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March 5th, 2012
We’ve received inquiries from readers who are looking for a gunsafe that is big and strong but can be broken down and transported more easily that a typical 800 to 1200-lb safe. One product that fits the bill is the Zanotti modular safe. It arrives in sections, none weighing more than 170 pounds. It is assembled in place, then can be dis-assembled when you need to move. The Zanotti is also well-suited for a gun-owner who lives in an apartment up many flights of stairs.
 Zanotti Armor safes are ideal for gun owners who need to move frequently or who live in a location where it is difficult to position a conventional safe. Zanotti safes arrive in three or four discrete shipping boxes. The safe is assembled by the owner, on site, in six steps. The heaviest component is the door, weighing 110 pounds in the 16-gun ZAI safe, and 175 pounds in the largest 52-gun ZAIII model. Five safe models are offered, ranging from 350 to 925 pounds assembled weight, without interior. Zanotti safes are popular with military personnel and others whose jobs force them to re-locate often. The safe can be assembled in under 30 minutes with no tools other than a hammer, and all you need is a hand dolly to move any component.
Guns Magazine reports: “The panels are interlocked by 3/8 inch, nickel-plated steel “L” shaped pins that slip into steel tubing sections welded to the interior surfaces of the panels. The slip fit is held to a tolerance of .003 inch, and the safes are completely assembled and hand-fitted at the factory to insure the panels will align properly. The body is made from 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch steel; the door from 3/16 inch steel; the locking bolts are 3/4 inch steel.” This is heavier gauge steel than you’ll find on most conventional gun safes.
Zanotti offers many deluxe interiors including a system of roll-out sliding drawers in the bottom of the safe. We think the sliding drawers are ideal for storing handguns and expensive items such as cameras and binoculars that you want to keep out of plain view. Mark Zanotti, the innovative creator of these modular safes, can also customize any interior to suit the customer’s particular needs.
Editor’s Note: For most applications, a conventional safe is still the best choice. Bolted in place, a conventional safe with welded walls will provide the best security and a conventional safe can provide increased fire protection. Zanotti safes do not employ a separate layer of sheet-rock or ceramic fire lining. The Zanotti is a special product for gun-owners with special needs. The units are well-made and Zanotti offers many nice custom interior features that you won’t find even on much more expensive conventional safes.
To learn more about gunsafe features and fire-proofing, read our Gunsafe Buyers’ Guide.
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February 13th, 2012
 Here’s smart new product for someone who wants to keep a handgun safely secured, but quickly accessible under a desk at home or at a business. The new SpeedVault (from GunVault) is a drop-down safe that can be mounted under a desk or in various concealed locations. The handgun is cradled in a a holster-like protective foam lined interior. The SpeedVault offers a combination of covert placement and fast, reliable access.
The SpeedVault is constructed of tamper-proof, 18-gauge steel and available in digital lock or biometric finger print scanner. An activation button triggers a spring-loaded door that not only has a high-strength lock mechanism, but also performs reliably, time after time. Foolproof security is ensured with an audio and LED low battery indicator to help guard against direct tampering and unexpected power loss. Mounting hardware is included. The SpeedVault comes in two models, the SV 500 (with standard lock) for $199.99, and the SVB 500 (with fingerprint lock system) for $319.99. Dimensions are the same for both units: Width: 3.5″ W x 6.5″ front to back x 13″ top to bottom.
Fingerprint-Reading Biometrics (SVB Model Only)
The higher-priced SpeedVault Bio handgun safe uses biometrics, specifically fingerprint recognition, to access the safe contents rapidly. A high-performance algorithm is used to achieve speedy identification of enrolled fingerprints and at the same time has a very low False Reject Rate (FRR). The self-learning algorithm adds new details to the fingerprint templates each time a user touches the fingerprint sensor, reducing the chance of FRR. The system can handle up to 120 fingerprint templates.
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August 14th, 2011
 There are many ways to store handguns in gun safe. including hanging your handguns on the inside door panel with Velcro straps or Velcro-equipped sleeves. Some folks try wood pegs for the triggerguards. The problem with these methods is that it’s just too easy for Velcro to work loose, or a peg to come out. End result is a dropped pistol. Also, placing your handguns on a door makes them highly visible. That’s a bad idea if your safe is placed in an open area such as a garage or game room.
