Harden your houses, folks

[DoggyDaddy]

Assuming enough room and your local laws (zoning) allow. An edition to your home. The slab and stone over CMU,s (concrete masonry units) is not a problem. They even make stone to match color, size, style of existing. Size and other physical considerations would depend on budget.

Well, if it were 15 years ago, I'd consider it maybe, but getting close to retirement and starting to think about eventually relocating, I don't want to do any expansion now.

 

[Mij]

Well, if it were 15 years ago, I'd consider it maybe, but getting close to retirement and starting to think about eventually relocating, I don't want to do any expansion now.

Got it. Ya, you could probably only recoup about 60% of your cost at this time.

 

[Jamie-K]

Can you reach them now?

No need to pile on ... MMK feels violated and bad enough !

If somebody is going to sell you out, bringing in a gun safe gives them another indication that there's something worth stealing.

 

[jamil]

No need to pile on ... MMK feels violated and bad enough !

If somebody is going to sell you out, bringing in a gun safe gives them another indication that there's something worth stealing.

...but takes a level of sophistication to steal probably beyond the abilities of the people who broke in initially.

 

[2in1evtime]

And you'd be safer to hide a regular old steel door behind a false panel than to try to order one of those vault doors.

They cant steal what they cant find.
I wish I had the money to expand my collection and then dig out from the basement so that the vault room is outside the footprint of the foundation.

Ive also seen guys erect a wall to wall off the entire short wall of the basement, making the room about 5' shorter. Not really enough to notice unless you break out a measuring tape. A hidden door and no way anyone is going to find your stash.

Yep i did that and also have safes in the room too

 

[2in1evtime]

My uncle when he was alive would buy old upright freezers and gut them then would line them with firebrick and adda welded metal liner to that, no one outside of family knew they weren't freezers and he kept them in a detached garage also!

 

[Cameramonkey]

My uncle when he was alive would buy old upright freezers and gut them then would line them with firebrick and adda welded metal liner to that, no one outside of family knew they weren't freezers and he kept them in a detached garage also!

With the price of meat these days, that’s no security anymore. Thugs gonna be looking for steaks and other high dollar meats too. Lol

 

[wcd]

Well, if it were 15 years ago, I'd consider it maybe, but getting close to retirement and starting to think about eventually relocating, I don't want to do any expansion now.

I hear Illinois is one of the best places to relocate to. High Crime, Shootings every weekend in Chicago, a hatred of Individual liberties, high taxes. Wheat is not to love?

 

[Gibsmedat]

I have a full size liberty safe in the house. Getting it moved in was by far hardest part. Even the local Liberty dealer only offered curb side delivery (which is zero help). I had to hire a moving company that sent three beefy guys and I still had to help. That was probably 10 years ago and the best firearms related decision I've made. We keep our EDC and bed stand guns in quick accesses handgun safes. MCGrease08 provides a good reminder that I need to get around to bolting those down. It's been on my list for too long.

My kids have moved out but my wife and I are strict about having every firearm either secured or under our personal control at all times.

I have a large Liberty safe as well in the basement. Took two guys with a stair climbing dolly to get it in. No way is someone getting it out without one. Expensive but peace of mind usually is.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I hear Illinois is one of the best places to relocate to. High Crime, Shootings every weekend in Chicago, a hatred of Individual liberties, high taxes. Wheat is not to love?

Actually Eastern TN is high on my list of places I'd like to retire to!

 

[wcd]

Actually Eastern TN is high on my list of places I'd like to retire to!

I believe Jerrob took the last available spot?
Fairly certain you would not like it here? There is no lake effect snow, No state income tax… the list goes on. I do hear California is a nice place to retire to. Just look at Nancys district, littered with used needles ,homeless etc. What is not to like?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I believe Jerrob took the last available spot?
Fairly certain you would not like it here? There is no lake effect snow, No state income tax… the list goes on. I do hear California is a nice place to retire to. Just look at Nancys district, littered with used needles ,homeless etc. What is not to like?

I'm thinking about the Cherokee Lake area.

 

[wcd]

I'm thinking about the Cherokee Lake area.

Are there other places in the Running? In all seriousness I would give a serious look at the Plateau. With the exception of Deer Lodge.

There pros outweigh the cons in most places around here with the exception of Davidson County. Place has become a real ********.

One of these days I hope to have lunch with Jerrob.

 

[jamil]

Actually Eastern TN is high on my list of places I'd like to retire to!

