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Gun safes have been around for a very, very long time. They also have gone through many different styles and types. That said, after all this time, are gun safes safe? The overwhelming answer to this is, yes, yes they are safe.
Asking this question though does bring up some good inquiries. Could a gun safe not be safe? And why? See below for some reasons to think about when buying a gun safe that you should probably think about before purchasing. Also, some great ways to overcome the issues!
After reading through this article, check out this article about good things to watch out for when buying a gun safe.
1. Your valuables are all in one place
While gun safes tout strength, fire rating, and security of the locking mechanism. It also gives a false sense that your valuables will be completely protected. However, if you think about it, all of your valuables are now in one place, if a criminal is able to access, will then quickly be able to steal all of your items.
This issue is especially evident when a safe is displayed in the open, or near power tools like cutting torches or saws that will allow for quick access to the safe.
How to overcome this?
- Purchase multiple gun safes or high security cabinets. SecureIt Tactical likes to call this decentralization.
- Invest in a high quality large safe, the more you spend on a safe, the more time you are buying to defeat that criminal (every safe can be broken into, you are just buying time).
- Hide your safe, if you have only one safe, please hide your safe. I really only recommend keeping your safe in your living room if you are keeping things in it that are replaceable, and not dangerous if they are stolen.
2. Gun safes can fall over
An issue with normal full size gun safes, is that they are heavy. They also very top heavy. Because of this, if an empty safe has its door open all the way it can fall over forward.
How to fix this?
- Make sure to always bolt your safe to the ground. Not only does this keep the safe from being carried away, it also will keep it from falling over.
- Always teach children how to be safe around your… safe. Teach them what to do if they find the safe open. Don’t teach them how to open it until you are confident in their ability to be safe with what is contained inside.
3. Many people know the code to open your safe
One of the downsides of owning a gun safe is that everyone in your household or even friends that know you have a safe, will want to keep things in it (kinda like owning a pickup). This can cause issues when you own valuables that you don’t want these people to see, or have access to.
How to keep these valuables away from prying eyes?
- Purchase a concealed access box. Fort Knox creates a great box called the CAB. You can also use any pistol box, or even an secondary fire rated burglary box. Once these are put into the safe, it gives a second level of security.
Conclusion
While gun safes are very safe, and I recommend one to anyone with significant valuables or guns. These are definitely things that should be thought about when you already own a safe, or are thinking about buying one.
