Where are people keeping large gun safes


mwhals

mwhals

Member
I am thinking of getting a quality gun safe and would like to put it on an outside wall if our master bedroom. The house has a crawl space. I know some put them in the garage. I am sure some reinforcements might be necessary under the house, but it should be minimal due to being on an outside wall perpendicular to the floor joists.

The problem I have with the garage is that it is on the far opposite end of a one level home with the bedroom on the far opposite corner.

I am looking for ideas on what others have done. I am looking at Fort Knox safes to give an idea.
 

The safe should come with documentation for what type/size framing is required to support it. Most newer (20 yrs or less) houses should already be framed sufficiently... It is always a good idea to at least visually check the framing to make sure it isnt rotted or cracked, and it wouldnt hurt to go stronger than recommended either. The bedroom would be much more secure of a location... in the garage, they can yank it out with chains and load it up vs dragging it all the way through a house.......
 
I'm new to this and looking for a safe, any recommendations? On a budget, so price is a consideration but want to meet DOJ criteria, need to store a few long guns and a few pistols, important papers,
 
I hate to say it but With a quick application for a Walmart credit card you can get 18 Months No interest. Depending on the space between your floor and the ground under the floor I might consider cutting the floor and pouring a solid block of concrete from ground to bedroom floor.
Make a template of the bottom of your safe, drill your holes for the floor bolts and just before you slip the safe in pour a substantial amount of industrial glue on the slab for good measure.
I might also be inclined to make the slab inset so the safe resides low in the hole but high enough for the door to open over any carpeting or tile.
Any remaining gaps need to be insulated well and sealed level with the existing floor.
Note: If you have access to the crawl space you can build a strong plywood box from ground to floor and do a fill with gravel to take up some of the space.
The slab you pour should be at least 4 inches thick, 6 inches would be great. Use some type of rebar.
The safe remains with the home for ever and ever. My safe is also in a closet, bolted and glued to the floor. I situated mine for Hurricane reasons giving extra strength to an interior wall with no windows.
Location, Location, Location.
 
I slowly slid/lowered it into the basement tied to the back of my truck. Had to re-enforce the stairs first... it weighs 1,100 lbs. It was then secured to the concrete floor. I'm never getting it out. If I sell the house the safe will stay with the house.
 
I've got a large master bedroom closet so our large safe is stored there (house is built on a slab). Now ammo is another question ... it's stored here, there, everywhere! I keep hearing about folks storing their safe in the garage, I'm just not to keen on that idea. Seems to easy for some fool to back up to your garage when you're away and lift that baby onto the back of their truck, but that's just my opinion obviously.
 
This is the most informative read on safes I have ever seen. Follow all his articles and links. You will also get information as the rooms and places most crooks look for safes and valuables. One overlooked point is that in a basement your safe will be subject to a couple feet of water after a bad fire. So if you want a safe with a good fire rating, just in case, then you believe a fire is possible and so would a flooded basement from a fire, be aware of that. A safe in a garage on a slab will not have this problem.
As far as the safe at the other end of the house, why would it matter? You would have your home protection gun or two nearby in your bedroom most likely. You wouldn't need quick access to your whole arsenal.

Here is the link. Definitely check it out. BTW I like Sturdy Safe and possibly the Zanotti if I put it in the basement.
Real Gun Safe Reviews You Can Trust - Gun Safe Reviews Guy
 
mapgirl4army said:
I've got a large master bedroom closet so our large safe is stored there (house is built on a slab). Now ammo is another question ... it's stored here, there, everywhere! I keep hearing about folks storing their safe in the garage, I'm just not to keen on that idea. Seems to easy for some fool to back up to your garage when you're away and lift that baby onto the back of their truck, but that's just my opinion obviously.
Click to expand...

I have those same thoughts. I think it is mostly psychological. I would make sure that the safe can not be seen when the garage doors are open.
There are ways to make it difficult to do what you are worried about. Also it is easy to set up an alarm system to a smaller area. Your cell phone would be notified. Also depends on where you live and how likely someone would go through all that without being noticed.
 
Our house is very rural, but the entire house is alarmed with a cell phone backup. If a garage door is opened, the alarm will go off and there is an outside siren in addition to the one inside.

I just have a place to put it in the master bedroom, but not in the garage due to lawn equipment, power tools, a tractor, car and truck.

Positioning the safe perpendicular to the joist direction spans it over several joists. Putting it at an outside wall, places it closer to the foundation and prevents a lever arm on the joists. 4x4s and a steel plate can be used under the house to bolt into with the 4x4s bolted into the floor joists. That is my idea.
 
The police in our area are very good about responding to alarms. The call center will try to contact us first prior to calling the police. If we are not home, depending on the police or our neighbors is all we have, so I do not get your point???
 
You can buy realistic cans of soup that hold valuables in screw-type bottoms. Stack them in the pantry amongst your canned goods. While the thief focuses on the safe the jewelry is in the kitchen cupboard. Or perhaps in that freezer package labeled "pork sausage." Another good hiding place is to cut a small hole in the wall behind a picture. You can lower your gun down into the wall.
 
fireguy48 said:
I'm new to this and looking for a safe, any recommendations? On a budget, so price is a consideration but want to meet DOJ criteria, need to store a few long guns and a few pistols, important papers,
Click to expand...
I've a Liberty Fat Boy, Jr. Supposed to hold 48 long guns, as I recall. Winched it into the basement. My son just bought two of the same for his new gun room. Sufficient for my needs. Just remember, when you buy one, the most popular complaint is, "I KNEW I should have bought the bigger one." So don't go small just to save a few dollars. Don't rush, but save until you can buy the one you really want! And I've never heard, personally, a gun owner say that his safe was too big! (Except for space considerations, of course.)
 
In my office closet positioned where my builder suggested. It only weighs about 6oo lbs but that is enough to make it a MAJOR job to steal and in my circle, well, I'm not very worried. We are nasty nosy and protective.
 
Garage bolted and epoxied down with a little room under it for air and electric to run

Molon Labe
 
I have the same issue with crawl space under the house and as much as I wanted the safe in the house It ended up in the garage and bolted securely to the floor. It took four guys to get it off the truck and into place with it empty. I am quite certain it is much, much heavier now and if who ever wants my safe and has the nads to come an get it then they are going to work there butts off and quite honestly might be a little disappointed if they are successful. Oh.... there is an alarm and cameras, can check everything from my phone and my office is very close to the house. So with that said I was really more concerned about moisture than I was or am about theft. I actually like it where it is. I keep my firearms well oiled and it's actually very convenient as all my cleaning supplies and tools are in the garage. I have the rechargeable dehumidifiers and silica packs and even a golden rod. Ended up unplugging and not using the golden rod as the only time I actually saw signs of moisture was when using this. had the safe open and there was a difference in temps. and after 10 minutes or so I saw moisture beads building up on one pistol. Decided to take my chance with keeping all similar temps and just using the dehumidifier. So far everything has been fine. Going on two years now. As I said I like it where it is as it is not uncommon for me to spend several hours on a Sunday afternoon cleaning and oiling and mostly inspecting firearms. I don't get yelled at for making a mess. My lovely wife of 30 years never bothers me, she might peer over my shoulder to see what I am doing but that's it and she'll go in the house. Not sure if my having some of the guns out just makes her nervous or not, hell she most likely wants to see how long I am going to be so that she can go in the house and relax knowing I am going to be out of her hair for a few hours. Hahahaha, so....we both have an enjoyable Sunday afternoon, bless her heart.
 
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