Gun safes

[Lost]

I'm looking to buy locally and would prefer an Okla company.
Bear or Armor Vault?
They appear very similar and I'm sure either would work for me.
I sort of wish they used combo locks. I would rather remember a combination than where I put the key.
Any input would be appreciated.

 

[chevy4wd]

Yeah I was in your position several years ago. Searched for local manufactures. They just didn't make what I wanted. ended up with a liberty though. Just wasn't impressed enough and I wanted to put it in the house so I liked the gloss finish. Just get one at least one size bigger than you think you will need or as big as one that will fit where you want it.


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[Calamity Jake]

I have three(3) Armor Volts, all alike on the outside and like them a lot.
There double keyed(2 locks each) once you get used to using the keys there easy to open.

 

[djcorrell]

Look at the features and price. The local guys build a box that has a lot more steel in it than the others. Seriously, compare the gauges. If you have to have a combo, fine. But the key works faster.

 

[mightymouse]

Do some research--most so-called gun "safes" are labelled, by the manufacturer, as "Residential Security Containers". There is a big price difference between a RSC and a true gun safe.

 

[JKinds]

We have had a Bear for about 15yrs.

Pros:
Heavy as @#$%
1/4" steel body and door
Key locks which are sunk into the door
Excellent fire rating

Cons:
The door on our's doesn't close perfectly due to a bad weld in the upper-right corner of the door trim which should have been ground down but wasn't.

I was more concerned with fire rating as I live in the country and the response time for a fire would be much longer than in town, which is why I went with the Bear.

Good luck, both are quality safes and a wise investment!

 

[XDnut]

I have run myself crazy looking at safes within the past 4 months. I have learned this. Do you want a safe you can open no matter what, has a great fire rating, and the only way to get into it is by a torch...... Armor Vault/Bear is the way to go. A tumbler and/or electronic gets smashed or just break, you are not getting in easily. Someone breaks in and tampers with it, sets off the permanent locking mechanism, have fun. Someone who really wants to get into a safe without a torch, has a great chance of bending the arms in the door connected to the bolts and prying the safe open in most safes.

So all in all, Armor Vault or Bear is the way to go IMO.

 

[KOPBET]

Do some research--most so-called gun "safes" are labelled, by the manufacturer, as "Residential Security Containers". There is a big price difference between a RSC and a true gun safe.

RSC is a U.L. rating and doesn't mean anything more than the safe passed a 5 minute break-in test by U.L. and not construction methods. If a manufacturer built an equivalent TL-30 safe and had it tested to RSC standards, that is the rating it would get. There are very few gun safes that are rated higher than RSC but that doesn't mean they are cheap. Take AMSEC for example. Only the top-end safe is TL-30, the rest of their gun safe line is RSC rated. I guarantee you they aren't cheap.

 

[120 Acres]

Bigger is better.

 

[carleb]

Anyone that has multiple firearms needs a safe! I pushed my luck the first time and sure enough thieves got some of them. One of the best purchases you'll ever make. And yes, bigger is better!

My post is more for anyone that is on the fence about getting one.