Most of the guns safes that are on the market are very secure devices.  They come with such high-tech security features as voice activated locks or finger biometrics scanners.  Their locking systems are designed to be accessed by only the owner of the safe.  And many are fire resistant as well as water resistant.

Guns safes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.  The size that you choose should be based on the size of your collection.  Since most collectors tend to purchase more guns over the course of time you should get one that is slightly larger than the size that will accommodate your current collection.

Nonetheless, smaller as well as larger safes have their relevant advantages.  It would be quite easy for you to hide one of the smaller safes under your bed or in a closet.  However, larger units have an advantage in that they weigh a lot and are very hard to move.  Therefore, by their very nature, large gun safes offer you quite a bit more security.

Gun safes are available offline as well as online.  Offline you can usually find them in a sporting goods store that sells guns.  However, if you are looking for a terrific bargain, then you should search the Internet.

Before you decide which one is right for you it would be best to compare the benefits that each model offers along with the features that each one of them provides.  Then you can base your decision on these factors as well as on the cost.

If you have a large gun collection then you should purchase a safe that can be bolted to the floor.  If it can’t be bolted down then thieves would be able to remove your safe from your home by putting it on a dolly.  If it’s bolted to the floor then thieves usually will not have enough time to unbolt it and dolly it away.

You may want to also consider purchasing a gun safe that comes with a re-locker.  That way, if somebody breaks your safe open, the lock will automatically lock again.  This will make it more difficult for a burglar to have access to the contents of your safe.

If you are looking for a high quality gun safe (or any other type of safe) one of the companies you should check out is Sentry Safe.

Buy A Safe That Is Larger Than You Think You Need

First of all, most people who own firearms are very passionate about their guns and rifles.  Once they start collecting firearms it’s hard for them to stop, so their collection seems to constantly be growing.

If you consider yourself to be an avid gun collector then you should carefully consider the size of the safe that you are going to buy.  Remember that not only will your collection grow, but you will probably want to protect some other things in your safe as well.

So if a manufacturer specifies that the gun safe has the capacity to accommodate 35 rifles and your collection is approaching that size you will need a considerably larger safe.  And even if you are not yet close to that capacity you will need to figure out how much room you will need in the safe for your laptops, collectibles and jewelry.

That’s because when a manufacturer provides the gun capacity it refers to the amount of guns that will fit into the safe when nothing else is in it.

Get the Lock That’s Right For You

There are 3 basic kinds of locks that area used in gun safes.  They are electronic, combination, and biometric locks.  You should consider which would be the best for you before buying your safe.

You may be wondering if an electronic lock is as safe as a combination lock.  Electronic locks are as secure as combination locks because the mechanism that secures the safe is totally independent of the system that triggers the door to open.

However some people still would prefer to get a combination lock because they just don’t trust anything that is electronic.

If you love to play with combination locks or don’t trust electronics then a biometric lock probably isn’t for you either.  That’s because safes that have biometric locks will only open upon your touching it with one of your fingers.  And, keep in mind that safes with biometric locks are relatively expensive.

Invest In a Quality Safe

Although some inexpensive gun safes will save you some money they might not adequately protect your guns and other valuables.  That’s because, among other things, the steel used to protect your collection is not as thick as it is in a more expensive safe.

Like with most other things in life, it pays to invest in quality.

And to find a wide variety of quafslity gun safes (and other safes) you should take a look at those offered by V-Line Industries.

As you know if you have guns in your home, one of the prime responsibilities you have is to protect your guns from curious children and from theft.  If your gun collection is worth a lot of money then it’s really essential that you keep your collection in a gun safe.  Otherwise burglars may be tempted to break into your home and steal your collection.

In addition, a gun safe offers a certain level of protection against your guns being damaged.

If you own a gun safe you will be able to store other weapons and your personal belongings as well as your firearms.

Most gun safes are very heavy, as they well should be.  You might want to consider hiring a professional to transport and install the safe.  Professionals will make sure that it can’t be easily moved.  Most people feel that alone is certainly worth the extra cost.

If you make sure that the safe you buy is fireproof then it will also help to protect your collection from being destroyed if there should be a fire.  It’s especially important to have this feature if you live in an area that is prone to experiencing brush fires.

With that in mind, when purchasing your safe, not only should you make sure that it’s fireproof, you should also check its rating because you want to know exactly how effective its fireproof protection will be.  That way you will know how long the contents should be safe before the fire department puts out the fire.

With this knowledge you can decide how much time you need.  If you live in the heart of a big city you probably won’t need as much time for the fire department to get there as you would if you lived fifty miles from the closest town.

Before buying your safe you should at least do enough research to determine if Underwriter Laboratory has analyzed it.  You can determine this by looking for the UL certification.

Fireproof safes are available in a wide variety of styles and sizes.  The more expensive ones usually cost more because they offer better fireproof ratings and have better protection.  You’ll find that the higher the fireproof rating, generally the more expensive the safe.

You’ll have a better chance of finding a gun safe that fits your specific needs if you take the time to do a bit of research.  That’s one of the beauties of the Internet.  For example, you can go to a website that has a wide variety of fireproof gun safes, such as those built by V-Line Industries, and browse through their selection, while taking notes.

