Hey guys, I'm wondering what kind of safes y'all have for your guns, I recently had a house fire that started in the car port and took out the laundry room but the rest of the house is ok, BUT, everything in the house is covered in soot and stinks like smoke, including my guns, I don't have a safe and had all my guns in their cases. All the stocks stink, even the wood stocks. The only gun that doesn't stink is my AR that was in a pelican vault case. We have renters insurance so I'm gonna claim the stocks, barrels and optics since I don't know how the insurance will work with me on this, I've got them airing out now but still nothing, been 8 days. I've started looking into liberty safes but they don't come with a back up key incase the keypad fails and that has me worried, I know cannon safes come with a back up key and cannon has what looks like an awesome warranty. Just wondering what y'all have and how you're liking it. Also, anyone have renters insurance and had to use it like this? What was your outcome, we've been itemizing stuff for the last week and it's a fluffy kitten. We have travelers renters insurance.
Gun safes
- Thread starter rattlesnake01
- Start date
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
Good luck with that. Not sure about renters, but most homeowners policies do not cover much on guns unless they have a specific policy or rider for them. Some have a ridiculously low coverage amount, for example farm bureau covers up to $1500 for firearms without supplemental policies.
I have a sentry safe. It has both a digital keypad and also has a keyed backup. I would not buy a safe without a keyed backup.
My Cannon is old school with a dial. If I buy another with a digital lock, I will swap out the digital lock for a dial. S&G dial safe lock
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I've got a 2-hour American Security safe with a dial. I don't trust the keypads for a lot of reasons. I've got a key backup if the dial craps out for whatever reason. LOVE the AmSec safes. Paid right at $3K for mine. I never understood why people buy cheap safes then put valuable guns, important documents, jewelry, etc. in them. I'd do some research and stay away from the Chinese crap. A LOT of safes, even some Liberty models are made overseas.
Like so many other things, safes are also not made as well as they once were. I am in the market for another and none of the ones that I come across in the stores are as thick or as well rated as my old Cannon. I will take a look at AmSec
I looked for EVER and did all my research. I was hell bent on a Liberty but when I opened the AmSec....game changers. It's concrete filled on all sides and THICK steel plates in the door. I'll try and find a picture.
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my cannon has been a nightmare with the digital dial. old school is so much better
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
Have had zero issues with my digital keypad. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another with a keypad from a trusted company.
And fwiw, at the time I bought my sentry, they were made right here in the United States. Don't now if they still are or not.
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I recently purchased a Browning Deluxe 65T from The Safe House in Nashville. I absolutely love it. Great company to deal with. They are becoming a Liberty dealer too.
I've threatened to buy a safe for many years but haven't done so. Probably because I don't want to drag it up the stairs.
In a full blown house fire the guns will still be ruined more than likely, I'd just pick up supplemental insurance that will cover them regardless
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
I've got a Winchester that I keep odds stuff in some of my cheaper stuff and ammo. Also have a big browning suppose to be a high temp fire proof hope I never find out.
Insurance May cover cleanup of the guns. I have several times tried to clean up smoke damage on firearms for people who said their insurance would cover or reimburse. The wood stocked guns all had to be stripped of finish scrubbed with mineral spirits until I couldn't detect the smell and then refinished. All Metro had to be washed with solvent gamma mineral spirits mostly. Cleaned and real oiled. I don't remember any of the guns being high dollar. Pump shotguns Etc. I will say one time a man had seven or eight guns like that, I quoted a ridiculously low price I think it was 75 bucks each. Insurance wouldn't pay that much.
Small Liberty Safe with the old school dial - perfect for my guns and valuables.
I have 3, the largest being a Browning Yukon Gold 29 gun IIRC. But it's the 6' model. I would recommend getting the extra top space for storing anything from handguns to documents and anything in between. Also has the hand dial. My other smaller ones have the keypad and they are a pain to deal with bc of batteries going down at different times.
LanceS4803
Well-Known Member
I know multiple folks with Liberty safes with the electronic locks. Never had an issue, and they only change the battery when the lock starts operating a little slower. Like every 2 years.
Plus, I think you can swap out the electronic lock for a traditional dial lock (it was a purchase option).
Tip: Look for factory seconds. These are safes that were dented or scratched during moving to gun shows, or returns.
This is what I did, my safes (three) are not fire proof and pretty cheap . Not that I wouldn't have bought one (fireproof) but installing it in my house would have been a disaster. Mine are where you'd never begin to find them unless you knew exactly where they were and they are positioned where you can barely get the guns out let alone begin to get the safes open .
You get what you pay for in safes. My primary goal was to keep kids out of my guns and make it slightly more difficult for a thief to walk away with my stuff. Mine says it is rated for 1200 degrees for an hour but I don't have any faith in that. That being said it was a cheap Cannon that I got on a black friday sale at tractor supply and has done everything that was on my priority list. It has a digital keypad and has been going strong for roughly 8 years.
Get the guns cleaned quickly. Was told metal will pit from the smoke . Ask serve pro or other clean up company .
Had a bad fire loss in 1998, guns were in their place in the safe, scopes were destroyed, as were straps. Acid from the smoke wiped out wood finishes and the bluing, plastic parts were disfigured. The safe was rated at 1600 degrees for over 2 hours. There are products to remove the smell, there are cleaners and businesses that can salvage what can be if done soon enough. In the end my insurance paid about 1/6 value lost on guns using every excuse they could. Best of luck, buy a good safe, buy better insurance
