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What kind of gun safe should I purchase?

Home » Home Security » Gun Safes » What kind of gun safe should I purchase?

There are many different gun safes on the market, ranging from the simple to the elaborate, so take some time to consider your needs for your gun safe, and then look at the options on the market.

First of all, make a list of everything you want to store. How many guns do you have? What kind of guns do you have? Do you have other hunting material such as knives or game calls that you want to store in your gun safe? Just because it is a gun safe, you do not have to store only guns in it. Some experts advise storing your ammunition in a separate location from your guns, and even if you do want to store your ammunition inside your gun safe, you should at least invest in a hidden ammunition box with a separate locking mechanism. A gun by itself is bad enough; a gun with ammunition is often deadly.

Once you know what items you want to store in your gun safe, don’t forget to consider whether you expect to buy or sell any other guns in the future. Buy a safe that you will still be able to use several years down the road.

Hidden ammunition boxes are only one of several available features for your gun safe. You may also see and want to consider safes with some of these additional features:

• Adjustable Shelving

• Hooks and cords to secure guns

• Cushioned barrel rests

• Carpeted Interior

• Compartments for small guns or cleaning material

Cushioned barrel rests and a carpeted interior help to protect your guns, lock, stock, and barrel, from scratches or marks. You can obtain similar protection using ordinary cloths, but a cushioned and carpeted gun safe offers a certain style as well as protection for your guns. With all these features, you will simply decide whether it is worth the extra cost to pay for them.

Finally, you will need to decide whether you want a fire-resistant or burglar-resistant gun safe. Fire safes will delay the heat’s effect on your guns and allow you to put out the fire before it affects your guns. In many cases, you will have to pay more for a fire-resistant safe than you would for a simple locking safe, so you should decide if you want that added layer of protection. If you do choose a fire-resistant safe, however, be aware that some fire safes use insulation that will produce a small amount of moisture on your guns. If this moisture will be a problem for you, look for fire-resistant gun safes with gypsum board insulation, as this material will not produce the same moisture.

Burglar-resistant gun safes, on the other hand, offer complex locks or other security devices to keep thieves from accessing your firearms. These safes are tested by UL accordingly to the amount of time it takes burglars to break into them. If you want that added layer of protection for your guns, look for the RSC rating label on a gun safe; this means that the safe should resist a burglar for at least five minutes, which might be all the time you need to call the police.

Next Page: How do I properly store my firearms in a gun safe?

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