From small-time custom welders to the mass-producing giants, there are hordes of different gun safe manufacturers, all of whom would just love for you to purchase one of their products. After all, gun safes are rather pricey investments with plenty of room for margin, and even more space for shoddy craftsmanship. It’s important that you know what to look for when purchasing a new unit, not only to protect the value of your bank account, but the value of your material possessions (firearms included) as well.
First of all, the next time you find yourself at a sporting goods store, a Sam’s club, or an online shop looking for a safe, make sure that the product you’re looking at is indeed a safe. Gun cabinets and gun safes are two totally different things. A lot of people don’t realize this, and simply think they’re getting a good deal on the product marked ‘cabinet’. The level of quality and protection between the two classification of firearms storage are night and day. A well-made safe is built to protect against fires, floods, and bad guys. Cabinets are made to keep out children, and unmotivated crooks at best.
You’ll want to be sure that your safe meets the standards of UL (Underwriters Laboratories) RSC (Residential Security Container) at the minimum. Units with the RSC rating on them have been thoroughly tested and proven to have held up against five minutes of a professional safe cracker’s attempt to get into the safe using a pry bar, hammer, and a high speed drill. Anything less, and you’re better off going with a cabinet.
You’ll also want to make sure that your safe has at least some level of fire resistance, as chances are, you’ll encounter a fire in your home before a break in attempt on the safe (comforting thought, I know). Evaluating fire protection can be a bit tricky, as there doesn’t exist a universal measurement of quality. Look for safes tested by third party companies like UL and ETL to find markings you can depend on. There are of course, several gun safe manufacturers who lack the fire rating endorsement from either of the two aforementioned companies, and still make quality products.
Check to make sure the safe has a fire seal around the perimeter of the door (a material called Palusol, for instance). Also inspect the weld of the unit. A continuous weld, opposed to a stitch weld, generally reflects a sound constitution. Lastly, consider the thickness of the steel. Many safes are initially destroyed by the fire itself, but the weight of the building falling through and crushing the top of it. A model with a minimum of 750 lbs and 7 gauge steel is ideal for both fire protection and security.
There are plenty of safe manufacturers on the market producing quality products. Take your time, do your homework, and you’ll find one to suit your security needs. For more information on the subject, be sure to head over to GunSafeHaven.com for some good reading.
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