[crusade]

I've been looking at a long gun for home defense, but I have a son and we are planning on having more children, so with children in the home, I want a safe way to store the firearm but also the quickest possible access to it in the event that I would actually need to use it in defense. I was looking for a safe that was long and skinny, good to fit maybe just a long gun and some spare magazines and maybe my concealed carry weapon. I found this:

| Sentry® Safe | HDC11E Home Defense Center

I wanted to know your opinions on it. They have a little video and everything. I'm thinking maybe I could put it in my closet in the corner or something. Would that be better than, for example, something like this? Stack-On In-Wall Cabinet, Beige - Walmart.com

It just seems more secure, harder to get into. What do you all think? Any other suggestions for long gun storage at night for quick access with children in the home?

 

[bigpapa]

How much money you want to spend, I have one from Sentry, it's not the best but it will slow them down. I have the digital key kind but mines is a 12 gun safe, I can put more gun and I have my shotgun in it.. I would stay away the that Stack-on one, if you go down to look at that you will see that the thickness suck, you want at least a 12 ga thickness wall. I have something like this which is good for me, I also have a home alarm that if they break in my house the alarm will goes off which they will have to go through 2 dead bolts lock, find the safe and open it in a few minutes, it they want it they can get my weapon but all these layers will slow them down before the PoPo come.| Sentry® Safe | GM1055C FIRE-SAFE®

 

[ccw9mm]

It's 112 lbs, they don't specify the gauge or quality of the steel used. At 112 lbs, it's not likely to resist theft by a robber or burglar for long. And if not ~8ga or better steel, it's likely a determined person with a few tools will be able to bash into it or pry open the door, given some time. You'll need to determine whether you want to acquire a safe or a locked box. There's a difference, IMO.

Some good reading, for anyone seeking a safe: Gun Safe Buyers' Guide -- What to Look for When Buying a Safe.

 

[Enzo411]

I actually bought one last month. I installed it in my bedroom closet in the corner. Fits perfectly and does exactly what I was looking for and that is not to be used as a substitute for a real safe but for secure storage for a shotgun (in my case) and a pistol on my second floor while I'm home.
I don't have young children so I didn't have to consider that but the sentry home defense center, IMO, is just as secure as all of the low end safes and stack on type of gun cabinets I've seen.
Best price I found was at Sports Authority, got 20% off as a first time buyer on their website and they were offering a free shipping promotion. I do have a real safe bolted to the basement floor that very securely stores my firearms when I'm out of the house.

 

[shadowwalker]

Two of my friends bought a I believe its called a RAD back in March when I visited them and just talked with them and they said its the best buy they ever made.

 

[crusade]

I actually bought one last month. I installed it in my bedroom closet in the corner. Fits perfectly and does exactly what I was looking for and that is not to be used as a substitute for a real safe but for secure storage for a shotgun (in my case) and a pistol on my second floor while I'm home.
I don't have young children so I didn't have to consider that but the sentry home defense center, IMO, is just as secure as all of the low end safes and stack on type of gun cabinets I've seen.
Best price I found was at Sports Authority, got 20% off as a first time buyer on their website and they were offering a free shipping promotion. I do have a real safe bolted to the basement floor that very securely stores my firearms when I'm out of the house.

Yeah, that's kind of what I'm looking for. Do you keep your shotgun in there all the time or what do you do?

Two of my friends bought a I believe its called a RAD back in March when I visited them and just talked with them and they said its the best buy they ever made.

Do you have more info on that? Like who makes it? When I think "RAD" I think "rape aggression defense." :tongue:

 

[Enzo411]

If there's going to be no one home all day I'll grab the shotgun and put it in the basement safe on my way to the garage, otherwise it stays in the Sentry.
As the instructions recommend I bolted the Sentry at the two points they suggest and used the bolts that came with the safe. They give you spacers to take up the gap (because of the base molding) between the safe and the wall but I removed those sections of molding so the safe would fit flush to the wall, which IMO will make it more difficult to pry.
I was hoping to see one in person before I purchased but no one had any so I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box.
I think if gun shops stocked this safe it would be a big seller to store a shotgun/rifle and a handgun.

