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I think the AmSec CSC 1913 is a good choice for the money. It is well built and seems quite capable of serving the needs of anyone who only needs a few cubic feet of space for valuables.
I was delighted to see the 4 rubber feet on the bottom of the safe that are not mentioned in the specs or visible on the photos. I like the thickness of the door and the overall heft of the safe. I wish it had retractable bolts on the top of the door and more than 2 on the side.
I would like to see a quality free-standing safe (perhaps it would have to be smaller) at about the same price point as this safe but with the TL-15 or 30 rating. There seems to be a gap in the models offered by manufacturers.
Note that in my experience all freight lines are nearly incompetent. UPS and FedEx don't normally ship such large packages and the freight lines are less than reliable. I paid for "white glove" service and it was noted on the packing list from Primary Safes but the freight line's shipping manifest said "drop off". This is typical of the poor service I get from freight lines. I insisted they install the safe in the proper location in the house and they did so in the end without too much arguing.
It's too bad that quality vendors and manufacturers have to rely on sub-par freight lines to deliver their products.
Overall, I look forward to years of use of my new safe.
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This is a very heavy duty wall safe that is considerably deeper on the inside than most (but thus requires a deeper wall. I have about 8 inches depth available).
To open the safe, one needs to use the key AND the keypad, which is a nuisance. Most wall safes have an override key, but this one does not.
After about three years, the battery died on my safe. I plugged in the external battery pack with fresh batteries supplied with the unit for emergencies, but it didn't work. The keypad started beeping coninuously, locked up, and wouldn't operate, no matter what I did. Eventually, I had to spend three hours with a diamond cutting saw in order to cut open the safe.
Once I opened the safe and removed the access panel (two screws) to view the mechanism, it was immediately obvious how to override a dead keypad from the outside. I won't explain how to do it here, but if you buy this safe, I highly recommend you take a photo of the internal mechanism, so you won't have to experience the ordeal I did. BTW, now that I know how the safe works, I ordered a replacement because I had the proper hole in the wall already.
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Since I did not read the description thoroughly, I will have to buy a second safe. But well worth the money! No regrets and highly recommended.
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I have never seen a product line whose information on the internet is so poorly described and lacking in accuracy and detail as the security safe, especially the smaller residential type. After trying and being thoroughly confused, I finally made trips to several locksmiths to get a hands on knowledge. After looking at the Gardall, Hayman, Sentry, Wilson, Hollon and others, I decided to purchase the Amsec FS149. I thought it was the heaviest in its size class, felt more solid and I preferred the mechanical lock because it's reliable and I liked the dual lock feature. It's an imported safe and made in China. I will describe this safe with actual facts and will include some of the incorrect information I found on many sites on-line.
1. Locks - Combo plus key. The combo must be open before the key will retract the single bolt. The bolt is very loose fitting, thereby reducing it's shear strength ability. There are two fixed deadbolts on the hinge side which engage when the door is closed.
What it's not - The key is not an over-ride. Both combo and key locks must be open in series. The combo cannot be changed. There is only one active bolt on one side of the door, not two, not four, or more on other sides. The key lock is not hi-security type.
2. Handles - When the key is turned you must pull on the key to open the door.
What it's not - There are no handles to retract the bolt and open the door. It's not "handle operated"
3. Door - The door is described as "an impressive 1/2 inch thick" everywhere including the Amsec site and literature. The door is actually 2-1/2 inches thick, including insulation. I tried to find out where the 1/2 inch came from without success. The manufacturer says it has a 1/2 inch steel plate inside. Every locksmith I spoke to told me that's not true. What else would the 1/2 inch thickness refer to? Without cutting into the door I can't answer that one. An unecessary mystery.
4. Weight - The actual shipping weight is 92 pounds. It's right on the box, how can you screw that one up? I weighed it to be sure.
What it's not - It doesn't weigh 130, 126, or 96 pounds, as found on some sites including Amsec.
5. Fire rating - The fire rating is 350 deg. and is good protection for paper. Insulation type N/A.
What it's not - It's not a data safe which needs 150 deg rating for cd's, mag tape, flash drives, etc.
6. Burglar rating - The sheetmetal box is 20 ga (according to Amsec) seamless construction. The bolt receiver hole in the door jamb has a cup welded to the sheetmetal. Door may have 1/2 inch steel plate inside?
What it's not - It has no burglar rating. The body is sheetmetal not plate.
Now there's no reason why the above info can't be consistant and readily available at every site for every safe.
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Very stong drop box. The only thing to improve is the door because someone can use a screwdriver or a hammer to open it.
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I've had the safe for years.It has worked very well for me.So if someone could help me find a new barrel lock.I would greatly appreciate it.Safe is GCD-9216-5 DBL door. Code 5710. Thank you
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