Gun Safe - Thieves or Kids?

[stilettosixshooter]

I'm curious about something -

What is the predominant rationale for getting a gun safe?

I have only one gun thus far (newb, but enthusiastic), which I keep for self-protection by my bed in a train case when I don't have it with me at the range. I don't want to put it in something that will take ages to open, unlock, or be difficult to access if the "bad guys" show up. My dad advises relocating the gun when I am not home to a more secure place, but that seems like a hassle - and my gun isn't noticeable where it is (between the wall and the bed). My place is small, and if a thief is industrious enough to find it there, I can't think of another place to keep it.

But I am curious as to whether folks have a gun safe for this reason - to securely stow their firearms when they are not home. Do most people bounce them around from one place to another in this way?

Or are safes typically just used to keep the guns out of the hands of kids or grandkids that are running around?

 

[Willie Lowman]

I bought my safe after a friend's house burnt down. He had a pair of 100 year old Winchester 30-30s. Then he had so much rusty gun shaped scrap.

a half ton steel box is also a good deterrent from some jerk making off with my collection.

It also makes a good place to hide new purchases. Put them in the back so when she looks in and says "What's that?" I say "That's my Sig. You don't remember my Sig? Had that one for a long time..."

www.smithsecuritysafes.com/pages/drawer.html Have you looked at these? Could go under your bed.

 

[djohn]

Search function is your best friend.Here is one about safes.www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=347108

 

[sholling]

I have no kids and I'm a grumpy old fart. My friends know not to bring rug rats when they visit so I have safes for security. If you have kids I strongly recommend a safe for security and a quick access bedside pistol safe for your designated self protection pistol. Nothing should be left unlocked around kids.

 

[Trooper Tyree]

I don't have one, but I was fiddling with one of those little biometric gun safes at a store the other day, the ones with the hand print with the buttons at the fingertips. It looks like just the ticket for those high stress situations where fine motor control might be just a little lacking, not that I have that problem, I don't think my adrenals work at all anymore.

I like the way the spring loaded front door snaps open too. I was pondering mounting on in the center console of my car. I don't know if I have enough metal to weld it to there though.

Unless you welded it to something though it wouldn't be much of a deterrent for a thief, and even then they could pry their way in pretty quick too I'd guess.

 

[bogieb]

Currently waiting for our safe to arrive. We bought it for both fire and theft protection (no kids and no visiting kids). I'm more worried about fire since we have a wood stove, but at some point in time someone could decide our place looks like it might actually contain something of value.

 

[CPTMurdoc30]

I got it for both. It was to keep my kids at bay because for some reason my kids have the hard time keeping their hands off of stuff that is not theirs. My daughter also has some mental health issues that warrant me locking my guns up in a safe. As far as thieves it is there to slow them down and add another layer of protection to my firearms.

 

[Tophe]

I have an 18 gun safe from cabelas, I bought it to protect my guns from a fire and good piece of mind knowing theyre safe from theives and kids. If my buddys bring their kids over, i dont have to worry they might go into a closet and find a gun(although they're all pretty smart and know about guns). No theif is gonns take my guns and kill somebody or me with that safe.

Now I have considered the small handgun safes that you unlock with your fingertips and keep by the bed. Maybe in a year or two when I have kids it would be a good idea.

I think my safe was one of the best investments I've made, except I should have bought a bigger one. Someday this one may have to go up forsale to be upgraded to a larger one.


MOST IMPORTANT RULE, If you own a gun safe, keep it locked. A guy I know has a safe, its a cheaper one, not fire rated, but I guess he left it unlocked alot. He came home from work one day and found his house broken into, and all his guns were gone. I felt bad for him, but couldnt believe that he would leave his safe unlocked....

 

[grymster2007]

I suppose if I had kids at home or I had a large collection, I'd buy a safe. As protection from theft, they'll keep the casual burglar from your guns, but really won't deter a serious crook.

