How to choose a gun safe? Kinds of safes and their difference
Do you need a secure place to keep your documents and valuables? A good option is to purchase a safe. Some people might not consider this a necessary investment, but actually, safes have many advantages. One big advantage is that they can protect your valuables from theft, fire, flood, etc. Today, there are a variety of safes to choose from. All of them have different features, but we can separate them into four main categories:
1. Fire safes
2. Burglary safes
3. Gun safes
4. Jewelry safes
As you can see, it’s possible to find a safe for just about any purpose. In this article, we want to focus on gun safes. We’ll go through the pros and cons of this type of safe and help you decide which gun safe is the best for you.
How To Choose A Gun Safe
Some people do not attach much importance to the place where they keep their guns. However, that is obviously very irresponsible as most of us know. There are many reasons why you might need a gun safe. Any family members who keep a gun in their home need to make sure that they have a gun locker to store it in, keeping it out of the reach of children, family members, or any guests who come over. This type of safe will also protect your gun from thieves. It’s essential because if someone steals your firearm and uses it for any criminal act, you will need to deal with the authorities. Owners can unlock a home gun safe with a key, biometrics, or code. It’s up to you to choose which method you want to use. You can decide on the type and size of your safe, and there are many options to choose from. For example, two of the most popular are:
- Handgun safes are more petite and might hold a couple of handguns. They’re reliable and easy to use.
- Long gun safes can be space-saving, fit in a corner, and can be used to store rifles and shotguns.
Some gun safes can protect a weapon against natural disasters. They can be fireproof and/or waterproof.
It’s important to choose the best location for installing this kind of safe. You can install it on the wall, under a bed, or inside your furniture. Also, you can make it look like a decorative object in a room.
Need more information?
Call us to get a free quote
What should you look for in a gun safe?
If you look through all the available options that are out on the market, you will also find many safes that seem to be nothing more than thin metal boxes. There’s no point in buying this kind of safe because it's not secure enough for a gun. Safes come in various makes and models, and it's easy to get confused trying to choose the best one. Here are a few great tips about how to choose the right safe with the best protection.
Before buying a gun safe, always check the type of lock. The locks should be dial variety or electronic locks. The best safes are supposed to be UL listed – meaning the Underwriters Laboratories have tested them. Check the thickness of safe walls and doors.
Even if you found a safe with a perfect lock – don't be in a rush to buy it. Another extremely important point you should consider is fire rating. We suggest you purchase a minimum 1-hour fire-rated safe. Fire-resistant gun safes with less than a 1-hour fire rating will not provide the proper protection to survive a home fire.
What level of burglary protection has a gun safe?
Burglar proof safe is essential for customers because, as we already discussed, if someone uses your gun for any criminal actions, you’ll have to deal with the consequences. The level of protection depends on the safe rating. It may be a bit confusing at first, so we want to explain to you what all these ratings mean.
- "B" RATE SAFE:
It is safe with a 1/4-inch body and a 1/2-inch door. These safes have a "B" rating because they have a locking device. So, before buying this kind of safe, consider some other safety features.
- RSC (RESIDENTIAL SECURITY CONTAINER):
To get this rating, the safe must sustain five minutes of strict punching, prying, drilling, chiseling, and tampering attacks. Different burglary tools are used to test it.
- "C" RATE SAFE:
To receive this rating, the safe doesn’t need to undergo any tests. It should be a 1/2-inch thick steel box with a 1-inch wide door with a lock. It must be equipped with a fixed plate and a relocking device.
- "ER" RATE SAFE:
The safe receives this rating when it is composed of 1-inch solid steel or equivalent. The safe is tested for 15 minutes with different burglary tools. It is supposed to withstand different kinds of attacks, like punching, drilling, pressure, etc.
- "F" RATED SAFE:
They get 30 minutes and more tools to help them gain entrance.
Need more information?
Call us to get a free quote
What kind of gun safe is the best?
As you can see, finding the best safe is a challenging process. There are a lot of small details which might influence your decision. While searching, always check the information about fire rating and waterproof rate. A good fire gun safe should keep your gun safe from any unpredictable damage. It is essential to know whether your safe was tested or not. To make sure, check the rate of your safe. Ensure that your safe has locks of high quality. If they don’t seem to work properly, you can use safe locksmith services.
Keep all the above info in mind when choosing a gun safe, and that way you can be sure that the safe will be a worthwhile investment.
Summary
So, we can all agree that if you own a gun, it’s essential to protect it and keep it hidden in a safe place. The best way to do that is to purchase a gun safe. However, choosing a safe can be a problem if you don’t have enough resources or time. Then it's a good idea to ask professionals for advice. Sure Lock & Key is ready to help you choose the best safe to suit your needs and provide you with any safe locksmith services at any time.
