Gun Safes with Key entry? Bear or similar?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

spd67

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Sep 21, 2009
Messages
598
Reaction score
0
Location
Guthrie
His name is Mark, I've known him since I was a little guy. He don't take trade ins. That trade in thing is really not as good as most think because the cost of steel goes up a lot over time. So the same safe someone bought 10 years ago cost a lot more now. So its better to sale it to someone and get more than your investment in most cases. AV is a much better product. The fire liner in an AV is far superior than bear. Let me know what model you have and I will tell you how much you can expect to get for it on here or C-list, I have inside knowledge about them.

Thats funny because when I did my research on both safe company's and visited their production plants...the Bear's fire lining blew the ArmourVault out of the water....
 

Lithiumokc

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
935
Reaction score
14
Location
Oklahoma city
Thats funny because when I did my research on both safe company's and visited their production plants...the Bear's fire lining blew the ArmourVault out of the water....

To each his own i guess, but its kind of a no brainer IMHO. Bear has 2 3/4inch fire roc "per website" placed directly to the outer wall of the safe. Seems like the fire roc would start getting hotter quicker when you think about it. The AV uses 2 5/8inch placed against steel spacers then to the safe wall with another sheet of steel placed between the Fire roc and the interior. Now im no expert on heat transfer but it seems like having that air space between the fire roc and wall would buy some valuable time before the fire rock starts absorbing the heat.

But like i said, no expert here so you may interpret that little gem of information differently than I. If anyone on here has any other input I would like to hear your thoughts.

I should prolly include that i dont have either safe as they are both pretty far out of my price range.
 

EFsDad

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
2,808
Reaction score
6
Location
Tulsa
To each his own i guess, but its kind of a no brainer IMHO. Bear has 2 3/4inch fire roc "per website" placed directly to the outer wall of the safe. Seems like the fire roc would start getting hotter quicker when you think about it. The AV uses 2 5/8inch placed against steel spacers then to the safe wall with another sheet of steel placed between the Fire roc and the interior. Now im no expert on heat transfer but it seems like having that air space between the fire roc and wall would buy some valuable time before the fire rock starts absorbing the heat.

But like i said, no expert here so you may interpret that little gem of information differently than I. If anyone on here has any other input I would like to hear your thoughts.

I should prolly include that i dont have either safe as they are both pretty far out of my price range.

I am no engineer and I have not played one on TV, but 2 x 3/4" = 1 1/2" and 2 x 5/8" = 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" > 1 1/4".
The airspace only matters if it is sealed, which it does not say if it is.

Bear safes started in 1980, Armor Vault was later.
 

Lithiumokc

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
935
Reaction score
14
Location
Oklahoma city
I am no engineer and I have not played one on TV, but 2 x 3/4" = 1 1/2" and 2 x 5/8" = 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" > 1 1/4".
The airspace only matters if it is sealed, which it does not say if it is.

Bear safes started in 1980, Armor Vault was later.

They are sealed, and SouthWest Enginerring, the company that makes "Armor Vault" has been around since 1967.

The bottom line is if one is looking to buy either, they are both right here in okc so go onsite and check them both out. Go with whatever one you like best. They are both top notch products. I will be selling my patriot at some point to get one. But me being me will likely be getting mine second hand from someone upgrading to a larger one.
 

Werewolf

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Oct 1, 2005
Messages
3,471
Reaction score
7
Location
OKC
I am looking for a gun safe that uses key entry. I do not like the combos or electronic locks.

Is Bear the only safe that has this in the Oklahoma area? If so, do they ever run any sales?
Thanks

Armor Vault on SE 29th makes key entry gun safes. I've had one for the last 5 years.

Rated at 1400 degrees for an hour. 750#, holds 18 long guns (just barely) and a door full of handguns on door mounted hooks and there's two shelves to put stuff on above the long guns.

Go there, look around. Ask for Harold.
 

_CY_

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
May 11, 2009
Messages
33,848
Reaction score
6,621
Location
tulsa
both are good! can't go wrong with either one.
from what I can tell, both companies use basically the same design.

not privy to how two companies in both in OKC, selling basically the same product.
I've got Bear.. have not seen an Armour vault except in pictures.

fire ratings by Bear anyways are only estimates, not UL fire rated. which takes mucho $$$ to test. according to Bear their low volume doesn't justify UL testing costs. but their construction speaks for itself.

could be wrong, don't think Amour vault has a UL fire rating either.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom