Gun Safes: What You Need to Know About Storing Firearms

DO I REALLY NEED A GUN SAFE?

Properly storing your weapons should be high on your priority list of responsible gun ownership. Gun safes keep you, your family, your home, and your possessions on lockdown and can be customized to fit your changing needs.

Even if you live alone, don’t leave firearms unsecured. No matter how well you think you’ve hidden your guns, you can’t be home all the time to keep an eye on them. A gun safe keeps your firearms and other possessions secure in the event of a burglary, house fire, or natural disaster.

Here’s our top 4 reasons to buy a gun safe:

GUN SAFE CRITERIA

1 – Keep firearms out of the reach of children

2 – Reduce the risk of someone stealing your guns in the event of a break-in

3 – Keep guns in prime condition by minimizing moisture and exposure to substances that cause damage

4 – Protect firearms as well as other valuables like jewelry, family heirlooms, essential documents and personal records

Bottom line, a gun safe is a great investment in both security and peace of mind. Whatever your reasons for buying one, there are many manufacturers that produce varying levels of quality, and it’s best to consider your current arsenal as well as future purchases before deciding on size and configuration.

SIZE & CONFIGURATION

Yes, size matters. Big, bulky, heavy safes will be impossible for thieves to move. On the other hand, some gun owners prefer smaller safes for their handguns that can easily be hidden.  And then there are those gun owners who like massive locker safes for lofty shotguns, long guns and the like.

Multifunctional safes that can hold firearms as well as other valuables are worth the extra money. Many first time gun owners make the mistake of purchasing a safe just big enough to hold what they currently own. Once you buy a gun safe, you’ll want to add other important items for security that can take up more space than expected. You may also want to buy more firearms in the future, and the smaller safes will run out of room fast. Hint – GO BIG OR GO HOME.

Keep the future in mind. While you may only own a couple guns now, you may decide to purchase a rifle or shotgun later.

Try to find a safe big enough to hold all of your guns and other items you plan to store in the safe, and then throw caution to the wind and buy one that’s even larger!  This ensures you that you’ll have enough room to store what you already own with some wiggle room for future add-ons.

Oh, and some safes have really cool locking shelves, drawers and firearm racks –  ideal for storing ammo plus small personal valuables.

SECURITY FEATURES

Once you know the size and configuration, you can start narrowing down your options based on security features. Some homes and businesses are more vulnerable to fires than others (i.e. homes in California vs. Florida). Check the safe’s fire resistance rating. Good safe manufacturers pay for third parties to perform lab-controlled tests on their products to assign fire resistance ratings. As a general rule of thumb, a safe that can survive for an hour or more at 1300 degrees Fahrenheit has respectable fire resistance.

You should also consider what type of locking mechanisms you want. Some safes feature fingerprint scanners and other biometric security features. Some gun owners prefer old-school mechanical locks. Safes with digital security features are generally more expensive than traditional mechanical locking safes.

DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION

It’s also important to consider where you plan to keep the safe. You may think your walk-in closet would be perfect, but how will you get it inside if the door is too narrow? What if you need to bolt it to the floor? There are many things to consider when it comes to installing a gun safe.

Last but not least — safes are heavy and difficult to move, so paying a little extra to have the seller handle delivery and installation is worth it. Of course, the downside is that you’re giving away where you plan to situate your safe.  All good things to keep in mind, but worth the time to figure out when buying a gun safe!