Some of these websites even make it easier by helping you to narrow down your choices – the height, the width, the weight, the price, etc.   It’s rather entertaining, actually.  And you will be able to find some real bargains, really quickly as well.

If you are a gun collector then it’s usually a very good idea to buy a larger safe than you think you need.  That’s because most firearm owners are so passionate about their guns that they keep on buying more of them.  Their collection always seems to be growing.

When you are comparing specifications, consider that if the manufacturer says that the safe has the capacity for 25 rifles they mean that nothing else will be in the safe.  Because you may want to also protect your jewelry, laptops, documents, etc. in your safe you will have to take into account the amount of space these things can take up.

If you think about nothing else, though, imagine how you think that your collection will grow and make your purchase with that in mind.

Once you’ve narrowed down the size you’ll want to decide on which will be the right lock for you.  You have three choices: biometric, combination, and electronic.

Biometric locks open at the touch of your fingers, but they are relatively expensive.

Electronic locks are as secure as combination locks because the system that triggers the safe to open is completely independent of the security mechanism.

Combination locks are the most time consuming and least easy to open or close.  But they are usually the most affordable.

Although it’s not the only reason, gun safety is a big part of using a gun safe. The more guns you own, the more reasons to have a gun safe. For people that own one handgun for protection, for instance, you can get away with maybe a wall safe or even a locked drawer. This is because you only have one gun and it’s ammunition to keep track of.

For hunters, collectors or other gun enthusiasts who own several guns, gun safety is especially important because you have to keep track of many potentially deadly items. In this case, an actual gun safe is recommended. Gun safes come in many sizes, shapes and features to accommodate the type and number of guns you own.

By keeping all of you firearms and ammunition in a secure gun safe, you can rest assured that you are doing everything possible to prevent a child (or anyone inexperienced with firearms) from gaining access to these weapons. Every year, children die in accidents related to firearms. Using a proper gun safe prevents those you care about from falling into those statistics.

Owning and using a gun safe is also a great way to keep your guns in good shape and keep track of your firearm accessories and ammunition. Large gun safes often have shelving and areas to keep accessories as well. A large gun safe with storage for all your guns, your ammunition, scopes and other accessories is a great way to keep all of these items organized and secure.

Gun safes can also prevent damage to your firearms in case of fire. Many gun safe manufacturers offer products with fire protection ratings in addition to security features. This is a great way to protect your investment of a very valuable gun, an antique or a firearm with irreplaceable sentimental value or history.

If you carry other valuables in your home a gun safe can also act as an all-around safe. Many people own large gun safes to store not only their firearms but important documents, jewelry, cash, etc. Since you are already investing in securing your firearms from fire and theft, why not get a larger safe to store other items you want to protect and secure?

Once you decide to invest in a safe, make sure you get one with all of the security that you want. There are many options for shapes and sizes not to mention types of locks, amount of fire protection, weight, etc. Consider all that you want (and need) to have locked up and start looking – because everyone with a gun needs a gun safe.

You can narrow down your search and buy the best safe for your purposes if you first decide:

(1) how much fire protection you need
(2) what type of lock you want
(3) where your safe will go, and
(4) how thick of the walls of your safe should be.

How Much Fire Protection Should You Have?

The amount of fire protection you need for your fireproof gun safe will be determined by what you decide to keep in it.

If you only keeping guns and paper in it, a UL 350 rating will be sufficient because paper burns at 412 degrees Fahrenheit and a UL 350 is designed to keep the contents below that temperature.

However, if you plan to keep media such as CDs, DVDs, film negatives, and external hard drives in your gun safes you will want a safe with a UL 125 rating. Then internal temperature will not rise above 125 degrees for a sustainable period.

What Lock Choices Should You Consider?

Key locks are the most basic type of lock. In general handgun safes that only have a key lock should be avoided because they tend not to be as theft-proof, sturdy, or child-proof as other types of locks. You certainly don’t want children finding the key and playing with your guns. The extra cost of a better lock is well worth the expense.

Dial combination locks have been around on gun safes for more than a hundred years. Although they are superior to key lock gun safes, you can pretty much double your protection by buying a safe that has both a dial combination and a key lock.

Gun safes with digital keypads provide excellent security. Buy one with a “wrong try” lockout feature and it will keep potential thieves from trying more than a predetermined number of code combinations. And, unlike safes with dial combination locks, you can create your own code.

Where Will You Keep Your Gun Safe?

As far as fire protection is concerned, the best place to keep your safe is against the outside corner of the lowest point in your home. If you cannot put it in the basement or on the first floor you should consider having a home inspector or engineer come over to ensure that your floor will support your safe because large gun safes are heavy. As an alternative you might need to buy a smaller fireproof gun safe than you first intended.

What Wall Thickness Do You Need?

As far as protection from theft is concerned, the thickness of your safe will usually be determined by where you live. If you live in a rural area thieves may not be as concerned with the amount of noise they make using tools to try to break into your safe as they would be in urban areas. So you’ll need thicker walls. In rural areas, gun safes with doors that have a minimum thickness of 3/16″ of steel will discourage most burglary attempts.