In the current day, it is becoming increasingly common for the majority of homeowners to have guns as well. With guns comes the responsibility for safe storage of these firearms, in order to protect the people inside of the house. With that being said, there are plenty of reasons why gun safes are worth having.
What are some of the reasons that gun safes are worth having? There are many reasons to have a gun safe, from organization to protection from natural disasters to potential legal hazards and liability issues due to unlimited access.
In some states, it is even required to lock up your guns and other weapons at home when they are not in use. Aside from the legal requirement, though, you will find it beneficial to have a gun safe at your disposal, making everyone in your home feel that much safer.
Many people are unsure whether they should even bother with a gun safe when they own only one or two firearms. However, it only takes one firearm to cause a whole lot of damage, therefore, to own a gun safe as a gun owner is probably wise, especially with the large liability issues associated with keeping weapons in your house at all.
There are plenty of reasons that make gun safes a worthy investment, which we will be going over today. Keep reading to get all of the details on the top 15 reasons why gun safes are worth having.
15 Reasons a Gun Safe is Worth Having
For centuries, people have owned guns as military and law enforcement personnel, and as civilians. Gun safety is crucial especially in today’s world with so much gun violence occurring in shopping centers, schools, and other public areas where innocent people lose their lives.
There has been much debate surrounding guns including the use of permits for concealed carry, mental health evaluations for each person wishing to own or one who already owns one firearm or twenty.
In some states, such as Massachusetts, it is required to lock up your guns and other weapons at home even when not in-use. Other states allow concealed carry as constitutional carry states such as Vermont while others such as New York require permits for all guns and types of carry.
Having a gun safe is an excellent investment in order to keep your firearms and other personal items, some that may be of sentimental value, protected and is a good threat deterrent especially where theft is involved which is of course concerning.
As previously stated, having a gun safe san spare you all sorts of trouble down the road especially when it comes to legal issues as well as filing insurance claims and paying astronomical premiums.
Gun safes offer protection and may have some benefits you are unaware of as you read this article. However, some of these benefits comes from living in certain states and some insurance companies are not nearly so encouraging or benevolent in their payouts.
In order to better understand the benefits, I have compiled a list of ten reasons why a gun safe is worth the investment.
15 Reasons a Gun Safe is Worth It:
- Gun Safety.
This is a no-brainer, controlling who does and does not have access to a gun is common sense at it’s best.
Burglary is of course, first and foremost in the front of every gun owner’s mind as theft of a weapon could mean the harm or death of someone else they may or may not know.
However those you really need to worry about are those who may live in your home with you, such as your children, including any friends they may have over for a slumber party or the annual Christmas Party with all of your relatives, young and old, in your home, near your guns that are left out in the open.
- Protecting Your Rights
Anti-gun protesters consider all guns to be bad and anyone who owns one a homicidal maniac. They have proposed time and time again the effort of removing them from civilian hands and even going as far as disarming military and law enforcement.
Tragedies involving guns are often exploited on the news and set by the media to cast a negative light upon those who own weapons and arm themselves to protect themselves, their families, and their homes.
However, owning guns and keeping them in a gun safe is a responsible action to take to help push the narrative that not all gun owners are murderous and willing to harm others.
Instead, they are responsible human beings who will go to great lengths to secure their weapons and ensure the safety and security of their families and loved ones as well.
- Child Prevention Laws
Child Access Prevention Law, commonly referred to as CAP, is a law which imposes criminal liability to those who, through negligence, give a minor child, (under 18 years of age), a firearm.
This of course, is a law which, in certain states can result in time served. However, about 4.6 million children/minors live in a house with a loaded, unlocked firearm and about 73% of them have handled a firearm without their parents’ knowledge.
More times than not, the parents don’t think their children will be able to get ahold of the firearms. Having a safe can change this possibility and keep the fear of tragedy from our minds.
