I assure you these guns aren't for overcompensation. I have a son who has shown an interest in shooting and we're using this sport as another way to bond. You know how many times I've shot the Vector? Once. One time to make sure the bullet went down the range. You know how many times I've shot the Glock 20? Once. Wanna guess how many times I'll shoot the Kinetic?

    This isn't something I'm using to prove I'm a man. I'm not a collector, aficionado, or a "flipper" as I was so elegantly called on my first day here. I've used this as a resource for knowledge to share with my son.

    Johnson is a local gun safe manufacturer. If you like nice guns, you will love nice safes.

    (I was wrong earlier about the starting price... $1800 is what mine is going for now)

    http://www.johnsonsafes.net/

    PS... don't take my posts as negative.
     
    Last edited:

    GodFearinGunTotin

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    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Mar 22, 2011
    50,587
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    Mitchell
    A gun safe is an insurance policy. The quality and features and their associated costs should roughly correlate to the value of the items you place in them and your risk adverse tolerance.

    Let's face it, a $300 gun safe isn't going to be very big nor be the top of the list in security features. But it is better than nothing. Having said all of that, I think with your budget, I'd just pick the one you think is best. I would want to look at them myself before passing judgement on which of the two I'd pick. Whichever one you pick and assuming your other safe is a "better" safe, I'd keep my most valuable stuff in the good safe and my less costly stuff in the "cheap" safe.

    I can see I need to step up my buying so I have your problem. :D
     

    jagee

    Grandmaster
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    24   0   0
    Jan 19, 2013
    44,415
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    New Palestine
    Was that directed towards me? Is it an insinuation that I have a small ****? I assure you these guns aren't for overcompensation. I have a son who has shown an interest in shooting and we're using this sport as another way to bond. You know how many times I've shot the Vector? Once. One time to make sure the bullet went down the range. You know how many times I've shot the Glock 20? Once. Wanna guess how many times I'll shoot the Kinetic?

    This isn't something I'm using to prove I'm a man. I'm not a collector, aficionado, or a "flipper" as I was so elegantly called on my first day here. I've used this as a resource for knowledge to share with my son.

    FYI, he was talking about safes. It's kind of a running joke on INGO. But seriously, they are very well made safes and local, which is nice.

    Home
     

    K_W

    Grandmaster
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    8   0   0
    Aug 14, 2008
    5,385
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    Indy / Carmel
    FYI, he was talking about safes. It's kind of a running joke on INGO. But seriously, they are very well made safes and local, which is nice.

    Home

    MANY of us have them and to my knowledge all of us are happy with them.

    And as to the $300 "safes"... lets call them what they are, "residential security containers" or RSC's... better yet "sheet metal boxes".

    OP... there are two golden rules about safes... "Buy bigger than you need, you will fill it." and "buy the best with what you can afford to invest."

    I guess you are learning that about you old safe right now.
     
    Last edited:

    Steel and wood

    Sharpshooter
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    2   0   0
    Jul 23, 2016
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    Tipton
    I started out with a small safe just like you. I did not have many guns but what I had I liked. I have got a few more pistols and a few rifles now, nothing worth thousands of dollars but I like them. I have gotten a new bigger safe several years ago it's a cannon safe. I have taken my smaller safe and made it for my ammo and holsters.
    My smaller safe is a Winchester just like the one you are looking at, it did great was cheap and worked.
    I do understand what you are saying about asking anything. Just hang out wait for others to ask your questions and enjoy.
     
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