Finally received my licence. (Question about safes)

[A.Z]

Bullet points near bottom. Sorry if this is the wrong place to post or if links are not allowed.

I received my firearms licence for non restricted and restricted last month (6 month wait), very excited.

I have not joined a range yet but I live in BC and I am planning to join, THE RANGE Langley, around May/June (Other bills first). No plans for hunting yet but maybe in the future. I have shot a few hand guns before.

I would like to buy a safe and was wondering if you guys could give me your insights on what safes would be decent for a newbie that does not have the money for $1000 plus safes.

An idea that I have is the 8 gun Stack On safe from Canadian Tire and the pistol safe that matches it (I would use that for ammo storage). I heard you can drill holes to combine them. (Maybe I am wrong) I imagine these are more like security cabinets than safes (You would build them) but would satisfy the legal requirement. Also, there are no small children present in my household.

Another option is the Stack On 8 gun safe with a combo lock.

The thing is, I feel they are a bit small and I am getting what I pay for. I live on a second floor and I would have to pull a pre-built safe up a flight of stairs but It would not be an issue if not too heavy.

Feel free to make any suggestions, I am new to all of this and have a lot of questions but feel it would be better for another thread.

Open to any opinions. Feel free to throw other suggestions. Thanks for reading.

-Received Non Restricted/Restricted Firearms licence.
-Live in BC.
-Planning to join The Range Langley.
-Looking for Gun/Ammo safe that is not super expensive.
-No small children.
-Planning to buy Rifles and handguns.
-Looking into Canadian Tire and Amazon.
-Have shot before once, Glock 22, Sig P226, Smith & Wesson model 5906, .357 and 44 magnum,

Potential gun Club, https://www.therangelangley.com

Cabinet, http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/stack-on-8-gun-cabinet-0755676p.html#srp

Cabinet, http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/stack-on-pistol-security-cabinet-0755657p.html#srp

Actual Safe? http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/8-gun-safe-with-combo-lock-0750046p.html#srp

Would like to put this in the safe, https://www.amazon.ca/Stack-SPAPR-1504-Deluxe-4-Position-Pistol/dp/B015YAVGQC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1519218073&sr=8-4&keywords=stack+on+gun+safe

[Scotty454]

What you buy dictates how you can store your restricteds. If you're fine with storing them all with "secure locking devices" on them (I.e. trigger or cable locks) and separate from ammunition, then you can store them in a "cabinet". Pick up a "safe" (Heavier, typically have the vault style turn handles on them) if you don't want to bother with that junk. Now the definition of both is pretty ambiguous, there's no clearly defined description of what qualifies as secure restricted storage that I'm aware of, but the "safe" vs "cabinet" guideline is sorta generally regarded as close enough? Lol opinions will vary.

Check out Costco for a decent safe that won't break the bank; I've had fairly good luck with mine. The Stank-Ons are alright too? Nothing too special, but you get what you pay for. People are going to tell you that any "safe" that's not thousands of dollars and made of 1/2" solid steel plate is useless. And maybe they're right? They're not significantly harder to break into than a cabinet with the right tools. For your average idiot with a crowbar or for children though, they definitely add a bit more security than a cabinet. Regardless, they make me feeeeeel safer. And I don't have to keep ridiculous trigger locks on my pistols in them.

That pistol rack is nice, but you'll have nowhere to set it down in a safe. My safe has pistol storage on the door (This guy), but if you have more than 4 pistols... Which you will...

Also, buy a safe that is at LEAST three times as big as you think you'll need. I've already filled a second safe. Amazon has good sales on safes once in a while, and they freight them for free. Which is crazy. Cambodian Tire also puts them on sale occasionally. shouldn't have to pay full price for a safe.

[THESEUS]

Same boat here, new license new to guns.
I purchased the 10 gun stack on cabinet this weekend from CT on sale for $160 from $250 cheaper than the 8 gun on sale.
I looked at safes and CT also had one for $499 on sale but currently thats not an option.
I'm not sure how I'd even get a safe into the basement lol
My plan is to secure it to the wall and put a lock on the entry door to the room.
I've also got a spare security camera I can place in the room.

[gorby]

Newbie here as well. I have the 10 gun Stack-on and I think it is more of a six rifle cabinet. For me, I want my gun ownership to be low profile so I also want to keep my cleaning supplies and soft case in it... now it is functionally a 3 gun cabinet.

For a $100 on sale it was a good deal and gets the job done. My security concern is to keep kids out and make it inconvenient for a thief to use on premises - I have trigger locks to slow them down a bit. I just accept that if someone breaks in in the middle of the day that they will pop the cabinet. I do have it bolted down and hidden in a basement corner.

[General Brock]

To meet the legal requirements, as you mentioned get a "cabinet".

If you plan on purchasing a $2000 rifle, with a $1000 scope or red dot are you comfortable leaving that in the same $199 cabinet?

Food for thought.

[RidgeHunter]

Same boat here.
Have the 10 gun Stack-on, It's bolted to the wall and floor and out of sight in the closet.
Obviously if someone's determined they will be able to get into it but keeps things legal and keeps the kids out.
Not advertising you have guns is a good way to help keep them safe to. The "This home protected by Smith & Wesson" sign on the fornt door might as well read "Break in here for a stash of guns".
I also have a large hairy security system with a decent set of fangs that I rely on for safe keeping.

[8x68]

Costco has safes for around $400. You could check out those. Just remember if it says 10 gun safe and you have firearms with scopes on them it will take up more space than one without. Safes & gun cabinets are not the same thing. Keep that in mind as well. Level of security is different. Safes are like optics. It's a good idea not to buy too cheaply. Some TSC Stores offer various kinds of cabinets & safes as well (not sure what's out your way). Shop at some of the site sponsors as well in BC. See what they have.

[dm9]

A safe is great if you can fill it. If you just have one or two firearms id invest in good hard transport/storage cases first.

[MikeyScuba]

I can 2nd the Amazon free shipping for safes. Got 2 BF6030's 1100lb monsters shipped to my biz for free.

The installation in my house though...ouch. 7 guys. Had to reinforce the stairs as well. Crazy low price at the time from Amazon.

[albertaman238]

The stack on cabinets meet the legal requirement for storage...get 2 of em (watch for sales at ct) one for pistols and another for rifles. You can build some shelves for the pistol one and then put them in a room with a lock on it....just remember that like anything else, thieves can break into most anything. There is only so much you can do but protect yourself legally by making sure you follow the rules and let the police worry about the thieves.