Firearm owners are legally obliged to keep their firearms in a gun safe. It is easy to imagine what could happen if, for example, children or other unauthorised persons had access to a gun that is in the house. When choosing the right safe model, it is therefore necessary to take into account not only current legislation, but above all safety considerations.
Why a gun safe at home?
According to the law, every owner of a weapon is obliged to store it in a gun safe. In light of the regulations it is enough to have a safe or a cabinet of S1 class with PN-EN 14450 standard. In practice this is the least demanding of the existing standards, and the regulations do not specify either the weight or the method of anchoring the container. In order to meet the legislator's requirements, it is therefore sufficient to have a gun cabinet weighing 25 kg, with steel walls 2-3 millimetres thick. This does not mean, however, that such a container will resist the action of burglars and will be a solid protection for other valuable items which will be placed in it. Therefore, when choosing a gun safe, it is worth taking the following criteria into account.
1. Resistance to burglary and fire
A safe should be solid and durable enough to ensure that the weapon will not accidentally fall into the hands of children, who will open it with a key found in the house, or criminals who will break into the house. To ensure that the safe also protects other valuables, it is worth considering buying a container with a higher security class than required by law, i.e. S2, "0" or higher. This will also save you from having to buy a new container if regulations change in the future. It is also worth taking into account the degree of a safe's resistance to fire. By choosing a model resistant to high temperatures, you can be sure that the contents will be safe even during a fire and its extinguishing.
2. The size of the safe
Owners of small handguns can opt for a small container that also holds ammunition and, for example, cash, which can be safely stored at home. With large rifles, e.g. used by hunters, a larger size long gun cabinet or a suitable safe is required. However, it is worth thinking carefully about the location of the container and also take future needs into account, as it is usually an investment for years. The method of installation is also important. Ideally, the safe should be fastened to the fixed elements of the house structure, which will make it impossible to take it out.
3. Types of locks
In gun safes, the types of locks used are also very important. It is best to bet on modern technologies and, at the same time, proven solutions which will be convenient in practice. This will help avoid accidental access to the container by children or other unauthorised persons. There are butterfly key locks, combination locks, electronic and even biometric locks available. It's worth choosing a solution that suits your individual preferences so that no one but the gun owner can open the safe. It should also be remembered that in the case of key locks, the storage of the key itself is extremely important.
4. Price
It is better not to consider the cheapest solutions. For a gun safe is not only a legal requirement, but above all an important security measure. In the case of storing weapons, safety is the most important thing, so cheap containers may not fulfil the basic task.
5. Certificate
The best proof of the burglary resistance and quality of a safe is a certificate from an independent institution such as VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH or ESSA. Each certified safe is marked with a badge on the inside. It is also important to know that only a safe whose quality has been tested and confirmed by European standards guarantees full insurance protection.
Check: gun safes at Hartmann Tresore
Read also: Weapon safe – which security grade?
What kind of gun safe to choose to make sure no unauthorised people can get to it
