Gun safes serve many purposes. First of all, they help protect your firearms from burglary, fire, and flooding. They also keep curious children from endangering themselves with your weapons. In addition, most people end up using them to store other valuables, such as jewelry and important documents. If you own firearms, you really need a gun safe. Locking musket cabinets may look pretty and give the illusion of security, but they are easily broken into. Quality firearm cabinets provide real protection that you can count on.
Top Ten Things To Look For
12 Gauge
1) Gauge
Gauge is the measurement of the thickness of the steel. The main thing to remember is the lower the gauge the thicker the steel. With any safe, the door is the most secure part. The top and sides will be vulnerable to attack from power tools in case of a burglary. If you opt for a cheap lock box with a high gauge, make sure you don’t leave your power tools near it. Even if you go for a more expensive vault with 8 gauge steel or thicker keep your power tools stored separately. You can get around this issue entirely by installing it into the wall or in a closet so that the tops and sides of the casing are not accessible.
2) Locking Mechanism
Mechanical Lock
The type of locking mechanism that is preferred will depend on whether you want pistol box or a rifle cabinet. The most common reason for a pistol box is to store a firearms right by your bed so that it is readily available in case of a break in. Biometric safes are the best choice for these. All you have to do is touch the reader with your finger and the receptacle opens. If you don’t want to go for a biometric then get a manual key locking one. If you get an electronic combination box it will likely beep with every button you press and if you are in a hurry and mess up the code, it will only beep some more.
Rifle safes should almost always be locked with a mechanical lock, not an electrical lock. If you are looking at owning a cheap firearm cabinet, that is all the more reason to not trust the locking mechanism. If you are dropping a few grand on a vault, you know that all electronics fail eventually so why risk it. The exception is with those great brands like Cannon that offer a lifetime warranty on their bunkers. Then it is reasonable to spring for the electric combination lock in my view.
Internal Hinges
3) Internal Hinges
Anti-burglary features are very important. One with internal hinges will usually withstand a burglary attack for longer than one with external hinges. A burglar can remove the hinges to take off the door of a low quality lock box. With a high quality cabinet the location of the hinges doesn’t matter as much; they have thick locking bolts that will keep the door in place. So the rule is simple: if you get a repository under $1000, make sure it has internal hinges. For the more expensive options it doesn’t really matter.
4) Price
Cheap Safe
We’re all thinking about the price. When you consider the cost of your firearms, it seems a bit counterproductive to look for the cheapest gun safes for sale you can find, but that’s exactly what a lot of people do. There is always going to be a limit to how much you can afford to spend and not everyone can have the biggest and the best. If you must buy a cheap shell, stick with a well-known and trusted brand such as Sentry or Stack-On. If you are tempted to try saving money by purchasing a weapons cabinet from an unknown manufacturer, remember that you’ll never really know how well such a box will hold up to a burglary attempt or fire until it’s too late. If the only reason that you are getting a cabinet is to meet local laws about locking up your firearms, than any inexpensive receptacle will meet your needs. Just understand it will be useless against robbery and natural disasters. It’s better to stick with an established brand that has a good reputation than to take a chance on an unknown manufacturer. If you are looking at a long term investment, you should be looking at rifle cabinets over $1200.
When it comes to pistol boxes, you will find a selection of glorified pistol cases under $100. These will do for a variety of purposes but you may want to consider something more sophisticated if you expect to keep your kids out of your sidearms. A price range of $150-$300 should meet your needs.
5) Fire and Water Resistance
Water/Fire Resistant
Protection from fire is one of the biggest concerns when comparing firearm cabinets. Statistically a fire is a greater threat to your firearms than a burglary. Bear in mind that it’s difficult to determine which fireproof choice is the best when it comes to fire resistance because there is not a standard test for this so you’ll need to brush up on some fireproof gun safe reviews. Different manufacturers use different tests and labs to come up with their fire resistance ratings, and there is no way to accurately determine which one provides better fire protection without uniform testing for fire rating. However, if you have narrowed down your choices to a specific brand based on other features, you can trust that two from the same manufacturer that have a higher fire resistance rating do indeed provide better protection than other models in the same line.
Flood protection is something you might not think about if you are not in a flood zone, but it is just as important as fire protection. The reason for this is that firefighters use water to put out fires. If your home catches fire, the fire resistance will do no good if it becomes flooded with water from the firemen’s hoses. Look for a fine sturdy cabinet that will protect your firearms from both fire and flooding.
