Well due to my to the fact that my collection has just grown it's time for me to look into getting a new safe. I have noticed that in my area there are a lot of used safes for sale. I have a really good buddy that is a locksmith and he can reset the combo if I get one. My question has anyone picked up a used safe and what are the pros and cons of doing this.
- Thread starter snowdin5000
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Re: Used Safe
I've got a used safe and as long as you're buying quality to begin with there shouldn't be any issues, and if it's an electronic keypad and open you should be able to reset everything yourself. I'd suggest AMSEC, Sturdy, and Cannon.
Add: Craigslist is your friend for used safes
I've got a used safe and as long as you're buying quality to begin with there shouldn't be any issues, and if it's an electronic keypad and open you should be able to reset everything yourself. I'd suggest AMSEC, Sturdy, and Cannon.
Add: Craigslist is your friend for used safes
Re: Used Safe
I bought a used safe about 10 years ago, and other than some scratches on the outside, it's worked fine. I had locksmith change the combo and gtg. I got it from a guy that buys and sells a lot of safes from walk-ins to little ones. Got it for about half the price of a new one.
I bought a used safe about 10 years ago, and other than some scratches on the outside, it's worked fine. I had locksmith change the combo and gtg. I got it from a guy that buys and sells a lot of safes from walk-ins to little ones. Got it for about half the price of a new one.
Re: Used Safe
There is a Mosler mini vault that a guy is trying to get rid of for $500 I would jump on it but I don't think it will fit in the door and the landlord might get a bit upset with the massive weight.
There is a Mosler mini vault that a guy is trying to get rid of for $500 I would jump on it but I don't think it will fit in the door and the landlord might get a bit upset with the massive weight.
Re: Used Safe
Do you simply want something for handguns? If you live in an apartment unless you're on the ground floor and even then you're kind of screwed. You won't be able to bolt it to the floor. If you need something for handguns I would personally go smaller and find something you can bolt to the wall and patch the holes upon leaving with minimal damage...
Do you simply want something for handguns? If you live in an apartment unless you're on the ground floor and even then you're kind of screwed. You won't be able to bolt it to the floor. If you need something for handguns I would personally go smaller and find something you can bolt to the wall and patch the holes upon leaving with minimal damage...
Re: Used Safe
If you're buying a used safe, don't even bother looking at used gun safes. Look at commercial safes that have been refurbished or at least serviced (or get your own safe tech to do service work). You want to make sure the UL-grade locks have been serviced and the hinges are in good order. Checking all the relocking mechanisms and doing a once over would be good for peace of mind. If that work hasn't been done, find a SAVTA or Clearstar Security network affiliated safe technician to do the work. A malfunctioning commercial safe can be very expensive for a tech to open. I'd be wary of letting just any locksmith touch them since the mechanism internals of commercial safe units are kept fairly secret in the safe tech industry. The good thing is commercial safes tend to be dirt cheap because they're heavy as hell and most new businesses that need a safe aren't going to look at used safes.
Gun safes are a joke by comparison to commercial safes. There is a reason that comparably-sized units tend to weigh several times that of the sheet metal or thin plate gun safes. If you can swing a Mosler and convince the landlord, that would be a fantastic investment that will last you a lifetime and offer far more protection than a consumer-grade gun safe.
Other common brands to consider that commonly pop up on the used market would be Diebold or American Security (their commercial line). Less common brands like Kaso, ISM, Tann, Rosengrens, Chubb, Tann, or Fitchet show up on occasion but they tend to be used by high-end jewelry or numismatic businesses. They're all made in England, Israel, Scandanavia, and the like.
There are some new companies too out of the far east that sell cheaper commercial safes (by comparison to the established players) but since safes tend to be long term investments, you probably won't find these on the used market yet.
If you're buying a used safe, don't even bother looking at used gun safes. Look at commercial safes that have been refurbished or at least serviced (or get your own safe tech to do service work). You want to make sure the UL-grade locks have been serviced and the hinges are in good order. Checking all the relocking mechanisms and doing a once over would be good for peace of mind. If that work hasn't been done, find a SAVTA or Clearstar Security network affiliated safe technician to do the work. A malfunctioning commercial safe can be very expensive for a tech to open. I'd be wary of letting just any locksmith touch them since the mechanism internals of commercial safe units are kept fairly secret in the safe tech industry. The good thing is commercial safes tend to be dirt cheap because they're heavy as hell and most new businesses that need a safe aren't going to look at used safes.
Gun safes are a joke by comparison to commercial safes. There is a reason that comparably-sized units tend to weigh several times that of the sheet metal or thin plate gun safes. If you can swing a Mosler and convince the landlord, that would be a fantastic investment that will last you a lifetime and offer far more protection than a consumer-grade gun safe.
Other common brands to consider that commonly pop up on the used market would be Diebold or American Security (their commercial line). Less common brands like Kaso, ISM, Tann, Rosengrens, Chubb, Tann, or Fitchet show up on occasion but they tend to be used by high-end jewelry or numismatic businesses. They're all made in England, Israel, Scandanavia, and the like.
