The truth is that many gun safes can be broken into reasonably easily by a determined criminal with the help of a few basic tools. So, how can you get a model that actually does the job that you want it to do in terms of keeping your firearms safe?
There are a number of factors to take into account when choosing a gun safe, with the thickness of the steel one of the most important of them. No matter what features it offer or how it looks, without thick steel walls it isn’t going to be as robust as you want it to be.
A Stronger Safe
Thicker steel means a stronger safe that is tougher to break into. Indeed, as the thickness increases the strength of the safe increases by an ever greater rate. This means that doubling the thickness results in a safe that is eight times stronger.
If it is poorly built safe with thin walls then breaking in to it is going to be a lot easier for intruders. An experienced criminal is likely to recognize a low quality safe that he knows he is capable of getting open without too many problems.
A strong safe that is thick will let you feel that your firearms are as well protected as they can be. There is no doubt that this peace of mind is one vital part of the process of keeping you and your family protected while sleeping soundly each night.
A thick steel safe is also more likely to be fireproof, although you shouldn’t just assume that this is the case without checking out the specifications.
Check the Gauge Rating
The simplest way to see how secure a gun safe is involves checking the gauge rating. The thinnest ones on the market tend to be built from 14 to 20 gauge steel. These safes aren’t going to stand up to a sustained attack on them because they simply aren’t strong enough.
A better option is to look at safes with steel of between 10 and 6 gauges. The better this rating (which means the lower the number) the stronger it is going to be.
You don’t want to make your decision on which safe to buy purely on this basis but there is no denying that it is one of the most important points to bear in mind. Choosing a high gauge safe isn’t going to give you the tough safe that you hope for.
No matter where you put your safe, you will want it to stand up to any tough test if needed. However, if you aren’t filled with confidence by the strength of its walls then trying putting it into a corner so that only the door is exposed.
The Material Matters Too
You shouldn’t just assume that all gun safes are made out of good quality steel. You might come across some that are made out of the likes of aluminium alloy as well.
Yet, a sturdy safe made out of thick steel is going to give you a far greater level of protection. To put it simply, thick steel is widely regarded as being the best material for a durable safe that even an expert criminal is going to struggle to get into.
The Cost
It is clear that a top quality gun safe with thick steel walls is going to cost more than a lower quality one with thin walls. Indeed, many of the best models cost an awful lot more than the cheaper models with poorer quality construction.
However, the value and peace of mind that this offers is likely to mean that you don’t ever regret buying it.
Knowing that your property and your family are well protected gives a tremendous feeling of satisfaction that money can’t buy. If you can afford to pay more for a thick steel gun safe then you should definitely do this rather than trying to save money.
Summary
When you are looking to choose the best gun safe then the thickness of the steel is definitely one of the main points to take into account. However, you don’t want to focus so narrowly on this issue that you neglect to take into account other aspects of the safe as well.
