Sturdy Gun Safe is based in South Fresno, California.  They have been around for 53 years and pride themselves on being made with 100% USA parts.  They import nothing.  The company also has no complaints ever filed against them by the Better Business Bureau and all of their products exceed the UL RSC specifications.

Their website goes into extensive detail on the construction of their safes such as:

• All of their safes are made with 7 gauge steel (3/16″) versus the typical safes being sold out there are made of 12 gauge steel (little under 1/8 of an inch).  This is 77% more steel.  This can help by providing more tool resistance (TL) such as a fire ax attack.  Most 12 gauge safes don’t last long against this common tactic, but 7 gauge will be almost impossible for a burglar to penetrate.  Even if he does succeed in making a hole or two, he will be there for a long time and most likely not get the contents.  Here are some examples of compromised gun safes.
• The bodies of the Sturdy Gun Safe are a uni-body.  In other words, they are made from a single piece of flat steel that is bent into the proper shape.  This eliminates any weaknesses associated with the corner weld points.  It also allows for a much cleaner look as their are no ugly vertical seams in the body or door.  You typically only find uni-body construction on the top line gun safes.
• I was impressed by a photo that the company has on their website showing someone unable to slip as much as a dime between the door and frame.  That is a zero tolerance that will prevent or at least slow down anyone trying to use a crowbar to open the door.  Additionally, Sturdy ads another bend in the door frame to have the bolts lock against a full piece of steel, not just the edge like most other gun safes.
• The doors on these safes are built unlike most other gun safes.  They eliminated the clutch and shear pins that are are typically used by safe manufactures that break off and permanently lock the safe in the event of an attack.  While the need for these sounds great, they can actually cause a safe owner problems if the door is slammed shut of something is caught in the door while trying to close it, locking the owner out (and requiring a locksmith to reopen the safe).
• Another common problem on other safes is that if you slam the door shut with the deadbolts out or catch the strap of a rifle in the locks, they could cause the safeties on a traditional safe to lock out the owner, requiring a locksmith.  Sturdy Safe solves this problem as their deadbolts are supported through the frame of the door and it is not possible to bend or shear them off (they have a 30,000 pound shear strength and their are 8 of them on each safe).
• Sturdy adds another hard-plate to the combination area to prevent drilling, punching or otherwise manipulating the combination box or re-lockers.  They also designed their re-lock system to engage in accordance with the amount of attack force.  Because this re-locker only fires once the hardened locking mechanism is breached (a very rare event), this is a critical time and the re-lock is very difficult to disengage.
• Each size safe they sell can have options applied. You can add fire insulation, electronic locks, twin locks and others.  Plus, unlike any other safe manufacturer I have seen, you can actually upgrade the thickness of steel over the entire safe or in just vulnerable places.  For $245 (on the 11 gun safe), you can add another two 4 foot sheets of 7 gauge steel welded onto the sides.  That gives you 3/8″ of steel on the sides!  Or you can add special torch resistant stainless steel reinforcements on the front.
• While their prices are more expensive than the large volume safe manufacturers, you can really feel comfortable that you are getting one heck of a tough high security gun safe.  For example, an 11 gun unit (their starting size) with fire proofing  and no other upgrades will run you about  $1700.  Add more steel and you will be easily over $2000.  Luckily shipping is included in the cost.

This new safe has several features that make it perfect for home defense.  It has an electronic lock for quick access by any authorized member of the house.  In a home defense situation, you do not have time to be turning a dial.  One note:  I am surprised that they did not have a biometric option. Since they are touting this as “quick and quiet access to firearms when it matters most”, wouldn’t a biometric reader with the sound turned off be faster?  The designers at SentrySafe did turn off the typical beeps that go with an electronic lock to make the opening of this safe virtually silent.  Interestingly, the buttons are not on the front of the safe like traditional gun safes, but actually on the top corner.  This allows you to simply put your fingers on the keys and enter the code, much like a GunVault product or even a simple keyboard, all silently.  For nighttime access, the keys are back-lit and the safe does come with a back-up/emergency barrel key.

The Home Defense Center has some other innovative design items such as something they are calling a “ready pistol presentation”, which is a built in piece that looks almost like a book end.  On the top shelf of the safe, you lean your handgun against this felt covered piece to hold your handgun in an upright and “ready” position for a quick grab.  Frankly, this safe doesn’t really even look like a traditional gun safe.  First, as I mentioned, it only holds 1 pistol and 1 long gun only, making it very small like a square tall box (about 4 feet tall).  Secondly, the door hinges don’t just open a door, but actually swing away 2 sides of the safe.  They are calling these their wide berth door to give you quick access to your shotgun or pistol.

