If you are a new gun carrier, you’ll immediately want to find a way to securely protect your guns in a reputable safe that guarantees no burglars or reckless kids break into it. In certain areas, you may face liability if your guns are stolen. This is why it is important to have a gun safe that is quality and durable to do the job for you.
What are the components and design of a gun safe to truly make sure your contents are safe? Not only will the height and weight of the safe be the first things to come to mind, but there are several other key aspects to consider.
Gun safes differ from average safes, and require some additional safety measures for properly storing your guns. There are also various ways that you can secure your safe to maximum storage and security.
While there are many gun safes that you can choose from that offer different designs and features, none of it will matter if your safe cannot do its proper function— to keep your valuables and gun collection safe.
Gun safes come in all shapes and sizes that will cater to the needs for gun owners. A few factors play into what determines the width, height, and weight of a gun safe. Not only is it vital to choose a safe that will be tough to break into, but you need to make sure that your guns are stored properly in the safe as well.
How Thick Should a Gun Safe Be?
In the 1850’s, gun safe designs were created by Silas Herring. In today’s safe standards, the desire to find something the protects our valuables from getting into the wrong has remains the same, but the standard qualities have depleted and pale in comparison to the original design.
Past safes were made as more robust, heavy, and thick than what’s sold in today’s market. The original safe designs were built to secure its contents without being pried open by using a crowbar or an ax on modern safes.
Many safe still remain true, but have burglars gotten smarter or have the designs weakened in its quality?
The thickness of a gun safe is one of the most important details. When considering a gun safe, the quality and thickness of the steel will ultimately determine the strength of the safe.
The thickness alone does not determine how secure the safe is from being broken into.
What determines how secure a safe should be:
- Steel thickness
- Steel quality
- Material
As a potential gun safe buyer, you should always check the steel thickness and that the material is top quality. The number one metal should be steel, and do not compromise for any other metals.
There are various types of material that gun safes are constructed from that have different qualities that manufacturers will swear by that it’s the best to buy. On the other hand, with some clicks on the web, you can do your own searching to base your assumptions.
If safes are built with aluminum, they will not be able to withstand against heat like steel is able to do. Also, aluminum will eventually bend under pressure, which makes it more likely to be broken into easier.
The strength of still will increase by each square thickness of the safe. To put it into perspective, if the steel thickness of a gun safe is doubled, the assumption that the safe is twice as strong. However, it is actually eight times stronger for protection.
The downside of thick and robust safes are that they are expensive and may not be suitable to meet everyone’s needs. As the rise in demand of gun safes increase, the manufacturers are always trying to come up with different designs to match consumer demands.
Unfortunately, the consumer demands are placed higher than the actual protection qualities the safe should provide. While it may be true in most cases, the thicker the steel, the harder the safe is to break into is not always true.
Some consumer designs may appear to be sturdy and have thick steel exteriors, but they can be simply designed to look like it’s secure when it’s really not.
Today’s market has many poorly built gun safes that are built from thin gauge metals, which can appear thick, but will offer no protection if they can bend easily. In circumstances like this, this is when the quality of the safe is sacrificed for a price that is more appealing to purchase.
The poorly constructed safes that has 16-20 gauges with thin metal frames are the type of safes that are not reputable to keep your valuables protected. If you are considering a safe with 14-20 gages, the least experience of burglars will still be able to open your safe with a hammer or screwdriver.
The maximum steel gauge for a good quality gun safe should be preferably between 6-8, and minimum of 10. The lower the gauge, the thicker the gun safe is.
Consequently, these types of safes can be easily pried open and your safe’s contents will be stolen. Despite how Hollywood movies showed that safes made back in the older times were only able to be busted into by dynamite, this option could be partially applied if it weren’t so extreme.
If you notice that the steel is made in China, you should seek for American-made steel because it’s more durable. To put it into perspective, the 12-gauge American steel is three times stronger and sturdier than the 14-gauge made in China.
When looking at the door construction and is thickness, you’ll want to have at least 1/4” of a solid plate of steel that’s equivalent to the door. The recommended door thickness is 7-gauge for the outer sheet of the door.
When observing a safe’s door, notice the width of the door gaps to see how likely it would be for a burglar to insert a tool to pry the door open.
Another thing to consider is the safety of the locking mechanism on the gun safe. Sometimes, the burglar will not even think about breaking the safe’s exterior, but one might try to manipulate the lock. This should also be taken into consideration when purchasing a gun safe.
There are numerous lock types to consider, which are number combination, electric lock, and electric lock or combination of a manual.
Although low-gauge and high strength steel gun safes may not be within your budget, you’ll realize that these are the best option to assure you and discourage a burglar from stealing.
Even if you buy the safe with the thickest or a less thin steel, you can always choose to place your safe against walls or a place where only the door is exposed to supply an extra level of safety for your guns.
How Tall Should a Gun Safe Be?
Whether you choose a small and compact gun safe or a large one to fill up with your firearms collection, how tall should the gun safe be?
The height of your gun safe should be similar to the height of your guns. If you simply want to have a handgun in your safe, then you won’t need a large gun safe.
