Need recommendations good or bad.
My requirements are fireproof, not fire resistant. Waterproof isn't a major concern. But, fireproof is. Need one that won't require a second mortgage. $250 -400 if feasible. The lock system should be easy to work and not require a PH.D.
Thanks for your help.
Sarge

In that budget, do you want to hold 1 gun or 2?

Small flòor safe. No long guns. Documents,cash, etc.

Talk to any locksmiths in your area. Sometimes they even have used safes for sale

There is no safe that is fire-proof, they will all burn if exposed to enough heat and/or for extended periods of time; which is why safes are rated for time and exposure of temperature. Also be aware, after exposure to heat, you must wait (possibly weeks) before opening any safe to prevent spontaneous combustion of stored materials caused by the interior retained heat with the sudden rush of air upon opening the door/lid.

Correct. Even if the fire cannot get into a safe the heat still does. Depends on exposure time.
A "fire-proof" safe cannot always save documents or cash

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Forget about fire proof my brother runs a excavator for a living I have helped him clean up burnt houses and have personally seen 3 so called fire safes and everything inside was junk don’t believe the sales gimmick not trying to sound negative just telling truth I still have my fire safe from before but will not be purchasing anymore

Needs to be placed on an outside wall with no basement below or second story above. Best on concrete floor. Just what I have read that makes sense.
$250 - 400 is not.going to get.you.much more than a single wall metal box.

Another cheap source of safes can be at auctions & estate sales.
AUCTIONZIP.COM is one place you can start

I have one that would suit your needs if you ever find yourself in Iowa. As you can guess shipping would be plenty high!

Other than for cash, you might just want a safety deposit box unless you insist on having those things at home.

There a dozen heavy-duty antique safes for sale on FB marketplace in my area right now. I've been tempted to get one but it's not a priority just yet.

Myself a weather proof sealable box easy to get to but outside of the home makes more since. The gov can and will get into your safety deposit box, the bank may close it's doors and you can't get access to your bo, and then there is always being limited to bankers hours.

Two big pvc pipes one that slides inside the other buryed vertical vertical. Always the outside pipe bottom sealed up but top removable.stuff goes inside 2nd pipe,. But it just slides out and no need to dig the entire pipejust the end.but hidden in plain sight is better yet hiding space incorporated/ built into things in the yard, custom base for the bird bath for example.

Hiding things in your home always seems like a bad idea to me. That's where people look especially bedrooms.if you loose your home to fire ot tornado you may not have items left or may not be able to get to it in the rubble even if it's not destroyed

I read about a cute trick thieves are using. They use a metal detector to locate your safe against the wall, and chainsaw a hole in the side, back a truck up, tip it in the back, and haul butt. They can open it at their leisure.

Also take into consideration where you live in relation to the fire service in your area. If fire department(s) can be expected on scene within 10-15 minutes you stand a reasonable chance of the contents in your safe surviving in good shape, even if your safe is located in the middle of your building. Longer than that and your building could be a total loss needing the excavator as mentioned above.

Just about any safe located on the bottom floor in the corner of the building should survive in good shape. Most items survive in the corners of rooms in the lower floor due to the science of how fires burn within a structure. items that burn easily survive is such areas, even in total losses.

Another factor contributing to survival of items on the lower level is the water that collects (assuming any minimal fire department response). That water will keep temps much lower than in other areas within a structure.

You don't store things you may need at a moments notice in a SDB.

Concensus I'm getting is not to put all your eggs into one basket.
I'm with the crowd of not letting people limit me to my belongings.
Also sounds that nothing is 100% positive or negative.
Thanks for all your input.
Sarge

Great Information^^^

Your right sniper I don't put anything in a sdb. Anything I need I can get to faster access at anytime and it will be safer inside an old hollow log, tree, fence post, stump, ECT anywhere on my property or even on state or national forest.

Some people feel safe at a bank others watched people have their boxes accessed and bank accounts frozen.

I feel like I don't need a big fancy safe if no one knows what I stashed or where. So for example if you see a big gun safe in my house it will likely be an empty decoy. And a gun would mor likely be within arme reach inside custom made furniture. Out of sight but accessable. But any common thief's going to go work in cutting the "gun safe" security box open wasting time.

Now I have little worry's about that because someone is nearly always home and I dont think they will stay long when the dogs hear the door open.