 Our first choice is to place handguns in lockable, sliding drawers inside the safe. Tucked inside silicon-treated Bore-Store bags, and then laid flat inside a drawer, handguns are safe, secure and out of sight. Unfortunately, few safe-makers offer sliding drawer options. If you have a large-enough safe, you can fit your own lockable drawer unit or small file cabinet with locks. These can be purchased at office supply stores or Home Depot type outlets.
If you have limited space in your safe, we recommended the vinyl-covered metal handgun racks from Versatile Rack Company. The 4-Gun rack has approximately the same footprint as a single handgun laying flat. These racks have a strong, welded-steel frame, vinyl-coated to protect the finish of your pistols. We’ve found these work for virtually all size handguns, both semi-autos and revolvers, even when the guns are placed in Bore-Store bags. In fact the fit is just about perfect if you first place a handgun in a Bore-Store bag, which provides about 1/4″ of padding all around the gun.
Versatile now offers multiple models, with capacities from a single handgun up to 10 pistols. These can be purchased directly from Versatile, starting at $69.99, but other vendors sell them for less. MidwayUSAhas Versatile racks at these price: $12.49 (2-gun, item 953403) $19.99 (4-gun, item 953075), $24.49 (6-gun, item 275638), $32.99 (8-gun, item 111468). Click HERE for a 360-degree view of the 4-gun unit. There is also an optional stacking unit, shown below.
One of the better “on-door” solutions is “The Holster”, a door-top rack from Rack ‘Em Racks. The top bracket secures to the door edge with self-tapping screws. Handguns are held muzzle-down in a plastic-coated wire frame. The installation is quite secure and this system gives you very fast access to your handguns. However, this unit requires that you adjust the top shelf of your safe to fit below your longest-barreled handgun. And, unless you have a very deep safe, you have to clear off most of the items on one side of the top shelf, to avoid interference when you close the safe door. Still, Rack Em’s vertical door rack is a smart design, one that uses space much more efficiently than a door full of separate wire brackets or pegs. Price is $39.99 at Cabelas.com.
One other interesting design is the rotary handgun rack. Hyskore offers a 9-Gun Rotary Pistol Rack (item IJ-229069) that looks well-built, and is fairly compact. Like a carousel, it spins to allow easy access to your handguns. It features foam-padded cradles, and an oak-verneer finish. The price is $45.99 at MidwayUSA,. Unfortunately, with a compact 12″-diameter base, there is not enough clearance for scoped revolvers or pistols with red-dot sights. And, from a safety standpoint, we’d rather see the pistols stored muzzle-down than muzzle-up. Still it looks like a clever, compact design that will work with most handguns.
Hyskore 9-Gun Rotary Pistol Rack
An even more efficient use of space is achieved with a two-tier “bunkbed-style” pistol rack. This will hold a large collection of pistols in a relatively compact space. Gun-Racks.com offers two-tier pistol racks with 10-gun ($104.00), 12-gun ($115.00), or 16-gun ($125.00) capacities. For five ollars more (per size) you can get an elevated model with mag storage. These racks are crafted from wood, with soft Rayon fabric on the sections contacting your guns. These well-made racks pack a lot of guns in a small space. However, the barrel slots are only 2.5″ apart. So you do get a very compact footprint, but the trade-off is a tight fit on larger handguns.
If you have large hunting handguns with top-mounted scopes, or bullseye pistols with fat target grips, consider the Hyskore Modular Rack which holds guns with the barrel on top and level, so there is plenty of clearance for scopes. Hyskore racks are made of soft, closed-cell foam that won’t scratch metal and won’t absorb moisture. Guns are stored in individual foam bins that can be connected together horizontally.The width of each individual bin can be adjusted to fit even very wide target grips. Hyskore racks come in sets of three foam bins. Using 3/16″ threaded crosspins, you can combine the bins into one, long secure unit running the full width of a shelf.
CLICK HERE for Hyskore Rack DEMO VIDEO
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February 27th, 2011
 Cannon Safe has a new series of gunsafes with many smart features that we wish were found on ALL premium safes. There are many other quality safes out there, but we were pleased to see how Cannon equips its new Commander Series Safes. Whether you end up with a Cannon safe or not, if you are shopping for large gun safes, check to see whether it offers these important features found in the Cannon Commanders:
Reinforced Steel Frame
Cannon Commanders has a 5.75″ double-steel composite door, double-steel reinforced door frame, multiple re-lockers and 1.5″ active-locking bolts on the top, side and bottom of the door. Each safe is predrilled for floor bolting.
