Top 10 ‘Must-Have’ Features for a Gun Safe

If you own a firearm you must secure it in a gun safe. However, to choose the best out of the lot can be baffling if you are a first-time buyer. We list out 10 must-have features for a gun safe to help you choose the best out of the lot.

Strong and portable

A wide variety of gun safes are available in Dublin. Whether it is a commercial safe or a domestic safe, it should be portable at the same time sturdy. It should also be strong to withstand any tampering.

The size of the gun safe

The size of a commercial or domestic gun safe is a personal choice. A gun safe is a life-long investment. If you own more than one firearm or have plans to buy more in the future, then you will need a bigger gun safe. In a gun safe you can store other important belongings, too, like documents, original keys, jewellery, hard disks, etc, so choose wisely.

Fireproof

Always buy a gun safe that has a fire rating. If a fire mishap happens at your home or office due to short-circuits or owing to any other reason, you don’t want your gun to add on to the tension.

Biometric Technology

These safes take your fingerprint or palm impression and store them as a digital signature, so safes with biometric technology give you a lot more security, and fast and trouble-free access. You don’t have to worry about the keys as well. You can open the safe easily with your thumb impression.

Locking Bolts

It is better to buy a gun safe with many locking bolts. The more the numbers of locking bolts in a gun safe the more secure it is.

Residential Security Container Certificate

Good gun safes will have Residential Security Container certificate. This certificate is given to gun safes that are tested in Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for their strength. Different grades are given to gun safes based on their strength.

UL Fireproof Classification

If you are buying a fireproof gun safe, look for UL rating. The ratings are given based on how long they can withstand certain temperature.  A highly secure and quality gun safe would be tested by a reputable organization to ensure that they can really back up their claims. So always look for gun safe ratings, which is a stamp of quality.

Gun Safe with Alarms

An alarm can always alert you about the unlawful access to your gun. There are alarms which will text you or send you a mail when your gun is being touched by someone else.

A heavy-duty gun safe

Always choose a heavy-duty gun safe. It should not be delicate enough to be broken easily. Gun safes that have doors with concealed hinges for anti-theft protection are the best.

Dehumidifier

To keep your gun from rusting, buy a gun safe with a dehumidifier. The two types of humidifies available in Dublin are desiccant and electrical.

What is a Gun Safe and How Does It Work?

A gun safe, as the name suggests, is a safe for storing firearms. It isn’t much different from any other kind of safes that we use in office or home to protect our valuables.

Storing firearms in a gun safe is the best possible way to keep your guns away from intruders. Apart from the safety aspects, gun safes can make storing, organizing and accessing firearms a lot easier.

All law abiding citizens should secure their guns in gun safes so that it won’t get into the wrong hands. You will find many different varieties of gun safes in Dublin.

Most domestic safes will have a secure lock, and they will be heavy. They will be quite sturdy as well to resist any tampering from the outside. The walls will be made using drill-resistant steel for extra protection. There is not much difference between a domestic gun safe and a commercial safe. However, a gun safe and a regular security cabinet are totally different. The gun safes will have lot more safety features.

Different Types of Gun Safes

Handgun Safe: 

It is small and portable. Since we mostly carry handguns wherever we go, this safe is made in such a way that it will fit inside a briefcase.

Larger Handgun Safe:
There are also larger handgun safes, which can hold multiple guns. They are designed as car consoles for vehicle use.

Long-gun Safe:
To store rifles and shotguns, there are long-gun safes. The width and height of long-gun safes differ.

Multi-use Gun Safe:
You can store not just guns, but jewellery, documents and hard disks in this safe. If you are buying a safe for your home, this safe is a great option. And they come in a variety of sizes and shapes. There are portable as well as stationary multi-use gun safes with different types of compartments to store a wide range of items.

Locking System

What makes a gun safe secure is its hi-tech locking system. Gun safes come with dial as well as electronic locks. A dial or combination lock will work if you enter numbers in the proper order. This type of locking system doesn’t require much maintenance, but unlocking such locks is a time-consuming process. Also, it doesn’t automatically lock when the safe door closes. Electronic locks allow quicker, easier access, and lock automatically. However, they are likely to get damaged easily and will require maintenance. You will also have to change the battery at regular intervals.

Thickness

 A gun safe with doors and walls made of thicker steel will resist a lot of tampering from the outside. It is not easy to break it open using a drill. The safety factor is measured based on the thickness of the walls of the safe.

Weight

Apart from the steel thickness, the weight of the gun safe is a matter of concern. It is better to buy heavy gun safes, and it should also be bolted to the floor or wall.

Gun Safe Efficiency

Safes are machines, so even the best ones can fail. A little bit of caution from your part will help. For instance, if your gun safe has a dial lock, don’t forget to spin the dial lock after shutting the door. Unless you spin it, it won’t be locked. And don’t forget to change the battery in an electronic lock.

Quick Tips for Buying a Gun Safe

Having a good gun safe in Dublin is as important and beneficial as owning a gun. First and foremost thing is to abide by the laws to own a gun. It is equally important to keep it locked up in a safe locker where it is free from dodgy roommates and snoopy neighbours or even your own curious family members. A misplaced gun can be a terrible mistake and an awaiting opportunity for intruders to misuse the gun registered in your name. Here are a few tips to help you buy a foolproof gun safe.

