# How Modern Gun Safes Can Put You At Greater Risk TTAG



## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/how-modern-gun-safes-can-put-you-at-greater-risk/


----------



## Budlight_909 (Aug 31, 2020)

i myself am not a slave to tech.. on sure i got a pc, but only a flip phone. the wife and i do not spend all sorts of money on the latest, greatest stuff.

so, i do not have ANY safes in our home, and my home defense gun is super easy for me to get to.

we have no kids here anymore, but we do have tiny grand kids that have a sleep over, and when that happens, our bedroom door locks, and then i hide my gun very well.

the grand kids were told, to stay out of our room at all times, and if they are ever in there.??

we had already told our kids, that the grand kids will no longer be able to come on over.


----------



## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Budlight_909 said:


> i myself and not a slave to tech.. on sure i got a pc, but only a flip phone. the wife and i do not spend all sorts of money on the latest, greatest stuff.
> 
> so, i do not have ANY safes in our home, and my home defense gun is super easy for me to get to.
> 
> ...


Those little box safes may have a use. 
My heavy duty can opener is smiling , lol


----------



## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

I'm not much for gun safes, but I do have some nice "lockable" wooden gun cabinets, that look like a piece of furniture. 

We have a kick-butt home alarm system, good insurance, and killer kitties!


----------



## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

berettatoter said:


> I'm not much for gun safes, but I do have some nice "lockable" wooden gun cabinets, that look like a piece of furniture.
> 
> We have a kick-butt home alarm system, good insurance, and killer kitties!


The type of gun safe you own should depend on the number of guns you have or the value of your collection. An alarm system is a must not only if you have guns but anything else of value as well.

If a thief triggers off an alarm system more than likely they're gonna' want to get the hell outta' there as quickly as possible. On average it takes the police about 10 minutes to respond to a call. A thief can steal quite a bit in just 5 minutes and be outta' there before they arrive.

So when choosing a safe when you have an alarm system. For good measure you'll want one that will take at least a half hour or more for your average thief to break into. It should also be bolted to the floor. It's a lot easier to break into a safe or gun cabinet when it's laying on its back. If you have any tools that could be used to break into a safe or cabinet they should be locked away as well.

If you can find one Treadlok made an excellent security chest made of 10 gauge steel, that's 1/10th of an inch. Which is thicker than most of those so called "safes" you see advertised in some of the big box stores. However they're not fire proof, but you can fire proof them yourself with some fire resistant drywall. They can be easily bolted to the floor.

Of course you could always rely on these ferocious beasts.


----------



## dirtygary (Oct 5, 2016)

It's scary watching vids on the internet on how fast a thief can get into gun safes, but safes are better than nothing. Be careful on "who you let know what you have" is probably best protection, (assuming your house is not one on the block that screams "valuables inside!"). 

A safe is a must if you have kids (they will find anything eventually). Plus they are an easy sale for the wife to put her jewelry in and then your important papers (if you do not have a safety deposit box). Get the most you can afford but realize it is not a sure bet someone can't get into it.

A good alarm system that will keep their time in your house short is important.


----------



## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

desertman said:


> The type of gun safe you own should depend on the number of guns you have or the value of your collection. An alarm system is a must not only if you have guns but anything else of value as well.
> 
> If a thief triggers off an alarm system more than likely they're gonna' want to get the hell outta' there as quickly as possible. On average it takes the police about 10 minutes to respond to a call. A thief can steal quite a bit in just 5 minutes and be outta' there before they arrive.
> 
> ...


Looks like a construction jobsite box. 
Double master locks.
Good quality, 
They're so strong we would only lock one side at times


----------



## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

pic said:


> Looks like a construction jobsite box.
> Double master locks.
> Good quality,
> They're so strong we would only lock one side at times


That's basically what it is except the steel is thicker. Job site boxes are typically 16 gauge steel which is 1/16th of an inch thick. I'm pretty sure that Treadlok went out of business.

I started out with one of those until graduating to something bigger and better as my collection increased. I still have it and use it for other items.


----------



## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

dirtygary said:


> *It's scary watching vids on the internet on how fast a thief can get into gun safes, but safes are better than nothing.* Be careful on "who you let know what you have" is probably best protection, (assuming your house is not one on the block that screams "valuables inside!").
> 
> A safe is a must if you have kids (they will find anything eventually). Plus they are an easy sale for the wife to put her jewelry in and then your important papers (if you do not have a safety deposit box). Get the most you can afford but realize it is not a sure bet someone can't get into it.
> 
> *A good alarm system that will keep their time in your house short is important.*


Indeed it is scary seeing how easily some safes can be broken into. But they're not really "safes" in the true sense of the word. They're classified as RSC's (Residential Security Containers) whose bodies are made of sheet metal no thicker than a car's fender. The door's front panels are usually about 1/4 inch or less thick. Some door's are just sheet metal that encloses fire board.

A safe's body is made of plate steel and they're considerably more expensive and a lot harder to break into. Their door's front panels are usually 1/2 inch or more thick. They're also very heavy and in most cases they'll need to be bolted to a concrete floor such as a garage. For obvious reasons it ain't goin' upstairs or on a typical joist floor that's for sure.

If you have an alarm system along with an RSC most thieves are not gonna' wanna' to stick around. It would be in their best interest to try another house. Gun cabinets are pretty much worthless to guard against theft. Maybe to keep small children out but that's about it.

But the main thing to think about is to do at least something to ensure that your guns do not fall into the wrong hands. If you just leave them in a closet, under the bed or in a drawer and they do get stolen and later on used in a crime. You could possibly be held civilly liable by the crime victim and or their family. That being the case then you'll certainly need a lawyer.


----------



## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

desertman said:


> T I still have it and use it for other items.


Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, etc


----------



## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

BackyardCowboy said:


> Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, etc


How the hell did you guess?


----------

