Buying a gun safe can be a sizable investment. Like investing in the stock market, it's an investment you don't want to regret. I can't tell you how many gun safe owners have come to me with buyer's remorse, wishing they had done more thorough research before they bought their safe or gun cabinet. And it's not like you can just pick up your safe and return it to the store, either, as I'm sure you can see. After reading this article, you should be better prepared to avoid these same mistakes.
Top 7 Regrets of Gun Safe Buyers
1. Forgetting the Dehumidifier. Guns are made of metal. Gun safes are a sealed environment that traps moisture, especially in more humid reasons. Guns inside safes rust. Not good. A dehumidifier will keep your guns looking beautiful. At the very least, put a dessicant in your safe.
2. Getting Stingy on "White Glove" Delivery. Guns safes are heavy. Very heavy. You don't want to have to move it yourself, especially if it's up the stairs. Either pay extra up front to have the gun safe placed exactly where you want it, or do like I do, give the driver a nice tip up front to get him to do it for you.
3. Buying a Safe or Cabinet That's Too Small. This is the most common regret of all buyers. Once you have your safe in place, you'll find that it's also an all around safe that can store ALL of your valuable possessions, not just your firearms, so you will end up wanting more space. Trust me, it's the same mistake I made myself.
4. Not Going Digital. Let's face it, some us are getting old and have a hard time seeing those combination lock numbers. Digital or electronic safes have a keypad with nice large numbers that even light up at night. Well worth the expense if you go in and out of the safe with any frequency. Plus you can change the combination yourself with an electronic lock, while a combination lock requires a locksmith.
5. Relying on the Manufacturer's Gun Count for Size. Manufacturer says it's a "12 Gun Safe", right? Not so much, unless you either have the smallest guns in the world, take off your scopes when storing or think that being packed like sardines means 12 guns actually fit. It's best to knock off about a third of the manufacturer's estimate for smaller safes, and about 20% for larger gun safes.
6. Going with the Cheap Finish or Design. If you're buying a large safe it will be out in the open for everyone to see, and subject to wear and tear, nicks and scratches. If so, you'll want your safe to look nice and stay nice. My safe is out in the open, and I'm proud of it.
7. Buying a Gun Cabinet Instead of a Safe. "I wanted to show off my guns." "It looks so much nicer than a safe." Yep. And that's why burglars came in and broke the glass and took your antique Winchester, Remington or Browning, too. Gun cabinets look nice, but are not nearly as secure as a safe. Protect your guns.
When you make a large purchase, you want to do so without regrets, especially when that purchase is not one easily returned. By keeping this advice in mind when selecting your gun safe, you won't be one of those gun safe purchasers stuck with buyer's remorse.
