Need Opinion - gun lockers and gun safes

[Bug Guy]

Hey all,
I'm officially a Maryland hunter now. In past I hunted PA with my pop and kept my guns up there because I live...cough, cough, in PG county. OK, all joking aside, the entire county isn't that bad. However, my neighborhood is not awful, but there is a history of break-ins. Also, I'm pretty sure the neighbor iis dealing drugs and he saw me bring my cased muzzleloader into the house (and before you say it, yes I've made several anonymous tips, but I guess without direct evidence no cares or can't do anything). I'm more worried about his "friends", but I want to make sure that if there is a break-in my hunting rifles don't disappear. Got a fence, security system, lock the doors, etc.

The point of the story is to give you some background on the decision I need to make.

I want a gun safe - can't be crow-barred open, the heavier ones can't be carried away easily out the front/back door, and fire resistant (just in case). I can't really afford $600 and up for one.

Anyone use gun lockers? Do they do anything to prevent theft (yes, they keep them from kids, and that is a major plus). They are steel but seem like they could be crow-barred open. Also, I could see someone carrying it out the front door.

Any opinions on the gun locker given my situation would be appreciated. Any other suggestions, ideas, etc. to help me keep my guns safe would also be appreciated.

I also have a kid now, and while at 5 months I'm not worried about her getting into anything, I am planning for the future.

Cheers,

bob

[jkapl001]

I have a gun locker. It works fine for what I need it for. You can bolt it to the wall, that will keep people from carrying it out the door. I doubt anyone could open it with a crowbar, maybe with a grinder. I do plan on stepping up to a real gun safe at some point.

[crabby and son]

I would not mess around with a simple gun locker. You don't need the best safe with a high gloss paint job and a picture of wildlife on the front but you can get a SAFE for less than $600.00. A gun locker...........you are only fooling yourself. I grew up in PG bob. Where do you live?..............Gary

[Bug Guy]

Gary,
I'm in south Bowie now. Not bad, but not great. Neighborhood was a lot better before the "housing boom". All the nice old folks moved out and now it's mostly city folk who were rentals. One old couple apparently was forced out by their son so he could sell their place (not sure the arrangement, but the old man who watched the neighborhood wasn't too pleased).

Anyway - I've found safes for as low as $550, those are the cheap, 8 gun types. If you can find something cheaper, let me know.

Josh - I'm thinking your idea is probably best for me now. Of course, I'd have the cabinet in my work room where I do keep my grinder...so, I guess you never know.

Anyone else have an idea? Or maybe know of someone selling a gun safe cheap. I'm only going to need to store 4 long guns for now.

Cheers,

bob

[Rare Breed]

Check out Gander Mountain, Liberty has a lower end line, Centurion, they are very nice for the money. I have a 20 gun Liberty and am going to buy a smaller Centurion for hand guns. Hope this helps.

[Bug Guy]

Rare Breed - thanks, I found this: http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=415317&pdesc=10_Gun_Safe_with_Combination_Lock&aID=510L1&merchID=4006. Not too far from what I think the wife will let me spend.

I'll have to look at the centurion brand.

[Rare Breed]

Cool, some of the Lowes stores carry the Centurion ones also, you may want to check them also.

[crabby and son]

Hey Bob, Hope you find a cheap good SAFE! You talk about a questionable neighborhood. I just came back from a friend's house in the middle of Potomac and his SUV's passengers window was busted out and truck ransacked in his driveway! Got about $26.00 in bills and change. There is no good neighborhoods any more especially in this economy. Good luck.........Gary

[TAILWALKER]

Walmart has a very nice Sentry safe, 14 gun I think for about 380-396.00. A lot of the stores are starting to mark them down. I think they are fire proof but can't recall. Heck of a safe for the money either way and no one is going to get into it or carry it off. Sentry has been making safes for a long time and they are very well built.

[Bug Guy]

Tailwalker - that does sound like a good deal. Problem is I don't have the funds for that right now, good deal or not. And I'm kicking myself, because you are right on, the prices will be marked down after X-mas. It's one of those things where I just said, hey, I'm tired of driving up to PA to hunt and lucked into a place that I think will work for me. Now, all of a sudden, after X-mas is done, I've decided to make the change and keep my stuff down here.

As a note - walmart.com has the same safe I linked above from Gander mountain for over $100 more than Gander Mt. lists. Of course, Gander Mt's is out of stock.

Gary (not go get too far off topic) - it's a shame. When I moved in here before the rates went way down, this was a nice neighborhood. People had lived here for 10+ years. People said hello, and the new people interacted. Now we have abandoned/foreclosed houses, people unwilling or unable to care for their homes, and a lot of people who moved in from the city that don't understand what it means to be neighborly (no offense, I'm not lumping all city people together). Now, no one really talks to each other. I'm actually glad for our HOA because if not for them, I'm not sure what this place would be like...and it's not like I live in a really urban area. And the neighbor kid is a really sad story - when I moved in, me, him, and his dad used to chat, he invited me to hunt in WVA, etc. - then they got divorced, the kid dropped out of school and like I said, I'm pretty sure he's dealing drugs. The world we live in I guess.

[prpark]

I picked up a 10 gun Sentry Safe from Walmart ~ 3 years ago for around $250.

I has a regular combo with three sets of bars that lock into the frame. It is very secure and can be secured to the floor.
prpark