Gun Safes & Hiding / Storing Weapons: The Good & the Bad

[1stLand]

I am doing a bit of research on Gun Safes and it amazes me (been watching Youtube videos on the subject) How quick and easy it is to break into one with a Pry Bar and Sledge Hammer, Impact Driver Drill etc.

Part of me thinks its not worth buying a Safe at all.

How do you store your weapons in a secure location hidden away from potential theifs?


For those that have a safe, is there a clever way to hide it from plain view?

I was thinking of buying a gun safe and draping it with a curtain or enclosing it a cardboard box.

Are there certain gun safes on the market that are harder to break into?

[Jayhad]

Are you looking at safes or Stack-on lockers? I have a 500LB fire safe and I would be surprised if someone could get into it quickly, could someone get into it, yes, quickly no. Stack-on lockers you could get into in 5 minutes.

Find a closet that the safe can fit into and put it there

[Trochu]

Keep in mind that those are not actually safes, they are Residential Security Containers (RSC). Most RSC, not all, but most, are 16 gauge steel over drywall, use big pins to give the impression of security, and are covered with a nice finish on the outside and cloth on the inside. They are designed to sell on their looks, and most look pretty good. I have an actual safe which, with normal hand tools, I'm confident would take most several days to breach, if they could at all.

If you are concerned about keeping the firearms out of your kids hands or covering the basics for owning restricted firearms, buy a RSC. If you have irreplaceable firearms, a valuable collection, or are just concerned about theft, buy a safe.

[bat119]

A 30 gun safe (holds 15) with no fire protection I have insurance to buy new ones, manual cylinder type because I don't trust the electronic ones.
All my guns are stored with parts removed bolts, slides, cylinders, magazine nut off my pump shotgun etc. I keep the parts in a small well concealed safe I drop off at a buddy's house when I'm not home. It would be fun to see a crooks face after he spends an hour cracking my safe to find a bunch of metal not worth stealing.

Do what you can to protect your guns the anti's love a gun theft to throw in our faces.

[CaberTosser]

Real burglary safes with heavy plate steel construction are prohibitively expensive. Most common safes have more weight from the drywall lining them as fire/heat barrier then they do from their steel outer shell. That being said I think your average meth head burglar would have a difficult time getting into them unless they had a grinder.

Fastening your safe to the floor and/or walls limits the number of ways burglars could conduct pry attacks. Having it installed in a plywood-sheeted recess/closet would also limit the length & motion of levers to attack it with. Its pretty rare that a person is broken into by a crew equipped like in a heist movie. I think the only ones where the felons would take their time to get access to the difficult scores would be in rural settings/ recreational properties or where they had knowledge that the homeowners were gone for an extended period.

[Savage Bacon]

I like some of the hidden storage systems I've seen online. Mirror slides over to reveal closet full of firearms. Coat rack flips down to reveal 9mm and AR15 ready for when the jehuvies are knocking on your door.

[oilngas]

I just make sure they are on Insurance policy, and store as per regulations, i.e. lock n key for non restricted firearms.

[fishtank]

buy a safe filled with bricks, dont anchor it down but make sure to have a good lock...

[Trochu]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Real burglary safes with heavy plate steel construction are prohibitively expensive.

If you buy them new, yes. But there is usually a pretty good used selection available for free to $1,500.00. This is for sale at a shop in Calgary for $1,500.00


Looks like it retails new for about $8,500.00.

[warriorboy10]

The research that I have done on home safes I have found that for the most part the business of safes is a whole lot of foofoo dust and snake oil. Doors with heavy pins, fancy paint jobs that would make a person think these safes are very impressive but in all actuality they are far from it. For anyone that has a clue, very easy to access, very poor fire rating other than the door and really would just slow a would be thief by very little!! Be very wary!!

[Zip]

I don't trust the safes that most of us can afford, and I cant justify paying a few thousand dollars to get just the ideal one, I don't own 30 guns of any sort, but I do know that if I bought a safe to match the number of guns i do have, they wouldn't fit without bumping into each other or maybe not even get the door closed...all that being said, all my guns are secure, and I didn't have to buy an overpriced piece of steel that I cant move without 5 friends helping...for now mine can just stay right where they are...Invisible to all!
Zip

[nast70]

This could be copied from the new house needs thread, but a concealed safe room built right into the foundation. That would be the cats a**!

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[Zip]

[QUOTE=nast70;3874191]This could be copied from the new house needs thread, but a concealed safe room built right into the foundation. That would be the cats a**!

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk[/QUOTE

gotta say...this is the way, I suppose!
Zip

[Red Bullets]

A gun chamber built right into the foundation is the way to go. I know of a house that has a hidden 8x8 ft. wine cellar/safe in the basement. The stairs to the room can only be accessed from a hidden door in the main level hardwood floor. Go into the rest of the basement and you wouldn't know there is a hidden room in the layout. Would be perfect for a gun safe.

[CNP]

Originally Posted by Trochu

If you buy them new, yes. But there is usually a pretty good used selection available for free to $1,500.00. This is for sale at a shop in Calgary for $1,500.00


Looks like it retails new for about $8,500.00.

Nice safe. The problem with these nice safes is getting them into your house and into the place you want it have it reside...…..usually the basement. It cannot be done in most cases and that is why we end up buying a gun safe from Costco. I don't have a safe so much for absolutely eliminating any chance of theft. I have a safe to meet storage requirements and that sums it up. My safe is behind a locked room in my basement. Good enough for me. I'm sure a determined thief or two armed with crowbars could do extensive damage to my house and the safe and end up with my guns...………………..so be it. May God have mercy on their souls...

