safe vs. gun cabinate

1
Right now, the state of Ohio requires nothing in terms of storage. But, I'm thinking just keeping then in the upstairs room is insufficient. I'll tell you all we have a decent collection and no children. We are mostly concerned with preventing unauthorized access rather than fire protection or whatever.

So, is there any compelling reason to get a gun safe rather than locking gun cabinets? The cabinets are lighter, use less room, and are less expensive. I'm going to use cabinets for ammunition regardless, so this is just about gun storage. Plus, my wife likes the fact that they do not advertise "guns here" so much. Safes are harder to open by force.
Yet she persisted.

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

2
Yeah I have only one rifle but we got something a lot like this

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/stack-o ... 12311938-1

I mean if someone broke into my house I'm sure they wouldn't have a problem removing it and taking the gun later, it's not exactly flimsy but it aint exactly a "safe" either.

Mostly just going to prevent kids or adults who we have over from getting into something they shouldn't be. This cabinet though, does kinda scream "hey look, gun"

I mean WTH else would we have something tall and skinny to store?

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

7
The main reason for a safe over a cabinet is you have a fear someone is either going to crack open your cabinet or you don't have it weighted/bolted down to prevent theft. Fires generally last longer than a safe can last, and you have to put some sort of desiccant in either one to keep it dry. If you're trying to keep kids/family out of it, a cabinet is fine. Just as always be careful with your keys.

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

8
BillMcD wrote: Wed Mar 28, 2018 10:54 pm The main reason for a safe over a cabinet is you have a fear someone is either going to crack open your cabinet or you don't have it weighted/bolted down to prevent theft. Fires generally last longer than a safe can last, and you have to put some sort of desiccant in either one to keep it dry. If you're trying to keep kids/family out of it, a cabinet is fine. Just as always be careful with your keys.
I will definitely make sure it is bolted down. Yes, I figured I'd need a way to keep it dry. My main worry is burglary. I don't advertise gun ownership, so would a cabinet protect against a burglar of opportunity? Would safe protect against a determined gun thief?
Yet she persisted.

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

9
I'd go with a safe over a cabinet if you can swing it financially. It offers more security if bolted down, even if bolted to the wall studs. What you don't want is someone able to knock it on its back as they then have all the leverage they need to open it with a bar. A cabinet can be defeated with a small crowbar pretty quickly but is better than nothing and will keep casual kids out of it which is important. You can get less expensive safes without the fire rating or on the used market if you have time. Often, a localish safe builder can build you something more secure than the commercial offerings for a little less money.

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

10
Back in my Old Gig, I was the primary officer on a couple dozen home burglaries, and heard of dozens more. I never once saw any kind of locked container being forced open, or carted off to be opened later. Every single firearm I saw stolen was unsecured in a closet or sock drawer or something similar.

I'm sure you kind find cases where a locked container was forced open or carted off, but I'd be pretty confident it's the exception and not the rule.

I have a modest number of quality firearms that are easily replaceable, and have no sentimental value. If they burn up in a fire, that's what insurance checks are for. I have them in a locked Stack On metal cabinet and two Stack on electronic pistol safes that are bolted to the walls.

My biggest concern is making sure my three year old doesn't get into them.

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

11
Inexpensive gun safes and locking cabinets keep honest people honest, and they keep kids away from guns. These are good. Of course they can be defeated by a dishonest person. Lock your house when you're not there.

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

12
Yeah our cabinet is just to keep honest people honest for sure.

I mean it's obviously a gun cabinet, if someone broke into my house they are just going to take the dang thing with them.

Hell even if it was bolted there are enough tools in my garage to undo that problem in 5 minutes, so... pretty much everything you need to do the job right ;)

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

13
DougMasters wrote: Thu Mar 29, 2018 9:49 am Yeah our cabinet is just to keep honest people honest for sure.

I mean it's obviously a gun cabinet, if someone broke into my house they are just going to take the dang thing with them.

