Quote:
Originally Posted by Razor
Racedoll, what safes are you actually comparing? Normally the better protection from fire (time and temp) means more expensive safes.
There are a number of other factors to consider when choosing gun safes. One factor is the fireproof rating. Fireproof ratings, usually specified in minutes or hours, specify how well the contents will be protected during a fire. An example of a fire rating would be a 1 hour 350 degree F rating. This rating means that the safe could be exposed to a 1700 degree F fire for a period of 1 hour, and the temperature inside the safe would not rise above 350 degrees F. This is a low enough temperature to keep the guns inside from being damaged permanently, as well as to protect the ammunition stored in the safe.
Another factor to consider is the gun safes' burglary rating. This rating, usually specified in minutes, gives an indication of how long it would take a knowledgeable person (such as a locksmith) to break into the safe using common locksmithing tools. So it gives a good indication of how well the safe would protect your guns from a professional burglar.
Gun safes are also available with a variety of locking mechanisms. Models are available with mechanical key locks, mechanical combination dials and with electronic keypad locks. While usually costing a bit more, the electronic keypad locking mechanisms are by far the most convenient. To open the safe, the user simply enters the combination on a PIN pad, similar to the ones used on ATM machines. Multiple users can be given access to this type of safe, each with their own combination number.
Hope this helps...
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Thanks. I have done quite a bit of research on safes and this is why I'm puzzled. What you say should be true, but it's not...
Nearly $300 difference and the cheaper one has the better fire rating.
Champion Medalist 22 - 1350 deg for 60 min - $999 (gloss finish)
Liberty Colonial 25 - 1200 deg for 45 min - $1279 (not sure of finish)
To get a 60 min rating from Liberty you have to go up to the Franklin Series, 27 guns, 60 min & 1200 deg, textured finish (cheapest) is $1600
Please tell me what I'm missing? I've accounted for the difference in finishes, e-lock vs combo dial, # guns it holds, steel thickness (12ga), # active bolts (12 on champion, 11 on liberty), door thickness, body thickness, hinges, insulation layers, weight, and any other statistic I can find.
Maybe I'm making too big of a deal of this, but $300+ is a big difference, IMO.