SentrySafe also added a very interesting item to this safe.  The top of the safe has a recessed area they are calling their “personal defense tray”.  They are suggesting that every night when you get home or go to bed, you would drop your keys, cell phone, and wallet in this tray.  Plus maybe you have a flashlight that sits there always.  You build muscle memory each night of where your important items are, so when you are in a crisis situation, you can either quickly grab those items or at least remember where they are.  Very nice!

Keeping with the SentrySafe heritage, the Home Defense Center also features the company’s new jumbo 1″ bolts, a pry-resistant door and 12 gauge steel body.  Because the bolts are in the corner of the door, even if the hinges are removed, the door is not opening.  The company has also engineered new hinges on this unit to make them “whisper quiet” to give you discreet access to your defensive weapon when you need it.  Lastly, there is a hidden compartment in the base of the safe for use as a storage area for more ammo, keeping it out of the main part of the safe so that it does not impede the quick removal of any gun.

SentrySafe was founded in 1930 in Rochester, New York.  They sell more produces more fire-resistant chests, files, safes, security storage containers and gun safes than any other company in the world with their products being distributed in over 54 countries world-wide.  They are proud American company that employs 450 people, most of which are in their Rochester headquarters.

I looked for this new gun safe on Amazon, but did not find it.  The SentrySafe website says that it is available at Cabela’s and other sporting goods dealers in the US.  They are going to retail for $499.  I need to go over to Cabela’s and take a look!

• The Cannon Safe SSL-04 lock light-Have you ever tried to open your pistol safe in the dark? Or maybe you have a flashlight handy, but you see spots after you turn it off and you need a moment to get your night vision back.  This small LED light has a red colored bulb to prevent giving you spots.  It attaches to your safe with a powerful integrated magnet.  Simply push the button and the light will stay on for 2 minutes.  It is powered by a 3-volt lithium battery and costs less than $20!
• Eva-dry EDV-E-500 Renewable Wireless Mini Dehumidifier-I have several silica packs in my gun safe.  I bought a large desiccant recently and it works great, but the downfall of these units is when you have to recharge them.  Most will have to be placed in the oven for a couple of hours at 200 degrees to re-dry the silica granules inside.  I never remember to do that.  This little Eva-dry works differently.  When the crystals turn pink, it is time to renew the unit.  Simply plug it into a 120 volt outlet in a well ventilated area and in 12-14 hours it will be ready to go.  It has a 5 year warranty and the crystals are expected to last 10 years.  You need one of these for your gun safe.
• The Browning ZeRust Protectant-This device is secured to the interior of your safe and it emits a tiny invisible vapor over its 1 year life-span.  That vapor forms a corrosion and rust resistant barrier on all metal surfaces.  This is an excellent and inexpensive (less than $10 at Amazon) to protect your guns and other metal items in your larger safe (it should be used in safes at least 30″ wide).
• Stack-On Pistol Rack-If you have a larger gun safe with rifles, handguns, documents, and other valuables, you may be feeling like your safe is a little unorganized.  Maybe your Glock is just laying on top of your Will or some birth certificates!  You need a pistol rack to get yourself organized.  These are made by Stack-On out of rugged ABS plastic with steel supports.  Great way to put some organization to your safe.

Spend a couple minutes looking at these inexpensive gadgets for your safe and how they might make life a little easier for you.

Having a wall safe is great to keep your money and anything of value in your home from being stolen or lost. It is a great idea to put the safe in a wall and hide with a picture or a mirror. Make sure before you buy a wall gun safe that you have adequate space to install it. Measure the depth of the wall that you will want the safe to go into and measure the safes at the store you buy them from so that you are sure that it will fit into the wall and not be to big. Also it is a great idea to buy a safe that is longer in length and skinnier in width; this will ensure that the safe will fit into your wall.

It is essential to own a home wall safe if you own a gun. This doesn’t mean that the safe has to be used just for a gun; you can use it to store just about anything valuable to you. There are three different types of locks that come on a wall safe. There is the key lock, the electronic lock, and the combination lock. A wall safe with a key lock is the most common because no one can get into the safe because you have the key on you at all times. It is a great idea to hide the key in a place only you know about, and don’t hide it anywhere near the wall safe itself. Having a wall safe with a combination or electronic lock is safer because you don’t have to worry about ever loosing your key, and all you have to remember is the combination. There is even an option to get a safe that has a biometrics fingerprint lock; this will ensure that no one but you gets into the safe.

