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Posted: 11/22/2010 8:43:53 AM EDT
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Hey everyone. I know this is covered continuously, however I have looked and couldn't quite find What I needed.
I'm 21 and have been living in houses where I've gotten away without having a safe ( I know you should always have a safe). Now however I'm moving into an apartment with my girlfriend an will not move my guns over before getting a safe. I have six long guns and 2 pistols that I need to lock up. And that number is climbing at a very rapid rate.  My main concern is Weight. I am planning on moving every 1 or 2 years until I can afford land/house. Our apartment is on the bottom floor so I'm thinking I can discreetly bolt it to the floor.
What size safe do you guys think i should be looking at? And what WEIGHT should I consider to be my MAX, with still being able to move it around quite easily. ( have a dolly and furniture strap if I need it. but dont want it to be a royal pain in the butt every time I think about moving. |
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Quoted:
Are you more concerned with theft or fire, or both? What's your price range? More concerned with theft. However if I come home one day to find a pile of melted steel and plastic where my safe used to be I'm going to be pretty upset. Price range I'd say is around $700-$800. I'm not going to be able to put any more than that into it before I move in in a month. I'd say priorities are as follows 1) Ability to move it without calling everyone in my phone. 2) Theft deterrent. 3) Fire protection. |
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I move all of the time, need to follow work.
I started with a Jobsite Tool Chest weighing around 90 pounds, then advanced to a low end AmSec weighing 380 pounds.... So I thought. Reality is, that the low end AmSec was not much better than the jobsite tool chest - provided a better door and better lock. Now that I have taken the time to add up the financial and SHTF value of my collection, I now have a nice Sturdy safe that weighs about 900 pounds. My bottom line is that I need good theft deterrent, and I'll gladly pay the safe mover to move this thing. The JobSite Tool Chest now holds "accessories". |
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I'd say priorities are as follows
1) Ability to move it without calling everyone in my phone. 2) Theft deterrent. 3) Fire protection. I moved my safe by myself (albeit with a few strained muscles) and it weighs around 700Lbs. This Sturdy safe without fire lining weighs in at 520Lbs so it is very doable on your own. http://www.sturdysafe.com/model2419.htm It's a little above your price range at $1143 but will provide very good theft protection as compared to other safes in the price range. To provide some fire protection (not perfect but it will help), you can always encase the safe with a few layers of fire rated gypsum and cut a few panels of the gypsum to fill the shelves on the door. |
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If I was moving alot, and living in starter apartment complexes, I'd buy a bolt together safe like th Dakota, or Zanotti. Neither will provide any protection beyond crackheads with screwdrivers, but that's what you should be worried about. Anything more valuable than that should be in a safe deposit box, or a real safe that's bolted down to the foundation of a house. Cheaper, starter, apartment complexes have too many people coming and going to leave anything really valuable in them.
ETA- To clarify, I suggested a modular safe because you can move it into your apartment without anyone knowing that you're moving a safe. While your safe may only contain guns and your spending money, when dirtbags see safe's, they get stupid ideas. Having no one see you moving a safe into your apartment is your best bet for security. Even if someone breaks in, if they don't know the safe is there, they probably won't have even the rudimentary tools necessary to gain entry. |
| I think those are you two best options, a modular Zanotti, or a non fire Sturdy. You'll be very impressed with the build quality of the Sturdy and you won't feel like it's wasted money. The Zanotti is thinner metal but you'll have the convenience. I would also recommend putting it in a closet where it won't be seen and where hopefully the walls will afford it some protection. You could also put a not so obvious lock on the closet. |
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thanks for the great replies guys. I like the sturdy safes.
What do you guys think about stack on safes. there is one at cabelas for about 800 that looks "decent" Also, what does moving a 300/600 lb safe entail. What do I need to do to move it and load it in a truck. Any safe I get I will be moving in late at night or in the middle of the day, covered up. which ever seems the most discreet. |
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Also, what does moving a 300/600 lb safe entail. What do I need to do to move it and load it in a truck.
Since you live on a ground floor, a good hand truck with straps and a truck with a lift gate (you can rent both) is all you need. To make sure you don't damage any flooring during the move, you might want to have some sheets of plywood to lay over the floor. |
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I have moved a few safes for friends with a handtruck and a moving dolly. These were units that weighed up to 700 pounds and were only moved to first floors. these inluded bass Pro type safes that were loaded onto the truck at the store.
Once they were on my pickup tuck on their back I could slide them out ((plastic bed liner helped) untill one edge hit the the ground, then they were tipped over onto the dolly (Harbor Frieght dolllys by the way) and rolled into place. Went up the one step by tipping over also. I also used small pipe to roll it into place. Pushing and shoving was also used but, we got the job done without paying anyone. |
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