5 Features of Good Quality Gun Safes - By: Darrel Boan

If you own a firearm, it is mandatory in some states to ensure that it is well protected as they are susceptible to theft and fire. Gun safes are the best way to protect your gun from harm’s way. But not all safes are made alike, and usually come with a caveat. Here are 5 features that you ought to check, before buying a gun safe:

Metal Thickness: Needless to say, the thicker the metal, the more is its cost. Although the 18-16 gauge metal is affordable, it is very thin and can be easily broken in. There’s also the B-rated safe that has all the bells and whistles of a good safe. But if you are looking to buy the best in the market, go for ones that are UL certified. Underwriter’s Laboratories are an independent organization and certify gun safes according to quality. UL certified safes are known to protect from burglars and fires. Before buying a safe, check for the metal thickness and the metal used for the safe. A good quality safe should be able to resist burglary attempts for about 15 minutes with simple and sophisticated equipments.

Fire Proof: The next thing to look for is its ability to resist fires. A good quality fire safe has a rating of TL-15. Although there are gun safes that have a higher rating like TL- 30, TL-30X6, and TR-TL, these are popularly used by banks and jewelry stores. An average B and C rated fire proof gun safe should be able to resist fires for at least an hour. The ones that come in the higher range boast of at least 2 to 3 hours of fire, and cost anywhere from $ 1,000 to $1,500.

Locking: Although electronic locks aren’t generally considered safe, there are a few types that are of good quality. But mechanical locks are considered to be the safest of all. Some high priced gun safes use a variety of lock systems including digital and manual combinations, key locking handles, and even biometric system. Of course, these would be the hardest to break in, but it also might take longer for you to access your gun in an emergency. There are some systems that bolt the safe in an attack, and there are others that contain steel hard plates and can even shatter the drill when drilled open.

Price: It’s a common mistake to compromise quality for price. The very purpose of a gun safe is defeated when you are looking for a cheap priced one. There are safes that don’t cost more than $200, but as the proverb goes, ‘you’ll only get monkeys when you pay peanuts’. Good quality safes that are made from good quality material often cost over $1000 and the best can cost over $5000. Consider this a worthy investment if you are looking to protect extremely valuable assets.

Aesthetics: Of course, function takes precedence over form when it comes to gun safes, but you don’t want a hideous looking thing to adorn your office. There are some safes that can be concealed so that it doesn’t look obvious, but they do come at a premium.

About the Author

Gun safes not only protect your firearms, but can also be used to protect important paper, jewels and other valuable assets. The author of this article writes review about gun safes.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Darrel-Boan/195182

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