doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Modular Gun Safes? Zanotti? Dakota?

I did a search and didn't find any info on modular safes (i.e., a safe which can be disassembled for ease of transport), and I posted on a couple other forums and got some info but I am hoping for more . . .

I've still got a few house moves in my future, and this safe will be placed in the basement accessed by narrow stairwell in my current townhome, so I am focussing on modular units at this time.

I know that the typical home gun safe is more accurately called a "residential security container" and doesn't provide the same level of security as a true safe or valut would, but I am just looking for something to stop punks from doing a smash and grab. I am not looking for fire protection. I've got about a 30 gun collection built up over the years will buy something with about a 60 gun capacity.

I've researched the Zanotti and the Dakota. The Zanotti is 10g steel and the Dakota is 12g steel. It looks like the Zanotti is the stronger safe, but it is pricey. The Zanotti comes in differente sizes with one capable of holding about 50 guns costing about $3000. This is out of my budget.

The Dakota costs $799 (w/a $250 delivery charge to my metro-Washington, DC address), and comes in one size with user-attachable extensions for more volmue. I am thinking the Dakota would be good enough for my application, and I would probably get two units rather than one with extensions.

Anyone have any comments?

--shinbone

Shinbone....if you are talking basement, which commonly includes a cement wall or two; you might think about a vault door. That's what I went to when my safe became woefully unable to handle my gun habit. Quite a few safe companies also sell vault doors....They can always be taken out and used in future homes. My vault door came from an old gentleman that was selling his collection and moving into a rest home.....Grant.

I like the idea of a vault door also. You can fabricate a reinforced block "room" to the size you need, very easy if you already have two masonry walls in place to use. Should be on a basement slab for best results. I bought the Top Of The Line Browning door several years ago (less than $2,000 delivered) and built around it. I would never go back. Mine will hold lots more guns than I have at the moment, along with much ammo, and in outstanding safety. .

Oldmodel70 and ChiefShotguns - Thanks for the suggestion about the vault door. I have no doubt the vault door and concrete room would provide excellant protection. However, I am stuck inside a small townhome with little floorspace, and hope to be out of it within 2 years. I don't think building my own vault would be practical for me at this point.

--shinbone