[Contagious]

I see a lot of posts from folks talking about gun/defense specific small safes.

I'm not looking to get flamed here, but have an honest question. I have found this safe (Honeywell Safe) in a few stores for far less $$$ than the official gun/defense safe. What would be the risks of buying this for my nightstand drawer instead of one of the others? It seems to have the same basic features, except for the spring-loaded lid that self-lifts. I can bolt it down to the drawer too.

I'd love to hear your opinions...

 

[Cinhil]

Looks good, will store valuables or documents fine however, unless you are able to mount it in some manner so that a thief cannot carry away your weapon, I wouldn't get it--except to put other stuff in.

 

[Paul]

Looks nice to me. If you buy it, let us know how it works.

-PW

 

[Car Knocker]

As you say, you can bolt it to the drawer, but drawers are easy to carry off or to destroy on site.

 

[xmirage2kx]

I got one of them for my B-day this year. Ended up locking myself out of it and needed the documents I had inside right away. less than 1 minute with a screwdriver and a hammer I was inside. This falls into the "you get what you pay for" category. Its fine for appeasing the wife or even an added level of safety for when you have kids, but for real security you need something else. (I still use mine for car titles and such, it has its uses, but for cash or guns I would look somewhere else). I since got this safe LINKY and like it much better. Still not as good as some more expensive ones, but you would be hard pressed in prying this one open. I have it bolted through the studs in my closet as it is still small enough to carry off. As soon as I get a bigger house I will go with a full sized safe, but until then I wanted something I couldn’t break into in less than a minute.

 

[bane]

As already mentioned somewhat... I think a safe like this is useful, just depending on what your use for it is. If it's just to hold while you are home but not have it accessible to the kids, it looks fine -- but then, why not just carry it or use really good stealth methods (as in, hard to see *AND* very hard/impossible for young kids to get to)???

 

[Contagious]

Good points - this is definitely not a good storage safe.

I carry whenever possible. The intent is twofold: a) a quick, kid proof spot for those few times I don't carry, and b) an easy-access, safe spot to keep the gun at night next to the bed.

I'm thinking this inexpensive option will meet those needs. For the price, I can't go too wrong. Even if it doesn't work out, I still have a spot to keep important docs locked up and I can bolt it to studs in the wall of the basement, etc...

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[GeneticsDave]

It definitely is affordable. I doubt it's much of a "safe" though. I would recommend (as I always do) a GunVault - much easier to access in the dark and much more secure. But they are up in the $80-$120 range, so you have to spend a little more dough.

 

[bane]

Contagious,

I admit I don't have kids so I really have much less of a worry than you and most others here.

That being said, I can think of no place safer and easier to access a gun at night while I'm sleeping than securely tucked underneath me between my mattresses. A safe would be pretty hard for me to open after just being startled awake... but I do sleep pretty deeply too.

As for during the day... I personally don't keep my gun in my bedroom b/c my bedroom is the absolute furthest room from the front door and requires I go up 2 flights of stairs to access. During the day, if I'm not packing it on me, I want it *CLOSE* -- in case I answer the door to a surprise! B/C I don't have kids to worry about, I honestly just lay it around almost anywhere that's out of sight while I'm milling around the house. But if I did have kids I would consider cutting a hole in the top of my coat closet cieling and creating a sneaky trap door to hide the gun inside... easy to access, close by, and very unlikely any little kids will notice it OR even be able to access it... especially if you did it right... just something to think about... I'm just not sure storing it in my bedroom during the day is the best choice.

 

[Car Knocker]

Someone on another forum I frequent got a couple of these that he recessed into walls: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=95041

He says "This small safe sunk into the wall allows me to keep a couple handguns, a couple knives, a few speed loaders and magazines a holster and a surefire light right in the bedroom."

 

[Udink]

I'd love to hear your opinions...

I bought that exact model of safe from Wal-Mart a few months ago, and I ended up returning it because it wouldn't always work. Sometimes when I entered the correct code, the green light lit up, but the "bolt" didn't move and I couldn't turn the knob to unlock the safe. I don't know if all the units are prone to issues, or if I was unlucky enough to get one that did, but I sure would hate to need my firearm and not be able to get the safe to open.

I ended up getting a Dac SportSafe instead, which also isn't the greatest. I've had two others before this one, but they've never locked me out--the problem with them has always been that the door wouldn't stay closed! :lol:

 

[cjj98xj]

Buy 2, give me 1??? :lol:

 

[xmirage2kx]

Sometimes when I entered the correct code, the green light lit up, but the "bolt" didn't move and I couldn't turn the knob to unlock the safe.

Most of the cheap electronic safes burn batteries like they are candy. Replace the cheap ones that come with the safe right away or you will usually have this problem.

 

[apollosmith]

Another +1 for GunVaults. I love mine. I got the multi deluxe model and it easily holds two pistols, a stack of magazines, and still has a shelf for valuables and paperwork (passports, etc.). It was $130 on ebay. From laying in bed, I can have the gun in hand in about 4 seconds, even in the dark.

 

[natehunts]

Another +1 for GunVaults. I love mine. I got the multi deluxe model and it easily holds two pistols, a stack of magazines, and still has a shelf for valuables and paperwork (passports, etc.). It was $130 on ebay. From laying in bed, I can have the gun in hand in about 4 seconds, even in the dark.

One more for GunVault!

 

[Contagious]

Very clear message here... Gunvault.

Thanks y'all

 

[luckystrike]

For all of you who rave about the gun vault check out this video. I know this isn't exactly the gun vault that many of you have talked about but it works in the same exact way as this one does.

I think this shows yet another reason why a safe of this size should be securely bolted down.

 

[Jeff Johnson]

Well, I'm not going to get an ADG Sports gun safe, then. :?

 

[luckystrike]

Well, I'm not going to get an ADG Sports gun safe, then. :?

I have the ADG top load as mentioned in another part of this forum. After seeing that video I unbolted it from it's place and literally beat the heck out of it trying to get it to open to no avail. I trust that the top load is quite a bit more secure than the secure vault.