6) Capacity
36 Capacity
The first feature you’ll probably think about when shopping for a safe is the size. Obviously, you need to buy ones that is big enough to hold all of your firearms; 58″ is the minimum height for standard rifles. What you may not realize is that you probably need a bigger one than you think. First you have to consider that depending on the size of your firearms, you can expect to fit half of the advertised capacity into it. Then, once you have it in your home, it will be the most secure place in your house to store valuables. Before you know it, your wife will be storing her expensive jewelry there, and you’ll start finding other items that you’d like to have protected from either burglars or fire, such as your will and other important documents. In addition, you’ll need extra space in case you buy more firearms. You don’t want to have to buy a new one every time you add a few more firearms to your collection.
7) Bolts and Relockers
Relockers Inside
Although the number of bolts one uses has some bearing on the security, it doesn’t matter how many there are if they can be easily defeated by drilling. For this reason, an important anti-burglary features is the presence of relockers. These are spring loaded pins that are set up to trigger if it is tampered with. Relockers make breaking into a rifle safe extremely difficult since it would take hours of drilling to get through just one of them. However, relockers are only found on premium vaults, advertised as having Group II locks. If you are looking at one that does not have relockers, consider the thickness of the bolts a good indicator of security. Anything over an inch will serve you well.
8 ) Installation
Both revolver and rifle safes should be bolted to furniture or the floor, preferably reinforced. Where ever you put your pistol box make sure it is secured. Someone could easily walk off with your pistol lock-box and worry about opening it later. Get one that you can bolt to a drawer or that can be installed in your wall. You’ll be glad you did.
9) Brand
Cannon is my favorite brand when it comes to top of the line brands. The Browning and the Liberty gun safes are way up there too. Sentry makes the best middle of the line cabinets. Homak and Stack-On also do alright too, giving you a good bang for your buck. When it comes to vaults for handguns, GunVault has some terrible reviews due to their failing locking mechanism, but they remain one of the more popular brands. I personally recommend a BARSKA biometric or a LOCKSaf Biometric safe for a sidearm safe.
10) Shipping and Availability
Gun safes are heavy! Shipping can cost a fortune. You want to find free shipping to your door if possible. some retailers advertise free shipping but it is not actually available. They ship to a local pick up place or sometimes even drop off at the nearest major road. With that kind of service, you’d be better off paying for shipping.
Availability is another big thing. Many come with options packages. If you want to add an extra option it might take longer to ship and might not be in stock. With any store you use, be sure to check on customer service and make sure they have good service testimonials.
Read gun safes reviews of the top selling gun safes online. Be informed before you buy.
When you are looking to buy a gun safe for yourself and your family, gun safe reviews must be the top priority of your research. Gun safe manufacturers are going to put the best face forward. They are trying to sell you the product. Reviews come from people who have used the product over a period of time, often for years. They know the product in and out. You will find a lot more from gun safes reviews than you ever will from a product description page. Reviews are the best defense against a bad purchase. Here are some things to look out for:
Failing electronics is one of the most common complaints. If the gun safe you are looking at only opens electronically, look for this in the reviews. Sometimes the problem is a biometric gun safe that won’t recognize the fingerprint on the first try after several months of use, or even after the sixth try. Sometimes, the electronics just fail, and you are locked out of your safe. This is not good. Then you will need to learn the art of breaking into your safe. Many like having an electronic safe that also can be opened by key just in case. This is highly recommended, as all electronics will fail with time, and you want your safe to be a part of your home for a long time.
If you are getting an electronic safe that you need to install, see if anyone has anything to say about how the batteries are replaced. Batteries will be located in different places in different safes. Make sure that they are easy to access if you are going to be having it installed in the wall or under a desk. Also, some reviews will give you details about how frequently a battery will need to be replaced. Some should be changed every ninety days where others can safely go a year or more, depending on use, of course.
One of the worst things from an electronic safe can be the lack of stealth. If you get an electronic handgun safe for your bedside, you have it there for protection in case of intruders. You don’t want that thing beeping or lighting up when you go to open it. Some reviews will say that this is the only problem with the safe, but if that is your purpose for having the safe, you may need to keep browsing.
If you will be keeping all of your valuables, jewelry, cash, heirlooms, in your safe, you need to look to see if anyone has been robbed with this safe. If you are getting a safe for all of your valuables, and not just to protect your kids from your guns, then you need to be spending some serious money on your safe. Many people buy cheap safes expecting them to last in fires and through thefts. This is unrealistic. The gun safe reviews will help you decide on this.