Some wall safes come with a special lining for you to store your jewelry in, and not have to worry about scratching the items. Also there are fire and water resistant wall safes that are great to have if you worry about a fire or flood in your home.

There are many different price ranges for wall safes. You will find them anywhere from fifty to two hundred dollars depending on which type of wall safe that you are looking for. Security is the most important aspect when it comes to a gun safe, so it is best to buy a more expensive one so that you will know your items are safe.

You have found the home of your dreams, and maybe even started your family, what you did then was to make the home secure. With the locks on the doors and windows, this helps. However, what is securing your personal belongings, maybe jewelry, or guns? This security safe will hold those items for you. Moreover, it will deter anyone who wants your belongings that you have now locked up.

While you strive to feel safe in your home, would it not be wonderful to go on vacation for instance without worrying about your items in the home to be secure in the safe.

With the increase in drug use, and addicts seeking their next fix of drugs, they will go to any length to get the money or items to sell in order to buy their drugs. Criminals will normally pick out easy targets and are able to get inside and back out of your home extremely fast. Unless however, they cannot get into a large unmovable home gun safe that holds your items.

Realizing that your home has been broken into and your belongings are gone will shock you. If this has happened to you ever, and you are still wondering what a home security safe could do to help you then you will be glad to know that a home security safe is too heavy to lift, or is attached to the floor or walls, to where it cannot be stolen.

Installing a home security safe will reduce the chances of burglary significantly. You will want to do some research and shop around for the safe you require. The main consideration is when you buy a safe is can you lock it down making the safe unable to be lifted or taken outside of your home.  One option to safe some money will be to purchase a used gun safe, which can get you the security you need, but at a much lower price.

The right safe for you is very important. Look for one that will have years of reliable use, storage, and protection. This is truly a gift to have if you are storing money, jewelry, and any other expensive items.   Many home safes have extra features such as biometrics, fireproof or waterproof.

Are you thinking about buying a wall safe, but are unsure how to do the installation?  Actually it is pretty easy.  These safes are meant for the average homeowner with limited tools and limited experience.  I would compare installing one of these home security safes the same as installing shelving in a closet.  While you should read the installation instructions completely with the unit that you purchase, these are some general instructions that can give you a different perspective on how to mount your wall safe between studs:

Tools needed:

• A stud finder is a fantastic, $25 tool, that will make this project much easier.  If you don’t own one and don’t want to purchase one, see if you can borrow one from your handy friend.  You can do the installation without it, but it will make installation between the studs go smoother.
• You need a screw gun or electric drill with a screw bit on the end.  You can install the screws by hand, but this will speed up the process and save your wrists when screwing into the wall studs.
• Pencil to mark the installation point.
• Sheetrock saw.  This is a small hand saw that will allow you to saw out the opening.  While a razor blade knife will work, a $6 Sheetrock saw will make quick work of this major part of the project.

Installing your Wall Safe Between the Studs:

1. First we need to find a place for this safe.  Because these safes rely on stealth and being hidden, a closet or behind paintings are excellent places to mount wall safes.  This may seem obvious, but this can only be installed in an interior wall that is hollow (concrete or brick walls do not work here).  Plus, be sure you have permission to do this (in the case you do not own the house).
2. Some wall safes have a wide frame around the outside of the front face of the safe and you cut a much smaller hole and then screw the front face plate into the walls studs making it flush with the wall.  Others have a removable frame that is simply for cosmetic reasons.  Review your instructions.
3. Once you have identified the location for your wall safe, you will need to find the wall studs.  Use your stud finder to identify and mark the location of the studs.  They should typically be 16″ in center.  If you do not have a stud finder, you may need to use trial and error.  Take a small nail and make  a hole.  If you do not hit the stud, move over 1/2″ and try again.  Continue this until you find the stud.  Then measure over 16″ from there and again use the nail to identify the location of the other wall stud.  No worries about the holes, you should plan to cut out the materials between the studs, removing the holes.
4. After identifying the wall studs, mark out the cut out location for your wall safe between the studs per the safe instructions with the pencil.
5. Use a large drill bit to drill a hole to insert your Sheetrock saw.  Cut out your hole.  While you are cutting, if you feel any unusual resistance, use caution as you may be in contact with a plumbing pipe or electrical conduit/wire.
6. If you encounter any electrical wires or plumbing pipes, you may need to find a new location for your wall safe if they can not be pushed out of the way.
7. Once the hole is open, mount the wall safe using the screws provided and electric drill with screw bit.

