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Gun safe question

8K views 18 replies 18 participants last post by  birdogs 
#1 ·
Just got my first gun safe, a 24 gun Cannon. Put it in the concrete floored utility room in our finished basement. Was told by delivery guy to put it on 4 bricks to prevent the bottom of the safe from rusting. After using some shims it has absolutely no movement at all. But a level shows the front left corner is barely lower than the front right corner. How important is it for a safe to be perfectly level? Should I re-shim to make it perfectly level?

Mike Kamer
 
#2 ·
Unless you plan on playing pool on it, it is fine as it sets.


Do yourself a favor and bolt it to the floor. If someone broke into your house with the intent to steal your safe having it raised off the ground ready for a moving dolly to be slid under it is going to save them time and effort.
 
#4 ·
i thought this was gonna be a question about rust. anyway, bolt it to the studs in the wall as well as to the floor; a 25 watt light bulb will make for a fine dehumidifier. it doesn't have to be level. in fact, you could lay it flat on its back on the floor. it'll still work although the door might be a little hard to swing open. good luck with it

btw, if it's painted on the bottom, it won't rust
 
#7 ·
OK, I have installed several safes and before I did, I consulted security experts who actually make and sell safes. It has to be bolted directly to the floor unless you want someone to take it. To prevent rust, paint the floor under the safe with a good quality concrete sealer. If the concrete floor is not perfectly flat, have some wood shimps ready and drive them under the safe just prior to putting the final torque on those bolts. Don't worry about being perfectly level, close is good enough. If you can bolt the back of the safe to the wall studs as well as bolting it to the floor you will make your safe extra secure. However, if you live in an earthquake zone, just bolt to the floor. That way the house can move and sway in a quake without putting presure on your safe.

R Talley
 
#10 ·
Actually you should "level" the safe based on where you want the door to end up when it is open. I set mine so the door ends up open around 120 degrees. That way I can open the door and let it rest out of my way to access tha safe contents. The door must be locked to keep it closed. If the door is closed I know I have locked it (I never close the door and just turn the bolts without locking the safe).

Jim Skeel<BR>P/W Dealer/Distributor
 
#11 ·
Finally some common sense. Yes, the safe needs to be level, but this is for door operation. I guess if you have a very light door it won't be an issue. However, I'm here to tell you, if my safe wasn't level, the door would be a major pain in the behind.

Get it level and keep checking the door operation as you torque the bolts down. Trust me, a heavy door that keeps wanting to close as you're trying to get your guns out will get old really fast.
 
#15 ·
Jim is absolutely correct about the door! Also as far as the bolting thing goes, you say it is in a basement, how easy or hard was it to get it down the steps?

Do you have a walkout basement?

Do you have a monitored alarm system?

Do you live in a residential neighborhood with plenty of free "eyes" usually around, or do you live where your nearest neighbor is a mile as the crow flies?

A quick search of your safe puts it in the 360 pound range empty. So even with 100 pounds of added valuables it is still plenty light enough to be stolen under the right circumstances.

So if it were anywhere but the basement I would bolt it down going thru a wood spacer. I never heard the treated wood thing and rust, so check that out. In the basement, I would still have it on a wood spacer, but wouldn't necessarily jump to have it bolted to the floor depending on the answers to the aforementioned considerations.

And by no means do I want you to answer any of these questions on a public forum!!!

Bottom line IMO to your specific question, your safe up on four bricks to keep it from rusting and shimmed is fine. It does not have to be absolutely level. If anything, I would add shims to ensure the door does not close on you while you access the contents, that is very annoying.
 
#16 ·
Mike, simply bolt it to the floor right thru a couple of treated 2x4s. Hardwood is even better. Use at least four quality concrete studs -- not those cheesy expansions sheaths used with lag screws. I've also got mine pushed into a tight, custom-made closet built from heavy lumber with a steel door, so it's hard to dislodge the safe from its studs, or pry the safe door open. I have an alarm rigged too, plus a home security system.

Also, FYI -- most folks don't realize it but MANY gun safes are not painted on the bottom. Some are primer, many are completely bare.

-Gary
 
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