There are some thing in gun safes reviews that should be disregarded. A shipping problem, like damage due to poor shipping, is not a review of the product. It is a review of the seller. There are many sellers on Amazon, and you may not be buying from the same seller as the reviewer. However, if you are planning on keeping valuables in the safe and it is easily damaged due to poor shipping, this is an indicator of a lower quality product.
Slow shipping in a gun safes review is also a review of the seller. Keep in mind, these things are heavy. They are very heavy. Gun safes reviews don’t always talk about this, but it will naturally take a while to ship. If the only thing a reviewer has to say about the safe is that it ships slow, than the reviewer simply knows very little about the safe.
Whether you are a firearms collector with a wide variety of pistols and rifles, or whether you are just a person who owns a firearm or two, having gun safes is very important. You will want to know that your weapon is protected from fire and theft or from someone in your home, such as a child, accidentally getting a hold of it. Thus, in comes Browning safes.
If you are a collector, you may have already looked up a wide variety of gun safe reviews to find the best one. You may have even looked for one of thos nifty fingerprint gun safes. Browning’s line has been around the last 27 years. Therefore, no matter what types of firearms you collect, it is likely that you will find a Browning gun safe that will accommodate your collection quite nicely. They come in a variety of sizes. If you are not a firearm collector but would like one to store you gun in then you can buy one of the smaller ones; they also come with small pockets or compartments to store other valuables in, which may make it more worth the price.
As far as whether they are better than other brands of safes on the market that will likely depend on what you are looking for. Whether your priority is having one that is aesthetic and blends well with your room’s existing decor, or whether you are looking for the most secure type available, whether you are looking for something within a certain budget, or if you are looking to have a one custom made or adapted to certain specifications. It may be worth your while to think of what your priority is in buying one as there are a wide variety of firearm collections that people own and what suits one person just right may not suit another person.
While Browning’s are not the most expensive brand on the market, neither are they the cheapest. The prices vary greatly depending on what type you are looking for, from Browning’s Medallion with uni-force lock, which is selling for over US$4,000, down to just US$900 for Browning’s TheftGuard TG15 Sheriff.
Browning gun safes are quite good quality and do offer a wide variety of features according to all gun safe reviews. They are made to look attractive, so they are a nice looking addition to your room’s decor; you can buy them in at least five different colors (depending on what type you buy). The most secure of the brand are their latest model, the ProSteel family. There are a few different models in this family, but they are the most secure of all the Browning gun safes to date. They also come with a Duo Plus Storage Extra system, which makes it easier to store longer guns in one area of it and shorter, smaller pistols in another area of it; there are also small compartments to store other valuables if you wish. It also makes it handy to get the your piece you want out, which is a plus if you have a larger collection stored in it.
With everything you hear in the news today you can never to be cautious or careful when it comes to your family and your valuables. You make sure to install the top of the line home security system to protect your family in case of medical or fire emergencies or to protect them from a home invasion. When it comes to your important papers, home mortgage, insurance policies, birth certificates and licenses, you should have the top of the line safe. Even more importantly, you should have the top of the line gun safes if you are the owner of a firearm or a collection of firearms.
If you are in the market for a gun or home safe, hands down you should be the owner of a Big Horn Safe crafted by Rhino Metals. Big Horn Gun safes are made with the utmost quality and craftsmanship, and have some great gun safe reviews. They are custom made to fit into your walls with the ability to order them at a variety of thicknesses so they fit like a glove.
These safes are made with “rock hard” heavy bodied construction. They are fire rated and will not break your wallet. The features that are made available to you from a Big Horn safe are some of the same features that are brought to you from some of the bigger, more expensive names in the industry. When you purchase a Big Horn Safe, you are sure to get the best features and perks offered in a gun safe.
The first and very important feature that is part of the Big Horn Safe structure is its 1/8” steel body (1o Gauge). Most other safe companies will offer you a thickness of about 12 or 14 gauge body. This might not sound like a big difference, but in fact, the difference is extremely important when considering the alternative. When you have a ticker wall safe to house your valuables it means the difference in time it will take a burglar to gain access. This could make a huge difference.
The second feature that is offered to you with the purchase is the external hinges. These external hinges allow you a 180 degree rotation of the door. The competitors safes usually only come with a 90 degree swing on their doors. It would not matter if the Big Horn safe doors were sawed off, they will still offer the best protection for you belongings.
The door bolts on the Big Horn Gun Safes are of the ultimate security. They are made standard with either a one inch or one and half inch door bolt. This depends on the model that you order.
The Big Horn safes also come equip with a five spoke handle for added security. Most other safes of this caliber usually come with a standard plate drop handle.