High-Quality Lock
Too many gunsafes have cheap digital locks that can fail unpredictably. We recommend that all gunsafes have commercial grade rotary (mechanical), or digital locks. On Cannon’s Commander safes, contents are accessed with a commercial grade Type 1 electronic lock that is backlit and protected with three layers of extra-hard 60+ RC steel hard-plate. You can also order a mechanical lock if you prefer. A good commercial-grade mechanical lock, maintained properly, will last a couple lifetimes.
Door Seal that Expands with Heat
A good door seal is really important in the “real world” ability of a safe to protect its contents during a fire. Many other safes claim fire-protection because they have some sheet rock panels inside, but they lack critical door-sealing. The Commander Series has an Intertek-ETL verified fire rating of 1200° F for 90 minutes and features a triple fin intumescent cold smoke expandable seal and heat-activated door seal that expands when exposed to heat.
Internal Power and Computer Hook-ups
A state-of-the-art internal power supply system with two 110 power outlets, USB port and RJ45 Ethernet connection keep computers and other electronics charged and connected. An electric dehumidifier is available as an option.
Built-In LED Lighting
In our Gun Safe Buyers’ Guide, we recommend the use of efficient LED light clusters. Cannon has gone this one better, with multidirectional LED lights that activate when the door is opened and shut off when closed, providing a bright clear view of the safe’s contents.
Versatile Door Storage System
Many safe owners like to use the door for rapid access to handguns, knives, Maglites, tools, and other security gear. The Cannon Commander Safes ship with a custom door panel organizer that holds dozens of handguns and accessories.
Cannon Commander Safes are offered in two models and six colors (gloss black, matte black, gray, white, tan, dark red, and green). Cannon offers a lifetime, hassle-free, zero-cost warranty. If a Cannon safe is ever damaged due to a fire, natural flood, or burglary Cannon will cover all costs to repair or replace the safe, even if the owner is not the original purchaser. (Contents are not covered).
Model: Commander CO43
Factory-Direct Price: $3,149.21
Weight:1457 lbs.
Dimensions:72”x40”x28” (depth includes dial and handle)
Gun Capacity: 36 (actual capacity can vary depending on gun size)
Model: Commander CO54
Factory-Direct Price: $3,519.81
Weight:1672 lbs.
Dimensions:72”x50”x28” (depth includes dial and handle)
Gun Capacity: 48 (actual capacity can vary depending on gun size)
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February 4th, 2011
Here’s a one-day only Harbor Freight special sale on a 33-lb safe with electronic keypad. Made by Bunker Hill Safes, this 0.71 cubic foot capacity safe measures 9-7/8″ H x 13-3/4″ W x 11″ D. It would be a good small office safe for valuables or handguns (however, check with your local laws to see if this safe qualifies as a “gun safe”.) In addition to the AA-battery powered digital keypad, there is a hidden key-lock (two keys provided). Tomorrow, Saturday February 5, 2011, with the coupon below, this safe is just $59.99, marked down from $79.99. Today (Friday) it is available for $69.99, but that price is subject to change. To get the safe for $59.99 at a Harbor Freight store, print the coupon below. To order the safe online, use Coupon Code 49202492. Remember the $59.99 price is good on SATURDAY, 2/5/2011 only!
Editor’s NOTE: We haven’t tried this safe. We cannot vouch for its quality or how long it can run on one set of batteries. But the price is low enough that we figure some of you guys would be interested. Based on purchaser comments be aware that this safe requires frequent battery replacement. Also, and this is VITAL — TEST the BACKUP KEYS before you leave the store. If ordering online, as soon as you receive the safe, make sure the backup keys fit the lock. The safe does come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Story Sourced by Edlongrange.
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January 24th, 2010
Among the many brands of gunsafes on display at SHOT Show 2010, two series of safes caught our attention. Browning’s new Tactical MK II safes possess many smart features, such as rubber-coated shelves and built-in LED lighting, that we’d like to see as ‘standard equipment’ on other safes. The Browning Tactical safes even offer handy Picatinny rail sections on the bottom of the upper shelves, so you can securely stow optics or rail-mounted accessories when not in use. Check out the video below, which showcases the unique features of the 60″x30″ Browning Tactical MKII safe.
