You lock up your ammo?

Yep.

I have too much to lock it all up. :D

Or perhaps my safe is too small . . . :(

It's never going to be big enough. I went from a Liberty Centurion (wife uses it for her stuff now) to a Griffin (slightly larger than a FatBoy Jr.) and wish I had gotten the Liberty FatBoy (not sure how I would have gotten it in the house though). Check out Griffin Enterprises video on this website: (http://www.villagepawnandgunshop.com/gunsafes.html). It is educational and worth the time to watch.

In our previous house I had a 16 l x 8 w x 10 h "war room" with a 1" thick steel door in the basement with a subterranean outer wall. It was incredible and I hated to give it up. But we moved, and now my safe is in a more accessible area.

I do worry about security but have everything alarmed.

Question - How do Heritage safes compare with those you guys have mentioned - like Sturdy? They quote a 2 hr fire resistance, but I'm not sure to what temperature.

http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/2032-OS-...t/EN/index.htm

Check this out...... great for storage.

coffee table
 

TS,

That makes a great coffee table for a single guy. When you have a woman over you can impress her by covering it will a nice cloth, perhaps a ponch liner.:D

If you paint it and put a cushion on top,, I think my wife might go for it..

And the price is right.. :lifter


http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardw...&storeId=10051

TR spot on in above post with the layered security concept as he describes. I have a multi-layer alarm system at my place, with at least one of which is completely wireless (cutting phone or cable does no good). (I won't be specific in a public forum as to the exact details of my system and sensors).

If your alarm system isn't monitored, and you would be surprised at how many people discontinue their monitoring after the contract runs out, then that means your alarm system is significantly degraded. Having a siren is better than nothing but.....It also means that if you claim a discount on your insurance for having an alarm, then you have a problem since they all require that it be monitored by an established alarm monitoring company.

Put another way, high security facilities used by the DOD and sensitive industries are monitored alarm systems and obviously some use armed guards. Why shouldn't your own system be?

Obviously with modern alarm systems you can also keep tabs with via your mobile phone monitoring features which just adds another helpful layer.

Camera's are another important layer. Again, all high-security facilities use them...for a reason. Even the local store has 'em. Cameras are a significant research project in itself but the main thing to remember is you want off-site data storage as well. There are some very secure online remote storage companies. I like Spider Oak as everything is encrypted and they claim they could not turn over data even if ordered because they have no way to access it FWIW. Regardless, it's stored offsite of your place.

At your doors you want camera's that have microphones. There are a host of reasons for this, some obvious.

Another thing with cameras - depending on your exterior lighting, you may or may not need an IR source. If you do need IR lighting and motion activated camera you may want to consider having a camera, and then have the IR source separate. Many camera's come with IR source built in. The problem is, especially in summer months, depending on where you live, large insects flying at night can be attracted to a strong IR source and then cause the camera to keep false alarming which can eat up data storage space & even more annoying if hooked to interior audible alert & mobile phone alert. So, if you place a separate IR illuminating away from your camera but still illuminating the area that you want monitored. The downside to this is more rigging and installation time and expense. Not all camera's have this problem but some do and it's something to be aware of and consider.

Nothing is fool proof unless you are armed-guarding your stuff 24/7 but we are talking LAYERS. If thieves see camera's, alarm signs, fences, dogs, gates, lots of good exterior lighting, multi-layers...then it increases the chances they will continue on and look for a less risky target.


The new generation digital locks are good. If you want speed of access, then that is your option.

I see Ft. Knox safes mentioned in comparison with Liberty, AMSEC and others. Ft. Knox safes are excellent but they are far higher in price as well. The value of what you are trying to protect is a factor. Higher quality always costs more. There is really no way around it. We all try to get the most quality for the lowest price. Quality doesn't always equal flash so obviously I would take the safe without the mirrors and interior lighting in exchange for thicker steel and larger anti-drill plate areas.

For 15 long guns, some with optics, I think you need a safe that claims it will store 40 guns at a minimum. Always more than double the size you think you need.

Considering just one example that a case of 5.56 costs around +/-$250.00 bucks, never mind the price of .50 cal.....and .45 ain't cheap as we all know, a few cases of that would be a significant loss.

But then it's the same old vicious circle, the more bulk you lock up, the more safes you need. So then you weigh the risk of more money spent on safe, vs the amount of risk of theft, vs "I would rather spend that money on more guns and ammo":D As others have said, eventually a vault room is the way to go unless you are going to be at your house the majority of the time then the expense might not be worth it if a muli-layer security is decent.

Just get a cheap Browning and two mean dogs.

I have a Liberty, Lincoln model IIRC. I also have a monitored alarm system. I keep the ammo in a separate locker... There are also 2 West Highland White Terriers that think they are Rottweilers...

Spot on. One thing to keep in mind is that if you have access to the dealer/install code(s), you can switch to a cheaper monitoring service once you contract runs out. Currently, I pay around $9 per month. Rumor has it that Verizon will be adding central station monitoring to their new home automation offering.

I use internet based monitoring, so I rely on my FiOS line, ONT is in the house and the line is armored 18 feet up, with a NC loop from the alarm system in the pipe, start cutting and the alarm goes off :D

Modern wireless/hybrid systems are getting easier to install yourself i.e. double-sided tape and some basic programming, additionally, if you have existing wiring with an older or non-functional panel, you can swap out the panel(and sensors if need be).

Cameras have definitely come down in price over the years, but good cameras can get pricey. Case in point: One thing to consider with IR is the lens. Modern cameras employ lenses capable of picking up IR at night, the problem is that most cheap cameras use fixed lenses, which means that the daytime picture can get washed out by natural IR sources, i.e. the sun. When looking for a camera with IR, consider one with what is called an IR cut filter, this filter mechanically changes the lens when switching from day/night operation. Cameras with mechanical IR cut filters tend to be a bit pricey than their fixed lens brethren.

There are many other things to consider as well, CMOS vs. CCD, effective pixels, and TV lines. There is a lot material available for DIY camera installations, so make sure you read and heed before you buy.


My .02

Nice! Good camera info BTW.

Thanks! I am still looking into wireless backup, but the module and service are very expensive, maybe an eBay GSM auto-dialer with a pre-paid SIM card might do the trick.

My cameras came in handy within weeks of installing them. About a year ago, some guy was going around checking for open car doors and grabbing whatever was inside(some friends of mine lost Blackberries, GPS, laptop etc). I was working on the computer one night, with the camera software open in the corner of the screen when I notice this guy walking up the driveway, with his hands over his face(he saw the cameras), he walks up to the car and tries the door. I hit the panic button on the remote, which scared him off, but not before I got a decent shot of his face. NYPD eventually got him a few weeks later...