Hey Ben, Mike and Dave - need advice.

[Kevin]

Indeed. I learned a lot. And I had a quick look at the other links and saw a cool one about dropping a safe.

I like the Fort Knox safes a lot. That's a lotta safe. Lotta money, too. But it seems that you get what you pay for.

[Truckman]

No, he's an engineer. In my previous life I worked for engineers. It rubbed off on me. I understand Dave.

To an engineer the glass is neither half full nor half empty...The glass is just twice as big as it needs to be......Ben

[Mike]

Indeed. I learned a lot. And I had a quick look at the other links and saw a cool one about dropping a safe.

I like the Fort Knox safes a lot. That's a lotta safe. Lotta money, too. But it seems that you get what you pay for.

Here is a link to company that shows several ways to attack a safe. Start with video #1 and continue with #2, #3, etc. LINK

[Dave Grubb]

I'm late getting into this cause I was busy--trying to open mine--I figure I should be OK in about another 100 tries

I'm not home and I am not sure what make they are

Mine are in closets so not outwardly visible.

Rust is my biggest concern--but the house is always heated or air conditioned and there have been no problems. I have thought of the heater but have an extreme concern with possible problems of the heater itself causing a problem.

Everything comes out at least once a year and is checked and re-oiled--and that is recorded on a sticker on the sock--everything lives in a sock.

All guns are stored mussel down so any excess oil does not seep down into the wood and also any recoil pads do not take a set.

And now a little story. I didn't go the safe route for many years--I wanted the guns where I could enjoy them and living in the country crime just isn't a big issue.

I bought a large lot of high end guns from a dealer friend of mine and my best friend rode along when I picked them out---and once the truck was loaded he refused to get in the truck until I bought a safe and loaded that as well

[Truckman]

Mine are in closets so not outwardly visible.

Rust is my biggest concern--but the house is always heated or air conditioned and there have been no problems.

Mine too...If the safe is opened often (every few days) there shouldn't be any ventilation issues anyway in a climate controlled house...Is yours bolted to the floor?......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

Mine too...If the safe is opened often (every few days) there shouldn't be any ventilation issues anyway in a climate controlled house...Is yours bolted to the floor?......Ben

No---and I thought about it but for all practical purposes they would need a fork lift to move them when loaded---even empty was a struggle with an appliance truck.

BTW---I thought about desiccants but I am also concerned with getting too dry and shrinking the wood. The house stays right close to 40% year around--and that is right where I want the RH to be to maintain the wood at the proper moisture content.

[Truckman]

No---and I thought about it but for all practical purposes they would need a fork lift to move them when loaded---even empty was a struggle with an appliance truck.

Don't forget that the bad guys aren't concerned with how they leave your house, as long as they leave it with your safe...They know they have limited time and anything that slows them down is in your favor...I heard some horror stories in the biz, including more than once when the baddies took down an exterior wall with a stolen wrecker, then dragged the safe out with the winch...Once it's chained and strapped to the back of the truck, they're gone......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

Don't forget that the bad guys aren't concerned with how they leave your house, as long as they leave it with your safe...They know they have limited time and anything that slows them down is in your favor...I heard some horror stories in the biz, including more than once when the baddies took down an exterior wall with a stolen wrecker, then dragged the safe out with the winch...Once it's chained and strapped to the back of the truck, they're gone......Ben

Well---now that I think about that---I think I will leave them "free floating"---at least I won't get the floor joists yanked out of the house

[Truckman]

Well---now that I think about that---I think I will leave them "free floating"---at least I won't get the floor joists yanked out of the house

Every situation is different...You have to know what you can afford to lose...I like Mike's "safe room" idea......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

Every situation is different...You have to know what you can afford to lose...I like Mike's "safe room" idea......Ben

And I have given serious thought to that as well--but I have two problems in the current house:

1. The basement can flood if the sump pump goes out--that is a serious issue. That means it would have to either be in the garage or the barn--and I don't really like the thought of that.
2. I would only do this with a dedicated split system A/C unit.

[Truckman]

I'm sure I'll think of more later......Ben

Pay attention to fire protection...Every layer of firewall in your safe means the contents will last that much longer until the inside temp reaches combustible levels...It also means additional cost and reduces the interior size, so allow for that in your planning...Firewall also adds considerable weight which makes it that much harder to move (not only for you but for any unauthorized entrants)...

For Mike, and anyone else considering a "safe room" (double meaning there), concrete -filled cinder blocks and reinforced concrete are your firewalls...The walk-in vault at Shooter's Station was built on a six inch slab with cinder block walls...Each tube in the walls had #4 rebar installed before being pumped full of concrete (same on all exterior walls)...The ceiling was a poured slab using a network of #6 rebar...When planning this, do your soil compaction tests carefully...Our building was so heavy we used 76 18" columns with 24" bell bottoms reinforced with rebar under the six inch slab...At least one of the columns (maybe two) is under the vault...Our concrete engineer estimated the building would withstand 250 mph winds with no damage...

Also if some team of burglars was dumb enough to waste time coming in through the steel roof over the vault, we also located the hot water heater and A/C-heat unit above it for additional interference...It might also be a good place to locate the genset (razor wire optional)......Ben

[Truckman]

Additionally, when considering size I've always remembered the advice my first service manager gave me when I went to work as a mechanic...I couldn't make up my mind what size roll-around tool box to buy and he told me to pick the one that will hold all the tools I ever expected to own, and then buy one twice that size...He said it might last me five years...He was right, but I traded up again in four years......Ben