It is just that easy to install.  Enjoy your new wall safe.

So now that you have purchased one of these amazing safes, let’s get it assembled.  This post is an overview.  You should consult the manual that came with the safe for complete and updated instructions.

1. This assembly will take about 30 minutes and is much easier if you have someone helping you hold the pieces while you attach the screws.
2. You will need the following tools:  socket set and a larger adjustable wrench (also known as a crescent wrench).  That is it!
3. Move all the boxes for the safe to the area that it will be permanently located.
4. Open each box and inspect for any shipping damage and that all parts are included.  If you find any damage (which may be as small as a paint scratch) or missing parts, contact the Dakota Safe on their website or at 1-888-469-SAFE.
5. Find the left side panel (marked 3) and the back panel (marked 5).  Align them together at a right angle.  With someone holding the panels, install the bolts on the inside of the safe.  Hand tighten only for now.
6. Screw the three brass door handles to the hub on the door panel on the front of your new Dakota Gun Safe.
7. Take the door panel and align it to the left side panel (marked 3).
8. Enter the default combination into the electronic lock.  The default code is *1234#.  Turn the brass handles clockwise to open the door.  Be careful as the door is very heavy and could tip over.  Open the door to a 90 degree angle and allow the corner of the door to contact the floor to prop up the door panel.
9. This is why it helps to have someone help you.  Assemble the door panel frame to the left side panel using the screws provided.  Hand tighten only for now.
10. Slide the bottom panel along the floor into the safe.  Use the screws provided to attach it to the other 3 sides of the safe. Hand tighten only for now.
11. Take the remaining right side panel and align it with the back and door panels.  Open the door to the safe and install the screws provided.  Hand tighten only for now.
12. Drop the top panel into place, making sure the holes align.  Install the screws provided.  You may tighten this one using the wrenches.
13. Go back through and tighten all panel screws making sure all the panels are aligned properly on your Dakota Safe.
14. Next we are going to assemble the interior sections.  Make sure the soft fabric is turned out on all the panels during this process.  Although this gun safe interior has many configuration options, I recommend you install it in a standard configuration first so you see how it goes together.  Then come back and customize it.
15. Insert the ceiling panel into the safe.  Note the cut outs on each corner.  Have your helper hold up the panel on the ceiling while you get the next section.
16. Insert the interior right and left side panels.  These will prop up and hold the ceiling panel.
17. Install the floor panel making sure the front of the panel is flush with the door opening.  Leave a gap in the back for the next step.
18. There are 2 back panels with the smaller one being the lower back panel.  Insert the lower back panel, making sure it slides into the gap created on step 17 by the floor panel.
19. Install the upper back panel above the lower.
20. The gun rack looks like a wavy piece of materials.  Install this next sitting on the shelf brackets provided.  It should be installed at the same height as the seem between the upper and lower back panels.
21. Install the upper shelf at any height you chose.
22. To use the lower side shelves, you need to install the middle support panel in the middle with the notched corner fitted under the gun rack.  Install the two smaller shelves where you like.
23. There is an extra shelf with gun rack cutouts that is used as a top of the lower side shelves (if you choose to use these).

That is it.  Great job assembling your Dakota Gun Safe.  The Interloc-XP is truly a revolutionary product.

