In choosing security safes, there is a great deal of information out there which some dealers will use to try to convince you to buy their product. First of all, security safes, whether it’s a wall safe or a cash safe or a fire safe or a sentry safe is essentially a steel box with a locking door. Your purpose in purchasing a security safe is to protect your valuables against two variables: theft and fire. In the case of gun safes, one additional variable for security safes is to prevent unauthorized and potentially dangerous use of your guns and ammunition.
Given the above, your first decision in purchasing security safes is the type of lock. Unquestionably, a combination lock is the best choice for security safes or a gun safes. Security safes should have walls thick enough to prevent the casual burglar from gaining access by using an axe and chisel. Usually steel of ¼” thickness will prevent that type of entry, but anything thicker is probably ‘overkill.’
You should always buy the largest security safes you can reasonably afford. In this way, you will be able to store additional items in the security safe as needs arise. This leads to another decision you will need to make when purchasing security safes: Where will you place the safe?
If you plan to place the security safe or gun safe in a prominent place in your den or family room, you will be looking for an attractive paint job that will harmonize with the décor in your house. If you plan to install a security safe in the wall or floor, you probably don’t care what the exterior looks like.
One final factor to consider when purchasing a security safe and that is: There is no such thing as a fire proof safe. Even though some manufacturers may claim it to be a fire proof safe, if you read the find print, you may discover it’s actually a fire resistant safe rather than a fire proof safe. The insulation material may be rated as fire resistant, but that doesn’t mean that everything inside a fire proof safe will be protected in the event of a fire.
Gun safes rated as a fire proof safe will protect hardware and valuables inside the safe up to the rated temperature, but not if they are damaged or destroyed by high heat. Even a fire proof safe gets hot inside in the event of a fire.