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Rich1028
09-19-2012, 07:15 PM
people with gun safes???

I'm looking to get a gun safe soon.
these weigh quite a bit,600 to 1000 Lbs.
I was wondering if it is nessary to renforce the floor joists?
I do not have a basement,only a crawl space,so I was wondering if I need to put some cement blocks down in the crawl space to go up against the floor joist to help support this heavy thing?

Olds
09-19-2012, 07:45 PM
Static and dynamic weights are very different mechanics. 600-1000 Lbs isn't really all that much for a static weight. Most floors in general should be able to with stand that with out extra bracing. A definitive answer is hard to give not actually seeing the condition, and location of the floor. Wouldn't hurt to put a board underneath the safe bottom to avoid any feet marks sinking in. Either way, it is important to bolt it down. No matter how heavy it is, if you got it in there, there is someone out there willing to cart it out. Possibly just move it on the floor for prying leverage.

JDG
09-19-2012, 08:22 PM
If you put in on an outside wall, or along the center line of the house(Support beam in the crawl space), you will be good to go.

Musta Demoni
09-19-2012, 08:33 PM
Wouldn't hurt to put a board underneath the safe bottom to avoid any feet marks sinking in.

I agree with this; this will help to disburse the focus of the weight.


Either way, it is important to bolt it down. No matter how heavy it is, if you got it in there, there is someone out there willing to cart it out.

While I don't disagree with this completely, I'd say it's more best pratice than necessity. I've never heard of any thieves hauling out someone's 600 lb safe; they typically focus on quick in/out/path of least resistance. IMO if I had a 600 lb. safe and someone wrestled it out of my house, they win. I'll contact my insurance company and hope for the best. Just my .02.

zd3007
09-19-2012, 10:50 PM
Depending on whether flooding is a possibility where you are, you may opt to go without the feet on your safe. Spread the weight out a bit. For instance an elephant can walk across hardwood flooring without denting it because of the way their feet distribute weight. A 150lb woman in high heels will leave marks all over your floor if she's not careful.
All this being said, someone may know a reason my idea is bad.

Roundballer
09-19-2012, 11:28 PM
<snip>
All this being said, someone may know a reason my idea is bad.
Your idea is actually very good. I have ever only dealt with one safe. it was 24'x30" and did not have feet. The safe weighed in at 800lbs. If you do the math that is 800 lbs pressure over 720 square inches, or 1.1111....Lbs/in^2

A 200 lb man with about a size 12 shoe, standing on one foot or walking applies a pressure of about 20 Lbs/in^2 (rough estimate), and that is "live" weight, it bounces and moves.

Ghost11503
09-20-2012, 10:11 PM
While I don't disagree with this completely, I'd say it's more best pratice than necessity. I've never heard of any thieves hauling out someone's 600 lb safe; they typically focus on quick in/out/path of least resistance. IMO if I had a 600 lb. safe and someone wrestled it out of my house, they win. I'll contact my insurance company and hope for the best. Just my .02.

No but they do knock them over after they kick off the keypad and handle.

Walther
02-02-2013, 01:31 PM
IMO if I had a 600 lb. safe and someone wrestled it out of my house, they win. I'll contact my insurance company and hope for the best. Just my .02.


I bought a Winchester safe last year, it weighs 600 lbs. with nothing in it. I had planned to just set it in place without bolting it down, using the same reasoning as you.

Once we got it into the room, it was easy for me to walk it back and forth. Even loaded with guns and ammunition, it's easy for two guys to move around. I bolted it down. If someone did come in and get pissed because they couldn't get to the contents, it might save some damage to the guns from them tipping it over.

It'd also save me from having to stand it back up...

Ruger
02-02-2013, 01:43 PM
The bolt holes are there for a reason! Bolt it down! :cheers:

D-Man
02-07-2013, 02:47 PM
I bought a 21-gun safe last month....

Took 4 grown men, three 2" ratchet straps and well over 35 minutes to get it into my basement where it will live until the end of time.

I haven't bolted it yet, but I will and I also plan on building an enclosure around the entire safe to keep it from being 'cut' into with torches or reciprocating saws.

My alarm system will do the rest.