Bear safes

[Nighthawk]

From what I was told the guy who owns Armor Vault worked for Bear Safes, then started his business.

I have some from Armor Vault and some from Bear Safes, both are many times better than the ones you buy anywhere else. Both companies have 2 locks on each safe, that would be very hard to defeat, if you want fire proof, they will make yours fireproof, to your specs.

No safe will keep a determined safe cracker out, they will just slow them down enough hopefully to the point that they will move on to somewhere that will be easier like the ones you get at Academy.

If you want a good safe, ask a gun dealer that deals in and has in inventory a lot of weapons, they cannot afford not have to have the best.


Hope this helps

[Lithiumokc]

From what I was told the guy who owns Armor Vault worked for Bear Safes, then started his business.

This is in no way true. I've know the guy for years

[peanut]

Some of the safes displayed at Fransons only have 1 lock on them. I'm not sure why anyone would even make a 5' door with 1 lock!

[Deer Slayer]

I have known the owner of Bear safe almost since he started the business. I have had one for 30 years I guess and am quite pleased with it. There was one attempt to break into the safe. The burglar left his tools bent up trying to access the insides. The safe sustained a few scratches and that was all.

[dustingaunder]

Gene Sears in El Reno sells Heritage Safes. They seem to be at least as well made as Bear, they look much nicer and you get way more bang for your buck. I doubt that I would ever buy a Bear safe personally. I didn't feel like they offered a good enough value for the money.

[peanut]

I have known the owner of Bear safe almost since he started the business. I have had one for 30 years I guess and am quite pleased with it. There was one attempt to break into the safe. The burglar left his tools bent up trying to access the insides. The safe sustained a few scratches and that was all.

One lock or two?

[Honeybee]

The safe with only one lock is their smallest safe; it is quite secure and still impossible to pry, The small safes at armor vault also only have one lock.
Liberty is an up-grade to get the 1650F rating, Armor Vault does not include a fire barrier but will add one at aditional cost, Bear is 1700F standard.
After 35 years in business no one has ever successfully broken into a bear safe.
And yes they offer a lifetime warranty with full cash value guarantee trade-in, who else does that?
And the price is comparable to everyone else’s.
No it does not have the fancy dials or decals that say Hey I’m full of guns come beat me up and try to break into me but that’s not what I buy my safesfor.

Prying a door open

[Deer Slayer]

My bear safe has 2 locks and is probably 30 years old. I bought the bear safe because of the guarantee not looks. I bought security not looks. I bought a bear safe because I know the owner and his reputation for honesty and quality. I know someone tried to break in to it when Dave McCroskey owned it and did nothing to the safe but scratch it a little. I bought the safe from Dave when he upgraded it. It has served me well. Huckleberry bought one at an estate sale and one of the bear safe people picked up the safe from the estate sale site and installed it for him at his house at a reasonable price. Honeybee knows the quality of a bear safe. One other point that probably few people know about a bear safe and that is keys. If you need another set made can you just go to walmart and have another pair made??? No. You have to go to bear safe and they will have them made for you. Is that somewhat of a hassle? Maybe, but I call it piece of mind and security. There is an additional point to make. Gene Sears is a dealer and Bear Safe is the manufacturer, both are Oklahoma based companies. Who will get a problem solved quicker a dealer or a local manufacturer? You get what you pay for.

[peanut]

I have the Identical locks and I had duplicates made at Lowes.
I wouldn't have a safe with one lock.

[chazroh]

i need to call armor vault and check prices. i like that bear safes are fireproofed, not just an add on. we will see what their prices are. the double lock is a plus, i may have to upgrade to that.

[Deer Slayer]

The locks on a Bear Safe are different NOT identical and CANNOT be duplicated at Lowe's, Home Depot or Walmart.

[Lithiumokc]

I'm not a fan of the exposed hinges on the bears.

[Huckelberry75]

The locks on a Bear Safe are different NOT identical and CANNOT be duplicated at Lowe's, Home Depot or Walmart.

The locks on YOUR bear are not identical.

Mine does have identical locks, but was not able to get copies from a lowes/home depot.

The hinges are on the outside, but have you looked at them closely? Those suckers are built like a tank. The only way you are getting into a Bear, without a cutting torch, is the key. And a torch will just ruin most anything in it, so why bother.

[J&K Bullet Casters]

The locks on a Bear Safe are different NOT identical and CANNOT be duplicated at Lowe's, Home Depot or Walmart.

The locks on my Bear safe ARE identical and I went to a local locksmith for additional keys.

[peanut]

The locks on YOUR bear are not identical.

Mine does have identical locks, but was not able to get copies from a lowes/home depot.

The hinges are on the outside, but have you looked at them closely? Those suckers are built like a tank. The only way you are getting into a Bear, without a cutting torch, is the key. And a torch will just ruin most anything in it, so why bother.

I take that back, I had my keys duplicated at the locksmith.
The hinges are exposed but they have internal locking angle iron on the door so that when it is closed and the hinges are cut off, the door hinge side still will not open. MINE HAS FULL LENGTH ANGLE ON THE HINGE SIDE, unlike the ones that I saw on display that had 3 small 2" pieces of angle welded to the hinge side internally.
I sent pics to Chazro so he knows what to look for.