Hell even if it was bolted there are enough tools in my garage to undo that problem in 5 minutes, so... pretty much everything you need to do the job right ;)
Your best solution is a whole house security setup rather than just a safe. Also, when it comes to people using their own tools against them, it generally doesn't happen because crooks don't want to search your tools to find a way into your locked stuff because they need to be in and out before the cops get there. A good security setup will decrease police response time when you aren't home, protect everything including your guns, and increase the likelihood of recovery of stolen items. If you rent and can't install a security system, I would still suggest double-checking your locks, not advertising your property, and basically make your home not worth the time. Let them go to someone else's who doesn't value security.

Criminals don't just pick a house at random. They look for empty houses with weak security and homes that advertise they have stuff worth stealing. Please never put any 2A items outside as that is just a "I have guns so come rob me when I'm not home" sign. Double check your locks to make sure they work and are engaged. Never tell the general public ala social media that you aren't going to be home. Your local police may have someone who does security home inspections for free so you should take advantage of that (mine does anyways.)

While nothing stops a determined criminals, determined criminals have to have enough reason to believe either you have a lot of stuff worth stealing, or be after you/your family personally. Both of those are on you to prevent.

This has been a public service announcement from an unemployed commissioned security guard :rolleyes:

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

15
I also have the garage full of tools issue. I installed a wireless alarm system that is monitored. You can do that even in a rental, it's not hard to add a motion detector or two and monitoring can be had for as little as $20-$30/month if you shop around. I figure, the blaring alarm will let a burglar know he's got minutes, not hours, before the police show up to locate the blades to my saws or the crowbars and then get the safe opened. Probably not worth his/her time. Being in California, my guns are mostly not replaceable, since they are either off roster or grandfathered rifles now illegal to purchase. Another great way California fucks its gun owners.

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

16
I have something more than most gun cabinets, but less than most safes. It's bolted down and inside another locked container that doesn't look like a gun safe. I would like a good safe and browse craigslist from time to time. Since I only own revolvers and takedown rifles, a 25" safe would do me just fine...if I can find one.
Image


"Person, woman, man, camera, TV."

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

18
Deep13 wrote: Thu Mar 29, 2018 5:15 pm Can a determined gun thief get into an actual safe?
And yeah, I have no gun stickers on my car and nothing indicating guns inside. My immediate neighbors probably know, of course.
My biggest concern is to avoid supplying criminals with firearms.
Given the right combinations of time, expertise, tools and explosives, yes.

The vast majority of residential burglaries are committed during the daytime while everyone is at home/school. They make entry through an unobserved entrance, grab whatever they can quickly and are out. They are usually committed by kids and low level dopers.

Commercial burglaries by professional crews are another matter. Those guys have the ability to either remove safe and take it somewhere else and open it, or open it on site. The frequencies of those are orders of magnitudes lower.

Thank you for not having gun stickers on your car. Back when I still got paid to deal with such things, we had a crew that would cruise transit park n'rides looking for "Insured by Smith and Wesson," and NRA bumper stickers to target cars.

The real value to an actual fireproof safe would be if you have guns with a bunch of heirloom value, or really expensive collectible guns. There are crews who specialize in knocking off private collections of coins and such, but I've never heard of a hit on a private gun collector, I think because the market for truly expensive collectible guns is pretty small and the take might be hard to get rid off. So a collection of 1873 Colt SAA's would be really difficult to move, but if you can snatch a Sig out from under the front seat of a car with a Molol Labe sticker, you can move that in a matter of hours for cash or dope.

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

19
Drawing from the eternal wisdom of Monty Python, there is value in not being seen. From a personal perspective note, as a kid one of my friends was robbed by another neighbor who knew they had guns which were only in a cabinet. So, what is your objective? Do you want to just deter visitors or do you want to protect from thieves? If from thieves, what sophistication of thief? One could always supplement with an alarm system that could detect improper activity - e.g. persistent vibration detection on the safe.

Re: safe vs. gun cabinate

20
A good gun safe makes a great place to keep your guns, and other important stuff as well. I picked up a nice Liberty safe off of Craigslist for $350.00. Having my guns and important documents secured and protected from casual thieves as well as some degree of fire protection feels much more reassuring than having then in a cabinet or hidden around the house.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests