Gun Safes Or Other Safes?

I won’t be using it for guns, rather personal belongings. Any recommendations?

I’m told by a friend who is a retired safe cracker that the only safe worth having is a Jewelers Safe. They have true 6 side protection and are rated much higher for fire protection too. He says that it takes less than 5 mins with basic tools to get into almost all of the Gun safes here in this country.
FYI: AA Jewelers Safe is not cheap. $1500 and up.

Fort Knox I have I like real well.Don’t pay a fortune for a door.They will sell you on the door that will stop a Howitzer,but not tell you the rest of the safe is about 1/8 th inch sheet metal.F.N. dealer told me he had two losses in 20 years.One they used 60 foot of log chain and a pickup truck.The other they cut a hole in the top with a torch.Bad news for the bad guys…owner stored his black powder for his smoke pole in the safe The only loss was from the explosion,and the bad guys were pretty easy to find.Look for a good fire rating.Make sure the inside is set up for your porpose with shelves or whatever you need Anchor it to the floor if at all possible.Get some method of moisture control.Retail stores often get shipments with damage .If it’s not going in your living room you could save a few bucks.Then there is always used.Gun safe type safe will protect you from fire and a guy with a crow bar.I did build mine into a closet so sides are not exposed.

Quote:

---

I won’t be using it for guns, rather personal belongings. Any recommendations?

---

If these personal belongings are not something you need to get at everyday a safe deposit box at your bank would be your best bet mine costs me $10 a year.

I just started looking. I’ve seen the Liberty brand safes at Gander Mountain. Looking at the Lincoln LX50 priced at $2300 with a 90 minute fire rating at 1200-1400 degrees, this stinker weighs nearly 1200 lbs and has 16 door bolts. The other one is the Fatboy priced at $2000 but on sale Saturday for $1600 with a 60 minute fire rating at 1200-1400 degrees and weighs 880 lbs and has 12 door bolts.

I see Liberty Safes are also made for Cabellas, but they were priced higher (from what I saw online, Cabellas is nearly 1.5 hrs away).

Not concerned with looks, it will probably go in the basement.

No I don’t need to get into the safe everyday, but the amount of stuff I have wouldn’t work with a safe deposit box. The safe is for my business.

I found and use a Military safe used for top secret documents etc… got it at state surplus for $10.00 check your federal or state surplus for a DOD rated top secret safe mine was two drawers and heave as heck fire rated and and combo lock

I have a different opinion then most. (always do )

I keep my safe in the far corner of the garage. Granted I don’t have guns in it. I’m not overly worried about fire out there, With doors closed nobody See’s me going in and out of the safe. Nobody saw a Safe Company truck and a couple of guys wrestling it in. Mine is not tall like a gun safe so I can throw a old blanket, tarp over it and nobody even knows it’s there.

Mine is used for paper records, back up cd’s, small amount of cash, passport ect. It’s heavy enough so that it can’t be lifted into a pickup by hand.

It’s old, it’s ugly and I don’t care because nobody will ever see it anyway.

Another tip for ya……….if you buy a used safe, stop by the locksmith and have him change the combo while it’s on the truck or trailer. That way he doesn’t know where it’s going, and the guy you bought it from won’t have the combination.

Brian, all of you ideas are good.

Steve, where did you purchase your Fort Knox?