Why height matters for a safe:
- Gun storage
- Home storage
- Within personal reach
When it comes to long gun barrels and storage, it’s recommended that the interior be at least 58” high and 30” wide. This standard recommendation will allow you to fit other long-barreled guns and other items in the safe.
A safe this size will allow you to fit multiple guns into the safe if you are choosing to store more than a few guns and valuables.
Also, if a burglar attempts to move a safe this tall, the safe may tip over if not handled properly. A tall and heavy safe will ensure that even two burglars couldn’t push move the safe up and down the stairs.
The height of the safe will also hinder burglars from placing the safe in their vehicles if they do manage to steal the safe. Addition to height, you’ll have to consider the weight of your safe to determine whether your home can support the safe if it’s large in size.
Ultimately, it’s up to the owner’s preference of the height of the gun case, but the owner should be able to access all locations within the safe when making quick entries to the safe.
How Heavy Should a Gun Safe Be?
You want to buy a safe that is large enough for you to get into your home, but not light enough where it can be taken by a couple of burglars. Of course, the heavier the safe, the less likely it’ll be able to be stolen.
The heavier the safe is, the deeper consideration of the cost of expense for the professional movers to place it into your home.
So, what’s a good weight for your gun safe? Most safe dealers feel confident that safes around 750 pounds offer both a good amount of security and size.
Being over 700 pounds, you as the gun owner will feel assured that the safe cannot be moved by a simple appliance dolly. A 500 pound safe is more likely to be easier for a few men to carry on their own and place in their vehicle.
The heavier safes will reflect them to be made from better and thicker quality of steel to produce the most protection.
Gun safes are commonly kept at lower points of a house, such as a basement because it has limited access, unlike a bedroom or other living area of the house with frequent traffic. Moving a safe to a basement after already being placed elsewhere is no small task.
Moving a heavy safe can impose potential risks to you and anyone else involved. Not only is it likely that someone will be injured if the safe falls on a person, but it’s also a difficult task of moving the safe across different floor levels due to the change of elevations.
Chances are, if you have a 750 pound gun safe, you’ll want to place it methodically in your home where it’s best fitting because you will not be able to move it once it’s placed. It’s best to consult a technician or expert about the possibility to move a large and heavy safe prior to doing so.
Why Does Gun Safe Size Matter?
There are a few reasons why the size of your gun safe matters. If you decide to expand your collection or keep it to only a few handguns, the safe you decide to purchase will differ.
Why size matters:
- Weight
- Storage capacity
- Cost
It’s suggested to buy a safe that is bigger than what you think you need at that moment. If you think your collection will grow over time, it’s better to purchase a larger safe. The safe may even be used to keep other valuable family possessions.
The weight can range if you choose to have a smaller safe fit for handguns and smaller items. Smaller safes will cost relatively cheaper and they take up less storage space.
If you are desiring to grow your gun collection, you’ll have many choices to decide how large of a safe you’ll want. The bigger the safe, the more it’ll cost and weigh.
Since safes should be about 5’ tall, almost, you should designate a space safe enough to where it’s not visible by all your household guests. Yet, you’ll want to keep it in a place that is easily accessible to you.
A smaller safe will cost around a few hundred dollars, but if you’re seeking to invest in a larger safe to hold a growing gun collection, you could be looking at a few thousands of dollars to provide the most protection.
By purchasing a larger safe, it’ll be less likely that you’ll ever run out of room and have to purchase another safe. Unless, you intend to do so and purchase another one.
If you start off with a smaller safe, you’ll have to shell out more money to upgrade your safe in order to meet your future needs. While it may seem safer and less of a cost to purchase a smaller safe, you’ll want to consider in the longer run of how large a safe you’ll want to purchase.
The best recommendation is to purchase a safe that is larger than your current needs because the larger size may be fitting to your future needs. The size will also have an effect on the weight and height that will ward off potential burglars.
When buying a larger and taller safe, it’s a personal thought to keep in mind is if you are able to reach the certain areas and shelves of the interior.
How Are Gun Safes Different From Regular Ones?
The difference between a gun safe and a regular safe depends on what you intend for the safe to protect. Gun safes have different features and security measures compared to regular ones.
Normal safes usually hold family related documents, valuables, and money. Gun safes are to hold firearms, and even your family items as well if choosing to do so.
The differences:
- Security
- Material
- Interior
Gun safes have different measures of security that sometimes can have fingerprint scanning to secure your safe and provide easy and quick access. Other safes require combinations, keys, or codes, the standard protection to keeping its contents safe.
A gun safe has a thicker steel width compared to normal safes to provide a higher level of protection. You have to consider the gauge and thickness when it comes to purchasing a gun safe since it’s designed to protect burglars from firearms.
Also gun safes have a different interior design designed to protect guns from rust and moisture. Usually, gun safes will have internal designs to hold long-barreled guns and other storage areas designed to hold guns.
The internal material of a gun safe will protect it from moisture, rust, or corrosion if a house fire or flood occurs. Regular safes are not automatically designed to be water or fireproof. Even so, the internal contents may begin to gather moisture and ruin the safe’s contents.