Biometric Commercial Safes:

This is compact and easy to use. It works on fingerprint mechanism and allows only you to have access to your gun. They are battery operated and are cordless. It is designed to hold small rifles and convenient to be installed at your home or office.

Size matters:

Use stack-on safes to store multiple guns. They are ideal as commercial safes as well as domestic safes. These safes have solid steel body with pry resistant plates. It has efficient locking bolts, concealed hinges and an electronic lock with a safety key to override it whenever required. It can be floor mounted or wall mounted. Since it has shelves several guns can be stacked. Other valuables can also be stored inside this safe.

Fireproof safe:

These safes are designed with fire resistant materials. The steel body is lined up with special materials that can withstand fire. They have a turn lock or an electric keypad for easy access.

Waterproof:

It is important that gun safes in Dublin must also be waterproof. After a fire accident, there are chances where the water from the sprinklers might enter the safe. Moreover, on prolonged storage, moisture can cause the growth of mold and mildew that will ruin the gun. A dehumidifier must be placed inside the safe so that it absorbs the excess moisture inside the safe.

Speed Vault Gun Safe:

This domestic safe can accommodate a single handgun and it is easy to use. It is suitable for home and office use. It has a digital keypad on which a pass code is entered to have access. It can be mounted in various positions and locations for easy access.

Numbers of Fingerprints:

Some commercial safes are designed to store up to 15 numbers of fingerprints and some up to a 100. It depends upon the manufacturer.

Safe Built:

This will include a heavy steel construction and high quality in all aspects of the safe.

Not Open:

It is very rare that biometric safes in Dublin will not open. However, there is almost always a “back door key” of the same sort that is used to open it in case there is a problem. This is typically a special key. But make sure you know what it is before you buy.

Special Options:

There are certain special options that come with the safe or could even be ordered to be custom made. These options might include internal lights, AC and/or battery powered, and special internal materials. 

Qualities of the Best Fire Safes

Fire safes vary in their design depending upon the purpose to which they are intended to serve. Basically, specific safes are imparted with specific features to suit certain standards which include storing paper documents, media storage, ammunition storage, cash stashing and jewellery storage as well. Fire safes in Dublin are designed in such a way to accommodate these items that have various properties.

Domestic Safes:

Fire safes are designed with features that would make them fit for residential uses. Domestic gun safes in Dublin are specifically designed to offer protection to hand guns and ammunition stored in-house. They provide resistance to fire for about 1 hour. They are small to medium in size. They are capable to offer protection from fire when there is a fire accident and also water which reaches from the sprinkler systems installed in the house or from the hose used to supply water to quench the fire. They are also burglar proof.

Commercial Depository fire safes:

Commercial safes vary in their sizes to accommodate huge amounts of cash. Most cabinets offer up to 1 hour protection from fire. These safes are suitable to be used in places like restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and toll gates where large amounts of cash are transferred and requires one way protection. They come with different designs, single and double bodied depository safes, one hopper with a safe beneath and two drawers with a single safe below to secure the cash.

Pharmacy fireproof safes:

These safes are designed to offer fire resistance for 30 minutes. They protect from burglary as the medical supplies and drugs are of high value and triple the actual value when sold out of the counter. To keep good security measures, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies use good rated pharmacy safes.

The process of choosing the best fire safe rests in a few factors that determine the potential of the safe to withstand all sorts of security threats. Obviously a fire safe is designed with the aim to protect valuables from fire, water and theft that you might have to consider before buying one. Here are a few important aspects that make a fire safe the best one to serve its purpose.

Size:

Based on your requirements, you can choose the size of the safe. You can choose either a 2 drawer or a 4 drawer cabinet. If you want a larger storage space, then you can choose something bigger than that.

UL Rating:

UL Rating is the ultimate standard that certifies a fireproof safe. The common ratings are for ½ hour, 1 hour, 2 hour, 3 hour and 4 hour UL Ratings. The corresponding temperature ranges from 800° C to 1000°C.

Waterproof:

Each fireproof safe must also be waterproof. Even though you are not living in a flood prone area, it is still necessary because whenever there is a fire accident, it means that there will also be water. Water from the sprinkler system is sufficient enough to ruin your documents. So before the fire department comes to your rescue, it is very much important that your fireproof filing cabinets are waterproof.

Temperature limit:

Depending upon the UL ratings for time, the temperature limit varies. Normally it varies from 800°C to 1000°C. The temperature increases according to the time duration that normally ranges from ½ hr to 4 hours. The safe is certified only if the interiors of the cabinets do not rise in temperature in the unopened furnace.

Combination locks:

Though both key lock and a combination lock can be used on a fire safe, a combination lock is the best bet. A key lock can be used only by you and just in case you miss the key you will have to spend extra for the locksmith to open it for you. This might be expensive. On the other hand, a combination lock is easy; all you have to do is to remember the lock combination.