 

[Once]

I've got one. It's tucked away in a corner of the bedroom. I bolted it to the floor [ pull up the floor covering inside there are two holes]

 

[crusade]

I like the sound of it. Maybe I'll get me one someday. I was Googling this issue and I read a funny analogy. They were discussing single or double long-gun safe storage for home defense and one guy said the only options are gigantic tank-proof safes that hold 40 guns, the lowest being like a 14-gun safe. He said it's like asking someone if they want an F-250 or an F-350 when all they wanted was a Ranger. I thought that applied here.

 

[NH_Esau]

If you're talking security from a kid, I think the steel lockboxes like that are just fine. I've got a safe for the collection, but for quick access at various other places in the house, I use in-wall lockboxes. Will they stop a determined thief? Nah... but I don't need 1000lb safes in several rooms.

I'd actually been thinking about using a cruiser rack in closets in a couple rooms, but decided the in-wall options were both more cost-effective and less obvious. But I still think they'd be a great option, either keyed or battery-powered remote:

SC-917-B Universal Wall/Trunk Rack
Standard Model, 1070 (these guys are really expensive, but sweet!)

 

[crusade]

...I don't need 1000lb safes in several rooms.

Precisely. The Sentry seems a little more secure than that, though, would give me better peace of mind to just leave it there, worth the extra buckaroos I think.

 

[NONAME762]

I like the sound of it. He said it's like asking someone if they want an F-250 or an F-350 when all they wanted was a Ranger. I thought that applied here.

I got a real good chuckle out of that. Glad to see your funny bone is INTACT.

When I bought my last new truck in '04 the first thing the sales guy tried to do was put me in an F 150. I told the guy I thought they were ugly. I really did think they were UGLY. Still do.:blink:

I'm on my second Ranger XLT. Great truck. Fulfills my needs 115% and gets 20MPG the way I drive it. YMMV

Well schucks as long as I'm here... I looked at that RAD corner opening 2 gun Safe. Never saw a Safe quite like that before. I LIKE IT. A LOT. I would like to know what they want for it tho as I'm not made of moola.

I don't have kids. I live alone. Of course my security could be better. Even better if I got CBC and CBUT+KVOS on my rabbit ears antenna. Usedta I coulda. Grrrrr.

Only you can decide. Run a 'search' for the Eddie Eagle Program through the NRA. You need to gun proof your kids.

It's Saturday Night here in NoNameVille. The Drinking Lamp was lit a couple hours earlier. *M*A*S*H* is on and running at a funny per 3.8 seconds. YMMV:blink:

 

[shadowwalker]

Sorry did not get back sooner crusade trying to get bug zapper installed in chest. RAD I think stands for rapid access defense and I think there are 2 sizes

 

[crusade]

Sorry did not get back sooner crusade trying to get bug zapper installed in chest. RAD I think stands for rapid access defense and I think there are 2 sizes

I looked it up and it looks like a wall cabinet thing, like the Stack-On only a ton better. Actually thinking about that one now too.

RAD4

 

[FAS1]

I looked it up and it looks like a wall cabinet thing, like the Stack-On only a ton better. Actually thinking about that one now too.

RAD4

RAD4 Four foot weapons system cabinet.

Exterior Dimensions: 48.5" X 11.5" X 5.5". Weight: 40lbs. Construction: 18ga. cold roll steel.

That's not much steel for $500.

 

[crusade]

That's not much steel for $500.

Good point...

 

[xtalman]

RAD4 Four foot weapons system cabinet.

Exterior Dimensions: 48.5" X 11.5" X 5.5". Weight: 40lbs. Construction: 18ga. cold roll steel.

That's not much steel for $500.

Do you plan on making something similar? I own your pistol safe and love it.

 

[FAS1]

Do you plan on making something similar? I own your pistol safe and love it.

Thanks. I would like to, but haven't had enough time to work on developing something this year. Hopefully I will get a chance soon.