would a cheap gun safe suffice for now?

[blind bat]

My first safe was an old (1930's?) office safe. It fits under a desk and probably holds 10 pistols plus has little drawers inside I use for PII paper work. It has a 60 minute fire rating and weighs probably 300lbs. It cost me less than $100 on Craigslist. I couldn't bolt it down so I welded a chain to it and wrapped it around an 8"x8" beam in my house.

Gun safes are junk compared to commercial. You can pick up many really nice commercial safes on Craigslistfor pennies on the dollar if you have the means to move them.

[JimmyZip]

A friend of mine has his guns in a commercial safe that sits on casters. If you could move it he says, you can have what's in it. I can assure you, you cannot move it without a fork lift. I'm kind of surprised the thing hasn't made a low spot in the slab. It's a monster.

[coordinator]

+1 for Craigslist. Perhaps you need two safes. A cheap one, in plain sight, for junk sruff. In additon, a quality safe, relatively hidden, for the "good stuff."

[BlackBuzzard]

For those of you that are very concerned about fire, consider running a water line with a couple of well aimed temperature actuated fire sprinkler heads.

This would be an inexpensive if somewhat unsightly solution.

=========================

Massive and heavy are the best deterrents for residential safes. A six foot steel pry bar will quickly pop the safe free from anchor bolts set in concrete......so dont invest too much hope in these.

I keep about 400 pounds of lead bullets in bottom of my safe. So that means "the box" now weighs somewhere over 1200 pounds.

But still, wrap around some chain and it could be yanked from location with a truck........ATM theft style.

I wont even get into what basic metal working tools could do very quickly.

BB

[BlackBuzzard]

+1 for Craigslist. Perhaps you need two safes. A cheap one, in plain sight, for junk sruff. In additon, a quality safe, relatively hidden, for the "good stuff."

I like this idea.

Sorta like my throw-down wallet I carry every time I visit NYC or parts or NJ.

[Nebwake]

I keep mine in the basement... It gets sold with the house because I am NOT moving that damn thing again. Good luck getting it up the stairs! Plus I have a really good rider on my guns that only cost a hundred a year. (USAA is great for that)

[EkuJustice]

With the proper fools and enough time any safe can be opened up. Insure them and get a decent one to protect them from the in and out thieves. Depending solely on a safe without insuring them leaves ya open to a lot of loss if the safe dosent keep them out

[Craig N]

A safe will be used for more than guns. We got a big safe down stairs and I swear it got packed with more boxes with important papers and receipts than it did with guns.

[chirpy]

I saw a video of an individual breaking into a reasonably priced safe. Not too difficult! I suggest you get the best you can and take advantage of the NRA insurance.

JMHOFWIW

Richard

[L3324temp]

I've had the Winchester safe with electronic lock for many years now. So far, no issues.