Top​ ​10​ ​Things​ ​You​ ​Should​ ​Know​ ​Before​ ​Buying​ ​a​ ​Gun​ ​Safe

At one time, people stored their guns in showy glass gun storage cabinets for the world to see. Today, wise gun owners often choose to lock their guns up in a secure place to keep them safe from burglars, intruders, and children. At Unlock Chicago you can find a wide variety of equipment for keeping your documents, valuables and money safe. When choosing a place to store your guns, use our top ten tips on what to look for in a gun safe.

Choosing a Type of Safe

• Gun security cabinets and safes are not all the same. Many gun safes are merely thin sheets of steel, which can be easily broken into. Depending on your security needs, this may not be enough. In general, look for metal gun safes with at least 11 gauge steel, and preferably lower. Also look for at least a quarter inch of steel plating in the door.
• Size matters. As you acquire more guns and other valuables, the roomy space you thought you had in your gun cabinet can seem to shrink very quickly. It’s cheaper to get some extra space inside the safe to start with rather than buying a whole new safe a few years down the road.
• Consider portability. Some gun safe owners simply want to choose the best home safe, and plan to mount it on the wall. However, you may prefer more versatility in your gun safe—one that you can leave in your home or take along with you when you go hunting, or even store in your car.
• Floor safes vs. standing gun safes. Floor safes have the advantage of a high degree of security, especially if built into the floor. However, it’s important to know that the fire protection on these may be compromised.

Added Protection

• Fireproof vs. fire resistant safes. Calling safes “fireproof” is technically a misnomer, as they are actually fire resistant safes. You can tell from the fire rating on the safe how long it will last in a fire—typically ranging from 30-150 minutes. It’s also important to know that fire resistant safes tend to use thinner metal, making them much easier for a burglar to open. If you’re looking for protection from both burglary and fire, the best value gun safe will be a composite-fire or high-security TL rated fire safe.
• Water resistance. For extra protection, you may also want to look for a waterproof gun safe. This is especially important if you plan to mount the safe in the basement, since basements are prone to flooding. In reality, water damage is actually far more common than fire damage.
• What type of lock do you need? The many different types of security, from electronic gun safes to biometric and fingerprint gun safes to the old-fashioned dial, can be overwhelming to choose from. The best value gun safe may be one with redundant locks, which have both a mechanical and an electronic lock in one device.

Know How to Use it

• For a better idea of the strength of your gun safe, check the security ratings. These ratings are industry standard guidelines that tell you how secure your items will be inside the safe.
• Know what not to store inside a gun safe. It’s generally not a good idea to store ammo and other flammable materials inside a fire resistant gun safe unnecessarily. The ammo will actually heat up faster than the other items in your safe, and could cause some damage to your guns and valuables.
• Is it worth it? Consider the value of the items you are storing inside when you decide what type of safe to buy. If you own a few thousand dollars’ worth of guns, it’s probably worth spending a few hundred on a gun safe. It’s a good idea to consider insuring your firearms, as well.

Professional Safe Installation Services

Unlock Chicago is happy to help with all your security needs. We provide safe opening, combination changes, repairs and lock replacement services. For more help choosing the best gun safe for your home, give us a call at (773) 825-5625. Our locksmiths are available 24/7 in case you forget your combination.