There are some new companies too out of the far east that sell cheaper commercial safes (by comparison to the established players) but since safes tend to be long term investments, you probably won't find these on the used market yet.
Re: Used Safe
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cesiumsponge</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you're buying a used safe, don't even bother looking at used gun safes. Look at commercial safes that have been refurbished or at least serviced (or get your own safe tech to do service work). You want to make sure the UL-grade locks have been serviced and the hinges are in good order. Checking all the relocking mechanisms and doing a once over would be good for peace of mind. If that work hasn't been done, find a SAVTA or Clearstar Security network affiliated safe technician to do the work. A malfunctioning commercial safe can be very expensive for a tech to open. I'd be wary of letting just any locksmith touch them since the mechanism internals of commercial safe units are kept fairly secret in the safe tech industry. The good thing is commercial safes tend to be dirt cheap because they're heavy as hell and most new businesses that need a safe aren't going to look at used safes.
Gun safes are a joke by comparison to commercial safes. There is a reason that comparably-sized units tend to weigh several times that of the sheet metal or thin plate gun safes. If you can swing a Mosler and convince the landlord, that would be a fantastic investment that will last you a lifetime and offer far more protection than a consumer-grade gun safe.
Other common brands to consider that commonly pop up on the used market would be Diebold or American Security (their commercial line). Less common brands like Kaso, ISM, Tann, Rosengrens, Chubb, Tann, or Fitchet show up on occasion but they tend to be used by high-end jewelry or numismatic businesses. They're all made in England, Israel, Scandanavia, and the like.
There are some new companies too out of the far east that sell cheaper commercial safes (by comparison to the established players) but since safes tend to be long term investments, you probably won't find these on the used market yet. </div></div>
Commercial safes are also typically smaller and unable to be used for rifle storage. The ones that are big enough for rifle storage are not cheaper by any means.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cesiumsponge</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you're buying a used safe, don't even bother looking at used gun safes. Look at commercial safes that have been refurbished or at least serviced (or get your own safe tech to do service work). You want to make sure the UL-grade locks have been serviced and the hinges are in good order. Checking all the relocking mechanisms and doing a once over would be good for peace of mind. If that work hasn't been done, find a SAVTA or Clearstar Security network affiliated safe technician to do the work. A malfunctioning commercial safe can be very expensive for a tech to open. I'd be wary of letting just any locksmith touch them since the mechanism internals of commercial safe units are kept fairly secret in the safe tech industry. The good thing is commercial safes tend to be dirt cheap because they're heavy as hell and most new businesses that need a safe aren't going to look at used safes.
Gun safes are a joke by comparison to commercial safes. There is a reason that comparably-sized units tend to weigh several times that of the sheet metal or thin plate gun safes. If you can swing a Mosler and convince the landlord, that would be a fantastic investment that will last you a lifetime and offer far more protection than a consumer-grade gun safe.
Other common brands to consider that commonly pop up on the used market would be Diebold or American Security (their commercial line). Less common brands like Kaso, ISM, Tann, Rosengrens, Chubb, Tann, or Fitchet show up on occasion but they tend to be used by high-end jewelry or numismatic businesses. They're all made in England, Israel, Scandanavia, and the like.
There are some new companies too out of the far east that sell cheaper commercial safes (by comparison to the established players) but since safes tend to be long term investments, you probably won't find these on the used market yet. </div></div>
Commercial safes are also typically smaller and unable to be used for rifle storage. The ones that are big enough for rifle storage are not cheaper by any means.
Re: Used Safe
I have purchased a couple of used safes and have ZERO complaints. The owners were moving and did not want to move them so I got a great deal. I would buy another used one if one came along and probably will end up doing so in the future.
I have purchased a couple of used safes and have ZERO complaints. The owners were moving and did not want to move them so I got a great deal. I would buy another used one if one came along and probably will end up doing so in the future.
Re: Used Safe
Commercial safes do come in rifle-sizing, typically more often as plate safes than composites because composite wall thickness make storage space tight. They can be found used at similar pricing compared to similarly sized premium gun safes. The used price will vary, as any used product does. If a safe company purchases them to sell as refurbs, they'll probably go for $2000-5000 but if the owner wants to get rid of it or a construction or demolition company wants to move it, they can be had much cheaper, sometimes free since its a hassle to haul off a few tons of safe that can't be sold as scrap metal (at least the composites). $500 seems like a deal to me.
Commercial safes do come in rifle-sizing, typically more often as plate safes than composites because composite wall thickness make storage space tight. They can be found used at similar pricing compared to similarly sized premium gun safes. The used price will vary, as any used product does. If a safe company purchases them to sell as refurbs, they'll probably go for $2000-5000 but if the owner wants to get rid of it or a construction or demolition company wants to move it, they can be had much cheaper, sometimes free since its a hassle to haul off a few tons of safe that can't be sold as scrap metal (at least the composites). $500 seems like a deal to me.
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