When you purchase a Big Horn safe you are getting essentially a hinge system that is attack proof. Just read a gun safe review for proof. The outside steel formed case is drill resistant, which will make it virtually impossible for home invades to get to your belongings. The door bolts are an astonishing one to one and half inch in diameter, which is far superior to that of the competition. It has a seventy minute fire rating and a pry proof door. It is also adorned with an adjustable plush interior and certified protective lining. There is no doubt that this is the type of safe that would be best suited for your home environment.
When it comes to storing you invaluable collection of fire arms or simply your personal belongings and paperwork, there is no question that from Big Horn Gun Safes reviews that they are the right choice for protection. Big Horn Safes have been reviewed by their customers and have received the utmost praise in their industry, just like Stack on gun safes. Take advice from people who know best, Big Horn Customers.
Fort Knox gun safes are some of the highest quality gun safes in existence, yet it is almost impossible to find Fort Knox gun safes for sale online. I have found some, and for some great prices as well.
Fort Knox gun safes are one of the most trusted names in gun safes. They customize every safe they make. Thus, it is difficult to order them online. The Fort Knox company will direct you to a local dealer, but many areas do not have a local dealer. So what is a Fort Knox fanatic to do?
Well, as far as the large rifle safes, you are out of luck. There are comparable companies. I am a fan of Cannon gun safes myself. But, you can find the Fort Knox pistol safe to buy online.
This little pistol box is a whopping 24 pounds. This is one sturdy little box. You can expect the same quality from this Fort Knox gun safe that you get from the full sized rifle safes. This is a new product from Fort Knox, but it has the same dependabilit,. the steel is 10 gauge all around. The door is a thick 3/16″ thick. There is some solid Fort Knox technology in the door as well, from a a gas strut that will help to open the heavy door and the mechanical lock from Simplex. Like many other Fort Knox safes, this handgun safe comes with a powder coat. The hinge is tamper resistant so you don’t have to worry about some punk with a crowbar getting in there while you are sleeping. The warranty is a lifetime one, so you cant rust this safe for a long time to come.
Along with many other Fort Knox safes, this pistol box exceeds the California Firearms Safety Device Requirements, which are the strictest standards in the industry. The mechanical lock comes with 1081 combinations, which will make it very difficult for it to be broken into. This is considered quite secure for a handgun safes, more secure than a GunVault. The dimensions will fit any standard sized pistols at 10.2″ by 4.5″ by 12.5″.
Handgun safes keep your guns out of reach of little hands. Biometric handgun safes or combination handgun safes are a must have pistol safe for gun owners.
If you own firearms, you probably want to make sure they are secure not only for your families’ safety, but also against burglary. The first step in choosing the right gun safes for your needs is deciding what size safe you would like to own. If you are a hunter who owns many rifles, you might want to consider an upright gun safe that can store many different shotguns and rifles. GunVault gun safes come in many different shapes and sizes, so no matter which type of firearm you own, GunVault probably has the right safe for you.
The most important thing about GunVault safes is the safety mechanisms that are built into them. Their patented design means you won’t have to have any sort of key to get into them, as they can either be programmed with a combination of numbers which only you know, or you can set them to recognize your fingerprints, so that only you can get into the fingerprint gun safe. The finger print safety model is probably the best model, as it requires your touch to get into. This type of safety mechanism is available on both the small and the large GunVault gun safes.
All GunVault gun safes are constructed of sixteen-gauge steel, which makes them extra tough and able to stand up to the roughest of treatment. This is why they often have the best gun safe reviews. This is especially important in the Mini and Mini-Deluxe models, as they are small enough to store in a closet, or at the office. They also have soft foam padding on the inside, so if you have additional valuables you’d like to store with your gun, such as family jewelry, watches, or even extra cash, you can be sure they’ll be padded and safe from any harm.
GunVault gun safes are build with precise fitting, which means these safes are virtually impossible to crack with traditional lock pick tools. In addition, they have an added security measure which completely locks out the keypad, making it impossible to access after a certain number of attempts without the reset code. GunVault has also taken power loss into account, as the Mini-Deluxe model features an audible sound which will alert you when the power is running low, which could prevent your safe from being secure. In addition, the keypad which is included on all GunVault handgungun safes has over 12 million programmable key combinations, so setting up your safe with a number only you can access is practically guaranteed.
