Shooting from the Hip

As gun safes become more affordable, they become as equally penetrable. And if you’re in the business to truly protect your firearms and valued goods, you’ll want to keep out both thieves and elements like fire that can destroy everything in seconds.

In the video below, Dye the Safe Guy explains that buying cheaper “just doesn’t make sense.” While lighter metals and less costly materials might prove affordable and turn a profit for big box stores, consumers are given a “false security or security on sale.”

Here are five essential features that you’ll want to look for prior to investing your money in a gun safe.

Combination Lock

Some safes cost as little as $200 while the highest in quality safes can set you back more than $5,000. The priciest can be specialized to host a number of locks, digital and manual combinations, key-locking handles or even biometric locks. The only downside to this is that while it might take longer for intruders to crack, it will also slow you down if you’re in a hurry.

The most powerful of safes boast an interlocking dead lock system that will put bolts in place during an extreme attack. Others contain steel hard plates that will shatter drill bits during a drill invasion.

Metal Thickness

Typically, the thicker the metal, the more it will cost you. While an 18-16 gauge metal is very thin and can be penetrated very easily, it is also much more affordable. The basic B-rated safe means that the safe has a half-inch steel door and a quarter-inch steel body.

However, if you’re seeking quality, spot the UL label, which will either be on the top or side of the door inside the safe. That label means that it’s been tested by the Underwriter’s Laboratories, an independent product safety certification organization. The UL tests safes against a burglar attacks as well as fire endurance, fire and impact and explosion hazards.

Do note that the thickness of metal equals more weight, which means you’ll need a sturdy floor to support a heavy safe.

Good Burglar/Fire Ratings

We’ve already learned that B-rated and UL rated safes are thicker, but that also means they are more difficult to crack. The next step up in ratings is high-security burglar/fire safes that boast doors 5 1/2 inches thick and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. These safes start out with a TL-15 rating, which means the safe resisted a burglary attack for 15 minutes using common hand tools as well as more sophisticated electronic tools and drills. Higher ratings than a TL-15 include TL-30, TL-30X6 and TR-TL, which are the type of safes housed in jewelry stores and banks.

Most B- and C-rated safes will have at least an hour fire rating, meaning that’s how long they will hold up in intense heat. High-security safes tout a two- to three-hour fire-resistance range. “It can be really important to look at, especially if you are spending $1,000 or more on a gun safe,” says Dye. “Why spend that kind of money and not have the kind of protection for your documents and paper?”

If you’re looking to store more than paper documents and guns in your safe, that might call for even more protection. According to GunSafes.com, a safe holding media such as computer discs and dvds will begin to melt at 140 degrees. To ensure safety in a fire, look for a safe with a UL 125 rating, which will keep the temperature inside the safe at no more than 125 degrees.

Sturdy Anchors

The main way people bust open safes is to first tip them over. Most safes come with pre-cut anchor holes typically in the interior so you can bolt it down to the floor. That way, no one will be able to knock it on its side and find an easier way in. You can easily anchor the safe to a concrete or a wooden floor.

Specialized Interior

Some might view this as a fancy-schmancy bonus, but if you’re storing a lot of firearms, you’ll want to get built-in racks that will fit the guns you already own. In addition to racks, interior lighting can also be useful, especially if you’re in a rush. A few safes on the market also allow you to put mirrors in the rear wall, which helps brighten up the place a bit.

(Images via GunSafes.com and Flickr)

While often stereotyped as a man’s hobby, gun enthusiasts of the female variety have been forming gun clubs, and these ladies-only clubs are popping up all over the place in the United States.

Most recently, The Telegraph featured Debbie Ferns, author of Babes with Bullets, Women Having Fun With Guns and gun club organizer, where she discussed this surge of female interest in firearms.

“It started with one camp in 2004 and now we’re planning 15 to 20 camps for 2010,” she told The Telegraph.

According to Ms. Ferns’ Web site, her favorite shooting sport is Tactical 3-Gun, utilizing a rifle, shotgun and handgun.

With the upswing of these women-only gun groups, those who sell gun accessories are catering to the stereotypical feminine need — to possess everything in pink! Watch below as Ms. Ferns explains what attracted her to the sport and why she is getting her girlfriends involved, too.

Founded on the philosophy that “just because I shoot like a man doesn’t mean I have to look like one,” Packing in Pink, a Canadian company specializing in gun products with a girly twist, offers products designed by women only for women.

“Safety is always priority number one, but unlike other manufacturers, sex appeal and comfort are a very close second,” reads the company’s Web site. “Because of our devotion to women, PIP will make a donation to breast cancer research with every purchase.”

Two of the products featured on the site include blush-colored ear muffs ($34.99) and glasses ($19.99).

A new payment processor tailored specifically for firearms and accessories is aiming to blow away the competition.

Launched in 2009, GUNPAL Inc. is targeting a $3 billion firearms industry where licensed weapons dealers are unable to use PayPal to buy and sell firearms. In its Acceptable Use Policy, PayPal prohibits the use of its services for “sales of … (h) certain firearms, firearm parts or accessories, ammunition, weapons or knives.”

While GUNPAL requires the merchandise you are selling or buying to be legal, it “does not discriminate based on the nature of your transaction.”

“GUNPAL, Inc. is a transaction-neutral online payment platform with a philanthropic spirit,” said company founder Ben Cannon in a prepared statement. “It is also the first serious competitor for PayPal Inc.”

The company, which was founded in 2004, does not shy away from its affiliation with the second amendment rights. The site’s “About” page features Mr. Cannon, owner of Calguns.net, along with 17 members on its advisory board including the owner of CaliforniaRifles.com and a litany of legal advisers.

“GUNPAL is more convenient than other forms of payment as its comprehensive transaction tracking system is secure and reliable for our audits,” said Mitchel Capman, a licensed firearms dealer, in a prepared statement.

In addition to giving gun merchants a way to sell online, GUNPALS also touts a philanthropic aspect. On its homepage, the processor says a portion of every transaction will go to a non-profit organization. Currently The NRA and The Calguns Foundation are listed as the latest additions to GUNPAL’s charity program.

(Via ITS Tactical)