Gun safe in unheated garage ??

[45-70bpcr]

I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with keeping a gun safe in an unheated garage. I really need a safe but have no where to put it in the house. If it is set up properly with golden rod heater/dryers or a light bulb and thermostat and not opened very often is it unreasonable to expect your guns to stay safe? I'm in Northern PA so we definately get temp. swings.

Thanks

[hicard]

I have a couple of safes in my outdoor shed for a couple of years now. One with humidifier and the other with a light bulb that is always on and so far, haven't had any problems FWIW. Located in Northern Calif. and yes, it does get cold up here.

[ph4570]

I have had my safe in an often damp garage for years with a 24" golden rod (always on). There has never been an issue.

[45-70bpcr]

Much appreciated fellas. This is what I was hoping to hear.

[singleshot1]

45-70bpcr,
My Liberty safe has sat in our garage for several years now, winter, summer, and everything inbetween. One golden rod which is on 24/7. During the winter months if you remove a firearm to take into the house, keep a close eye on it, because it will sweat when brought in . Dave

[richbug]

Do you have enough help to move it? I could drop by over Christmas break if you wanted.

Rich

[45-70bpcr]

Do you have enough help to move it? I could drop by over Christmas break if you wanted.

Rich

Man what a group! Thank you Rich for the offer. Not many people volunteer to move furniture, let alone safes! I haven't purchased the safe yet and really haven't settled on what I want. Getting away with putting it in the garage gives me quite a few more options. I have also looked at some of the modular safes. I could get one of them in the basement. Fire ratings on them don't seem all that good though. I am looking around and very grateful for the tips and experience everyone offered. I'll figure something out.

Thanks again

[richbug]

If you don't like the fire rating a safe offers, you can always add more drywall to it.

[Mk42gunner]

I moved several safes when I was in the Navy. As long as you have some way to get the safe off the truck or trailer, (forklift, tractor, or maybe an engine hoist); they aren't that difficult to move on a solid floor. We used three pieces of pipe or metal conduit, and just rolled them where we wantwed them to go.


Robert

[WILCO]

I really need a safe but have no where to put it in the house.


Many moons ago, I had one located in a hallway closet in an apartment........

[Calamity Jake]

Whatever safe you get make sure it can be bolted to the floor and or wall and when you get it, BOLT it to something!!!

Don't ever think a couple of thieves can't get that safe because it is heavy, they can and will!!

[mold maker]

2" schedule 40 PVC pipe cut to length at least the same as the depth of safe is cheaper and does a great job. I would suggest having 4 pieces so that there are three under the safe at all times. I've used them several times.
Many safes have a removable door (while open) to reduce weight while moving.

[alamogunr]

If you are concerned that the golden rod is not enough, go here:

http://www.rustbloc.com/cgi-bin/dept?dpt=H&srch=DG

These things release a vapor that protects against rust. I use them even though my safe is in a shop that has heat/air cond. year round. Not cheap, but then neither are your guns.

John
W.TN

[RP]

I have a safe in a unheated area and we have some fast temp changes here so the think to keep in mind is temp change control. Taking a gun out of the house or truck is alot bigger temp change then you will get with a safe outdoors. Just dont leave your safe door open for a longer then needed time if the temp is a big differance inside the safe and outside.

[shooterg]

Won't cost ya much more to build an insulated "closet" around the safe - with a used exterior door on it(salvage place), it'll look like a utilty closet and provide a bit more security. A friend did this in his basement, made it big enough for some limited shelving for extras.

[No_1]

+1 on mounting it solid to something solid. A friend of mine had one in his bedroom. A window was located about 5 feet to the left of it on the adjoining wall. The thieves pried the window open, choked around the safe with some type of tow strap, tied it to a vehicle and pulled it out the house through the window/wall and down the street until the strap broke from friction. When the cops came to inspect the damage and take the report they passed the safe on the side of the road about 3 blocks from the house but did not give it a second thought until they started taking the report.

Robert

[wallenba]

Midway sells these, they keep the humidity down by keeping the safe warm inside.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=621013

[Jon K]

+ 1 more vote for GOLDENROD

Jon

[beemer]

no 1
Talk about theives, I worked with a piece of garbage that broke into houses for a living. He had just got out of prison and went back a short time later. He said there was a gun safe in the living room and he walked around it with a chainsaw dropping it into the basement. They had backed a box van up to the basement door at the back of the house and sawn out the door. One driver, one with the saw, two with hand trucks and gone in 5 minutes. He said a good hiding place was sometimes worth more than a safe. Time was the problem, he said he needed to grab and run.

[jnovotny]

SOB better not let me catch him in my house with a chainsaw. What a lowlife piece of s@#t!

[Longrange]

I had the builder place a 1 inch plate 1 foot below the foundation pad with threaded bar then pored the concrete for the foundation for my safe mount. With six 1 inch threaded bolts holding the safe to the ground it will not go anywhere..

[bearcove]

Whatever safe you get make sure it can be bolted to the floor and or wall and when you get it, BOLT it to something!!!

Don't ever think a couple of thieves can't get that safe because it is heavy, they can and will!!

I store my lead ingots in the bottom of mine. It will stop any thing short of a fork lift.

The way we anchor stuff in construction is with drop-ins. For 1/2 inch allthread a 5/8 inch hole in your slab, clean hole with vac, drop in a redhead, set it then screw in a cap screw threw bottom of safe . No holes? Drill them where you want, its just thin plate.