- Insurance Coverage Limitations
- Limitations on Insurance Coverage
Coverage can only cover up to $3,000, most policies cover even less. Some insurance agencies also consider a firearm, once certain parts are bolted to it, to be apart of the gun itself thus devaluing the firearm and accessories even further.
To get more coverage, changing insurance agencies may be a good idea.
- Insurance Market Value Reimbursement.
Even when firearms are covered, payouts are usually less. Most policies pay what is called “Market Value” and usually its more than half of the actual price you paid for the weapon in the first place, leaving you to pay the difference.
Many companies offer “Replacement value” riders which reimburse you for what it costs to replace the gun, but it is rarely a standard option.
- Insurance Covers less than its worth to you.
Even with “replacement value” coverage, it may not cover what the gun is worth to you.
Be sure to anticipate many questions pertaining to the weapon(s), some of a rather ridiculous nature, some that are meticulously asked.
These questions include some of the following:
- Do you have the gun receipts?
- Do you have the gun accessory receipts?
- Proof that the gun was never fired and it “out-of-the-box” brand new?
- If you personally gunsmith your guns, did you have them appraised?
- Were your gun receipts kept in a part of your home that was burned up in a/the housefire?
- Insurance Discount
Make sure that your Insurance agency has some sort of discount available, this could certainly benefit you in the future.
Also, make sure to check requirements via your Insurance Agency before purchasing a new gun safe, some agencies require a specific size and placement within your dwelling in order to obtain coverage.
- Protection from Lawyers
I would say that this goes without saying, but when it comes to ownership of guns and other weapons, one should ALWAYS take precautions and utilize common sense when storing guns.
Being smart and locking up your guns is an excellent way to avoid not only the theft of your guns but someone who should not have a weapon, using it, potentially harming themselves or others which can sometimes lead to a lawsuit by the person’s family who claim the owner should have “been more careful”.
- Protection from Fires
This is an obvious one, but necessary to repeat none the less; purchasing a fireproof gun safe is a good investment, especially when you want to keep not only your guns stored safely, but if you have any items of value such as jewelry and family heirlooms you’d like to keep to pass on for generations to come.
- Protecting Other Valuables
As previously stated, a fireproof and/or waterproof safe can help to protect and prolong the life of your most prized possessions.
- Children will fight over it.
I can’t speak for the safe itself, but the weapons inside will more than likely never lose their intrinsic value, in fact, certain brands and styles of weapons, due to time and discontinuation, go up in value making them and their owners a lot of money should they choose to sell it.
However, most descendants will use them to keep the heirlooms safe.
- Tax Deduction Rebate
Some states such as Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, and Michigan offer a firearms Tax deduction and rebate for your firearm(s). Think of what you can do with a rebate from owning firearms.
- Quick Access
It’s the middle of the night, you’re asleep in your bed, maybe with your spouse and children asleep in their own rooms when you are awoken by a sound downstairs.
You instantly react, silently opening the bedside table drawer to reveal your gun safe and your loaded weapon inside that you can use in the event of this sound being caused by an intruder.
You ensure your now-awakened spouse that everything is okay and to call police after you hear footsteps. You make your way down the hall and get ready to protect all that you hold dear.
- Concealed Carry
If you live in a state that has concealed carry, there are most likely laws which require where and when guns can be stored within your cars or trucks as well as what constitutes “unloaded” and whether or not one can park within feet of a school or Federal building with a gun in their vehicle.
- Protection from Burglars
Let’s say you had a pistol that your Great-Grandfather shot during World War II, he left it to you upon his death and you find it missing due to a burglary, think of the emotional heartache that causes.
If you wish to save your valuables and entitle yourself to a little peace of mind, getting a gun safe is your best bet.
- Prevention of Kidnapping
Yes, you read that correctly. This mostly applies for politicians and others of higher rank such as Businessmen who travel overseas who carry or have weapons in their desks in order to fight for their lives should they need to.
Sadly, this is happening more and more, especially with the political climate in the world today, however we rarely hear of it on the news.