In addition to the many safety features, GunVault also features a wide variety of sizes for your gun storage needs. As previously mentioned, if you’re an avid gun collector, you’ll want to look at the GunVault 5500 and 5900 series gun safes. These models are well equipped to keep your numerous shotguns and rifles safe, while also offering storage for ammo and various handguns that you have in your collection.
If you only own a small side arm, the GunVault Mini and Mini-Deluxe models are probably suitable for you. However, if you would like to keep the handgun you keep in your car or truck safe, then GunVault also offers the Micro gun safe model, which includes just enough space for a medium sized handgun and its clip. This style of gun safe is designed to slide easily under the seat of a car or truck, but still offers the protection that users of GunVault have come to rely on over the years.
Because all of GunVault products are made with safety and protection in mind, not to mention sixteen-gauge steel to keep your valuables safe, there is no reason to own any other model of gun safe on the market. A GunVault handgun safe has you covered.
If you’re shopping for gun safes you can kill two birds with one stone by also shopping for a fireproof safe. Many of the guns safes on the market also happen to be fireproof so instead of buying two separate safes, one for guns and one for delicate valuables, combine the safe and get the best gun safe out there.
Here are gun safe reviews of the top picks for fireproof gun safes:
3. SafeCo Safe Co Gun Safe With Combination Lock: Best Budget Gun Safe:
Let’s face it, we can’t all afford to drop five thousand dollars on a safe. Some of us can’t afford fifteen hundred right now. So, I wanted to include a budget safe, or a starter safe. These are solid safes in their own right, they are just not the same investment as a Cannon safe.
The SafeCo Safe is around $700 with a sixty minute fire liner. That’s pretty decent if you are looking for a safe that will withstand any accident. SafeCo has one that’s a little cheaper, too. It holds fewer guns, and is electronic. An electronic fireproof safe makes no sense to me.
SafeCo is also a great company. You can trust that they will deliver your safe quickly and it will be of very high quality. Sometimes they’ll even help you install it in your home. The incredible hulk would have a hard time breaking these high quality safes open so you can trust that your valuables and firearms will be safe.
If you get one of these three fireproof gun safes you’ll be in good shape. The second two a little more on the bargain side but the the first one, the Cannon Safari Safe, is definitely something to gawk at if you have the money for it. All three of these guns can last a lifetime, and come with warranties to back that up. If you get one of the lower end ones, and want to upgrade later, you better believe that there will be buyers for these second hand safes. These are all sound investments, and gun safes that you can feel secure about. The have high fireproof ratings. If you live in an area like California where fires are a problem, any of these safes will keep your valuables secure.
2.Pioneer WF30 – 33 Gun Safe:
This one is actually the gun safe I have at home. The Pioneer is by far the best for the price. You won’t find a better deal when comparing quality and price than this rock solid safe.
Although it is an attractive safe, I keep mine in my basement for security reasons. It has a beautiful black textured semi-gloss finish with drill-resistant armor. It comes in a forest green as well, and would handsome in a study or library. The hinge system is attack proof so you don’t have to worry about that and it has two internal relockers and some pretty massive door bolts.
The door itself is four inches thick and made out of composite metals and it can withstand up to sixty minutes in the fire. The interior is plush and lined with a plain gray fabric. The shelves and all that jazz are fully adjustable so you can work around whatever type of gun you want to put in there. I definitely recommend checking this one out even though is quite expensive at nearly $1,500. It does come with free shipping from most retailers I have seen, and I got mine with free shipping.
The Cannon Safari Safe series is definitely the best gun safe series on the market right now. I love these safes but sadly, the Dangerous Game one that I wanted was a tad out of my budget when I first needed a safe. When I am ready for an upgrade, this will definitely be what I am getting. Don’t worry, I’ve examined these beauties thoroughly and am qualified for to write a Cannon gun safes review.
It costs almost between three and five grand, depending on how many guns you need to store and which model you choose. It has a ton of bells and whistles that will be useful for any gun owner. They will come with either four or five internal shelves. These are all removable and adjustable shelves. It’s pretty standard to remove the bottom ones and just have the bottom have be fr the longer guns, then place a pistol rack on the top shelf or shelves. If you’re looking for the top of the line fireproof safe and have the budget to invest in something like this, I would really recommend you consider the Cannon Safari Series.
The first thing I noticed about this safe was the beautiful high gloss enamel finish. The manufacturers of this piece of hardware really took the time to craft an attractive safe with game scenes, scroll designs, and gold plated spoke handles. You can even get these babies made to order if you’re willing to wait a few weeks for it to arrive. The come in a variety of different colors, which you can browse here
They’ve got ultra-heavy three by sixteen steel bodies with one hell of a thick duo-formed door. The locking system has three cams and some models have even more than that. Of course they are drill-resistant as well and they have not one, not two, but five layers of fire-resistant insulation and these things can cook in a 1200 degree fire for at least ninety minutes.
