From: forda@gtephx.UUCP (Andrew Ford @ AGCS, Phoenix, Arizona)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Gun Safe
Date: 26 Aug 92 21:43:51 GMT
Organization: gte

In article <9208211433.aa10335@hawk.cs.ukans.edu>, conley@hawk.cs.ukans.edu (Dennis R. Conley) writes:
# In article <51870019@hpscit.sc.hp.com> glaird@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Gordon Laird) writes:
# #
# # kdlin@advtech.uswest.com (David Lin) asks:
# #
# ## I'm going to purchase a gun safe. I'll appreciate it if anyone can
# ## answer my questions.
# ## 
# ## (1) A local gun store told me that a Browning safe is the only way
# ##     to go and all other brands are not worthwile to get. Is that
# ##     true? If not, what other brands should I consider?

I never accept the advice of a single gun shop if the advice recommends
the product they sell.  If four of five shops say the same thing, then
I start to listen.  If one shop recommends something he does not carry,
then I ususally listen.  If it is good advice, you'll hear it from lots
of folks -- if it's "buy what I sell,"  you'll get varying advice.

[...]
# As another poster mentioned, you'll never stop the pros, just the small
# time thief with a crowbar.

Precisely my thinking.  Based on that, I got a $250.00 safe with internal
hinges, coke machine type keyed locks, and some BIG lag bolts to bolt it
to the wall with.  

I don't like external hinges because (as previously stated) the fool hearty
thief may try to smash them and end up disabling the safe (as in you have
to call a pro to get the d*mn thing open!).

Likewise with a combo lock -- a few whack with a sledge hammer won't open
it, but thieves have tried it and messed up the safe to the point that
a pro had to be called (Safeway grocery store safe when I was in high
school -- they couldn't open the store 'cuz they couldn't get any money 
out of the safe!)

As to the weight, most amateurs are not equipped to tear down a wall just
so they can carry your safe out the back window and take it home and look
at it.  My safe holds 8 rifles andhas a shelf on top which will hold 3-4 
pistols.  It stands about 5 feet tall by 16 inches deep by two feet wide -- 
liftable, but not exactly easy to tote about even if they could get it off 
the wall.  Which is doubtful as it is bolted directly into studs with four 
3 inch lag bolts  -- there is no place to put a crow bar, so it won't be 
easy to get off.

# ##(2) He wants to charge me: the whole sale price + $50 profit + tax + shipping.
# ##    Is that a good deal? ( Shipping is about $60 in this case. )
# 
# If at all possible, try to buy direct from the factory. You should be able to
# get lots of glossy brochures from the distributers.
# 
Mine came from K-MART, so delivery cost me the gas to get it home.

Keep in mind that I'm talking about a safe to keep the kids and guns 
separate and to prevent your typical amateur thief (I don't have any
guns that a pro would bother with).  Your particular collection of
guns may warrant a greater cash layout, but I'd stop and think
about it.

BTW, my safe is fireproof, but without insulation so the guns would likely
be damaged anyway -- but (1) that's why I carry homeowners insurance and
(2) the status of my guns will not be a high priority if the house burns
down!

IMHO, if you don't have some irreplacible guns, then a bolt-to-the-wall
safe is the way to go --- spend the additioaln $$$$ on more stuff to put 
in the safe!  [I believe this last phrase is consistent with Mr. 
Moderator's beliefs  ???]
-- 
"25 States allow anyone to buy a gun, strap it on, and walk down the street with
no permit of any kind: some say it's crazy.  However, 4 out of 5 US murders are 
committed in the other half of the country: so who is crazy?"   -  Andrew Ford
gtephx!forda@enuucp.eas.asu.edu  OR  !uunet!samsung!romed!enuucp!gtephx!forda