I've been looking for just eh right one for over a year. Tonight I find this picture.....SERIOUSLY considering doing this....any thoughts??
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I've been looking for just eh right one for over a year. Tonight I find this picture.....SERIOUSLY considering doing this....any thoughts??
Attachment 1335
It would work if you're just looking for a place to put your guns as opposed to a place to secure your guns. There's really not much to refrigerators. Even if the door were locked somehow, you could take any one of several tools in your toolbox and be inside the thing in 5 minutes.
It would secure the weapons from children though, and would help keep humidity away from the weapons. Put a mesh bag of rice in their with them to absorb moisture and be good to go.
Neat idea. Used refrigerators can be had pretty darn cheap. I am not sure how it would look in my den though.
Has good and bad, like everything IMO. Two main areas:
1) More secure than nothing, secure enough people won't accidentally pick one up or that a handyman won't pocket one, not enough to stop a serious thief. The way they crack gun safes is to turn them over and either attack from the top/back or lay it down and pry the door. The door on that thing would open in a heartbeat so someone coming with time or prep to do the job would get in in about 30 seconds.
So not a true "safe" but a lot of the cheaper ones aren't any better and cost more. They can crack them with a pry bar pretty easy too. The cheapest in a minute or so, midrange ones in 2-3 in a lot of cases.
Anything short of a Sturdy Safe (that's a brand) can be hacked open with a fire ax. They're my favorite safe and it's not close. Instead of 10-12ga steel it uses 7ga. Forget axes.
Definitely have something, and this isn't something you can break with a rock. Just know its limitations.
2) Moisture. Like dan said it will keep humidity out, but it will also keep it in. Rice works, I prefer at least some commercial desiccant that turns color so you can make sure it's dry. I use stuff that is orange when dry, green when has moisture. I'd at least get some of it like that plus the rice and use it for a while when you first set it up to make sure you're OK.
3) not a main thing to me, but fire proofing is a big deal for a lot of safe buyers. A fridge won't buy you much, but more than the cheapest safe cabinets.
As an aside, if anyone is looking for a safe, go look at Sturdy Safe. They're very price competitive, family owned steel business in Fresno, IMO one of those "the way America used to make things" businesses worthy of support.
Yes it would be a no brainer to get into versus a true gun safe, but a lot of thieves aren't know for their genius and could very well go over looked as just that an old refrigerator/freezer especially if located in some less prominent area to draw any attention to it.
Just hope they are not thirsty and looking for a beer, or have a case of munchies and are looking for a quick snackQuote:
Originally Posted by blueboss
Keep plenty of snacks and beer in the main fridge (decoy) at all times which should be a common practice in every household whether they have a gun fridge or not.Quote:
Originally Posted by dan_bgblue
Generally true but thieves are looking for guns so much these days they tend to check these kinds of things if they see them. I talk to a lot of gun owners in my trade and it's shocking how many have had guns stolen, including how many have had them stolen from break ins where they had guns as a top target item.Quote:
Originally Posted by blueboss
Definitely a tradeoff between camouflage and just saying "here's my big honking safe, good luck". I do recommend this over some cheapo safe. that's the worst of both worlds IMO so we're in total agreement the disguised nature of it has some value.
I really like the "here's my big honking safe, good luck" approach.
My choice too. the most expensive option but the most secure from about every attack. You'd have to bring a torch to get into a Sturdy Safe, and they will even put stainless panels on it to make that very difficult.Quote:
Originally Posted by BarristerCat
The expense is tough though. Anything is better than nothing unless you want to hide them really well in the walls or something. I really do see both sides, but "big honking safe" is my choice whenever possible. Most criminals are idiots but I would likely get the Cambridge grad.
I do strongly recommend not spending $800 when $1,200 can get you a far better safe. $400 isn't chump change but it's a lot of bang for the buck to move up. I know too many guys who have lost guns from their Chinese import safes. You can get the entry level Sturdy Safe without fireproofing for $1,200 delivered or a Chinese rebranded safe with "Winchester" slapped on it for $600-800.
All my guns together wouldn't bring $300 on the street. Two non-descript shotguns, couple of bolt action 22s. That's it. It's just they were my dad's and grandfather's and uncle's. Their only value is to me, but woe to the person who tries to take them. Big woe.
One other thought: record the serials of all your guns in a separate location. You may be able to get one or more back and if you do you have a good chance of finding who took them and killing them.
In addition to writing down serial numbers you can remove butt stock plates and grips then put some type of identifying mark under them, then replace. Makes identification easy when you are the only one who knows what the identification mark is and where it is at.Quote:
Originally Posted by CitizenBBN
Pretty sure that is not a refrigerator, but an upright freezer. You will note it has a freezer lock and also has not separate freezer space that a refrigerator has.
Great idea Keith. Don't do like some have done and etch your social sec number in the receiver though. You'd be amazed how many of those guns I've bought and sold.Quote:
Originally Posted by KeithKSR
So what do you guys use your wood and glass cabinet's for? I don't even have one of those. Look around all the time, but want a "nice" one that is sharp. Yet, they wont keep anyone out of their to get my guns.
What kind of safe do you recommend??? anyone....
Sadly the days of glass cases and displays are over IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by CGWildcat
Like I said, Sturdy Safe is my favorite by far. they don't even advertise. Word of mouth is 100% of their sales.
Things to look for:
-- thicker gauge steel.
-- don't focus too much on how many bolts a safe has. If you can hack through the side or the frame holding all those bolts isn't super strong the bolts won't matter.
-- remember almost all the "brand" safes like Winchester or Remington are all the same Chinese safes with a label and paint job.
-- electronic locks will wear out faster but obviously access is quicker. If you are going to have a home defense weapon in it go for speed, otherwise I prefer mechanical locks.
-- relockers, basically a glass plate that when broken will throw the bolts, can be a real double edged sword. Some have broken when you close the door hard then you have to spend a lot of money to get a locksmith to open it. The combo won't work once the relock sets.
the idea is someone drilling will break the glass, but in trugh most attacks will use a pry bar or a fire ax or a torch and attack the door or the top of the safe and not drill. Even if the door attack breaks the glass it doesn't matter b/c it does nothing that isn't already done with the door locked. Honestly they aren't that useful and can be a costly accident.
-- fire proofing. Most fireproofing is actually drywall. Better safes even with drywall have sections to hold it in place. The cheaper safes have panels that will fall and you lose the heat proofing at the top of the safe.
Drywall gives off moister when heated and that is what becomes the heat barrier, but the drywall crumbles apart.
I know I'm plugging Sturdy Safe, but the are one of the manufacturers that uses a better heat proofing, ceramic wool. If heat proofing is a big deal look for a safe that uses at least sectioned drywall but ideally ceramic insulators.
There's another one people like along with Sturdy safe. I have a link in my files, I'll find it. I'd only look at it and sturdy safe myself. Great safes, reasonable price.
Not the only options though, and it's not a mistake to choose a different one, but this is my list of how to compare them.