- Strongest and Safest Type of Gun Storage
That goes without saying, however, keeping your guns safe and out of the reach of children and others who may cause harm to themselves or others is paramount.
Having a gun safe in general is a good way to ensure responsible gun ownership as well as protection for yourself and your family including your children and other people’s children.
Pros and Cons of Owning a Gun Safe
There are Positives and Negatives with anything we purchase, not least among them are gun safes. It is mostly based upon need and what we are willing to spend that points us in the right direction, with buying a gun safe, there is no exception in this regard.
For many gun owners, it’s a mathematical equation; own a gun, you have a higher, literally fighting chance of surviving a burglary or home invasion.
Most people don’t like being on the business end of a gun, the same goes for most burglars and would be home invaders. The singular fear of just being shot is enough to deter would be intruders.
Home safes come in many shapes and sizes for many different uses whether it be firearms or otherwise. Strengths and weaknesses for Home Safes are difficult to define since each has its own pros and cons and each gun owner has certain needs dependent upon size and need.
As there are differences between safes and their purposes, there are pros and cons with each of them. There are also Pros and Cons when it comes to owning a gun safe in general. Some of these include the following:
Pros and Cons of Owning a Gun Safe:
- Pros
- Home safes protect from Fires and Flooding
- Protection from theft.
- Keeps Children away and firearms out of reach.
- Cons
- Not impervious, or avoidant, of fire and water unless specifically designed to be so
- In some cases, you get what you pay for.
As previously stated, there are several reasons why to purchase and why not to purchase a gun safe, however this doesn’t mean one shouldn’t buy one simply because the size may be too big, or it lacks fire protection.
While price is usually a factor for most people, ensuring that your weapons are always in the right hands and valuables are potentially protected for the next generations is invaluable and a good investment guaranteed to return a thousand-fold.
Types of Gun Safes to Choose From
One of the little pleasures we get in life is having options, in some cases there are hundreds if not thousand of options to choose from.
When it comes to gun safes there aren’t exactly hundreds or thousands but there are several options to fit the needs of each and every gun owner.
As a Gun Owner, you want to make sure that you’re making the correct investment for your weapons, your peace of mind, and getting a lot of bang for your buck. There a lot of different Gun safes out there and buying the right one is of course of vital importance.
Each and every gun safe comes with strings attached, however, the trick is finding what you’re willing to put up with, whether it’s the good, the bad and the ugly.
Types of Gun Safes to choose from:
- Combination
-Pros: Low maintenance, batteries are not usually required, and it is more difficult to observe a combination sequence.
-Cons: Slow to operate, they can be temperamental, and the combination may be easily figured out.
- Electronic
–Pros: They are easy to use, effective, and flexible as well as the larger variety of features. Thankfully for this model, a locksmith is not usually required.
– Cons: This safe requires battery changes which may cause you to lose the combination in which case a locksmith may, in fact, need to be called to open the safe which costs time and money.
3) Biometric
– Pros: They are similar to the Electronic lock speed and easy to use as well as flexible. Most allow for storage of several fingerprints for those authorized to open the safe.
– Cons: They are not 100% reliable and are still under development.
4) Wheel and Pin Lock System
– Pros: Traditional Safes are easy to use and have a wheel that requires three numbers in a combination to open the door.
– Cons: The one caveat is that sometimes a combination number is too close to another and the wheel may often and accidentally go past one of the numbers, causing a problem opening the safe itself. The combo may have to be changed.
5) Key and Lock Safe
– Pros: Safes with a conventional lock and key is more convenient than one with a wheel and pin or combination.
– Cons: If key is lost or stolen, then the safe and your belongings are thus considered vulnerable.
6) Multiple Lock System
– Pros: Integrates two different locking systems that work together to create a secure placement for guns and belongings. For example a Biometric and Keypad combination would be a good way to ensure your belongings are safe
– Cons: If one system is having difficulty, the safe won’t open properly; a Locksmith will indeed need to be called.
