Safe Standards and Feautures

1. The Thickness of Steel. 

Steel Thickness is measured differently than you might think, the higher the gauge number the thinner the steel and the lower the number the thicker the steel. When it comes to body wall thickness, Safes typically range anywhere from 14 gauge to 1". For the door anything from 14 gauge to 1.5" is common. The thicker the steel, the longer it will take to get through, thus more steel equals more security. Thicker steel is also less flexible and more sturdy, making it harder to bend during a pry attack.

 

 

2.Locking Bolts, number & Size.

One of our most common questions is: Do more bolts equal more security?

While this is a great question there is more to it than just the number of bolts. You can find safes at big box stores with 20 bolts that can still be pried open in less than 2 minutes because of the size of the bolts and the flexibility in the light gauge door.

The main function of the steel bolts is to make the door harder to pry open with a crowbar or similar tools during an attack. If the safe has a 14 gauge door or less and the bolt length is less than an inch, the number of bolts is irrelevant as the door itself will flex and literally bend open during a pry attack.

A general rule of thumb, the longer, thicker and greater number of bolts, the harder it is to bend or break.

 

3.Here we reach the most common question in the industry: Electronic Lock vs. Mechanical Dial Lock?

 

 While there is no right or wrong answer, we've found that with the ease of use, customizability and better security, electronic locks take the crown over their mechanical dial counterparts.

• Typically Electronic Locks you'll find on most Safes are classified as UL Grade 1 as it would take roughly 27 years, working 24/7 to manipulate by hand with the 999,999 different combinations available. After 3 or 4 wrong attempts, depending on the lock, a 10 to 15 minute lockout will occur creating a longer time constraint for the would be intruder. There is no question, Electronic Locks are significantly faster to operate than their mechanical counterparts providing quick access for those who know the combination. More key advantages of electronic locks are the user's ability to change the combination at any time without the assistance of a locksmith and having the ability to open it without your eyes, including not needing reading glasses, being in the dark or being blind. Electronic locks do have a battery that needs to be changed periodically. They can last up to 6 years however we recommend swapping it out at least every other year.

• Mechanical Dial Locks are classified as UL Group 2 and are significantly slower to operate than their Electronic counterparts. Dial Locks are secure however they can be manipulated by a machine or picked by an experienced safe cracker in under an hour. To change the combination on a mechanical dial lock the assistance of a locksmith is necessary. Considering the time length it takes to operate mechanical locks, we've found that many customer use the key locking dial feature to lock the dial while leaving the combination entered. This leaves the safe vulnerable in the un-locked position and makes it much easier for a burglar to pick your safe open.

• Duet, Dual & Redundant Locks: New to the market are a combination of the two styles of locks. Duet locks will have both the Electronic capabilities and a dial in one lock. For an example, check out the Cannon EMP lock with the dial in the middle of the lock and the electronic numbers located on the top. This guarantees access in the event the electronics malfunction or the batteries die. Another style is known as the Redundant lock where you will find the standard electronic lock and the standard mechanical lock both on the door of the safe with the ability to use either one to open the safe. Please see pictures below for examples of the different styles of locks.

 

 

4. Hardplate

 

 

Most professional safe guys will tell you a lock is only as good as the hardplate protecting it and I like to equate it to getting on a motorcycle without a helmet. You can still ride, but if you go down and hit your head your out, maybe for good. Similarly, the hardplate stands between the outside of the safe and the interior lock protecting the locking mechanism on the inside of the safe from being drilled. There are several different types but the most common is just a nice thick piece of heat treated, hardened steel varying in size, once again depending on the safe's rating.

Most manufacturers will use a special "proprietary" recipe that they don't want you to know the components to as they know their competitors will attempt to steal it. All in all, having a hardplate is as important as wearing your helmet while riding a motorcycle.

 

 

 

 

5. Relockers

 

 

A Relocker is a device designed to relock the safe causing all bolts to lock in place when the original lock is damaged or removed. During a drill attack, the driller will drill into or around the lock to find the release point, also known as the bolt that goes in and out of the lock called the nose.

Some manufacturers will use both an internal and external relocker for these scenarios:

• An internal relocker is located inside the lock itself and when drilled will fire a pin keeping those bolts locked into place.
• An external relocker will be located outside of the lock and is often comprised typically of metal or glass. When the drill shatters the external relocker, a pin is once again fired locking the bolts in place.

 

Relockers act as your back-up security during an attack prolonging the burglars ability to get your safe open. It's important to remember that there are thousands of safes sold out there without relockers or hardplates. A UL rated burglary safe will always have both a hardplate and a relocker.

When safe vendors were asked about a practical compromise regarding much less weight compared with safety ...

We asked some safe dealers, and most really felt that a secure in the 750-lb array supplied a great mix of dimension as well as security. At this weight, they  cannot be removed with a typical home appliance dolly. At this weight It will stand up to being tipped over. It will also be too heavy for a few burglars to carry up a trip of staircases. Conversely, a 500-lb safe is much easier for a pair males to manhandle, and also get right into the bed of a pick-up vehicle using a ramp.

Safe Construction, as well as Wall thickness.

Referral: Minimum 10 Gauge steel walls, 5/16" durable plate door or 1+" composite door, armor shielding over lock box.

Covering Stamina

Toughness is crucial in a safe. You desire a safe with terrific external toughness, because during a fire, the house roof covering or other structural elements may fall on the secure.

Sound safes are developed with continual welds, not "stitch welds" related to body filler.

Wall surface Thickness

Steel is extremely pricey. That's why low-end saFes have extremely thin steel wall surface panels, 12-gauge and even 14 gauge. Thin steel does not offer much of a barrier to infiltration. Concrete saw will zoom throughout 10-gauge panels, and 12-gauge, single-panel steel could be permeated by a Fire Axe. Commercial-grade safes, made use of in banks and also precious jewelry shops, utilize much thicker grade steel.

The normal attack on a property weapon safe is even more of the "take and also get hold of" range, by offenders that do not have durable cutting tools or lanterns, as well as that want to get in as well as out quickly. It's reasonable to endanger a little bit on the exterior securing of the secure to have a workable weight and also sensible price.

Standard Weapon Safe Features

There are multiple things to consider when searching for the most effective gun safe to fit your requirements, and also much like other major purchase, you will certainly wish to do a lot of research study to guarantee you make the correct decision. If you are just starting your search it may appear a little frustrating initially, once you understand the basics, your choice making process should be a lot easier.

Dimension

An ideally sized weapon safe need to pleasantly be able to hold your entire weapon collection as well as weapon connected devices without being too messy or unpleasant. There are all sorts of sizes to consider, and also the majority of weapon safes are marked with the maximum variety of rifles they can hold, as well as this could vary anywhere from under 10 to over 65.

One of the largest regrets individuals have after getting risk-free is that they want they had acquired a larger one. This is because, as you will promptly locate out, there are so several non-gun related belongings you could save in your weapon safe.

Big, free-standing, weapon safes are excellent if you have multiple guns, ammo, and other weapon associated accessories for it to hold. If you only have a single gun, or would certainly like to maintain a gun separate from the remainder of your collection, you can additionally consider a gun or a pistol safe. They are much smaller sized than regular gun safes as well as could quickly be concealed within a storage room or under a bed. They are additionally a great deal less costly compared to traditional gun safes.