gun safes and cap and ball stories...

[Johnny Tremain]

My safe has 1/2 inch lag bolts thru the bottom into the floor and thru the wall behind it.

 

[vintovka]

Back in #@#!@$!! Calif local shop had a liberty safe on display that was torched open. Contents were damaged and scum used owners own oxy/acetylene set to do it. Later saw stickers saying "Caution Explosives stored in door" for sale. Not sure how that worked out but a fireman buddy said he saw one on a safe during a call and caused measurable angst among the responders.

 

[deerstalkert]

I noticed the same reaction from victims of burglaries and survivors of Homicides. over the years i developed the feeling that thieves are on an equal level with murderers.
A thief steals things for which you have traded a portion of your life. that part of your life can never be retrieved.
did i mention i hate a thief?

 

[COTNTOP]

You always hear people say what they would do if a break-in would happen to them. When it actually happens you will know what you would do, no quarters taken.

 

[SDSmlf]

came home from work friday and found this. View attachment 287342
office trashedView attachment 287343
dumb losers worked on the safe for awhile with a splitting maul, hatchet and ice ax. they broke the house door open with a splitting maul. not smart enough to grab an angle grinder out of the shop. missed an 1858 that was under my pillow. did not take the TC Hawken that is on the wall. did steal one of my guitars that had my bifocals in the case... View attachment 287344 jerk left my door busted and open on the coldest day of the year... My 1858 has been loaded for perhaps 6 weeks without being fired. its been my home security pistol. I stepped out back and the first shot was really slow ignition. half second delay and a miss. I got two more shots out of the cylinder and the rest were duds. i suspect oil contaminated caps?? I use barristol but the nipples were dry when i capped them.. the barristol probably creeps? Usually this gun is pretty reliable if I empty it once a week. note I said pretty reliable. once I got the safe open I broke out my 19ll. that has not been fired in over a year. 100% reliability... Its a real bummer having my space intruded on and losing my sense of peace in my home.

Depending on how roughed up the safe is, it might be worth contacting the dealer/manufacture. Someone nearby had an unsuccessful ‘attack’ on their safe that made it unusable and the manufacturer had it replaced within 24 hours or so. At no cost to the owner.

 

[vintovka]

I know for all of us there will really come a point where effectively defending your home may not be possible. I feel electronic deterrents may be the best bet now that claymores are illegal.

 

[nick_1]

safe is pretty toasty. we have had a ton of rain this winter and very high humidity during those foggy rain events. really do need to just shoot the thing once a week. my old house the safe was bolted to the floor here I was concerned with water lines running to the batheroom one room over.. also the frameing didnt line up but i have solutions to that new safe will be bolted. of course that probobly only means more dammage..

 

[nick_1]

cap and ball gun almost feels like a burner gun. much rather have a $300.00 1858 in my truck than a custom 1911 that not really replaceable. coming home to a burglary in progress when they have just broken open a gun safe is not good to be unarmed.

 

[vintovka]

cap and ball gun almost feels like a burner gun. much rather have a $300.00 1858 in my truck than a custom 1911 that not really replaceable. coming home to a burglary in progress when they have just broken open a gun safe is not good to be unarmed.

Some 1911s are now under 400 new

 

[Piquant]

I'm sorry for your lost. Crime is getting out of hand with perps getting the revolving door treatment. I installed cameras and an alarm system. I had an attempted theft here. But the time I reach the door they was gone. Called the cops and they caught them attempting another 3 streets over. Here's a video of them. It's evidence now.

 

[nick_1]

some. not mine. whatever it is that you use for defense the cops are going to take it away from you....

 

[TxGR]

Agreed. In this case the items stolen and just stuff and the dammage to my home can be repaired but my peace of mind can't be replaced.

One of the worst aspects of being burgled or robbed is the feeling of having your personal space violated. ...and these are the crimes that keep on preying on your mind - it can be three months or three years later when you go to get something you know you bought and had, but suddenly realize, "Right, they stole that too" and all the feelings come rushing back.

On the bright side, the safe did its job. A pick axe, really?