[Trochu]

Originally Posted by CNP

Nice safe. The problem with these nice safes is getting them into your house and into the place you want it have it reside...…..usually the basement.

This is true. I have the safe in the garage and RSC in the house. My safe weighs over 3,000 lb and there is no way I'm getting it in the house. In the garage with a forklift is pretty straightforward though.

[overkill 19]

I have two. One in garage that has junk in it basically just for show. The main safe is in a totally different location hidden.


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[huntinstuff]

I store them in a safe just to keep them out of peoples reach

I always leave a Savage 99 and Remington 710 in plain sight in hopes that someone steals them

[EZM]

Originally Posted by overkill 19

I have two. One in garage that has junk in it basically just for show. The main safe is in a totally different location hidden.


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That made me chuckle.

One giant, super strong heavy safe, bolted and chained down for them to work on as bait.

I'd have a hidden camera in pace just to watch these dirt bags struggle for hours and watch their faces of disappointment as they finally crack it to find it empty.

Maybe a note or an IOU just to give it a little flavour.

[Ken07AOVette]

I still say claymores should be legal in Canada.
Everyone in the house knows to stay the hell out of the safe-room, if you hear a BANG in the plastic lined room you just have to clean up all the pink goo afterwards. Yes, they should never repeat, I am a firm believer in that.
I say the same for vehicle thefts, the person that makes a little claymore that looks like an airbag would be a billionaire.
I have a nice John Deere safe with my tools in it, after watching the video's of the 2 guys with 6' breaker bars make short work of them I have no faith in them, no matter the price. I would much rather have them hidden somewhere and fill the safe full of something surprising for a thief.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

I still say claymores should be legal in Canada.
Everyone in the house knows to stay the hell out of the safe-room, if you hear a BANG in the plastic lined room you just have to clean up all the pink goo afterwards. Yes, they should never repeat, I am a firm believer in that.
I say the same for vehicle thefts, the person that makes a little claymore that looks like an airbag would be a billionaire.

I have often wondered about the legalities of something akin to the dye packs that banks use. Obviously we mere mortals won't be allowed the incendiary types... but how about just a pressurized container with a spray nozzle? Put it in the Sig pistol case, thief opens case, thief is now green. Pink might be more satisfying, but green would work.

ARG

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by Au revoir, Gopher

I have often wondered about the legalities of something akin to the dye packs that banks use. Obviously we mere mortals won't be allowed the incendiary types... but how about just a pressurized container with a spray nozzle? Put it in the Sig pistol case, thief opens case, thief is now green. Pink might be more satisfying, but green would work.

ARG

How about adding skunk essence or those foul concoctions that people brew up for baiting purposes? of course a bright dye as well, something that can fluoresce or help to find them at night using IR light.

[Oldan Grumpi]

I went a different route - I have conventional (and legal) gun safes, but I have them in a concealed room. You could go through our house with a fine toothed comb, and not realize there was a 12 x 14 den / gun room in the basement.
I thought that would be easier and more secure than going the 'heavy armour' route, and it cost almost nothing by doing it myself.

[overkill 19]

Originally Posted by EZM

That made me chuckle.



One giant, super strong heavy safe, bolted and chained down for them to work on as bait.



I'd have a hidden camera in pace just to watch these dirt bags struggle for hours and watch their faces of disappointment as they finally crack it to find it empty.



Maybe a note or an IOU just to give it a little flavour.

I’d love to leave it with a giant bag of exploding cat crap but my luck my wife would forget and open it by mistake and it would be all my fault!


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[Gifted Intuitive]

The Consequences:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjUz...ature=youtu.be

[Big Grey Wolf]

Guys enjoyed all the ideas for gun safe. However much bigger issue is our gobermont could come and steal our guns with a piece of paper if we do not fight back.

[Zip]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

Guys enjoyed all the ideas for gun safe. However much bigger issue is our gobermont could come and steal our guns with a piece of paper if we do not fight back.

This has been talked about for years and years...I remember back about 30 years ago, I knew a fella that had a pile of guns hidden within the walls of his house while he kept a few older take me guns out in the open should that knock come to his door...true story, people were actually worried about this that long ago that I know of..so maybe nobody's coming yet, or they are just taking their sweet time getting to everyone...
has anyone else heard about these types of stories from years ago?
Zip

[NCC]

Originally Posted by Trochu

This is true. I have the safe in the garage and RSC in the house. My safe weighs over 3,000 lb and there is no way I'm getting it in the house. In the garage with a forklift is pretty straightforward though.

Do you have issues with condensation in your safe? I just bought a 2500lb vault and am wondering how hard I should try to get it into the house or if the heated garage will be okay.

I have an upright freezer to give away if anyone wants to make it into a safe to hide their valuables in plain sight.

[Trochu]

Originally Posted by NCC

Do you have issues with condensation in your safe? I just bought a 2500lb vault and am wondering how hard I should try to get it into the house or if the heated garage will be okay.

I have an upright freezer to give away if anyone wants to make it into a safe to hide their valuables in plain sight.

I don't. My garage is heated as well and I have several packs of the silica in there. No issued yet, but we do just have the one vehicle parked in there.

You likely know this, but if you decide to bring it into the house, it might be easier if you take the door off. This is assuming you'll be able to get it back on when its in the house.