Get A Safe For Your Firearms; just purchased: Champion, Medalist 22, Gun Safe

[Ricardus]

Well I bought a safe. It is essential to have one safe or more depending on the size of your gun collection.

I found one at the gun show and had them deliver it to my new 3rd floor
apartment.

Anyway, the moment I locked all my firearms I had a feeling I was going to have problems. The combination tumbler shifted and try as I could - no dice - I could not get it opened.

Contacted the Champion safe guy in Utah and a guy called Randall walked me through the process of seeing where the tumbler had shifted.

As it turned out, he was right, the middle number on the combo had walked back one digit (for example if my combo was 31 left or counter-clockwise, 48 right or clockwise, and 24 left or counter-clockwise. The new combo became 31 left, 47 right, and 24 left! It is usually the middle or the last number in the combination that moves one digit off.

Apparently this problem (safe combination numbers shifting) occurs during transportation and especially when transporting it up a flight of stairs with any kind of dolly or electrical dolly. Or it can occur when the person setting the combination is not precisely setting the tumbler on the arrow or line index. The more precise the mechanism the easier it is to "fudge" it and make a mistake.

So heads up guys if you ever have a problem go to the manufacturer (the dealers are for the most part sales and delivery guys) for the solution.

Even though this worked out for me in the end, I am thinking of going to the electrical/electronic button combo pad which is more forgiving and not a very expensive upgrade. I don't know let's see. Either way my safe works and I can lock up the guns!

[Ops NCO]

That's gotta be a bad feeling when you realize you can't unlock the damned thing...

[Rocket1972]

Um, what is your exact address?

[Tunanut]

That happens with alot of safes. Always try the combo a little off, you can usually feel when it grips the tumbler. I've had issues with the electric one's also. Fortunatly, I buy them for a safe cracker. If you're in NC or SC Mike Griffin from Chesterfield is the man.

[Zimmy]

I've got a great safe guy in Pennsylvania if anyone needs on, too.

He can manipulate open most of them if you need help. He can also service them.

[FISH]

A good dealer will also have a tool/key that allows you to change the combination on a
S&G lock, this is handy if you have more than one safe or want something easier to remember.

[Ricardus]

It's all good now, the safe works like a charm. I got it in enamel burgundy (or maroon), Airborne!

[Ricardus]

That's gotta be a bad feeling when you realize you can't unlock the damned thing...

A real bad feeling! I just checked it again - works great! PHEW!

[LadyDoc]

A safe needs to be my next purchase - just as soon as I finish cleaning out a corner of the basement. Do you all bother getting it bolted to the foundation/floor, or is the weight of the thing enough theft deterrent? I'm looking at middle-of the line Liberty right now. Also, is the dehumidifier bar worth it?

Zimmy - where in PA is your safe guy that you know?

[Ricardus]

The question for me is moot. I live in a 3rd floor apartment and the safe weighs almost 600 lbs + contents. If they can remove it from my apartment in broad daylight without anyone noticing they are welcome to it! Most thieves will break into a safe but that takes time and effort and most smash and grab artists don't want to take time to crack a safe. Your average homeowner gets a safe for firearms, some jewelry, and documents - passports, Birth certificates, DD214 and etc - items not of interest to a professional safe cracker.

If there is a home invasion where a thief thinks they can get the homeowner to cough up the combination - then get backup - a monitored intrusion alarm and/or a dog and definitely a cell phone, firearm (shotgun, handgun), and be able to barricade oneself in the main bedroom while help gets there - do not be a hero and go looking for the source of the noise - remember you have just woken up and you are not fully awake and your eyes have not adjusted to the darkness - lights just highlight you as a target - the "perp" is in a much better shape to ambush you. Oh yes, cops will respond faster when you tell them someone has been shot! ;-) At least that's the story!

Remember most safes are designed to slow down thieves not to defeat them. There are safes that are just about undefeatable but they cost in the thousands of dollars. Good luck with your purchase.

[Zimmy]

A safe needs to be my next purchase - just as soon as I finish cleaning out a corner of the basement. Do you all bother getting it bolted to the foundation/floor, or is the weight of the thing enough theft deterrent? I'm looking at middle-of the line Liberty right now. Also, is the dehumidifier bar worth it?

Zimmy - where in PA is your safe guy that you know?

He works at our plant in Northumberland. Somewhere near there, I would assume.

[LadyDoc]

He works at our plant in Northumberland. Somewhere near there, I would assume.

Ok. Thanks.

[Feetasshead]

A safe needs to be my next purchase - just as soon as I finish cleaning out a corner of the basement. Do you all bother getting it bolted to the foundation/floor, or is the weight of the thing enough theft deterrent? I'm looking at middle-of the line Liberty right now. Also, is the dehumidifier bar worth it?

Zimmy - where in PA is your safe guy that you know?

I would bolt it down and yes, get the de-humidifier bar unless you like orange guns.