If you’ve got the budget that will allow you to own one of these, buy it right away. I’ve never seen a better gun safe than this one and I only wish I could have afforded the price tag.
Homak has been in the business of selling quality home gun safes products for over fifty seven years now. They make everything from the hand gun safe to trigger locks, they’ve got floor safes and wall safes and big gun cabinets too. They make quality safes and they’ve got a great customer support system that can help you replace the keys to your gun safe if you lose them.
The Homak mission is to provide great products, even the best gun safe, to their customers. They put a lot of work into making their safes top of the line in durability and make sure they are as secure as the price allows. The only real drawback to their safes is that they are not aesthetically pleasing at all. The gun cabinet will look like a gym locker and their wall safes look like plain old busted microwaves or something like that.
The Homak gun safes, like Stack on Gun Safess, come really cheap. These are some of the bargain security safes we were talking about in this gun safes guide article but again, you have to think about what you are going to be using the safe for.
If you’re only reason for purchasing a gun safe is to protect your children from accidentally running across your guns, a Homak security gun safe is probably your best bet. You can find cheap gun safes for like a hundred bucks that will fit a bunch of hand guns or you can buy a little bit more expensive homak gun cabinet that will be large enough to store your rifles. Homak does not make a biometric gun safe so you will have to find your finger print activated locks elsewhere.
Then again, if you’re worried about fire damage or theft, the Homak security safes might not be the right thing for you. Sure they have a really low price tag but come on; these things are a little flimsy. If you don’t bolt down handgun safes to the floor it can easily be picked up and ran home; they aren’t that heavy.
Their fire proof aren’t gun safe reviews that solid either. Unlike the Fort Knox or Browning safes, I couldn’t even find anywhere on the Homak website that discussed fireproofing or fire resistance. I can’t imagine that these safes would burn up like kindling should they be in a house fire but they aren’t going to out last any of the more expensive brands in a furnace test.
I would recommend purchasing a Homak gun safe to be used as an intermediate gun safe. Purchase one of their safes as soon as you buy the gun so that you’ll have a place to store it out of harms reach and then you can start saving up some money to spend on one of the higher end brands.
Don’t get me wrong, these Homak gun safes are not bad safes at all. In fact, they are pretty good for the money you’ll spend on one of them. They may be some of the best bang for your buck gun safes for sale out there. But these safes aren’t going to outwit a burglar with a crowbar and a strong arm so I wouldn’t put anything really valuable in them.
Over all, use these homak gun safes until you get a bigger and better gun safe of a different brand. They’ll keep your guns out of harms way and out of the hands of your children for a little while but in the end you might want to consider upgrading to a more high class piece of hardware.
A cheap gun safe is not all a waste. Many are sturdily built and can be relied upon. You just have to know what you are getting.You might not think it is a big deal where you buy your gun safes these days. All the major department stores sell them. Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, stores like these all sell safes at really low prices and these safes seem pretty good at face value. However, more and more companies that sell safes through those major department stores are being forced to cheapen their safes and this is a big problem for your home security. You could even find some used gun safes better than the Wal-Mart gun safes.
When shopping for a safe you need to pay attention to the price tag but you don’t want to scrape the bottom of the barrel either. You’ll probably be able to find some gun safes for sale at your neighborhood department store for under $40. Not a bad deal if you are looking to save some money but you really want to consider why you want a gun safe in the first place.
Cheap Gun Safes – What is their purpose?
Different safes will come with different levels of quality. If you are looking for gun safes under $150, you need to expect that it will not be the same quality as the safes that are being sold for ten times that price. I think you can get decent safes in the $250-$600 range. Anything above that will give you something you can count on forever and that will last often through fire and flood. If you want to spend less than that, you are probably taking a risk with your safe. Cheap gun safes should not hold your jewelry and heirlooms but should just be used to keep your guns out of your kids hands. This is really the only reason to buy cheap gun safes, as they won’t protect your guns from theft and fire.
Now, here is a review of the bestselling Walmart gun safe, from Walmart’s website,
“We have had this safe in our home for about six months or so. This last weekend our home was robbed and they were able to break into this safe.
They used a skill saw, pry-bars, hammers and even set it on fire. They entire area above the door was pryed up the top locking bolt was pryed back into the door, the side of the safe was also pryed to bypass the locking bolt…one of the bolts was broken off. It took some time for the safe to be broken into but it is definatly possible to get it open. My suggestion is if you have valuable items.. spend the money on a better safe…I wish we would have..”
