Safe recommendations ??

[pen25]

On a safe with an electronic lock or a dial safe a burglar only has to take a hammer to the dial or lock and you're screwed until you can get a locksmith out to open it. How is a burglar going to attack the locking system on a Bear Safe or ArmorVault???? That's where they offer superior protection.

depending on safe manuf and line bought. any safe including the bear with its 10ga body a sawzall will cut through that in a heart beat. and with todays li-ion saw's and a metal blade would be in even quicker. all safes can be defeated. the key is making it hidden and hard to access the sides top bottom

 

[yukonjack]

I still have my guns, right? It would be an inconvenience if my lock was damaged, but at least I wouldn't have to pay to have it repaired. I don't I think I've ever seen a gun safe being defeated from the locking system anyway. They are usually cut through on site or hauled off to be defeated elsewhere. But I've always considered lock type more of a personal preference. I did not want a key lock. That did weigh heavily. After I researched the safes more, had I have wanted a key lock, I still would have bought a different brand.

Comparing my safe to the biggest Bear made (as I did when I made my decision), mine is larger, has a nicer fit and finish (both exterior and interior), has thicker steel plate on the body, door plate twice as thick, a better warranty and cost less. I didn't really buy into Bear's fire ratings because they are pretty much the only major brand that doesn't test... anything. Bear might as well have a fire rating of "surface of the sun for all eternity". It's their story, they can make it as big as they want.

Bear just seems like a great safe of the 70s & 80s that never evolved.

The bears I've been watching in the wild since the 70's and 80's haven't evolved much either during that time. Bear & ArmorVault make a superior product. I'm more worried about function that refinements. Pretty decorations aren't going to keep someone from breaking into it. Any safe needs to be anchored to the floor to defeat most burglars. If you worried about them hauling it off you best also have an alarm system installed. The average saggy jeans rap music listening burglar isn't gonna have the tools or ability to drag a 600 pound safe down the street while making a getaway on his bicycle.

 

[yukonjack]

depending on safe manuf and line bought. any safe including the bear with its 10ga body a sawzall will cut through that in a heart beat. and with todays li-ion saw's and a metal blade would be in even quicker. all safes can be defeated. the key is making it hidden and hard to access the sides top bottom

How many burglars show up with a sawzall? Even if they did you're alarm system should be going off like crazy alerting every neighbor around and calling the cops. Think in terms of realities not fantasies.

 

[CHenry]

The average saggy jeans rap music listening burglar isn't gonna have the tools or ability to drag a 600 pound safe down the street while making a getaway on his bicycle.

This brings to mind a guy I knew from work. His place got broke into. The theif must have known the gun safe was bolted down in the garage floor cause they got the overhead door open, backed a van in and then used his tools to get the safe loose from the floor and into the van. He had good anchors he said but somehow -maybe put a chain around it and pulled with the van- they got it loose. uses his dolly to get it closer and loaded up.
So clearly a rule of thumb should be location, location, location.

 

[FullAuto]

The average saggy jeans rap music listening burglar isn't gonna have the tools or ability to drag a 600 pound safe down the street while making a getaway on his bicycle.

The average saggy jeans rap music listening burglar isn't going to walk in, see a 1 ton safe and think "I should hit that dial with a hammer, yea, that'll work."

 

[pen25]

How many burglars show up with a sawzall? Even if they did you're alarm system should be going off like crazy alerting every neighbor around and calling the cops. Think in terms of realities not fantasies.

how many carry a 6 foot breaker bar? and if someone knows you have a safe and is intent on getting in they would carry the sawzall or battery saw.

you can infrease the fire rating of any safe by hanging rockwool on the outside and framed in or you can reduce the inside capacity by hanging pressed rockwool panels on the inside.

 

[Mr.Glock]

how many carry a 6 foot breaker bar? and if someone knows you have a safe and is intent on getting in they would carry the sawzall or battery saw.

you can infrease the fire rating of any safe by hanging rockwool on the outside and framed in or you can reduce the inside capacity by hanging pressed rockwool panels on the inside.

I seen one of those Huge Job Boxes plum full of ammo go through a very hot, hot house fire one time, and it was covered with Welding Blankets and the ammo inside was not lost to any damage.

 

[761mph]

armorvault here
i bought the AV because of the internal hinges and the fact all matl. used was 1/4" thick (some of the smaller safes use 3/16")
most bear safes have 10ga (about 1/8") main body and 3/16" doors (you can order thicker @ extra cost) and have exposed hinges
as far as fire rated matl., most builders use 2 layers of 5/8" sheetrock
the door seal is probably the most important part of fireproofing, if the door doesn't seal tight fire/flames will find their way into the interior

 

[7stw]

I always wonder if Bear were made in another state if they'd get a single recommendation. On larger forums, they are never even mentioned. It's not that they are a bad safe, but they are the same price or more than the mid-range Liberty and Amsec models and aren't anywhere near the fit and finish of them. I don't see how they offer any superior protection either.

This right here. And their "job box" style locks suck. Plain and simple. I have two liberties and couldn't be happier with what I have. Except I've outgrown them and need a third. Will go with another liberty hands down. To the op if you want dial style locks (what both of mine have) then that alone eliminates bear. Poor fire rating and terrible fit and finish also eliminate them. The advice to double what you think you need is great advice. I myself despise digital locks (batteries will die). Buy what you can afford and invest in some peace of mind. It's worth it.


Sent from NSA wire tapped device.