Let your wife talk you into a gun safe

Traditionally a "guy" thing, of course, but your wife's input will give immediacy to this project.

by Bill Hanus
www.billhanusbirdguns.com

Men tend to think
about protection
against burglary or theft. Women tend to think about protection against loss by fire. So where you may be inclined to think in terms of replacement values - after all putting a replacement value on boy toys like a good shotgun or fly rod might he an unhappy task, but it certainly isn't impossible. Your pet tangibles have a price. Hers often don't.
As life has already taught you, women are different than men. Her treasures are often those which, once lost, can never be replaced. Great-grandmother's wedding ring, a childhood scrapbook and your children's baby pictures come to mind. Your role in helping insure the protection and preservation of things she holds most dear will not go unrewarded. The man who steps forth with a workable checklist of idea-starters for his wife in this instance gains much merit. Descriptions like "thoughtful" or "considerate" are enviable traits with which to be identified - and have appended to your job description.
Her treasures might include:
Family Heirlooms
Scrapbooks
Silverware
Jewelry
Children's Photos
Wedding Photos
Video of Grandma's 90th Birthday Party Birth Certificates
Personal Mementos
Fine China
Family History/Genealogy
Love Letters
Passports
That new digital camera you've been considering is now essential to provide a photographic record of her antique furniture pieces and other family collectibles too large to fit into the safe. Burn a CD on your new laptop and store it with your other important records in the new safe. In the event of a loss - worst case scenario - you have something on which to base an insurance claim.
Clearly, your wife's early involvement in the safe selection plan keeps you from making the blunder of buying one which is too small or ill-suited to your joint requirements. A larger, more commodious safe will provide protection against both fire and theft. Well made safes like this are available from a number of manufacturers and come in a wide variety of sizes, finishes and internal layouts. Typical widths are 24", 30", 36" and 40" with heights of 60" and 72". The limiting factor in interior safe design is the number of long guns to be stored - from as few as half a dozen up to 40 or more. Since some families require more shelf space than long gun storage space, Heritage Safe Company - very likely with your wife in mind - recently added the ExecuSport TM design to their full line.

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