18+ Content Warning

By clicking Enter, you confirm you are 18 years of age or older and agree to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Notice: Any content or member activity - including anything you may buy, sell, transfer, or discuss - must comply with current and upcoming laws.

Members are encouraged to stay informed: California Firearm Laws: 2026 Outlook & 2025 Recap . Responsibility for compliance rests solely with the individual member.

What's new
  • Welcome

    Welcome to CAguns

    Join California’s gun owner community. Create a free account to join discussions and explore member features.

    Join freeLog in
Rost Martin R1MF comes to Califnoria

Question What brand of safe do you like and what do you look for?

Liberty safe USA model. 60 min fire rated and level 3 security. It is bolted to a concrete floor. I have a golden rod and dessicant cylinders in t to keep the humidity below 50% in the summer. House is alarmed and we have two dogs. There have been no break ins in the neighborhood since its inception in 1995. Pretty much everone is armed.
 
I bought the Browning BX18 from Bass Pro Shop earlier this year thinking it would be enough space. It wasn't, I should have doubled the size haha.

I store my ammo inside it though with all my kids running around.
 
ikeo1 said:
We're going to ask questions to you guys to create resources for others. This is one of those core necessesities that we all need to buy so I'm curious what do you look for in a safe. I saw a discussion and it got me wondering what would you recommend for newer owners and why?

Let me know these things.

What size is it? Is it for Pistols or Rifles or both?
What would you recommend?
What are the best brands?
Click to expand...
Here’s what I want, maybe someone can steer me in the right direction:

I have a Rem 870, a CZ75 Compact, my late father’s captured Luger, and my late uncle’s Colt Detective Special service revolver.

And that’s it, and no intention of buying any more. If the house goes up I couldn’t care less about them.

The house is on a slab and 1,800 sq. ft. so there isn’t a lot of extra space available.

The only thing(s) I’ve seen that fits my need are better described as gun “cabinets” and if proposed legislation passes they wouldn’t comply with the ludicrous requirements.

So what are my options, other than continuing to be a scofflaw?
 
I have a 36 gun safe by Heavyweight. Got it at a good deal. 650lbs. Digital keypad. 1.5hr fire rating. Bigger than I would need…. Until now. Like mentioned before, buy bigger than what you think you would need (within what you can afford), and have fun filling it. There’s plenty of good safes for under $1000.
 
I'm on the third floor, so a safe that weighs a few hundred pounds is a no-go. I ended up with a couple "safes" from Secureit, which work well enough for what I need it to do. Easy to transport, easy to assemble, and keeps the kids out.
 
SteamedHams said:
I'm on the third floor, so a safe that weighs a few hundred pounds is a no-go. I ended up with a couple "safes" from Secureit, which work well enough for what I need it to do. Easy to transport, easy to assemble, and keeps the kids out.
Click to expand...
Model number? Please. ;)
 
So I wanted to add something since so many have talked about fire ratings and all.

Do not let perfect get in the way of possible. If you can only afford a $199 key lock cabinet from HF, then get it. It is far more important to have your guns locked up and safe while you are not home than if the safe is rated for 30 mins or 90 mins of fire.
 
Another consideration for buying a safe (tanky ones), is where you intend to put it, especially if you plan to bolt it to the ground. I've owned a Browning ProSteel safe for over three decades and in that time, two remodels have happened around it. The original door it went through and path it took getting into the house no longer exists, and it can't leave the space it's in without breaking walls and doorways now. Thankfully it's where I want it.
 
SteamedHams said:
I'm on the third floor, so a safe that weighs a few hundred pounds is a no-go. I ended up with a couple "safes" from Secureit, which work well enough for what I need it to do. Easy to transport, easy to assemble, and keeps the kids out.
Click to expand...

Several years ago, I went to an open house in the neighborhood and somebody had hoisted a giant safe to the upstairs master bedroom. This was in a house built in the 60s, so it had a single flight of straight stairs (no landing), top to bottom. Getting it up there had to have been the sketchiest thing to witness.
 
Ro-bo said:
Several years ago, I went to an open house in the neighborhood and somebody had hoisted a giant safe to the upstairs master bedroom. This was in a house built in the 60s, so it had a single flight of straight stairs (no landing), top to bottom. Getting it up there had to have been the sketchiest thing to witness.
Click to expand...
It would surprise you how much removing the door reduces the moving weight.
 
I went with the Visalia Safe Company. Mainly because they are local and you can get the safe custom made to your liking.

https://www.visaliasafes.com/gun_safes

I was looking for the following:
  • A heavier gauge steel (Visalia offers a 7gauge outer and 12 inner)
  • A longer duration fire rating
  • A somewhat hidden hinge
  • Interior versatility and customization
 
I'm considering a second safe for the master bedroom for valuables and a few firearms, and keep the larger back room safe for the majority of the pistols and rifles.

Another train of thought is just get a much larger safe and sell the old one.

Interested in people's takes here.
 
I’ve got an AMSEC BF series which is a heavy beast that I got probably 10+ years ago. It’s rated at 1200 degrees for one hour which is basically an ETL-60 rating. Their current BF series I think are beefed up more with an ETL-90 I believe. They’re really solid safes and heavy! For sure bolt them down! And make it so it’s not easy to access the sides where they usually try and cut a safe from.
 
to be clear, all gun safes are the easiest safes to break into. That being said, Amsec (American security) are some of the best)
The fire protection will only be as good as fast as the fire can be put out.
Once it gets hot enough, even with the protection, the plastic on your guns will melt and the wood products will spontaneously combust in the interior.
 
DLU04 said:
Buy a quality safe - go over size. The one you think you need is never big enough (especially when your wife decides to take half the space for her treasures). I need a larger one now. Check out Dean Safe in Simi Valley. They have gun safes for every budget.
Click to expand...
That's where I got my Liberty from They are easy to deal with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom