Gun Safe's~ What to look for and Watch out for?

[SonicBlue03]

There are some people making good points/counterpoints on electronic vs. dial. Anyone that tossed out EMP as a legit risk isn't one of those people.

 

[James1300]

The safe I have now, came with the house.
My favorite dealer sells Liberty.
I called a safe and lock place.
They want $150.00 to move and install the new safe.
I've never drilled into concrete.
Is it a big deal, or can a guy with basic skills do this?

 

[cyclesurvival]

I have the Costco special electronic key pad, no problems. if you have a drill then you can mount it to the floor. just buy the right bit for the anchors. drill the hole tap the anchores in and bolt down super easy.

 

[spectra]

Drilling into concrete is no issue if you have the right tools. You can buy a masonry bit at HP or Lowes but not sure how far you will get. If I am going into concrete I would want at least a 1/2 anchor bolt holding it down. Best bet would be to try and find a hammer drill and do it right and easy the first time.

Just throwing it out there if anyone needs help with the concrete drill just shoot me a pm. I have all the drills and bits anyone could want. Plus I have anchors from 3/8s to 1 inch

 

[Mitchell]

Best bet would be to try and find a hammer drill and do it right and easy the first time.

I second that. Harbor freight (I normally avoid buying their tools) has a decent selection of hammer drills at different price points. You could also look into renting one from Lowes or Home Depot.

 

[James1300]

Thanks for the 'Tip's'!
I did'nt know you could rent a 'Hammer Drill' from Lowes.
Should I buy the bit needed from Harbor Freight, or opt for the more expensive bit from Lowes?
Will I need more than one bit?
Like a starter to get the hole going, then increase the size?

 

[gehrheart]

Don't forget, rentals. Look around and you'll find plenty of places you can rent a good hammer drill, be a lot cheaper than buying even a cheap-china-crap-o-matic. I have even seen places you can rent it with a bit. I'd look into that before buying one unless you hink it's something you may use again.
I'd buy one myself but I have a tool problem. I think I have put a few snapy dealers kids through collage.

 

[James1300]

I will look into it! Renting seems the way to go. Ive never needed to drill into concrete in 23 years of owning a house.

 

[chemist]

I bought a 1/2" hammer drill for around $65, and it's got a buttload of torque. I get cheap bits from Harbor Freight and treat them as single-use.

But don't buy a cheap safe, whatever you do:
YouTube - Security on Sale Gun safe Prying video

 

[James1300]

Great Video! Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks for the 'Tip's'!
I did'nt know you could rent a 'Hammer Drill' from Lowes.
Should I buy the bit needed from Harbor Freight, or opt for the more expensive bit from Lowes?
Will I need more than one bit?
Like a starter to get the hole going, then increase the size?

I'm actually not sure Lowes or Home Depot will have that in their tool rental dept but it's worth a call to find out. If they don't have one, I bet United will. I assume they rent bits too (perhaps charging a sharpening fee).

The rental might be expensive though...another option is to buy the drill and re-sell it (or keep it for future needs) after the job is done.

For smaller holes (say up to 3/8") one bit is fine. I'll let experts chime in on larger holes.

I was anxious the first time I drilled into concrete, but with a hammer drill it went much more smoothly than I assumed it would.

 

[James1300]

I'll have to do some checking tomorrow and make some calls.
Thanks for the help and suggestions EVERYONE!

 

[spectra]

Home Depot rents the best hammer drills around Hilti But like I said if you are close to the metro area pm me and I can probably help you out and save you the rental fee

 

[Natty Bumpo]

I would use a RedHead or equivalent anchor bolt. Parkrose Hardware has them as does Fastenal. It is necessary to drill a somewhat precise hole because of the tight fit of the anchor sleeve. The sleeve must be snug in the hole so you get a very tight purchase when you torque down on the nut and expand the sleeve.

So you can't let the drill bounce around too much or let the bit get sloppy in the hole, otherwise the anchor sleeve won't seat tightly enough to hold and it will pull out. Which defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

So while a quality drill (an SDS unit....Bosch, Dewalt, Hilti, Milwaukee) is nice, a quality bit that is sized right for you anchor is an absolute necessity. Do not use the metric sized bits from HF or the bits that come with the HF outfit if you go the HF route. You cannot use a metric bit for an SAE/English sized bolt or you will get a sloppy fit.

Get an ANSI standard bit accurately sized to the diameter of the bolt. Get a new bit if possible. If you end up with screwed up sloppy holes, you will either have to move the safe a bit to find fresh concrete, drill deeper into the same holes and go with longer bolts, or drill some new holes thru the bottom steel of the safe and start all over trying to get it right the second time. So it pays to do it right the first time.

I would recommend four holes sunk at 2.5"-3" deep into the concrete. 5/8" diameter for the bolts is probably enough. 3/4" isnt too much, but it harder and slower to drill. 1/2" would be the very minimum.

I like to have a shop vac going to suck up the concrete dust when drilling in concrete, especially in an enclosed space.

And try not to hit the rebar

If you want some good basic info on what to look for in a safe, go here:

Gun Safe Buyers' Guide

 

[Wenis]

Back to safes.....

...No one has mentioned this yet so I will. Buy a safe that will fit where you want it to go. What I mean is, a 50 cu.ft safe may not make it through any exterior door in your house, let alone around corners, down/up stairs etc. So then you're left with it being stored in the garage.

Everyone says buy one twice what you think, but think a little more beforehand. If you're set on keeping it in your bedroom or basement, measure twice, buy once.

 

[8ball]

I've had keypad failures on cheap safes I bought from Office Depot etc. I've had two AMSEC safes with keypads that have stood the test of time.

I won't buy a gun safe unless it's a totally tactical model though.

 

[HankDiesel]

I looked around for a while for a good safe at a good price...Ended up buying one from mountain view safeco, he has several different sizes in digital or dial...Bigger is better!

 

[James1300]

Thank you for the LINK and suggestions!

 

[rufus]

I defiantly need to upgrade my safe. It's true, buy larger than you think you need.

Been lusting after <broken link removed> (handguns on top, long guns below, in black), will most likely purchase one when the checkbook gives me the green-light. But, I have concerns on the delivery method. Nothing like a large truck with "Gun Safe Company" written all over it to inform the whole neighborhood what's going on. Would prefer a low-profile delivery/installation situation.

Delivery is a good thing, but I'll most likely rent a U-Haul when the time comes. Still figuring out the DIY installation (too heavy to be easy).

 

[jvbutter]

Costco has what looks like a great deal on a safe that expires tomorrow

http://www.northwestfirearms.com/forum/general-firearm-discussion/38748-need-safe.html

just got a call from the shipper, mine will be here tomorrow afternoon... ... anyone having questions about the Costco unit, id be glad to answer.