 Cylindrical High-Security Safes from Pendleton
Pendleton drew crowds with its innovative line-up of cylindrical safes. A Pendleton Safe looks like a large vertical water heater clad in heavy steel. Pendletons feature a fairly narrow front door with a multi-level, rotating gun storage carousel inside.
The big advantage of the Pendleton safes is that they are very, very resistent to pry-bar attacks. The door gap is just .090″ (ninety thousandths) making it very hard to insert a prybar. The safe’s curved sides offer no entry points for prybars, and if a thief manages to tilt the safe over, it just rolls when leverage is applied to a prybar. The doors feature a patented cam locking mechanism and a commercial grade blocking plate to prevent drill attacks. Notable were the number of locking “bolts” — actually rectangular locking tabs of solid 1/4″ steel, providing 54 square inches of locking surface (compared to 4-8 sq. inches on bargain Costco/Walmart safes). Where some cheaper safes may have only three locking bolts on one side of the entry door, the 72″ Pendleton has 14 locking “tabs”, arrayed on the left AND right door sides (seven per side). A very impressive new safe, the Pendleton offers exclusive, patented security features, along with quality fabrication by a well-known, US-based commercial safe manufacturer.
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September 9th, 2009
We found some interesting, well-designed racks and gunsafe accessories on the ManaboutRacks.com website. First, we were impressed with the 7-slot handgun rack with built-in storage (larger 10- and 12-gun sizes are available). This is the first design we’ve seen that offers organized storage right below the handguns — a perfect place for mags or ammo. There are many different versions, with your choice of drawers, divided compartments, or an open sub-shelf. A 7-gun rack with 4 drawers costs $79.95, while a 7-gun rack with dividers runs $49.95. The 7-gun Greystone rack, with one long shelf below the guns, costs $49.95.
They say “rust never sleeps”. When storing firearms you want to maintain optimal interior temperature and relative humidity inside the safe. By keeping the humidity above the dew point, moisture won’t condense on your guns, leading to rust. Here’s a simple, Digital Humidity & Temperature Monitor that costs just $14.95. With a 3″ x 2″ footprint, it’s small enough to put anywhere in your safe.
Shown below is a slick, battery-powered LED light. The LED lamp holder swivels, allowing you to direct illumination where you want it. This unit, measuring 7.1″ x 1.8″ x 0.9″, is very flat so it doesn’t take up much space. Mounting is easy — the lamp comes with both magnetic and Velcro-type fasteners. Because this lamp uses LEDs rather than incandescent bulbs, the AAA batteries last a long time. This swiveling LED lamp, in either silver or gloss black finish, costs $12.95 on the web and you may find it for less in a large home-supply store.
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August 14th, 2009
Many readers already have a gunsafe, but if you’re like most gunowners, your safe is completely filled with guns, scopes, and personal valuables. Wouldn’t it be nice to have additional secure storage for items such as shooting rests, barrels, tripods, and expensive tools? Here’s a useful item that can safeguard your tools, outdoor gear, and shooting accessories. In a pinch, it can augment the storage capacity of your gun safe, though we recommend a conventional gun safe with UL-rated locking mechanism for long-term firearms storage.
The Better Built® 48″ Steel Job Site Safe is now on sale at Lowe’s for $249.00, marked down from $288.00. Offering 17.5 cubic feet of storage space, the Site Safe (Lowe’s item # 195894) will hold tools, barrels, tripods etc. up to 48″ in length. It is 25″ high, 24″ front to back, and is built of powder-coated 14 gauge steel. The design includes recessed lift handles to assist in installation. In the front are two lock ports which can be secured with padlocks.
This unit can be very handy in your garage or workshop to secure expensive tools and other equipment. Also, its low, horizontal design allows it to fit in places where a conventional, vertical style safe will not fit. Better Built® also offers 36″-wide (item 37224145), and 60″-wide (item 37224142) Site Safes, but these products are not currently sold at Lowe’s.
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August 11th, 2009
This time of year, many of our readers are traveling far and wide to shooting events, including the National Championships at Camp Perry. Security is vital on those long trips when you’re hauling lots of guns and shooting gear. A custom, high-end Benchrest, F-Class, or High Power rifle can cost upwards of $4000.00. And that’s without optics, which can run another $2000.00 per rifle. If you’re transporting three or four match rifles with premium scopes, you could be hauling $16,000 worth of firearms. Bring along a rangefinder, Co-Axial rest, spotting scope, and chronograph, and that could push the total closer to $20,000.
