Safe Placement

[wcd]

ok so our House is going to sell, few buyers lined up even before it gest listed Jan 1, So I decided to buy a small Winchester Safe from TSC, I know its not the best in the world but a step up from the Stack on Locking file Cabinets. My Goal is just to secure them from prying eyes etc, seems like to some a showing of the home includes the forage through personal items drawares etc, I rember the last house we sold, Some one thought it a requirement to move the washer about 2 feet and leave it althoug there was nothing to see behind it as it was in a unfinished area of the home it was just basically framed in and if they wanted to see behind it they just needed to into the other room, but no they had to move the washer right up againts the Freezer air intake and bun the motor up and ruin the contents of the freezer, real nice! But I digress, So my question is do I just put it in the Master Bedroom closet and try to cover it some way? Or would under the stairs be a better spot, there is an access door in the Garage, although the majority of it is unheated it stays warm because 3 sides of it face inside walls. So I am wondering if it might be best to put it there versus in the house somewhere? Also there is a light bulb I could leave on that most likely would eliminate temp fluctuations? Also once they are in the safe does that eliminate the need for trigger locks?

Thoughts

 

[boogieman]

I have mine in the garage, and it has always been there. I have a rolling 6' tall tool chest that I put in front of it so it isnt as obvious. I have never had a problem with it. If you can put an incandescent light bulb about 40 watts, it will help keep it warmer, but more important it keeps the humidity down. As to the trigger locks that is up to you. I personally dont use them in the safe, but anything that doesnt fit in the safe gets one.

I have the cannon 24 gun safe TSC and have been very happy with it.

 

[Snapdragon]

How about concealing it with a cardboard box like a treadmill box or something like that? A sporting goods store should have a box.

 

[CitiusFortius]

AT A FRIEND OR LOVED ONE'S HOUSE.

 

[wcd]

AT A FRIEND OR LOVED ONE'S HOUSE.

Update it ended up in Dining room Closet, Easy access for both installation, and access plus its tempature controlled area win win

 

[Bunnykid68]

Did you put a warming rod or dehumidifier in the safe?

 

[wcd]

Did you put a warming rod or dehumidifier in the safe?

Warming Rod? No I dont think there is a need for one uless I am missing something, We have a multi fuel stove about 8 feet from the closet, it does a real nice job of keeping the air about 70 I checked the humidty in the clost it was about 30% and 72 degrees. I cleaned every gun although some have not been used for a few months and were put away clean. Then I applied a very light coat of Gun Oil inside and out.

It will only be a few weeks So I think it will be ok. It looks like t belongs there actually. Icut the carpet around the base set it up on 2x4's and there is also a gap around the bifold door to allow for air circulation.

 

[jwh20]

The best places for a safe are also, be definition, the most difficult locations to get the safe into. In my opinion the best safe is one that is hard to find, so if there is a break-in, the thief can't break into a safe he doesn't know about! Putting it in a garage is convenient but all the thief has to do is back his pickup into your garage, get the safe loaded, and drive away. He can open it later. If the safe can't be easily removed, then they will try to rip it open. The best way to do that is to lay it down door-up on the floor. So a location that makes that impossible is also better. No safe no matter how expensive is impervious provided the thief has enough time and equipment. So your best bet is to make it:

1) Hard to find.
2) Hard to remove from the premises.
3) Hard to lay down flat.
4) Firmly attached to something that is VERY sturdy. (Helps with #2 & #3 also.)

 

[Bunnykid68]

Warming Rod? No I dont think there is a need for one uless I am missing something, We have a multi fuel stove about 8 feet from the closet, it does a real nice job of keeping the air about 70 I checked the humidty in the clost it was about 30% and 72 degrees. I cleaned every gun although some have not been used for a few months and were put away clean. Then I applied a very light coat of Gun Oil inside and out.

It will only be a few weeks So I think it will be ok. It looks like t belongs there actually. Icut the carpet around the base set it up on 2x4's and there is also a gap around the bifold door to allow for air circulation.

A warming rod is used to force/keep moisture out of the safe. The reason I asked is because a new safe can have a lot of moisture trapped in it and a warming rod will obviously push all that moisture across your guns. I would recommend getting a desiccant dehumidifier even if it will only be a few weeks.

 

[wcd]

The best places for a safe are also, be definition, the most difficult locations to get the safe into. In my opinion the best safe is one that is hard to find, so if there is a break-in, the thief can't break into a safe he doesn't know about! Putting it in a garage is convenient but all the thief has to do is back his pickup into your garage, get the safe loaded, and drive away. He can open it later. If the safe can't be easily removed, then they will try to rip it open. The best way to do that is to lay it down door-up on the floor. So a location that makes that impossible is also better. No safe no matter how expensive is impervious provided the thief has enough time and equipment. So your best bet is to make it:

1) Hard to find.
2) Hard to remove from the premises.
3) Hard to lay down flat.
4) Firmly attached to something that is VERY sturdy. (Helps with #2 & #3 also.)

I think I have most of the above covered, The closet was lined with Cedar, I framed around the safe only visible part of the safe is the front panel. it is secured through floor boards, what fun it was going down into the crawl space. may have over done it a bit but oh well. My goal was to secure the arms for a short period of time mainly against people looking at the house, I just did not like the idea of the possibility of some one getting something out to the house. Some of the real estate agents not all but some are not real alert ahout what is going on when they show a house, this way arms locked up ammo secured less worry

 

[PGRChaplain]

My safe is in my Den. I use Damp Rid and I'm surprised at the amount of water the Damp Rid extracts from the air. It's cheap insurance against Rust.

 

[rockhopper46038]

If I were to make a suggestion it would've to go to Lowes or Home Depot and get a $15 key locked knob set to replace what is probably a passage knob for that closet door. Even a dining room closet is going to get opened, but if you lock that door and tell the real estate agent it's a linen closet, then you won't have a bunch of strangers (who will want to open every door in the house) stumbling upon your safe.

 

[scootn103]

I recently went through a new house too me , the sellers realtor was there , big liberty safe in the master , I looked at my realtor and grinned , sellers realtor walked in and said " the homeowner is a huge gun collector , there is another safe in the spare bedroom " after the showing I looked at my realtor and said , my gosh I would ditch that realtor .

 

[danielson]

Well... I mean, the house is for sale. I would expect the safes to be talked about in the walkthru... Secrecy goes out the window when you put your house on sale. I would be opening all the doors and looking at everything anyway. If I was not allowed, Id move on. Im not buying anything that someones not gonna let me thoroughly check out first, ESPECIALLY a house.