The market of safes for storing weapons is experiencing a renaissance, thanks to the amendment to the Weapons and Ammunition Act a few years ago. The amendment made it compulsory for gun owners to store their weapons in safes with at least class S1 according to EN 14450, which was the first contact with European security classes in general for many customers.
Class S1 is making a spectacular career, the more so because, as in any other case where the purchase of a safe is the result of a statutory obligation, the lowest regular price decides, and S1 safes are not expensive. Why? Because they are the simplest and weakest products of all those available on the market.
At this point, a fundamental question must be asked – are S1 safes a good choice?
A rotten compromise
You can buy a safe in S1 class on the condition that you only use the safe for storing weapons, and not the most expensive ones rather. Safes in S1 class are constructed from a single 3-6 mm thick steel plate. The door is protected against break-ins by bolts, usually several in one safe. Plus, of course, a key lock or electronic lock, and the whole thing is rounded off with pass-through holes for mounting the safe to the floor and/or wall.
And that's it. S1 safes are lightweight constructions, generally weighing less than 100 kg even for long gun safes. As studies carried out at the IMP or ECB‧S show, it takes several minutes to successfully undermine the frame with a crowbar and break into the locker.
So why S1? Firstly, it is the cheapest class of safes on the market. The lowest regular price of such devices can fall below PLN 3,000 gross, and with a discount it can be even less, depending on the configuration. Secondly, although this applies to many other series of safes, the S1s, due to their lightweight construction, have plenty of space for gadgets. You'll find models that include shelves, ammunition balconies, internal safes, ramrod holders and even hooks for hanging keys, such as car keys.
If not the S1 safe then what?
If, when reading the previous paragraph, you cringed with distaste and started looking around for something better, we rush to help.
We offer gun safes in classes 0, I and II in accordance with the European standard PN EN 1143 1. In the best quality safes, the certification is no longer the responsibility of the IMP or even ECB S, but of VdS, the German insurance association, and this is a very restrictive institution.
The bolts in high-end safes are thicker and the construction itself is multi-walled, so both the body and the door are made of several layers of steel and concrete. This makes the burglary safe a lot heavier at the same time, so it is secure to assume that it will be harder to pick it out and carry it away.
On the matter of storing weapons, it is the interior that decides, as in life, so the configuration of the safe inside depends on the chosen model. We have dozens of ready-made products, but there is nothing stopping you from personalising them a little, e.g. by adding shelves, moving a partition wall, and so on.
For discerning customers who care not only about safety but also about aesthetics, we have display cabinets whose doors, and in the larger models also the side walls, are glazed. And for those of you who want something off the menu, we have almost everything your heart desires. The interior of the safe can be made of veneer, solid wood or alcantara.
Of course, in this case, the lowest price will not be the thing that determines the purchase.
Well, but why do I need a high-end safe?
There are two reasons to buy an anti-burglary safe that guarantees a high level of security.
Firstly, there is a high probability that, in the matter of storing weapons, Polish regulations will catch up with those in most European Union countries over time. There, on the other hand, class S1 or even S2 is basically unused. In Germany for example, at least class 0 according to EN 1143 1 is required, and quite recently a change came into force requiring the keys to a safe to be stored in another safe having an electronic lock.
It is not said when such changes will come into effect in Poland and how much time gun owners will have to adapt to the new law. However, there is no doubt that an anti-burglary safe having a high level of security is a more promising investment.
Secondly, an anti-burglary safe with a high level of burglary resistance can be used not only as a weapons storage facility, but also for storing precious things such as jewellery, cash, watches, valuables etc.. If the dimensions allow, you can keep a lot of documents in there (documents in binders). There are quite a few models to choose from, whose height and width can be made to the millimetre for an extra charge.
In this way, your burglary safe will be an all-purpose, everyday household tool.
What are the options in the configuration of a gun safe?
An anti-theft safe, whether it is a simple S1 or an EN 1143-1 compliant class, has its standard equipment, which includes a key lock and powder coating in RAL 7035, i.e. light grey.
You can replace the key lock with an electronic lock for an extra charge, which I recommend heartily. The door fittings are generally limited to ammunition balconies, but occasionally customers require more/less of them or ask for key hooks or a ramrod holder.
If you need additional, separate storage space for documents, it does not hurt to extend the interior equipment with additional shelves or an inner safe. You can adjust the number of shelves to suit your needs.
The external and internal dimensions can be personalised to the extent made possible by the certification, and this is quite a choice. Sometimes we have changed all three dimensions for an extra charge, so that the burglar-proof safe meets the customer's requirements 100%.
The light grey lacquer can of course also be exchanged for almost any colour from the RAL palette.
Summary
Ultimately, you have to make the choice yourself and the product you choose must suit your needs and requirements best. If the key factors are the lowest regular price, a short lead time and minimum compliance with statutory requirements, rather than aspects such as weight, burglary class or a long-term outlook, then the S1 safe is o.k.. If this is the case, please visit our online shop, where you will find quite a few models available off-the-shelf.
If, on the other hand, quality and safety class are just as important to you as details such as the personalisation of the interior, including the number of shelves, the colour or the electronic lock available at an extra charge, then please contact our sales department and visit our website, where you can download catalogue files of high-class safes or individual product data sheets.
