Weapon safes are one of the most important investments you can make. Be
it your home or a high-stress environment like Iraq or Afghanistan you MUST
have a secure safe that you can count on at all times. There are many types of gun safes to choose from and before you go shopping there are a few
considerations you need to make.
To that end, here are the Top 5 things you should know before buying a
gun or weapons safe for your home or office:
1. Storage capacity - Storage
capacity is one of the biggest factors in deciding what model of gun safe is
right for you. You'll need to think about how many guns you have now, whether
you'll want to store additional items in your safe and how many guns you'll
have in the future. Measure your guns from the base to the tip of the barrel so
you know exactly how tall your safe needs to be. Make sure to get a gun safe
that can contain all you need to store with room to expand later on.
2. Top material construction - Gun
safes keep guns out of the hands of children and burglars as well. While
burglars can break into a gun storage case, a gun safe is a different matter
entirely. The heavy duty material of a safe will help protect the guns from
fire and break in. You can easily check the strength of a safe by its weight.
Steel is heavy and a quality safe should have a solid steel door and walls.
3. Safe locks - Gun safe locks
come in three different varieties. They are either key locks, combination locks
or electronic keypad locks. Key locks are the cheapest available, but they are
difficult to use in an emergency and can be picked easily. Combination locks
don't make for quick opening, but they are less likely to be broken into. For
the best marriage of security and quick access, an electronic keypad is the
best bet.
4. Fire protection - Many people
use their gun safes as a secure place to store valuables as well. Jewelry,
heirlooms and important paper work can be held along with guns. Most safes are
fireproof because they are made of metal but there are different levels of fire
protection. Fire protection is based on the levels of heat that the safe will
tolerate. The typical levels of protection are 30 minutes under high heat, 60
minutes or 90 minutes. You should make your decision based on how close you
live to a fire department.
5. UL certification - Look for a
gun safe that has certification from Underwriter Laboratory (UL). UL has
standards for residential security containers that will ensure that you're
buying a quality safe. The higher the UL rating, the harder it is to break into
the safe.
These considerations are all that you need to make an informed decision
when buying a gun safe. By purchasing your next gun or weapons safe using these
guidelines you can be sure that you are buying a quality safe that will stand
up to your everyday requirements.