Okay, now that you are seriously scared to have your valuables taken away from you by lowly criminals thanks to cheap Walmart gun safes, its time to start thinking seriously and realistically about a gun safe for your home. You can’t just buy a bargain basement gun safe and expect it to last forever, withstand severe fire damage, or prevent theft or even small prying hands of smart and determined children. You have to put time into thinking about where you’re buying your gun safe so that you can insure that your possessions will be safe.
The internet is a great resource for this. I assume you’re probably currently in the market for a gun safe since you found my site so you already get the gist of how to use the search engines to find what you’re looking for. You can find tons of gun safe reviews and all sorts of other information about different brands of gun safes. Read up on Browning safes and a biometric gun safe. Those fingerprint gun safe locks are the coolest thing.
When I’m shopping for a safe I will always first check out all the brands online and read a gun safe review or two before I purchase anything. You never can be too careful when you’re dealing with your own safety and the security of your home, children, and livelihood. You want to be extra sure that you’re getting the best safe you can afford.
There are some really great sites out there for this.I know I don’t buy them often but sometimes I help friends pick out new gun safes. Amazon has a vast library of different gun safes reviews and you can look at all the specifications and make sure you’re getting the best gun safe for your money.
The only problem with shopping online is that you have to pay for the shipping costs. It can get pretty expensive to ship a gun safe; those things are huge beasts of metal, but with Amazon, you can often find safes with free shipping, which is a huge savings. It can also be a hassle hauling such a huge safe from a local store, and local stores have steep delivery charges if you want it delivered to your home. Free shipping from Amazon will be a much better deal, and you can read reviews to make sure that you are getting high quality.
Winchester makers two types of gun safes. Both gun safes will be examined here in this Winchester gun safe review, along with product information and low prices on Winchester gun safes.
The larger Winchester gun safes may be some of the best on the market. They have a few lower end ones, which are really value safes. They even make one for Sam’s Club for arounf $600, but they have to cut the cost by using less sturdy aterials. The ones that you can get from Amazon are the real deal. They have 30 minute or one hour fire ratings. That means that they can be in a burning building for an hour without it being a problem.
One of the best parts about the higher capacity gun safes is that their insides are adjustable. Every shelf is adjustable and can be removed. The more shelves that you remove, the more guns that the safe can hold. Unlike some other supposedly high capacity guns, these can hold all the guns it says it can without you having to worry about scratches. This is truly a remarkable feat.
Winchester eVault Personal Electronic Safes
The Winchester eVault gun safe has my favorite feature in any handgun safes. Too many gun safes are relying on electric locks. Electric locks are amazing, don’t get me wrong. You can get into the safe much faster through an electric lock, especially one o those biometric gun safes, but I digress. There are two downfalls when it comes to any electric opening. The first is that all electric products fail sooner than their manual counterparts. It is just a fact of life. The second is that most electric safes, including the eVault, beep when they are opening. This is not so good if you want to be stealthy about reaching for your gun. So the eVault can be opened electronically with their combination lock or it can be opened with a key.
One thing I like about the eVault is the interior light. It is not super bright. It is maybe as bright as a night light, but it is a deep safe, so seeing inside is good. It helps when it comes to changing the batteries; it is a plus. Also, many other companies simply don’t offer this feature.
Many of the eVault electronic safes have gotten bad gun safe reviews on Amazon. Oddly enough, most of the bad reviews are from people who say they didn’t get them from Amazon. It makes you wonder if someone is selling cheap knock offs. The reviews state that the electronics cease to work after time. Certainly, this is disconcerting. But what makes me think these might be reviews of cheap knock offs sold else where was one review in particular. He said it took him ten seconds to break into his safe. That is simply unbelievable considering the heavy duty metal that is used in Winchester safes and the high reviews that they receive. So, by all means, check out those reviews, but read them with a grain of salt.
Stack on gun safes are some of the least expensive around. A Stack On gun safe is not made cheaply, and may be one of the biggest bang for your buck safes on the market. There are a few things you will want to know about them before you purchase, though, so you will want to read this Stack On gun safe review.
Many of the Stack On gun safes will come with holes pre drilled into the back of your safe. These are there so that you can attach the safe to a wall. Some like it in a closet, and others prefer to keep it out of the way in the basement. If you are going to keep it out in an open room, it is best if you attach it to a corner. By putting it into a corner, it will be more difficult for a thief to pry it off the wall.