When comparing normal safes and gun safes, they may seem similar, but their functions are different. Gun safes are usually stronger and more durable with better locking mechanisms.
Relatively speaking, an average safe can more likely be pried open with a crowbar than a gun safe since a gun safe is protected by certain thicknesses of steel. Normal safes tend to have thinner metals that are not meant to store an amount of firearms as ensured protection.
Another difference regarding size is that a gun safe will contain more depth to store guns inside the chamber. The door is heavy enough, so the additional depth inside is used to offset the base of the safe from the door.
An average safe will not appear heavier or have an additional in-depth chamber. It’ll just appear as if it’s a metal box, which makes a burglar’s job easier to steal.
Safety Tips For Storing Guns In a Safe
There are various ways you can store your guns in a safe. Of course, you can have your own personal preference, but some gun owners have offered the placement that they’ve found best to store their guns.
Safety tips for storing your guns:
- Careful placement
- Buy rugs and protection
- Buy drawers and racks
- On-door storage
With optional recommendations, depending on the placement of your guns, the additional safety and organization accessories will prevent any damage to your guns, and optimize your safe’s space with how much you can store in your safe.
Some owners recommend placing handguns on the top half of your shelf, and at eye level if it’s possible for you. This placement will make it more easy to see and find what you’re looking for.
It’s also a preferred way to store your handguns on the upper half of your safe in case of flooding incidents. Your guns will remain rust free and avoid potential water damage. Locksmiths note that water damage is more likely to occur than fire damage.
Especially if your home is older, the floor support may not be able to hold a safe that is almost a ton, so you’ll have to find a stable but hidden area to store your safe.
Another suggestion is purchase storage cushions for your pistols and revolvers to avoid any nicks and scratches. Certain brands will have fleece fabric to prevent rust and keep moistures away.
Purchasing sliding gun drawers are also a way to optimize your safe’s storage by placing guns that can fit inside the drawers. Not only will it prevent nicks and scratches on your guns, but it also keeps your guns out of plain view.
Also, the drawers can be locked to provide an additional security method if someone happens to break into your safe.
There are also a variety of handgun racks that you can purchase for in-safe storage. You have the option between wood, acrylic, or plastic-coated tubular metal. If you purchase the racks, they can also be stacked on top of one another so you can store even more.
It’s highly recommended to not store your guns in a plastic gun case that’s lined with synthetic foam, since these are known to lock in harmful moistures.
If you run out of space in your safe or have chosen to store your guns differently, you can also mount your handguns on the safe’s door. This will provide quicker access to your handguns.
The on-storage mounts will securely hold your guns so they will not shake loose as the door opens and closes. You must make sure that the pegs are mounted in an upward angle, or are at a 90 degree angle bend. Your guns should be facing downward when mounted on the door.
If choosing to mount your guns on the door, they are placed in fabric holsters that are attached to a carpeted door. In some cases, this is not the best for your guns because the carpet can retain moisture and potentially damage your gun.
Most of the holster designs have an open muzzle, which if your gun is not securely attached to the door, the crown of the muzzle will be in direct contact, and your gun will be protected. This is a safety precaution especially if your safe is being stored on a concrete floor.
There are also other options to safely secure your safe by bolting it down to various things inside your home to add another level of security.
Another viable option is to bolt the safe into the floor. This way, there is an even slimmer chance of a burglar stealing your safe. This would be an option to consider if your safe is not heavy enough on its own.
Bolting your lighter weight safe down reduces the risk of burglars and also provides an extra level of protection. The drawbacks to bolting it down to the floor is if you own expensive flooring, you won’t want to ruin the floor.
There are other alternatives ways to secure your safe. You can also bolt it to several different things. If allowed, having your safe mounted on the wall is considered the next best thing to nailing it down on the floor.
You’ll want to make sure that the safe is bolted into the studs, and not the drywall. Otherwise, the purpose would be defeated once the thief figures out the safe isn’t as secure as it appeared.
Some also bolt safes together if they have multiple safes. Doing so will require more work and effort for a burglar to steal your safe. If you happen to have any steel around, you can also bolt your safe to a steel pallet.
Whichever method you choose, bolting your safe will add additional protection to your guns and other valuable items.
Here are many of things on how to store your guns and what additional accessories you can buy to utilize storage space and protection, but do you know what you shouldn’t place in the safe?
You should not store powder inside. The combination of a large amount of powder in a sealed safe is equivalent to storing a bomb. It’s best to store the powder in small quantities in separate places. Most importantly, you should keep the powder safe from moisture and light.
Another thing you shouldn’t store in your safe is large quantities of primers; they can be dangerous if one primer goes off because one can set off the others. Also, like powder, you should store the quantity in several places and amounts.
The last thing to mention is to not leave the wooden pallet on your safe. Given, no matter how much your safe weighs, if it’s left on the pallet, you can be assured that the safe will be easy to move.
By knowing these storage tips and recommendations, you can fit more firearms that what your safe suggests if you know how to store your firearms and equipment correctly.