Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Advice on gun safe

Scheels is selling a champion safe that is a dial and key lock, dimensions 60" high x 30" wide x 22" deep, that is fire rated for 1500 degrees for 90 minutes, and weighs 575 lbs. All for about $850. Are champion safes good quality, or should i pass on this deal because it sounds too good to be true and look for something better quality.

If so, what are some good quality safes? I realize i should go as big as i can afford.

primary purpose is kid safety, then fire and theft protection

I would recommend going as big as you can afford. Mine started out as a gun safe. Then my lovely wife decided it was a fine place to put various documents and jewelry...

Your numbers sound wrong.

I have an 830 pound gun safe that's good for something like 1250 degrees for about an hour. I also have a commercial class B which is good for 1700 degrees for three hours I think. That thing is much heavier. I have an old Diebold double door fire safe at work I bought used for $700 that's over 6000 lbs (it's also a commercial class B fireproof). If you have a walk out basement or a concrete main flood spend the time looking for a commercial class B. They are ten times the safe and offer much, much better physical and fire protection. They can be found used for less money too.

When I bought my safe I opted not to get one that was fire rated for a couple reasons. Extra expense was one, weight was another. My firearms are insured and, at the time, I had no faith in the local foundation savers to save anything else. I also figured that if the house goes up, the easily replaceable guns would be the least of my worries.

Instead, my choice was to get a 28 gun safe that, when empty, my wife and I could move around with a piano dolly as needed. The primary goal was, and still is, to prevent theft.

The dimensions are correct along with the weight, but I think it's only 12 or 11 gauge steel and the fire rating may be less. I didn't write it down, but I do know it's over 1000 degrees for at least 60 min. (there is no standardized testing for this, so I don't fully trust fire ratings on gun safes anyways). one feature I do like is that you have to use the dial to get it open, but once open, you can use a key to lock and unlock it until you spin the dial again. So if I'm cleaning a gun, I can close the safe and get it back open quickly, so my daughter can't get into it, but then set the dial when I'm done so she can't use the key to get in.

I know that a 600 lb safe can be rolled out and taken, but I plan to position it to make that take as long as possible. I also want to be able to move it my self for right now. I live in a good neighborhood right now that is heavily populated, so I'm only worried about smash and grab type criminals. The other concern why I don't want to go too lite is that I don't want my daughter to be able to tip it over as she grows. I'm in college right now, so I don't have the money to spend on a multi-thousand dollar safe. I could always invest in a better safe once I'm making more money.

I've check all over the internet and just can't seem to find reviews on champion safes.

I may have just answered my own question with this post because of the cost issue.

so where is a good place to look for class b safes anyways? I'm new at this safe research and buying.

I would be calling local Lock & Safe businesses. Ask if they have and used class B fireproofs, or know who might have some. Sooner or later you'll get hooked up with the right people. Be advised though that you won't be putting one in a basement without a walkout. They have to be on concrete slab or they will warp the floor. If you had one on a wooden floor and ever had a fire when it drops into the basement you'll have to cut it open with a torch and that will be a bigger job than you can imagine. My fireproofs are easily ten times the protection of your typical gun safe, and that comes at a much lower price when you buy them used.

I don't want to argue with anyone who can move the big Diebold.

where in MN are you from Miles58? I grew there and lived there most my life.

On Saturday I was at Costco with my wife and I saw a Winchester gun/fire safe for $475. It's 30" wide x 60" high and is supposed to hold 24 guns. It has two double gun racks and only one small shelf. So your gun safe won't get filled up with things other than guns. Best deal I've ever seen.

KC

Well, I contacted a local safe store and he advised me that I should probably get a gun safe because many other safes they get for fire protection have some type of water barrier for paper documents where vapor capsules break to keep from heat exchange which isn't good for rust. Most the used ones they get aren't tall enough for guns and he said most people spend hundreds more trying to fix it up to hold guns better.

So I think I'm going with the Champion safe
60.5" high x 36" wide x 27" deep 31 cubic feet.
firerated @ 1325 for 60 min and 700 lbs
for $1000

I think it's an ok deal, the best I can find around town for this size. (we don't have costco here) I should check sams club though before I purchase.

the problem is that many 'gun' safes can be opened in a few min. from the top by blows with a sledge hammer and pry bar.

check out sturdysafe.com....I dont have one but aI understand they are very good

My 1200 sq ft shop fell in 2009 with 12" of ice load on the roof....

Thank god I spent the $$$$$$ on a good safe.

I just picked one up at Costco tonight. Better then my Stack-On lockable gun case. I will use the Winchester safe to store my firearms and the Stack-On to store ammo,

those sturdy safes look awesome with 7 gauge steel. I just can't afford one at double the price for size right now. I'll have to settle till a few years down the road

I bought a safe from Costco online last week. It is being delivered today. I bought a Bighorn safe and I wish I had known about these safes before. Total time between purchase and delivery is 1 1/2 weeks and they will drop it in my garage. Delivery is part of the price.

I'm going with the next size up. previous post:
"So I think I'm going with the Champion safe
60.5" high x 36" wide x 27" deep 31 cubic feet.
firerated @ 1325 for 60 min and 700 lbs
for $1000"

I did a search on costco for "safe". The only thing they have for similar size and price is a cannon, but I like the champion better as it felt just as sturdy or more so than the cannons I looked at. It's heavier for the same size, has a dial lock instead of electronic, and has hinges on the out side so i can open the door wider. if they had a better priced safe on costco, i'd consider it.