I would not trust my life to a C&B unless I had no other legal means of self-defense. My EDC is a Dan Wesson Guardian (1911 commander) in 38 Super. If I had to go pre-1899 for legal reasons, I'd get an early Colt FSS or SAA with a short barrel.

 

[TxGR]

Probably fingerprints all over the place. Hope they catch them.

I hope they get caught in the act by an armed citizen and make the mistake of having a deadly weapon in their hands...like a pick axe or a hatchet.

Do police still gather evidence like fingerprints for anything less than murder?

 

[vintovka]

I understand the days of hiding your face from the camera may be over. Biometric analysis programs have developed to the degree they may be admissible in court or at least provide probable cause for arrest. Makes me wonder what else is being recorded on those "facial recognition" camera being seen at places like Walmart, Home Depot and even the lowly "dollar and a quarter" stores. Seen them too at 7-11 and gas stations as well. Heck i wonder about google earth.

 

[vintovka]

Do police still gather evidence like fingerprints for anything less than murder?

Hardly even respond to less than murder around here. Pretty much said that to my face. Think about that when you pay your taxes for "law enforcement". Also mercury switches may work well for safe tippers.

 

[garypl]

One of the worst aspects of being burgled or robbed is the feeling of having your personal space violated. ...and these are the crimes that keep on preying on your mind - it can be three months or three years later when you go to get something you know you bought and had, but suddenly realize, "Right, they stole that too" and all the feelings come rushing back.

On the bright side, the safe did its job. A pick axe, really?

I would not trust my life to a C&B unless I had no other legal means of self-defense. My EDC is a Dan Wesson Guardian (1911 commander) in 38 Super. If I had to go pre-1899 for legal reasons, I'd get an early Colt FSS or SAA with a short barrel.

Sorry to hear about this but glad they didn't get into your safe. We were burglarized in 1985 when living in Minnesota - away for the weekend house hunting in preparation of a move to Georgia. Stole jewelry, camcorder (high tech in 1985) and some handguns. Kicked in the back door (nearest neighbor was a couple of hundred yards behind us) and went through the whole house. Went through drawers in the bedroom and ransacked my wife's looking for jewelry, but didn't bother looking under my socks - they would have found a loaded Colt 1911. I suspect it was someone from work that knew I was going to be gone for the weekend. They never found the perps or recovered any of the things that they stole.

A couple of months after this happened I was transferred to Georgia, much to the relief of my wife - she was no longer comfortable living there anymore.

Now I have security cameras around the house, several large safes, an alarm system, and I am rarely gone from the house as I work from home. I agree it is a really bad feeling after this happens to you.

 

[TxGR]

I know for all of us there will really come a point where effectively defending your home may not be possible. I feel electronic deterrents may be the best bet now that claymores are illegal.

Isn't that rich? They break the law with impunity, but we have to follow the law to the letter, crossing every 't,' dotting every 'i' in trying to defend our own property.

I understand the logic of why ****y traps and automatic controlled guns are illegal, but what do they expect us to do when they disarm us and then abdicate their duty to maintain peace and security?

The new high def video camera systems are very good. I don't think they deter much, but they do alert owners to intruders and provide evidence even the most reluctant LE agencies can use.

@Piquant - excellent video

 

[TxGR]

double post deleted

 

[Piquant]

I hope they get caught in the act by an armed citizen and make the mistake of having a deadly weapon in their hands...like a pick axe or a hatchet.

Do police still gather evidence like fingerprints for anything less than murder?

For me they swabbed for DNA off the car and truck handles. Told me it was more effective. And the dumb perp had gloves in his back pocket.

 

[CaptainVane]

Nick, that sucks bad. As you said, fingerprints?
I may be one of the few on here has absolutely no use for LEO boys in blue.
All I ever got from them is “call your insurance company “.
They are tax collectors and revenuers, whose job is to collect money for the city, state, feds.
Protect and Serve, give it a rest.
I hope your insurance company makes it right.

I am on a roll so lets go… ever watch Blue Bloods? If you REALLY watch that show you will soon realize it’s about the cops protecting their own brothers in blue over protecting the public. Hell even the PC Frank says always that his job is to protect his 34k officers.