• Anchor the safe down-Every safe, no matter how large should be secured to the floor or wall.  There are many examples of burglars simply rolling a 1000 pound gun safe out the door using nothing more than dowels or golf balls underneath.  They put it into their truck and take it back to their shop to work on at their leisure.  Ideally, the safe should be mounted to a concrete floor using multiple bolts on the bottom of the safe.  Make sure to use appropriate lag bolts or concrete anchors.  Consult with both the safe manufacturer and your local home supply store such as Home Depot or Lowes.  Some manufacturers, like Baraska will actually include mounting bolts with the safe.
• Double check the thickness of the steel on the bottom of your safe as a large pry bar may pull the bolts right through the bottom of the safe.  Adding a thick steel backing plate inside the safe, may fix this deficiency.  Stack-on safes, have reinforced bottoms to prevent this problem.
• Locate your safe in the corner of a room where you can protect at least one side of the safe.  Since the sides and top often have the thinnest steel, protecting those by blocking access can slow down a brute force attack with power tools against the safe.  If possible, put the safe in a tight area such as under a permanent shelf that makes it again difficult for thieves to maneuver tools to work on the safe.
• If you chose to put your safe in your garage or basement, make sure you don ‘t store any tools near the safe.  Several homeowners have found that thieves used their own tools against the safe.  In one case, a thief used the homeowners saw to open the safe!
• Before placing the safe, consider what items are nearby that could fuel flames in the case of a house fire.  This may be large wood beams, solvents or other chemicals such as paint, or propane tanks.  The contents in even a fire safe can be compromised if left long enough near a major combustible material.  Safes with plastic locking mechanisms, like biometric safes, may be damaged beyond repair and difficult to open after a significant fire.  A fire safe box many be a good addition to keep your most valuable items protected.
• Consider getting an alarm system for not only your home, but also for the safe.  It is proven that an audible alarm will deter most criminals from continuing to enter or burglarize the home.
• Hide your safe if possible.  Place large boxes in front of it, build a false wall.  If the they can’t find it, they can’t steal it or break into it.  This is especially important if you purchased a cheap safe that is not a secure as more expensive  model.
• If possible, purchase a cheap gun cabinet and put several junk guns in it.  The thief may take those guns and never realize you have another rifle safe that has more valuable items.

While these are not a comprehensive list, they can protect not only your safe, but the contents.

We go into his basement and walks over to this large gun safe and then I got it.  His fingerprint gun safe is a biometric gun safe.  Duh!  I should have figured it out, but I just couldn’t see the forest through the trees on this one.

Fingerprint gun safes use a biometric reader on the front of the door in place of a combination lock or electronic keypad to unlock the mechanism.  It is a very slick system where you simply put your index finger or whatever finger you have enrolled in the software on to the biometric scanner on the front of the biometric gun safe.  Within about 5-10 seconds, this reader compares your fingerprints to the ones it has on file.  If you are in the database, the biometric safe clicks open and you pull the door.

This type of gun safe is a very slick combination of brute force and technology.  The safe itself is what secures the contents against theft, but the technology in the fingerprint reader is what makes it so easy to use.  As I mentioned, you simply put your finger on the reader and it opens.  No more remembering combinations or keypad entries.  No more making mistakes and starting over.  This is especially important if you need to access the contents of this gun safe in a hurry.  You can even open this safe in low or no light as you just feel for the fingerprint reader.

I especially liked the fact that you can program multiple people into this rifle gun safe.  If your spouse or even grown children never use the safe, how are they suppose to remember the combination?  This way, go through the enrollment process once and years from now they can still open it.  No remembering combinations, no writing it down and hiding it.  In fact, I have even heard of people registering their attorney, in case they die.

Just bring your finger!

Finding a used gun safe is pretty straightforward.  Most safe dealers will carry used gun safes as they take them in trade or buy them at auctions.  Buying from a safe dealer or locksmith can insure that the locking mechanism of the safe works properly.  They may also be able to deliver and install the unit for you, which could be a good idea considering that a biometrics safe can weigh over 1000 pounds.  Just pay to have someone install it instead of taking the risk of someone getting hurt moving that beast.

CraigsList is also another great place to find used gun safes.  Often you can buy cheap used gun safes Craigslist because people just seem to be willing to almost give the safes away just to have someone move them out of their house.  If you buy a safe here, you should try the locking mechanism several times to insure it works properly.  Then once you get it into your home, I recommend that you have a locksmith come and change the combination.  Call me paranoid, but you don’t want the seller to show up at your home when you are gone and use the old combination to steal all your guns and valuables.  Just like buying it from a dealer, I would really consider having someone move this safe into its final spot in your home.

Once you identify a used gun safe, make sure to do your homework on the make and model.  Buying cheap safes can be more of a headache than they are worth.  Looks for brands like Amsec, Baraska, Dakota Safe and Biovault to name a few of the high quality safes that you should be looking for.

Recently, I attended an estate auction/sale.  I found a handsome home gun safe that really no one was looking at (they were all interested in the antiques).  It appears to be well cared for and they had the combination.  I tried it several times and everything appears to work well.  The price was perfect, but my wife said if I bring home another used gun safe, she may lock me in it!