| Gun safes are like garages, it does not matter how | | | | minutes of exposure the maximum recorded internal |
| big you get them, you always find yourself wanting | | | | temperature was 325 degrees. No safe is truly fire |
| more space. That's because the main reasons for | | | | proof, if exposed to fire temperatures for long |
| owning a gun safe, theft protection and fire | | | | enough the internal temperature of the safe will rise |
| protection, apply to many other things in your home. | | | | to equal the external temperature and any |
| The secure nature of a gun safe make them perfect | | | | combustible valuables will be lost. However the nature |
| for jewelry, documents, coin collections, and other | | | | of a house fire is to rise in temperature drastically |
| storable valuables. The fire resistance of a Gun Safe | | | | and then fall off fairly quickly as nearby combustible |
| make them perfect for storing family photos or | | | | material is consumed. Every fire pattern is different |
| heirlooms. When safe shopping think ahead to other | | | | and there are never any guarantees but a safe with |
| things in your house that you or another family | | | | a better rating could well preserve its contents that |
| member may want to protect. | | | | would have been lost with a lesser safe. |
| Most gun safes list their capacity by the number of | | | | There are two types of finishes found on gun safes. |
| guns they can hold. This number may be a variable | | | | A textured paint finish or a glossy "car paint" type |
| based on the different interior options of the safe or | | | | finish. The textured finishes are sprayed on in a single |
| a single number which usually is the most from all | | | | layer while it may take twenty or more layers of |
| interior options. This number may be true if all your | | | | paint to achieve the smooth glossy "car paint" finish. |
| guns are slim such as shotguns or scopeless lever | | | | The extra labor involved in building a glossy safe |
| actions. Often times one scoped bolt action rifle will | | | | increases their cost at retail by up to several hundred |
| use the space the manufacturer allowed for two | | | | dollars for a same sized safe. |
| guns in the safe. (unless you are willing to jam guns | | | | Glossy finishes are most often selected for safes |
| together like a jigsaw puzzle) This is true for all gun | | | | that will be on display in rooms such as living rooms |
| safe makers so we suggest taking the | | | | or offices. They show dust and fingerprints very |
| manufacturers capacity and reducing it by a quarter | | | | quickly so you will have to clean them regularly if you |
| to a third to get a "real world" capacity of a safe. | | | | want them to look their best. Textured finish safes |
| Often two safes of the same size and appearance | | | | take much less care to look attractive. |
| will carry vastly different prices. The first reason for | | | | If your safe will be in an unheated room or garage, |
| this difference is the amount of steel in the safe. | | | | or in an area of high humidity it is recommended that |
| Safes manufactured from thin steel and composites | | | | you install a dri-rod or use desiccant packs in your |
| (two layers of thin steel sandwiching a fire resistant | | | | safe. The dri-rod is a small heater that installs on the |
| board) may appear solid and carry just a good fire | | | | inside of the safe. It provides a small amount of heat |
| rating as safes made from heavy gauge or plate | | | | to the interior of the safe to keep rust and mildew |
| steel. They will not, however, be as secure as their | | | | off your guns and valuables. It is powered by |
| heavier counterparts and may be vulnerable to being | | | | electricity, a small hole is drilled in the safe near its |
| "axed" open. | | | | bottom, (pre-drilled by manufacturer on most safes) |
| Pay attention to the listed weight of the safes you | | | | just big enough for the electrical cord to pass |
| are examining. Weight can't be faked, plate steel | | | | through. Desiccant packs are large packs of silica gel |
| safes will be far heavier then composite ones. You | | | | that absorb moisture from the air. Over time they |
| can also rap on the door with your knuckles, a | | | | lose their effectiveness and will need to be replaced |
| composite door will have a "hollow" ring. Quality safes | | | | or dried in a oven. |
| will also carry a UL listed label. To be listed the safe | | | | A big part of protecting your valuables from rust and |
| will have passed the Underwriters Laboratories test | | | | mildew is to keep moisture from entering the safe in |
| which consists of giving common burglary tools such | | | | the first place. Firearms wet from use in the field |
| as crowbars and drills to experienced safecrackers | | | | should be dried thoroughly before returning them to |
| and giving them thirty minutes to enter the safe. If | | | | your safe. Anything else stored in the safe should |
| they enter the safe in that time period the safe fails. | | | | also be dry before storage. If your safe is in an area |
| The second reason similar looking safes may vary | | | | that may be subject to flood or seepage install it |
| greatly in price is fire rating. More expensive safes | | | | raised off the floor high enough to be above any |
| usually carry better fire ratings. The fire rating is | | | | entering moisture. |
| most often found on a label on the inside edge of | | | | Think carefully about your current and future needs |
| the door. The rating will list two temperatures and a | | | | when making your purchase. A gun or home safe is |
| time. For example 1200 degrees, 30 minutes, 325 | | | | not an inexpensive investment, and once purchased it |
| degrees. In this example the temperature the safe | | | | is likely to be with you for a long time. |
| was exposed to was 1200 degrees and after 30 | | | | |