That is a beautiful area.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Are there other places in the Running? In all seriousness I would give a serious look at the Plateau. With the exception of Deer Lodge.

There pros outweigh the cons in most places around here with the exception of Davidson County. Place has become a real ********.

One of these days I hope to have lunch with Jerrob.

When the time gets closer, I may use both of you guys as resources for advice. I stayed at Cherokee lake back in the 90's and just liked it back then.

 

[wcd]

When the time gets closer, I may use both of you guys as resources for advice. I stayed at Cherokee lake back in the 90's and just liked it back then.

Ah so the lake may be a draw. There is Dale Hollow lake which is a nice area. Understanding you will want to avoid Celina! Work takes me there often and there are areas you do not want to go unescorted.

When you get closer feel free to ask away, as I will be more than happy to give you any insight, unlike a lot of the real estate agents. When we moved here even though it was through a full relocation package I asked our first real estate agent very direct questions about certain areas and her standard answer was always oh it’s a great area. Odd thing was that the agency she worked for was on the list of companies that my division office had worked with in the past. Long story short some real estate agents are professionals and some are not.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Ah so the lake may be a draw. There is Dale Hollow lake which is a nice area. Understanding you will want to avoid Celina! Work takes me there often and there are areas you do not want to go unescorted.

When you get closer feel free to ask away, as I will be more than happy to give you any insight, unlike a lot of the real estate agents. When we moved here even though it was through a full relocation package I asked our first real estate agent very direct questions about certain areas and her standard answer was always oh it’s a great area. Odd thing was that the agency she worked for was on the list of companies that my division office had worked with in the past. Long story short some real estate agents are professionals and some are not.

I appreciate that, thank you! I've got a few more years to go before I start looking. Hopefully things will have settled down in the market by then.

 

[Nunya]

Very sorry to hear of your loss, I too have been broken into and had stuff taken--even though it's been a very long time ago, the thought of someone breaking in and stealing my stuff still pi55e5 me off no end. Regardless, it's a life lesson.

I have a safe that weighs 600 pounds empty, and I bought it when I only had 2-3 guns--I remember telling my dad that "I don't have that many, but the ones I do have I want to keep". Point is, like many have stated, my safe won't stop a professional thief, but I guarantee that a couple of wannabe scumbags won't be able to open it or move it from my premises without a lot of time and some friends--things they don't have doing a normal B&E. I have also recently purchased an alarm system for my home, and have a couple of dogs as well, which if I am home will alert me very early on for any idiot who wishes to break in...

Bottom line, as much as I hate that this happened to you, I would advise you to use it as a life lesson and do whatever is necessary to secure your property--both inside and outside your home, to prevent further instances. I am a big believer in 4" screws to mount the hardware for a door--like the latch for the deadbolt, and the striker. 4" will go into the 2x4 that holds the door secure, and is not easily kicked in--I've seen entire door frames kicked in before the door itself is compromised. Again, it's not a perfect cure, as others have pointed out other areas like windows or glass in your door that will allow a thief entry by going around a door; however, it's a start and it's a fairly cheap start but it works.

Lastly, no house is impenetrable, and never will be. The President sleeps in a house with 24-hour guards and yet how many people have made it onto the grounds without authorization? Bottom line is that all we can do is what we can do--take whatever precautions you can, even if it's a steel cable with a padlock attached to the wall--it will stop the criminal that has no tools with him, even if it won't stop a criminal that is fully prepared. Locks only repel those who would otherwise take advantage of a situation, not the criminal with intent. Again, nothing is perfect. Best wishes.

 

[Amishman44]

Also take a trip to Tractor Supply and see whats available from them.
Stores like Noblesville have a better selection in stock.
Orders are swift, distribution is out of Pendelton.

I got two Winchester safes from Tractor Supply...both are 26" safes.
Got 2 of them on a sale price and they had better fire ratings than the Liberty 28" models available.
With the sale price they had on them, I was able to buy two (lighter in weight), which made them easier for maneuvering in and around and through doorways and gave me move overall storage space than what I originally intended with one larger safe!

 

[winchester4440]

I haven’t gotten into the gun collecting hobby yet. Probably won’t considering I’m old as dirt and don’t expect to be able to do anything sporting due to my health.

I have one handgun for home protection, and thanks to ConC, I now carry it with me whenever I leave the house. Nothing much left in the house worth anyone’s trouble.