 How do you safeguard that kind of investment? One of the best storage systems available is the TruckVault, built in Washington state. TruckVaults are custom-fitted, locking storage cabinets that fit in a pickup truck bed, SUV, or station wagon. Various designs are available, including a waterproof “Extreme Series”. Both single-drawer and multi-draw layouts are offered with lengths up to 60″ overall, and top-load capacity of 2000 pounds. A variety of interior configurations are available.
For transporting scoped match rifles, we suggest TruckVault’s “Magnum Line”, which has two drawers with 10.5″ of vertical clearance. This offers two primary sliding compartments (on roller casters), plus smaller storage boxes where you can keep valuable gear securely out of sight.
TruckVaults carry a big price-tag. SUV models start at $1485, but expect to pay closer to $2000.00 for a unit with all the bells and whistles. That’s serious money, but you have to balance that against the cost of the firearms and accessories you are transporting. If you spend much time on the road with a pricey collection of guns, optics, and accessories, a TruckVault may be a wise investment. This editor first saw a TruckVault on a Chevy Suburban belonging to an Arizona gunsmith who does work for the military. It was not unusual for him to haul $50,000 worth of Class III weapons. For him, the TruckVault was an essential security feature. For more info, visit TruckVault.com or call (800) 967-8107.
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August 8th, 2009
Sam’s Club is offering one of the best deals in gun safes right now — a 60″ H x 30″ W x 22″ L Liberty Centurian safe for $688.00. That is the store pick-up price. The safe weighs 520 lbs. and has 23 cubic feet of exterior volume. Walls are 12 gauge steel and the safe is fire-rated for 30 minutes at 1200° F. The lock is a Sargent & Greenleaf electronic, one of the best units in its price range. This very same safe is sold by Liberty Dealers for $999-$1099.00. If you’re able to get this safe home on your own, this is an excellent value from a respected safe-builder. I’ve got a friend who purchased one of these safes and I helped him install it and set up this interior. I can assure you that you’ll have trouble finding more safe for the money. I consider it better than a $1000.00 Canon I used to own.
Note, you’ll have to call your local Sam’s Club for availability and exact price. If it’s not available at the closest outlet, try other nearby Sam’s Club stores (you can search for availability on the Sam’s Club website). Typically a Sam’s Club outlet will get a half-dozen of these and they’ll sell out in a few days. Also, we want to caution people that this safe, while far more secure than a typical “security cabinet” with a locking key, is a far cry from a serious 1500-lb commercial-grade safe. On the other hand this safe is just about the biggest size that can be easily handled by a couple non-professional guys working with a furniture dolly. The unit is delivered on a wood pallet — we recommend leaving the pallet on until you get the unit inside and positioned. Then remove the wood and bolt down the safe through the four holes are pre-drilled in the bottom (these are hidden by the carpet).
Here’s a review from a buyer who purchased this Liberty Safe at Sam’s Club: “We really shopped the competition prior to purchasing this safe. For the fire rating and the storage space, this was consistently $200-$600 less than many of the other membership retailers in addition to ALL sporting good stores (even the Mega stores.) The safe is packaged well and the instructions are pretty thorough also. The mechanics are as good as any gun-store-bought safe, better in most cases. The S&G lock is easy to program and use. Just be sure the lock handle is twisted all the way counterclockwise [after you close the door]. The modular interior is great. We store some paperwork, ammunition and of course firearms in the safe and there’s more than enough room. Sam’s Club is untouchable on the price of this safe. Do the homework yourself — it’s the best value for the money anywhere.”
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June 13th, 2009
Here’s a great deal on the GunVault MiniVault. This is one of the best rapid-access handgun safes on the market. Keep it at bedside, in your work area, or it can even be fitted to a vehicle. Built of 16-gauge steel, the 8.5-lb MiniVault can be opened almost instantaneously using finger buttons on the No-Eyes™ keypad. The interior dimensions are 11″ L x 6.3″ W x 2.8″ H. That’s large enough to hold pretty much any defensive handgun, even with a rail light.
MidwayUSA has discounted the 8″x12″ MiniVault (item 246722) to $79.99. That’s $26 off the normal price. Elsewhere on the web, the cheapest price we could find was $89.99, so you’re not going to beat this deal. MidwayUSA’s $79.99 price is good through June 30, 2009.
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