DIY Improvements to Make Gun Safes More Secure

Anyone in the market for a gun safe and who has done some research can come across a wealth of information that may lead you to believe anything less than a $2,000 safe has the strength of a paper bag. This video on YouTube purports to show how people break into a ~$1,000 safe using crowbars in two minutes. They did, but they also were able to tip the safe over and use body weight for leverage. In a similar video on a smaller safe, while the safe is bolted down, he's able to work the crowbar from all angles.  Other sites on the net show a safe being successfully attacked with a fire axe.  Apart from security, another concern is fire protection.   

There are partial solutions to each of these issues:

• Crowbar attack – a thief needs leverage
• Axe attack – a thief needs room to swing
• Fire protection – need more insulation

The key decision is where to put it. There is a certain tradeoff between accessibility and places that a thief may look. A bedroom closet is accessible but will be one of the first places a thief looks. I liked this closet space, and purchase a safe that best utilized the dimensions. 

There were some gaps between the closet walls and the safe, which I used to add fireproofing. I used cement board which I cut to fit using a scoring knife. Make sure you cut it in a well-ventilated place (outside) and wear a mask because it can get dusty). I’m not sure how much time each 7/16” thick piece of cement board will add, but it is likely long enough to warrant the $40 for the four 3x5 sheets.  

Cement Board

Scoring Knife

Measure and start scraping

Once it is well cut, you can bend it in two and cut the other side.

The build in shelves required a lot more cuts

The back is 2 sheets thick

The shelf on top is then bolted down. In order to remove the screws, you have to remove the safe first. The thief will then have to chop his way through.

The safe is bolted to the floor and to the back. I drilled through the hardwood floor and into the concrete. Drilling to concrete is very tough even with a hammer drill. 

The last potential idea if I’m going to be away for awhile, is to place a piece of drywall over the front here, which will help to hide the safe. It won’t look that out of place, so it has the potential to fool some thieves.

As an alternative safety measure, if there is any valuables that do not need protection from fire or children’s prying hands, consider hiding it elsewhere.  Back in the 1800s, the British found the the 3,106 carat Cullinan diamond in Africa and needed to transport it back to Britain. They put a fake in a big safe guarded by lots of people, while the sent the real diamond in a wooden box via normal post.

Will these steps make the safe theft-proof and fireproof? Absolutely not. However, it will make it harder for a thief to break in. With an alarm blaring, there is only so much time that thief will have.