You will also need to screw it to the wall because of the heavy doors. On some models, the doors are one third of the total weight of the Stack On gun safe. When the door is open, if it is not attached to the wall, you could be risking the door tipping the gun safe over. It is a good thing that the door is so heavy, though, as it means it will shut more securely. A determined and skilled thief will likely still be able to get in, but most common criminals won’t be able to crack it.
You will need to understand the organization of the interior of the safe. Some safes may look like they are made for rifles, because they are tall. However, if they are lined with shelves on the inside, no rifle will fit. Some safes will have a padded interior with slots to hang your rifles on. Others will be as bare inside as a high school gym locker. Even if you get one with a good organization system, many prefer to buy their own organization systems, rifle racks and pistol holders or pistol cases.
When you buy online, you may find a selection of ready to assemble Stack On gun safes. These are do it yourself safes. They will come in flat pieces of metal with all of the hardware and instructions on how to assemble. There are advantages and disadvantages to this. Obviously a disadvantage is the fact that you have to do it yourself. Another disadvantage is that flat pieces of metal are often more prone to being dented and damaged when shipped, as you will read about in many Stack On gun safe reviews. Make sure that the company that you buy from does not charge for return shipping. The advantage is that you can assemble it where ever you want. Carrying a 100 pound Stack On gun safe, fully assembled, up to your bedroom will be tricky to do. Carrying up the walls, then the door, then the top bottom and hardware will be much simpler.
Finally, you should know that Stack On gun safes are notoriously made in China. However, you should also know that roughly 85% of all gun safes sold in America are made in China, so you shouldn’t hold this against Stack On just because it is well known about them.
If you want a sophisticated gun safe with a locking mechanism only used by banks, there are different Fort Knox gun safes you can choose from. Gun safes were originally designed to keep children from playing or touching their father’s guns but today, gun safes are also used as vaults for other valuables.
What makes Fort Knox gun safes different apart from its sophisticated and unique locking mechanism is that it protects your guns and other valuables from theft and fire. They are as formidable as Fort Knox so it is like having a highly secured vault in your own home if you buy one. Gun safes for sale from Fort Knox have gone through a series of battery tests, which includes tamper tests, drilling, prying, punching, and hammering. These tests are done to make sure that the vault is of high quality and can truly protect your guns and other valuables. If you don’t believe me about their dependability, just check out some of the gun safe reviews on them.
Fort Knox gun safes offer the best security for your guns like no other. In fact, the locking mechanism this brand uses is patented making it unique when compared to other gun safe manufacturers. Apart from the optimum burglary protection, which exceeds established standards, it can also protect your guns and your valuables from fire. It has fireboard insulation on all sides enabling it to seal itself further when there is intense heat. Its expanding fire seal is sensitive to high temperatures making it formidable even if your whole house is on fire.
What makes Fort Knox gun safes the best choice for those looking for a gun safe and vault is that it includes a lifetime warranty. They are one of the very few companies in the gun safe industry that offer an extensive warranty. The warranty covers burglary attempts, burglary, incidental damage, fire, flood and other natural disasters. Aside from that, the warranty also covers lock and paint -these two are usually excluded in the warranties of other manufacturers.
The price range of gun safes goes from $130 to more than $1000. Fort Knox products fall on the higher end of the spectrum and there are not much qualms about it because the brand is unrivaled when it comes to quality.
Apart from the general security features, Fort Know gun safes also have biometric locks. Customers can also get an electronic lock or an e-lock or a holster or door rack. It would depend on you what kind of lock you want for your gun safe.
The interior of Fort Knox gun safes are carpeted and that includes all the side walls. For those who want remote lockers for their safes, Fort Knox gun safes have remote lockers.
The favorite of Fort Knox clients is the Legend Series because it is the only gun vault that has a 3/16″ steel body offering maximum protection from hammering or any type of tampering. Fort Knox Legend Series also have reinforced fire doors complemented by the company’s patented locking mechanism.
Getting a customized gun safe from Fort Knox may be a little expensive but it will be worth your money. You can select from the different styles or types of safes that the company sells i.e. Legend, Titan, Executive, Guardian, Protector, Defender, and Maverick. Once you have reviewed the features of each type of Fort Knox safes and have selected which one suits you best, you can go ahead and build your own safe. Customizing it online is possible. Clients can choose myriad of interiors and carpet colors along with different types of paint for the vault’s exterior.
There are many gun safes sold online but most of them are not at par with what Fort Knox gun safes can actually do.