And I'm even grumpier than sholling, so I don't have any friends.

 

[Dragon55]

FWIW

Saw an interveiw once on 20-20 or something with some convicted burglars. They all said their eyes get wide when they see a safe. So...... unless it's extremely heavy or very very securely mounted to the house they always try to take it or break it. Because....... they know that's where the real good stuff like guns, cash, jewelry etc. is located.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

Both, mostly kids.

Any safe will keep the kids out. 99.9% of all of them will keep out 99% of crooks too. Most BG are in your house for a quick score. If they can't carry the safe out or get in within a minute then they will most likely leave it alone. If the safe is bolted to the floor and locked up then very few BG are going to bother with it.

 

[Popa-45]

I don't have young kids in or around the house. So...I don't have a safe. But I do have 2 attack trained hampsters and a guardian gold fish. Plus this grumpy old man who lives with a 1911 within arms reach at all times.

 

[M4Sherman]

Well Safes are really great for keeping pesky kids out, fire protection and a deterrent to thieves....but only a deterrent. A guy I know who owns a gun store had his personal safe dragged from his house (I think it was a 18 gun safe that WAS bolted to the floor) via a large truck.

 

[SwampYankee]

About a year or so ago, in Hopkinton, Rhode Island (population 8000) burglars broke into the Town Hall and stole the Town safe. This happened at about 8pm while a Town Meeting of 15 people and 2 cops was going on in the room next door. The burglars popped out an air conditioner, went in through the window and hoisted the safe out. It was found a few months later, cracked open, in the local river.

So much for safes and cops....

 

[lmccrock]

Also, I hear its a good idea to lock your reciprocating saw (Sawzall) in the safe.

Lee

 

[Russ5924]

I got my safe for thieves and kids. My grandkids are at that age 10-14 and just can't trust them. Have seen to many cases where kid brings gun to school gets caught. First thing he says is I stole it from my father or grandfather So who is in the most trouble it sure isn't the kid So I figure a safe is cheaper than a lawyer

 

[Stealff]

When I was living with my brother we bought a gun safe to deter thieves, as he was hosting a lot of parties on the weekend at his place, and we were never really knew everbody there well enough to trust them. As far as children are concerned, I plan to teach mine ( If I get married and have any) the proper use and handling of a firearm like my father taught me, around my parents place there was no need for a gun safe, because all 10 of us children knew better than to mess with the guns without asking first or when Dad wasn't home. But then again in this day and age I would probably end up getting a safe just because of the rising crime rate.

 

[chadwick76]

BOTH! I have 3 kids ages 13to 1years old, and i do not want an accident. Yes i do teach my children about gun safety but accidents happen. a sad example is one of a 2 year old girl fatally shooting herself with her dads gun last week in Indiana. I also have a small safe on my wall next to the bed, that i can open asleep in 3 seconds! be safe, not stupid!!!

 

[Regolith]

I don't have any kids, but I do live in apartment complex. The safe keeps the landlord's staff honest. It will also protect against smash-and-grabs. It takes a very, very large safe to protect against a serious burglary.

Saw an interveiw once on 20-20 or something with some convicted burglars. They all said their eyes get wide when they see a safe. So...... unless it's extremely heavy or very very securely mounted to the house they always try to take it or break it. Because....... they know that's where the real good stuff like guns, cash, jewelry etc. is located.

Their eyes go wide whenever they see guns/cash/jewelry lying around unsecured, too. The safe at least makes 'em work for it.

 

[arizona98tj]

I bought my first safe after all of my kids were grown and moved out, so it had nothing to do with guns and kids.

My neighborhood has changed in the past 23 years I've lived here. My van has taken two 9mm rounds from a drive by this past year....dumb SOBs can't even hit what they were aiming at (which was not my van).

So I have a safe to keep the guns secure. I have 3 pitbull terriers and 1 chow to help keep the bad guys away from the safe. IMHO, they are all a good investment.....and so is the safe.