Gun Safe
 

Hello all, I am looking at buying a new gun safe. I am asking for advice or thoughts that you may have in general about gun safes as well as where to buy, what model, etc. Thanks in advance...

I find build it your self is cheaper by a huge margin.
few large sheets of steel 1/4 thick
lock of your choice.
hinges( inside the safe not on outside)
a buddy that can weild.
finish inside with you choice of material. cheap flooring works , carpet, etc.
add holders for your rifles, ( nice thing is can space it so you won't ding other rifles when taking one out .
can insulate for fire and water proof if want get fancy.
paint to your color.
done and done.
average cost , cost of gas and time if salvaging scrap.
or buy the materials. should be under $200. much much cheaper then buying.
that's just me. I like having stuff I made not bought.
just a idea. I know wasn't a store bought option, but it is a fun little project for a weekend.

I picked one up from town post cheap. Building one would be fun i dought for under 200 though

You're lacking some serious contemplation
 

Tell yourself:

How much are you willing to spend $500 - $5000?

Size/weight consideration - get a safe rated for at least double the number of rifles that you want to store in it and that you can move it (weight consideration) to the location where you want to use it?

Is fire protection important?

Electronic/mechanical backup?

consider
 

Consider what you are using it for....
Just for legal?
Fire?
Water?
Theft?
Valuables?

The type of safe goes along with those considerations for placement in the home, as well, IMO.

if you are interested, I have an heavy duty safe that isn't being used. PM me for more info.

I'm a big fan of safes and find the topic intriguing.

The biggest issue you have to sort, before purchasing, is figuring out the intended use. The big four are:

1. Legal purposes: In this case, you don't need much, a school locker with a padlock will do the trick.

2. Want to keep them out of my kids, their friends, nieces and nephews, etc., hands: Again, unless your kid is lugging in the plasma cutter, you don't need much, a simple school locker with a padlock should do the trick.

3. Fire: This one is pretty simple, figure out where the safe is going, determine the required fire rating, and acquire a cabinet exceeding the requirements.

4. Theft: This is the fun one. Just trying to keep the a local smash and grab out or have a reasonably valuable/sentimental collection? Even the smash and grab type are going to be able to access a Residential Security Container (RSC) (typically what Pro Bass, Canadian Tire, Costco, etc. sell) with a battery powered saw. Can probably get into one in about 60 seconds. As such, I would not recommend a department store RSC. I'd look for an actual safe.

Other factors to consider or location stairs, floor rated for weight, accessibility, size, mechanical or electronic key pad, etc.

If you've just got handguns, I'd look for something like this. $300 and TL30 rated. The downside, it's in PG and weights around 3,400 lbs. The positive, if your place gets broken into, it's likely going to be sitting exactly where you left it. If you've got rifles, I'd look for similar, just bigger.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-buy-sell-oth...6086?undefined

The only time you'll wish you had a small safe is when you move it. Almost every other circumstance, you'll wish you had a bigger/heavier/stronger one.

If you buy a Browning, delivery to the driveway is included in the price and guaranteed to be undamaged.

Good advice already on choosing based upon what the intent is. My advice would be to prioritize a larger, but more basic safe over a smaller "bomb-fire-flood-proof" safe. Mostly because you'll appreciate the space every day, and most safes rated for fire/flood are really only related for very short durations of heat or immersion. So even if you had a fire, it's unlikely the safe will perform as advertised.

So as with most things in life, it's the size that matters. ;)