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When Should You Buy a Gun Safe?

Dixie Safe & Lock Service Inc. • Jul 22, 2019

Gun Safe — Houston, TX — Dixie Safe & Lock Service Inc.
You should consider buying a gun safe and having it installed by a qualified locksmith if you own firearms or you prefer the added reinforcement and security gun safes often provide in comparison with standard floor safes or wall safes.

Gun safes aren’t just for people with large collections of firearms. There are even scenarios where you may not own any guns but a gun safe is still one of the best safe options to fit your security needs.

If you’re looking for a fireproof safe, burglary safe or waterproof safe, then a gun safe will likely be your best option. Multi-use gun safes are often burglar-rated, fire-rated and many have layouts designed with the assumption that the safe owner will store items other than just firearms in the safe.

Most safe shoppers end up deciding based on budget, the types of materials they want to store and the value of their possessions.

Single Gun Safe Options

Gun safes come in all types of sizes, including single and double pistol safes. These are small, portable safes that often resemble armored briefcases. There are many different locking options for these as well, ranging from biometric to lock and key. Many of these small gun safes are designed to be portable, but portability isn’t always the best feature if you want to securely store a pistol in your home.

GunVault, among other brands, designs several mini vaults that can be installed into walls or floors. You won’t be able to take the vault with you if you were going camping or on a road trip where you wanted a pistol close at hand for protection, but they are ideal for securing a pistol or two in your home.

There are also quick access pistol safes that are specifically designed with “at-the-ready” presentation so you can access your firearm fast if you need it for protection.

The downside to small cases is they aren’t all multipurpose. If you want to store documents or backup drives, you will want to look for a small multi-purpose vault rather than a pistol-specific gun safe.

Some common gun safe dimensions include:
Gun Safe Specifications — Houston, TX — Dixie Safe & Lock Service Inc.
If you own a couple rifles and pistols you don’t really require a massive half-ton vault, but you will need a safe that’s tall, wide and deep enough to fit them comfortably. Many gun safes include shelving or pockets on the door that allows for storing pistols, ammunition, magazines, scopes and other accessories.

As a rule of thumb, you may want to consider purchasing a gun safe that has approximately twice as much storage space as you think you’ll need. This will give you a bit of extra room in the event you add more firearms to your collection plus it leaves a lot of extra space to store other valuables, such as jewelry, titles, contracts, precious metals or anything else you want to keep safe and secure in your home.

Gun Safe Placement and Installation

Where you plan on putting your gun safe is an important decision to think through before you make any purchase. You’ll want to keep in mind a few different factors:

  • If you purchase a heavy gun vault, which could be in the 800 to 1,000-pound range, it will be cumbersome and difficult to move. It likely won’t make it up or through narrow staircases, cramped hallways or abnormally small doorways.
  • Some particularly heavy gun vaults shouldn’t be stored upstairs unless a carpenter or other engineering specialist has analyzed the floor joists and confirmed they can bear the weight.
  • A large gun safe will take up a significant amount of room. If you’re putting it in a relatively open basement you probably won’t have any issues, but if you wanted to put it in your home office or a den it could consume a significant amount of the room’s floor space.
  • Have a place picked out for an in-the-wall or in-the-floor safe before you choose which type or model to purchase. Knowing the best place to put this type of safe will give you a better idea of the depth and size dimensions you’ll be able to fit in your home.

Get Experienced, Reliable Gun Safe Guidance and Installation Assistance

Having a gun safe properly installed is an important step if you’re going to invest in a new gun safe. The gun safe installation experts at Dixie Safe & Lock Service Inc. have the experience and equipment to ensure your gun safe is securely installed. If you ever need a new combination or gun safe service, they can help with recalibration and other issues as well. Call Dixie Safe & Lock Service Inc. today at (713) 643-5767 to learn more or to schedule gun safe installation or service.
Number First Name Last Name Email Address
1 Anne Evans anne.evans@mail.com
2 Bill Fernandez bill.fernandez@mail.com
3 Candice Gates candice.gates@mail.com
4 Dave Hill dave.hill@mail.com
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