I'm ready to buy my new Gunsafe, I think...

[Fireman223]

I was ready to buy a Liberty when I fortunately asked this question at "another" gun forum. I was directed to several companies but I believe Patriot Safe Co. (http://www.patriotsafe.com/index.html)will end up with the sale. I'm debating between the Protector and the Collector models. That is unless you wise compadres have a better alternative.

Here are my interests:
-budget of around $1,500., would prefer not to go over by much, if needed.
-about 60"x 40"x 27" exterior, or so.
-fire protection.....is the concrete/vermiculite mix really better than drywall?
-should I get a dial or electronic lock?
-this will be placed in a heated garage.
-exactly HOW much bigger should I buy than expect to need?

Thanks for your help and input.



PS- Thanks Grant for the heads-up! :D

[Boom]

The patroit is an excellent safe for the money. Which model to choose is a tough question. Its really up to you and what you need. Try to get something that will hold double your current collection.

I have used the dail for many years. Its a better lock system and harder to beat. But I do find myself wishing I had a push button. :D The only other recommendation I can give is look at steel walled safes if you can. The composite safes are good for fire but not really made well to keep people out.

[Griz]

-should I get a dial or electronic lock?


I have to get into a dial safe at work every day. I have an electronic one at home. We end up leaving the dial safe at work unlocked all day (and sometimes forget and leave it unlocked at night), while my electronic one at home is so quick and easy to get into that I sometimes (out of habit) close it and lock it even when I know I need to get back into it in a few minutes.

If nukes go off and zombies are roaming the streets and the electronic lock fails, it wouldn't take long to hack through the side. (No commercial gun safes are bank vaults, the best you can do for a few thousand bucks is cause a thief to make noise and take a enough time for your alarm (or someone who hears the noise) to call the cops.)



-this will be placed in a heated garage.

Hide it and bolt it down. You don't want people seeing from the street or through the windows, and if even if they do, you want to make it as difficult as possible to drag off or load into a truck.

[Griz]

I have used the dail for many years. Its a better lock system and harder to beat.

My Amsec electronic lock gives you 3 tries, then it locks you out for a couple of hours.... It would take a lifetime to bruteforce the combo. :D

The other cool feature that I use to baffle my friends is it lets you insert a bunch of random numbers at a certain point in the combo to confuse anyone who is watching you open the safe. You should see the look on people's faces when I punch in 30 or 40 digits while they are in the room and they think that my combo is that long :cool:

[KyBlaster]

I picked Liberty. Only because thats the one I have.
I have been very happy with it.

I don't really know much about the others, I chose Liberty because a buddy of mine sells them and I got a deal on it.

[Razoreye]

Griz, what model Amsec? Is it roomy? Thanks.

[Griz]

Griz, what model Amsec? Is it roomy? Thanks.

I don't think they have my exact model anymore. It's 60" tall 40" wide and 26" deep. I went with Amsec because of all the local safe dealers, the Amsec dealer had the best interior layout for AR-15s in my opinion.

Instead of the rows of rifles going side to side so that you have to unload the front ones to get at the back ones, the rows go front to back so you can lift up a rifle from the back and get it out without unloading the safe.

AR15s take up twice as much room as regular rifles, so while my safe has 6 rows, I could only use 3 of them if it was loaded with ARs. I have not had to take out the middle shelves yet though since I only have 8 ARs so far :D

http://www.skinwagon.com/safe.jpg

[Mooneys]

Don't forget about Champion, similat to the Liberty.


http://www.championsafe.com/

[Razoreye]

Griz, might I say that is purrrrrrdy! :D :D

[Fireman223]

it wouldn't take long to hack through the side.

So as it sits in my garage, which doubles as a woodworking shop, you're saying the 10 gauge steel would be vulnerable to say a 24V Dewalt circular saw equipped with a metal-cutting blade? :eek: (perhaps just a little less vulnerable than the 12 gauge sides a few others offer....or is it a moot point with a metal blade?)

Really, I'm trying to decide. I've got a Liberty dealer ten minutes away.

How much of this stuff is marketing-hype and how much is really of value?

Is the concrete vermiculite mixture really more of a thermal barrier than the drywall? Hype?

I'm sorry if I sound like I'm beating a dead horse. I really appreciate your replies, they do help.
You can tell by my username that I'm no rich-guy that buys whatever I want. I also have to pass the pros/cons by my chief financial officer.....my wife. :)

[Griz]

Really, I'm trying to decide. I've got a Liberty dealer ten minutes away.

If he doesn't gouge on the price, I'd say that's big "plus" in the Liberty column when you're trying to decide on a brand.

You might want to get a safe that's big enough for your guns *and* your metal cutting tools :D

[GaryXD]

I went through this decision making process last month. I thought I wanted a 60x40x27 safe in the 940# range. It was going to cost me about $1350.
Then one day I was at Sams Club and noticed they had Winchester 60x30x22 safes for $581 and they weighed 575#. Although that size wasn't big enough for my needs I figured I could get two and still have less money invested than getting one large one. Also another real plus is that a 575# safe can be handled by one guy a lot easier than a 940# one. Yet another plus was I could put the safes on opposing foundation walls in my house and avoid possible problems with my floors that I might have had with the one big one.
So I ended up with two of the Sams Club's safes and am happy with my decision. They have electronic locks BTW. I prefer this over the dial and key locks.

[Chris Poston]

I am now on my second Liberty and have been very satisfied. I have a Liberty Washington 40 and its pretty big. Always go with the largest safe you can afford as you will be amazed how quick it will fill up (sold my first one and went larger). As far as locks go almost everyboby uses S&G dial locks and they are pretty good. My trusted locksmith said to stay away from the electronic pads if you are in and out a lot as long term they are not as trust worthy. Also dial locks need to be serviced every so often to ensure long life.

Hey, you are already ahead of the game by just considering a safe !!

[Fireman223]

Again, thank you for everyone's input. Anybody else?

[nickdrak]

For the same price you are going to pay for a Liberty, you can get a Champion safe with more protection features (better fire rating, More bolts, thicker gauge steel, heavier). I just had my Champion "Victory 25" delivered a month ago, and it is much nicer than the Liberty it replaced.