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4th Point Mentioned an RSC. For those not familiar with the term, it stands for residential security container. I’m sure that most of the “safe“ that we purchase fall under that heading. A true safe, and I am guessing here, would probably start at $8000.

As for getting into a RCS, most dedicated thieves will use a metal cutting soul and cut around the door, thereby bypassing The locking lugs. It would only take about five or 10 minutes.

Buy bigger than you think you need.

Liberty, and Browning are good suggestions.

Avoid the temptation to buy a Sheetrock lined can at F&S, Cabelas, BJs or Costco. Go see a local safe dealer.

When you’re shocked at how much the damn thing costs, and how much it is to get it delivered, you’re starting to talk gun safes 🤪.

As always, YMMV. -Tom T

I have a 25 year frontier safe(no longer in business) and a 10 year old champion safe both have served me well..

Give safe purchase some critical thought.
Don't go all macho, how thick, how heavy, brag, brag, brag.


Dumb, lazy, thieves are most likely what you will face unless
you have something to attack high level, targeted burglars.

Where will this thing be?
People around, or a remote rural home?


Most burglaries are wham-bam-thank you-ma'am affairs.
Break in, grab what you can get in a couple minutes and leave.
A sheet steel cabinet with a good solid latch, bolted to the structure,
will suffice.
They aren't going to give it the time, noise, commotion, required
to break in.

If you get a smart, prepared theif, and he is in a situation
Where he has time and can make noise?

He won't even try that door. Despite what manufacturers want
YOU to think with thickness brags and talk of bolts.

He will asttack the sides or top.
Look at just how thin they are, even on "good" safes.
Cordless grinder and a decent pry bar,
He will grind a pointy hole, cut a hole inside the cut metal, insert the bar,
And peel that bjtch like a sardine can. He isn't worried about a pretty
hole. All he needs is to be able to pull the contents out.
Scratches on guns are ok. He is getting them free.

Local guy who sold piles of safes told me he only ever heard of one
of his being broken into. Owner was a building contractor, on vacation.
The home was a remote farm house.
The burglee found his concrete saw, and used it to cut the side out of the
safe.

Not advising buying junk here.
Just trying to place some perspective, and have you
look at options with some perspective.

The biggest practice drawback to the box store safes (for most) is
the lock. The ones I have looked at lately have seemed really
cheap and flimsy. Probably reasonably secure. But will probably
Not hold up over time.

Liberty safes have the best warranty by far.

Safes work for smash and grab types, but not generally not for someone who knows what they are after and have time to cut into them reguardless of how much money you spend on them, so get a good one that they have to cut into, and stop there.

Having one that is big enough they can’t move it and put it in a tight space helps, but if they have a weekend to screw with it... nope.
Don’t leave power grinders laying around by the safe .. or tool areas.
...

Somethings should be common sense.

If I were looking for a safe, I would get busy finding one. Steel prices are going thru the roof and that will effect prices at some point in the very near future.

You tube has 100s of videos on gun safes, what to look for, what to stay away from. Probably the best info on testing as well.

Get one with ball bearing hard plate and a dial

Can you give me a link to a "real" safe?

Are all of those videos right on the money?

Yep. I agree. I am considering placing 2, side by side, and then building around them to limit access to sides and tops. Again, just slow down an experienced thief.

All this talk has me realizing I really need to get an inventory because I don't have a clue right now.

Sturdy Safe. And you can add more steel if you want.

sturdy safe

Real safes start at the TL-15 rating and include Tl-30, TL-30x6 ratings and beyond. There's only a few companies that make real safes that also make and sell gun safes, AMSEC being one that comes to mind. Brown Safe too.

To confuse matters there is also now a RSC II rating that is close to the TL-15 rating but the test time only last 10 minutes rather than 15.


American Security RF Safes

Oh golly. Ya know, I think I'll stick with fake safes and a good insurance policy.

Whatever you buy gut the shelves that the long guns rest against and use these.

https://www.storemoreguns.com/gun-safe-accessories/long-gun-storage/

With the kind of battery operated tools and abrasives that are out there now, experienced thieves will get into a RSC rated gun safe pretty quickly. The gun safe is protecting you against kids, smash and grab thieves and to a certain extent fire. Bolt your safe to the floor, keep it hidden if possible and get gun insurance.

Couple of points

Buy one now as steel prices have or will go out of site shortly. $$

Get a big enough safe. Once you think you know the size you need, get the next size larger .

Do not worry to much on the ruggedness of door. Most thieves now cut through the side of the safe with a metal cutting saw which is the weakest part of the safe. It is much easier and quicker. Safe vendors really push how rugged their doors are while the walls are usually made out of 1/2", 1/4" or thinner plate.

Do not worry to much on the fire proofing of your safe if it going to be down in your basement. If your house catches on fire it is more apt to be on an upper floor. When the fire men come to put the fire out they will hit the house with water on the upper floor and the water will just poor down in the basement .

Get a dehumidifier even if you live in a dry area. Cheap and well worth it.

Have professional movers, move it in for you. Save your back and they have the tools to do it correctly, safely and to save your back.

Think twice about getting an electronic dial for the safe door. Manual are more reliable.

Gaffunder and AMSEC are relatively available brands, and list their ratings. Last time I looked, Gaffunder had more details on specs. But you could do your own search and probably come to similar findings.

Nothing wrong with that approach. Especially if the decision is made before purchase.

I have a Fort Knox with the dial and think that's the perfect primary safe. I also have a smaller one with an electronic keypad for a few quick access guns and other items. To me, that's a winning combo....