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Gun safe or lockable tool box

3K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  BigJimP 
#1 ·
I’m finding myself in need of lockable gun storage. I’ve been doing research on gun safes. I came across a YouTube channel where a locksmith demonstrates breaking into most box store gun safes in under 10 minutes. I came across a lockable tool box that would be perfect. Gun storage with a work bench. There are a lot of sites that talk about Jobox and rigid boxes as gun storage. Bottom line, I need suggestions/ideas. Does anyone have a build that they did or a safe they recommend?
 
#2 ·
Keep in mind a lockable toolbox isn't going to protect against a fire. A good safe does more than keep your neighbor's kid out of your pew-pew box. They will have 90 and 120 minute fire ratings that will do a good job protecting against total heat destruction.
When it comes to safes, spend the extra cash and go Liberty or the like. A dedicated thief with enough knowledge can Ocean's 11 any safe given enough time. But, I have to believe most break-ins are smash and grabs, so the thieves aren't going to spend the extra time breaking into that safe.
 
#6 ·
When I had a prolonged assignment in New York many years ago, I put my NFA guns and two desiccate pucks in a Ridgid Job box and kept them in my parent's garage in Maryland. In addition to being reasonably secure and not standing out like a gun safe would, my parents piled a bunch of stuff on it over time, as my mom was an elementary school teacher / hoarder, so no flat horizontal space ever went unused. I doubt either thieves or house guests ever gave it a second glance.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I recommend a good safe....shop locally - liberty, national, fat boy, etc are all good products. Most local distributors will deliver inexpensively.

Don't get too uptight on fire rating...your guns are insured for fire - just like your furniture is & fire, while it happens, is not a common event --- keep important papers in a bank safety deposit box - not your gun safe. Don't overpay for a high fire rating.

The idea of a decent safe is to withstand the typical breakin ...good steel, good lock will do that...bolt it to floor or wall. Buy the safe for growth of your collection & features you want. You can adapt shelving, lights, etc... Don't buy fancy finishes...its not a conversation piece to show off / its for security.
Part of your home security should include a monitored alarm...ADT, etc...

Floor Property Flooring Room Wall


Safe is in my shop, in daylight basement, if we have a party, the door to my shop is closed- and locked if there are kids around downstairs. Only my close friends, that are into guns, know what's in my shop ...
Door to shop gets closed just like door to laundry room gets closed for a party. We had a big open house - party for my grandsons college graduation recently....family, his college friends...70 or 80 people coming & going ...but noone was downstairs in my shop...
Personal protective equipment Safety glove Tan Leather Glove


Here is an example of building a simple 2 tier shelf -- with racks - that holds 16 handguns, with no metal to metal contact --- yet I can easily see & reach in to grab & remove any gun I want.

Collection Shelf Shotgun Shelving Air gun
 
#8 ·
I made the mistake of buying a safe that fit in the space I wanted to put it. In the closet of a spare room. It's alright but I know that if someone wants my guns, while the safe is bolted down, the tools to cut it open are in my garage. I try to avoid attention to the house as a whole. No gun stickers on my truck, no political signs in the yard. Hell sometimes I worry about the lighted flag pole in the front yard. How many single guys in the 25-35 age bracket have a lighted American flag on a pole in suburban California? Not many. Bet we all also have firearms in the house. My only consolation is they won't find them all as I've outgrown the safe so I have guns stashed in more creative places. Now if I can raise my safe game like @SDM, I would feel better. For now I try to keep a low profile and let the barking dog and retired and nosey (but usually stoned) neighbor, keep an eye on things while I'm at work.
 
#9 ·
In the past, when I had a larger collection...before I started divesting some of it to my adult kids, to start their collections --- I had another safe ( that safe went to one of the boys too). They also make some smaller safes that you can bolt to the top of an existing one as well. Just depends on what you need ( use grade 8 hardened bolts, etc. to secure it properly ).

When I remodeled my shop/reloading room a couple of years ago...I considered a "steel - gun closet"...behind a set of french doors.../ but the cost of the door and lock alone were at least the cost of an additional safe without the labor and protecting the other walls. As I approach my 70's now...my collection has not gotten significantly bigger in the last 5 yrs...in fact, it is to the point where I have what I want...and some extras. So the "gun room" made no sense when I could double my "safe" by adding a 2nd one - delivered for under $ 3,000 .
 
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