My present safe is getting a little crowded and is really not a good secure model. I've been on the computer looking at all the different types and brands of safes. I was going to check out one thats made in Houston, but after finding so many complaints of poor workmanship and even worse customer service
i dropped that idea.
I saw some safes at the gun show at Pasadena last month but i wasn't really in the market for a safe then. I may go back there in the morning and see what they have.
Anyone have any suggestions or ideas (good or bad). I've looked at some of the safes at Academy and they were ok.
I'm mainly looking for a 20+ long gun cap with room for pistols and shelves for other goodies and has a good fire rating.
Thanks for any info.
Keep shootin'
I am looking for a gun safe also. The one I've seen that seems to be the best bang for the buck is the Champion Safes. The Trophy line of their safes look best to me. The TY-25 I believe, is about $1,100 in the Dallas area. Good luck on your search!
I went shopping yesterday actually and was disappointed at Sprotsmans steel here in town. The web site gives you the impression they are made here in town with TONS of inventory. Not really...there was one guy there with not much inventory at all. They also offer free shipping or deals to be had for local pickup...didn't see any thing that was deal by any means. I walked in with a $1000 loose budget, but he blew that out of the water and wanted me to pay shipping from California to his warehouse and I would still have to pick it up there. I have seen a few decent looking safes at Carter's Country recently and they are my next stop for my next day off. Someone please point us in the direction we need for good safes in Houston.
"I am a Free Man, regardless of what set of 'rules' surround me. When I find them tolerable, I tolerate them. When I find them obnoxious, I ignore them. I remain free, because I know and understand that I alone bear full responsibility for everything I do, or chose not to do."
Cabela's has an ok selection. I don't know if you checked them out, but they seem to have some models in your price range. The problem with gun safes is that the really nice ones are really expensive. Cabela's has a model on sale now, that is a 24 gun, fire rated, model that their website is posting at $999. It looks ok, but you would probably want to see it in person. I was looking a safes yesterday myself!
Good luck.
“While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.” ― Samuel Adams
I agree with Havoc's opinion that Champion Safes offer the best value for the price. I think this holds true for all their model lines.
I had decided on a Fort Knox Titan and was ready to buy when I came across the Superior Safe Company's Supreme series. They are made by Champion in direct competition with Fort Knox. Item-by-item the Superior seemed to be as good as, or to me, preferable to the Fort Knox...plus, it was $1000 less. Now that I've had it for awhile, the shelf supports would be the only aspect I would improve (so they could hold more weight/guns). Forgive me if I sound like a salesman, I'm not usually as satisfied with expensive outlays like this.
I would also strongly recommend The Safe Company in Garland. Their service and delivery was excellent. I believe they carry the whole Champion line.
Enough time has passed that my memory of some details has faded. But when I started doing the research for what became a big investment, I learned there are important considerations beyond the usual discussion of fire rating, lock type and paint. Unless you can afford a Graffunder, a "gun safe" is usually not a "safe" at all. They're "residential security containers," with varying degrees of resistance to attack, fire and water. A typically dim-witted thief with a sledge hammer or an axe can quickly get into many of them. Spending more might get you a box with thicker steel in the walls and more bolts in the door, but it may still have a mechanism that can be defeated by drilling a single hole. Others have failure-prone door seals or use insulation that releases moisture that could damage the contents. And some of the most seemingly-sophisticated electronic locks have not-so-secret codes to override the combination. You can find videos on youtube showing how to get into some of the most common "safes" with almost no effort at all.
And finally, whatever you get, keep it out of sight (no matter how pretty it is) and bolt it down.
Common sense is not common practice.
NRA Benefactor, TSRA life member.
Thanks guys for all the info. I wasn't going to mention names but sportsman safes was the one with all the complaints. Sure glad i found that out before i went to their store.
I did look at what Cabelas had- looked good too.
Champions are real nice, looks like they've been around a while. I'll be looking more tomorrow. Let ya know what I find.
Keep on shootin'
I got a mid-size Champion safe (model # escapes me) up at Lone Star Gun Safes. They're up on the NW side of Houston (1960 a few lights in west from I-45). Anyways they had a reasonable selection there so you can actually look n' feel and judge as to your needs. I walked in, told the guy my budget and he showed me 4 from dirt cheap to one that was right at my limit. Zero pressure sales, just the way I like it!
Cheers!
Mark
___________________________
Let's see, Texas checklist: Good wife, chevy pickup, dog, big TV. Done!
CHL sent in on 08/16/09 - PIN recieved 09/15/09 - Approved status 11/09/09 - Plastic in hand 11/16/09 = 90 Days
Well, i went to the Pasadena jewelery (oops- i meant gun) show and one safe company was there. Fort Knox, nice safes but a lot out of my price range.
I left there and went to lone star safes on 1960 and found a real good selection. Finally settled on the champion trophy series. It will hold 20+ long guns
and a mess of pistols.I have to wait a week for delivery. Seems like good people to deal with so far.
Thanks for the help guys!
Keep on shootin'
BUY the largest safe you can afford. That is the best advice. You will be really glad you did in the long run. If you have a Gander Mountain nearby, look at their selection. Their price range varies but it gives you an idea of what is out there and they have sales on them. I really like Liberty safes and their make several levels of them, from a fire rating of 30 minutes to 2 hours. A good safe will cost you $1,300 to $2,300 and up. I bought a Sentry safe at Academy for about $375 and traded it for a larger Liberty and then an even larger one.
I have a date with Lone Star Safe company on Thursday morning. They offer a package to deliver, install, and perform a demo showing features, benefits, and operation for $100 in Houston area. The guy I talked to said they offer QUALITY safes at reasonable prices. I will check them out and report back.
"I am a Free Man, regardless of what set of 'rules' surround me. When I find them tolerable, I tolerate them. When I find them obnoxious, I ignore them. I remain free, because I know and understand that I alone bear full responsibility for everything I do, or chose not to do."
I have a liberty safe. They are one of the top brands. There warrenty the best. Free replacement if your house is on fire or somenone breaks in a trys to get to your safe. Free replacement. You can't beat that. I purchased mine from a liberty dealer in Dallas. Check them out.
I'm still pleased with my Diamondback. As I stated in the other thread, I purchased the 30 gun safe from Frank Zykan in Missouri. I am well pleased. It was shipped, dropped off, and wheeled down my drive and around under my car port by a muscular young lady with a pallet jack. I did have to draft my son to help me wrestle the thing into the house, and I did have a little problem making the provided combination work, but Frank talked me throught what turned out to be my problem. It was a PEBCAK error (The problem exists between the chair and keyboard). Frank was a helpful nice guy. http://www.zykansafe.com/diamondgunsafes.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I also have two Center of Mass clam shell car safes(cabled lock boxes) and a gunvault cabled under the bed. All are well used.
Look at the Diamondback. It is worth puting on your list of possiblilties.