Pro’s and Con’s are a part of life, with Gun Safes, there is no argument in this case. Some people are willing to put up with calling a Locksmith, others are not.
Some would pay astronomically for a wall safe camouflaged to be hidden in plain sight while some are simply satisfied with a small safe for one weapon or some valuables in a drawer.
Whatever the case, there are advantages and disadvantages to both, but hopefully there is more of the first rather than the second.
Which Gun Safe is the Best for Me?
When it comes to choosing the right gun safe for you, there are a number of factors to consider.
Factors To Consider:
- What features you need
- How you will be using it
- What will be the most convenient
There are of course, other types of safes such as those that are water and fireproof and those that can be built into the floor and into the décor of a home by having an interior designer camouflage the safe door to look like a mirror or painting.
There are also some brands to consider when buying your Gun Safe, as it has been said before, “you get what you pay for” when it comes to many things, even a gun safe. Some brands include, “Field and Stream”, “Fort Knox”, Liberty Fat Boy”, and “Paragon Lock and Safe”.
Other types of gun safes to include in your search are about placement; from the car or truck to the wall, to the floor or just placing it in the corner of your garage or bedroom, you’ll want to make sure that you get the correct safe.
Before buying a gun safe, you should consider safety features, the number of firearms you plan to have and if you choose to buy more in the future near or far-off as well as the more important part: the amount of your investment.
Getting bang for your buck nowadays is few and far between however there is the process of elimination that can help immensely in this endeavor. The best style is a vault style safe which many of these are which are theft deterrent, fireproof usually and sometimes water proof.
They come in a variety of different sizes and range in size from being large enough to holding a one, two, or three pistols to encasing a collection of firearms and the family heirlooms such as jewelry, bonds, birth certificates, and other priceless items that may or may not be replaceable.
If you were James Bond, I recommend the floor safe which is of course, easily hidden however a wall safe can be just as effective.
But none of us are as stealth as James Bond and sadly, most of you will purchase safes that may vary in size and a bit more conspicuous than a floor safe or one made to look like mirror.
Hidden Safes mimic furniture or wall hangings such as a mirror or a large portrait.
However, for most gun owners, they get a safe such as one that slides under your bed like an Under-Bed Safe or a Nightstand Safe that is, you guessed it, slipped into a shelf or in the top drawer of your nightstand by your bed, granting easy and quick access to defend your home.
Heavy Duty gun safes are just as they’re titled, Heavy Duty, and quite difficult to move around. However, they are would require a few people to move it due to its weight. It would be a nightmare for any intruder to move and unless they would appreciate a good chiropractor, most would be deterred.
With their thick, steel bodies, most are fireproof and waterproof and a perfect fit for someone looking for these types of features. Most come with a combination in order to access the door.
A Corner Safe is a good idea if you don’t need or intend to install a wall safe and is burglar-proof as well, especially helpful where one’s own peace of mind is concerned.
Most have thick, double layered walls that are lined with gypsum for fireproofing the safe and fit well into a corner. Depending upon pricing and manufacturers, there are several shapes and sizes as well as versions, again, you get what you pay for so choose wisely.
As stated earlier, figuring out what type of gun safe is right for you depends entirely upon first, your budget, and second, what you are willing to put up with when it comes to the Pros and Cons as seen above.
If you don’t mind calling a Locksmith, then an Electronic Safe may be the way to go, if you would prefer something a little less conspicuous than you will be paying for an expensive wall or floor safe but whatever you choose, make sure it is in fact the correct choice for you and is worth the financial investment.
However, just owning a gun safe to make your home and those you love around you that much safer is certainly worth it. Those who own gun safes are more likely to have a safe and secure environment for those they love and care about as well as have the peace of mind that they and what they value are safe, firearms and family alike.
There are several reasons why one should have a gun safe ranging from tax deductions and insurance payouts, from it looking good in your home to feeling like James Bond when you open it but the more obvious one is this: to protect all that you hold dear.