[johnr283]

I looking to buy a new liberty safe, 48 gun . My budget is around $1,500. I've been looking at a the USA Series. I will only store guns in it.

My local gun shop has Liberty USA Series 48 gun with a toplit digital lock and 40 minute fire protection on sale for $1,100.

Cabela's has a Liberty Classic 48 with a backlit digital lock and 60 minute protection for $1,500.

Is the added fire protection worth the extra $300? I do like the backlit lock better.

What about a Fatboy Jr.? I'm going to call my LGS tomorrow and se what he has for a price on one.

The USA series uses 4" wide military style locking bars. Are they real better than the round bars of the Fatboy?

I'm not particularly worried about burglaries, more about fires. I live in an old house with old wiring. I'm only a five from minute drive from the fire department though. I've read that most house fires are contained or put out in 20 minutes. but I've also read the 60 minutes is the recommended minimum for fire protection.

 

[60DRB]

I got a 48 sized Liberty on sale from Tractor Supply a few years ago.
I already need another one.
A normal sized house fire would be easily protected by these.

 

[Darkker]

Can't tell you what's worth it, but if fire protection is a concern; don't go cheap. At least out here, we have just about every conceivable kind of home construction. House fires with serious heat, can very easily go beyond 40min. They can also get much hotter than you might think. We had a house fire this summer, the guy following me in had an IR gun on him. Temps in the upper parts of the walls were running 1300°F.

Cheers

 

[Wrench Man]

Get the biggest one you can afford, I've got the Fatboy Jr. and it's FULL!

 

[MikeG]

The 'fire protection,' such as it is, is just a layer of gypsum (drywall) inside the safe. Heat from the fire breaks it down, and releases moisture as part of that process (so if it does go through a fire, everything inside needs to be attended to, as soon as possible, afterwards).

If you want 'more' protection, put 'more' layers of drywall inside. That's about all there is to it, besides the door seal.

How much is 'enough' is difficult to say. How many floors are on your house? If there was a fire, would everything fall into the basement and continue to 'cook' till the fire went out? Or are you on a slab with a single-story house?

Not all house fires are the same, because not all houses are the same. Just some things to think about.

 

[Kevinbear]

The 'fire protection,' such as it is, is just a layer of gypsum (drywall) inside the safe. Heat from the fire breaks it down, and releases moisture as part of that process (so if it does go through a fire, everything inside needs to be attended to, as soon as possible, afterwards).

If you want 'more' protection, put 'more' layers of drywall inside. That's about all there is to it, besides the door seal.

How much is 'enough' is difficult to say. How many floors are on your house? If there was a fire, would everything fall into the basement and continue to 'cook' till the fire went out? Or are you on a slab with a single-story house?

Not all house fires are the same, because not all houses are the same. Just some things to think about.

I helped a neighbor years ago build a "fire closet" for his gunsafe, basically a closet on the outside wall inside the garage in the corner framed with wood and 3 layers of 1/2 drywall on all sides and top, the door was a little more complicated in that the hinges had to be protected from the heat so the frame on door and wall were metal. The safe was fireproof already but he figured the "closet" would insure there was no damage. Luckily it's never been tested.
I've been leery of putting safes in the garage because of theft but because the OP is more concerned about fire it would seem to be a good option. Even if there isn't an attached garage outside walls should be cooler than ones on the interior. There would also be less chance of water damage which is a real concern in basements when the fire department sprays water on the house for a couple of hours.

 

[jodum]

I have the Liberty Fat Boy 65 gun safe and love it.

 

[johnr283]

I'm going with the Liberty USA 30. The frame of my old rental is already sagging and won't support the added weight of the USA 48 or Fatboy Jr. I'll figure out something different in the future.

 

[arky6.5]

Do a youtube search on safes, very enlightening.

Buy the biggest you can afford, get a dial lock it's not if the digital craps out it's when.

 

[BreezeeRidge]

Do a youtube search on safes, very enlightening.

Buy the biggest you can afford, get a dial lock it's not if the digital craps out it's when.

I agree. My Liberty safe has the dial. I want nothing to do with electronic digital stuff.

 

[Big Wes]

food for thought

Buy bigger than you need!! and be aware if you ever have a fire in your house and the fire dept shows up and sprays your safe room to put the fire out your weapons will be damaged no matter what. the stuff / liquid from the pump trucks is costic and will seep into your safe.
A friend of mine had a house fire and four safes, damage was evident . He called the safe co and told them about having a fire, they said send us a photo, he did, they sent 4 new safes to him.

 

[Gil Martin]

All good points

I have had several Liberty gun safes with dial combination locks for a number of years and love them. My opinion is that everything that is electronic eventually fails and in this case low tech beats high tech every time. When shopping for gun safes, the local gun safe dealer said he had several new ones that were minor "scratch and dent" items and were heavily discounted. I took them and cannot see the scratches or dents. All the best...
Gil

 

[Kevinbear]

Post #8, he already got the 30 gun safe.

As an aside I went with a electronic lock on a new safe 10 years ago, I couldn't go back to a dial, never had an issue with mine but I change the battery every 2 years just like the smoke alarms, garage door opener, weather station, etc. all on the same day January 1st.

 

[60DRB]

Yes keep up with the battery replacement...for everything.

I recently watched a you-tube video about breaking in to these type of [gun] safes. Pretty depressing, how easily they can be breached and emptied by anybody with a $35.00 grinder/cut-off tool.

Still. Better than no protection at all.

 

[Kevinbear]

Yes keep up with the battery replacement...for everything.

I recently watched a you-tube video about breaking in to these type of [gun] safes. Pretty depressing, how easily they can be breached and emptied by anybody with a $35.00 grinder/cut-off tool.

Still. Better than no protection at all.

I've watched all those video's as well and have talked to a local guy who has a locksmith shop, regular gun safes only deter amateur thieves who are lazy which is not good however that is about 99% of the people who are likely to break into your home.
Any safe should be your last line of defense not your first, the information is out there if you know where to look, if you have lots of valuables in your house you need layers of security/deterrent.
Rule #1 don't disclose your security systems layers on the internet!

 

[johnr283]

Post #8, he already got the 30 gun safe.

As an aside I went with a electronic lock on a new safe 10 years ago, I couldn't go back to a dial, never had an issue with mine but I change the battery every 2 years just like the smoke alarms, garage door opener, weather station, etc. all on the same day January 1st.

I also plan on changing mine on the first of the year. I do my stuff every year.