Sentry Safe will not open - ideas plz

[JSnover]

I make it a point not to advertise. Most criminals around here are the smash n grab types, the determined/professional thieves generally rob better neighborhoods. So I own two safes. They didn't cost a fortune but they'll do.
Spend as much as you can justify on the safe, but don't skimp (on money, time or effort) on making sure no one is interested in what you have. An ounce of deterrence is worth a pound of security, and there's no reason not to have both.

[Plate plinker]

Layers of protection people. LAYERS. SAFES CAMERAS SCREECHING CATS RABID DOGS.........

[PB234]

PB234 - call Sentry before any butchering of the safe. My guess is one or more long arms have 'settled' on the door and are blocking one or more of the bolts on the door ... so, tilt the safe backwards, slid a 2x4 under the front to keep it tilted and then run the combination to see if opens

John,

I called Sentry whose attitude was you have had it for 12 years and it is not our problem at all. Absolutely no help.

In retrospect Sentry provides a product that took less than a minute for a pro to open with a pry bar and screw driver which means all it does is collect your things in one place for a thief to take.

Maybe the best solution is what I am now doing which is to have a safe strong enough to keep most folks out of it longer than the five minute or less police response time after the centrally monitored alarm goes off. Motion detectors and alarmed doors around the safe. Cameras and tough dog help too, but mostly who is going to hang around while the alarm says the police are coming quick?

My feeling is we have a responsibility to not let firearms out of our control even if insurance covers the financial loss. Someone wants to break in and steal a TV or chair they are risking a lot for almost nothing.

Hate to think I might be home if a break in occurs. It can happen.

[JSnover]

No mention of securing the house itself. How about knowing your neighbors well enough to trust them and be confident that that they would call you or the police if anything unusual happened.

[PB234]

House has usual locks and centrally monitored security system security (ADT). Neighborhood typically calls police when things look unusual, but someone drives up in a decent car and lets themselves in there is nothing unusual in sight for more than a moment. An alarm system just calls the police instead of depending on the uncertainties of depending on people to notice anything out of order. Alarm system and fast police response time is about a good as you can do.

Probable total time prior to police arriving under ten minutes. High probability of police arriving within five minutes. Not much worth stealing in the home. Who wants a toaster and a old microwave or old TV or used worn furniture? If someone drove up and offered to get the TV out of my home they could have it and $25 as a thank you. Lots of more profitable places with less risk to rob. Carry old heavy couches out the door? LOL! Maybe a thief will pack my dishes and pots and pans and sell them for $20 if he is lucky : ) . Not much to steal. Think my blue jeans have a lot of value to a thief? Not one bit of cash or jewelry in the place.

My dog; however, will be very upset and angry if someone enters approaching his dog bones. He has no idea they are easily replaceable. Love that creature. Best dog I have ever had. He is almost always with me. Currently is about three feet way from me. Come to my door and you know/hear the dog is waiting for you.

How is that for securing the home? By the way I knew judo and competed fro years. It is fairly worthless other than sport, learning how to fall. twist a few joints and strangle a person. Mostly people who think they know judo are just a risk to themselves when they meet a fighter.

[JSnover]

So you really never needed an expensive safe anyway. If anyone gets by the locks, alarm, neighbors, etc. the dog will handle things until the cops get there.
Try not to let my judo skills concern you. I'm far more experienced with guns, chances are I'll play my strong suit

[PB234]

Doesn't matter what you think I need. My believe is anyone who owns a firearm has an obligation to make sure it never reaches the hands of people who should not have one. The problem with a cheap security box is it just tells a thief where to look. It took about 45 seconds to open the Sentry box which is quick enough to get in, spend 45 seconds to open the box and a minute to clean it out and leave. I have sufficient assets to not allow this kind of thing to happen.

You probably have no substantial judo skills. If you ever did they pass as one gets older, weaker, slower and more stiff and brittle. The best strong suit is to run away if possible and live another day.

Have a great day and stay away from conflict where you are either going to lose at the moment of conflict or later working your way through the courts.

[JSnover]

The whole judo thing was a joke and I think YOU should decide what you need. As far as avoiding conflict, we don't disagree. You win EVERY fight that you're able to avoid.
Now... Here's the thing about gun safe threads; they all play out the same way: Anything less than $10K is a waste of money and anything more than $10K is an even bigger waste (because NONE are impenetrable, right?). Long story short, a safe can provide some protection for your guns, that's why we should have them, but a safe can't protect itself. The home and the occupants have to pick up the slack.

[wills]

I googled "Sentry combination dial safe" and all the search results were about how to open one.

[Handloader109]

Sounds like the sheet metal cabinet I hold some things overnight in works just about as well as a residential safe. Probably harder to get into also. At least it would bend and make life a bit more interesting than just pop open with a pry bar. I've got all my stuff spread out, so I guess someone might find one or two fairly quickly, but get everything? They'd have to be here for a while to find them all.
But it all is just stuff and can be replaced.

[john.k]

I made my own gunsafe,its very heavy,but a few cutting discs in a 4" grinder can cut a big hole in 3/8 plate,so i dont delude myself.....However it does comply the legal requirement for safe storage........which is what matters to me.

[JSnover]

I demolished a "secure file cabinet" years ago. The owner had lost the combination and it was going to be scrapped. This model was constructed with alternating layers of 1/8" steel and about 3/8" of concrete for fire resistance (I don't know what the ' concrete' was actually made of). With all of the tools mentioned in this thread plus an acetylene torch it took the better part of a day to get that ****ed thing open.

[smokeywolf]

If were going to tackle the project of building a safe, think I'd layer 1/4" steel plate, couple inches concrete backer board and for the outside, 1/2" trench plate. I'd buy the door. You also have to remember that how and where you position your safe makes a huge difference.

[john.k]

Real high grade safes use 12mm austenitic manganese steel/surfaced with a stainless 316 layer outer shell,and then a cavity filled with scrap carbide inserts,which chew up abrasive wheels in short order..Ive seen lots of cut safes in the scrap yard,it takes something pretty special to resist one of the "demolition saws" the pros use now.Some have 15hp motors.Lots of noise ,but quick in and out.The demo saws make short work of doors too. Im told the money machines (ATMs) often have $1 mil in them.....EDIT.....but a plasma torch would chop it up ............so you are going to need a refractory layer as well.

[Hannibal]

Give me a carbon arc torch and no one looking and I'll ruin your precious safe.