I know better than to ask personal specifics, but I am going to buy a new safe. I have 20 long guns that I need to have room for. I have no need for more than 1 shelf (ammo stored already), so I want as much room for the long guns as possible. I know from experience that I am likely going to purchase a 48-gun or larger in order to have the room that I desire inside.

Electronic lock? Yea or nay?
Brand experiences would be nice.


Any and ALL suggestions or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Security Proucts. IMO, best safe out there. A little pricey but the design is the best of any safe I've owned or seen.

I went with a Liberty Colonial safe, and I like it a lot. Get a bigger safe than what you think you need now, as you will fill it up. I prefer the dial locks, since I do not have to worry about batteries. I know several shooters who have been locked out when their battery died, and it was an ordeal to open it. A friend of the family is a Liberty dealer, so if you need a connection, let me know. He cut me a really good deal on my safe.

I bought the Cannon 64 gun safe a couple months ago and really like it. I will tell you this though, I have around 35 in there and its full.

What 68A said +1.

Take the drive to Elm Mott, just north of Waco on I-35's northbound service road, and be prepared to see something totally different in the world of gun safes... google them to get a preview so you underatand the unique double key lock system and why they cannot easily be pried open. These can be totally customized for fire temps & time length, layout yadda yadda ...or there are standard setups too. Made on site with US made Steel one at a time.

Talk to Ricky, tell him Archie in Buffalo sent you...but call Archie first @ Buffalo Sporting Goods on Hwy 79, and speak to him personally.

From what I'm getting feed back on from folks who have had a fire the plastic Electronic Locks are gonna melt at a lot lower temps than the safe is rated for...think about it.
Ron

Wow guuys ..... thanks for the info and advice.

Ron, I appreciate the info. Never thought about the plastic lock pad melting!

Chad, thanks a bunch!

I have a Canon electronic, I think it's the 64 gun model. I'll tell you it will only hold about half that in long guns, and about 1/3 if they are scoped rifles. I like the electronic keypad and would go the same route again. We are in and out of our safe 2-3 times per day so it makes it convenient.

I got a Canon with electronic lock at Academy. Price was right and it held its advertised capacity in long guns.
If the electronic lock were to melt in a fire..so what?? A perp is going to try to get into a safe that has been in a 1300 degree fire??

I'll never own another electronic lock PERIOD. When mine failed I had to get an LEO to the house to prove it was my safe and not stolen. He had to fill out a paper and I had to mail it in with a $25 check to get a master reset code. 4 weeks later I had my code only to find out the pad was toast. In the since if you ever forget your combo you CAN get it reset. But it has been nothing but a PITA for me.

The first 5 years were trouble free and it is easier to get into since it will beep at you if the combo is wrong and after ~3 attempts it locks you out for 15 min. Def a downfall when your wife is trying to open the safe and CANT follow directions

I've got a Summit Denali with an electric lock and a Red Head with a S&G dial. I like the looks of the dial better but it is VERY finicky with the combination. It has taken me over a dozen tries to get into it before.

All depends on your budget. I concur about the Liberty and sounds like the Security Products is worth looking into.If you go with a Cannon and it is in a fire, yes the electronic plastic lock is going to melt. But you should be calling Cannon anyway for your free warranty replacement. I have 2 Canons (1 with dial/key lock; 1 with electronic lock). Just calendar and remember to change the battery on the electronic lock annually like your smoke alarms.

We like for you to change the batteries in your smoke detectors twice a year, every time you change your clock for day light savings time....

To the OP, I have a Liberty with dial like Chad and have no complaints for the last 15 yrs other than I wish it was bigger!!!!!

If you can hold out until Black Friday there are usually some really great deals about that time. Gander Mountain (of all people) had a 48 gun Liberty 2 years ago for $200 cheaper than anywhere I've ever seen it, even other's sale prices. Shop hard but shop smart!

That's why I'm gathering info.

It sounds odd, but Costco actually has some pretty good deals on safes with free delivery.

Never thought about them. I'll check locally. Thanks.

They might only be online.

Most online places only tailgate deliver. I need someone to actually place the thing where I need it inside the house.

For all you guys with electronic locks.....what are you gonna do when the EMP hits and you can't get in your safe?

mine is electronic and came with a key if the battery dies.

I have a Remington, with dial combo. Just wish I got bigger. No probs with dial. Bought at BPS.

I got the biggest one liberty makes, still need more room.

electric lock, change batteries and if the lock melts, I got much bigger problems than getting into my gun safe.

EMP??? really???


i'm coming to your house, we goin fat tire mountain bike riding

Somewhere in my wandering around the 'net looking for info on gun safe's I acame across 2 -3 tidbits of info on how safes are broken into, and had one of these confirmed by a local dealer...

** I am not selling or working for any safe company or gun dealer, and these are strictly what I remember from several months of trolling hunting/shooting websites looking for info on gun safes, and not my personal experiences.

1. Drill out the plastic key pad which gives you easy access to drill into the exposed locking mechanism - a Reason the S&G dial lock is better than a key pad, but still a weak spot...Security Products safe uses an interior work hardening steel plate over the 2 key locks that are recessed and turned sideways completely protected from pry bars and drilling...

2. Turn the safe on it's back and get the largest pry bar you can find and pry the front door open from any slack spot you can find in the fit of the door to the frame or beat it hard enough open with sledge or powered jack hammer 'cause the locking mechanism is out of alingment in any other position except standing - solutions include ALWAYS bolt the safe into a concrete floor so it cannot be turned over...which should be done on any standing safe.

3. And the one issue my local dealer always mentions as the most common and fastest entry it seems...take a powered saw or torch and cut BEHIND the front hinges and door off the safe's body where it sits ... and sez thats why he suggests the safe brand I mentioned because of their innovative designs.

FWIW Last time this subject came up, and the name Security Products was discussed with some of the design features, a THF'er from Oklahoma reported that there is a similar Safe Company in Oklahoma that uses some of the same features....so I would guess that these features are not a patented design, but jus a case of superior desing & workmanship being recognized by another company willing to put the added value in their product too. Might be worth checking out too.
Ron