By law, all gun cabinets sold in the UK must comply with the BS 7558/92 standard. This lays down certain requirements for how secure a gun cabinet must be.
While gun cabinets built to this standard are generally secure enough for most situations, there are times when increased security might be needed.
Although freestanding safes are by far the most popular, wall and underfloor models are still built by many manufacturers. Equally as secure as their freestanding counterparts — provided they have been tested and certified to the same independent standards — wall safes and floor safes have their own unique advantages and disadvantages.
A security safe will provide very little burglar resistance for its contents if it hasn’t been installed correctly. Worse still, an insurance company will most likely refuse to cover any losses if it emerges that the safe was incorrectly or inappropriately installed.
It’s not only European organizations such as the ECB-S who can provide approval for security safes and similar products. There are also several UK-based groups who can do likewise. If your safe has been approved or certified by any of the following organizations, then it is almost certain to provide the amount of protection it claims.
During the EN 1143-1 Eurograde test to determine the burglar resistance of a safe, testers are not permitted to attack the locking mechanism of the safe. Instead, they can only attempt to breach the safe by force using various types of tools to attack the body and door. Testing the abilities of the lock falls under the EN 1300 standard.
The very best security safes are independently tested by organizations such as ESSA/ECB-S to determine the amount of burglar resistance they provide. To ensure fair play, tests are carried out according to international standards such as the European EN 1143-1 Eurograde system. But how exactly do these tests measure burglar resistance? The EN 1143-1 burglar [...]
A time lock will vastly increase the level of security provided by your safe. Easy to use but difficult for the burglar to bypass, a time lock can be fitted on almost any safe.
Safe breaking is no longer as widespread as it once was. This is largely down to the new technologies employed by manufacturers in constructing their safes. Modern safes typically consist of several outer layers or shells, each of which provides resistance against specific forms of attack. In turn, there are several tools typically used by the burglar attempting to get through each of these layers.
Traditionally, safes were designed to protect their contents against either theft or fire. Anti-burglar safes offered little to no fire resistance, while fireproof safes were relatively easy for a thief to break open. As technology and materials advanced, it became possible to create a safe that could offer both kinds of protection. Fireproof security safes are now readily available, and provide two forms of protection without compromising on either.
A well constructed security safe can last for many years if it is properly maintained. Unsurprisingly, there is a large market for secondhand and previously owned models. However, there are several factors worth considering before purchasing a secondhand safe. A little research can be the difference between a great bargain or a waste of money.
