Gun Safe Conversion

So I’ve finally made my big safe decision. After months of research and looking at $3000 sheet metal boxes that I could punch through with a screw driver, I was between Sturdy, Brown, AMSEC BFII series and my conversion project. I’ve decided to convert a TL-30 jewelry/commercial safe into a gun safe. I’m still up in the air between a Worldwide TL-30 a Diebold TL-30 or an ISM Cash Vault (TL-30). The WW has a dial lock and high security key but no hole to run power. The Diebold has a single digital lock (not my favorite) but has a hole to run power. The ISM has a dial lock and high security key - I don’t know about the power hole. The WW and ISM are ~ 60H x 21D x 31W but the Diebold is significantly bigger (and heavier - 3300lbs) at ~69H x 29D x 36W. Decisions decisions..... once I choose delivery will be sometime in the next 3 weeks and I’ll post pics and get started. Any insight between those 3 safes would be appreciated in the meantime!

I am probably in the minority but i dont like digital locks and prefer an S&G dial lock. As far as the lack of electricity hole, you can rig up a car or smaller battery box to run LED lights (or go with a small power pack and run a smaller USB led light) and maybe a golden rod (not sure on the power draw).

I’m with you on the digital lock. I prefer the standard S&G. I’m debating how difficult it will be to drill a 1/2 hole for a power cord and back fill with fire caulk. The safe isn’t a TL30x6 so the back shouldn’t be too bad - in theory....

Leaning toward the ISM - more info and pics to follow in the coming weeks. This won’t be a short process but it should result in an awesome gun safe.

I'm personally interested in how you are going to move this pig. That amount of weight is no joke, you better consult a structural engineer if you plan on putting it on anything other than a slab.

It’s going on a slab with a forklift. Whenever I move I plan to just rent a forklift for the day and use my car trailer. I’m still in the process of working out delivery but I’ll keep you cool cats updated on the progress (with lots of pics)

ISM deposit has been placed - stay tuned for delivery day!

Delivery day Thursday!

Well it has finally arrived! Rick from the Safe and Vault Shop in Manchester, NH was a pleasure to work with. He picked up the safe from NOVA, refurbished it in NH and delivered it to me in NY. Heck of a guy and a straight shooter. Anyway, here’s some pics of the delivery. I’ll keep you guys along for the whole process of the conversion. Step 1 will be to drill the 1/4” hole for electrical access to the safe interior. More to come on that.... enjoy the pics!

For some reason I was expecting a much larger safe...

me too, i figured it was a walkin, that aint no bigger than mine just beefier

Nope, inside dimensions are 55x21x18 with a weight of 2700lbs and a double glass relocker. She’s a beast! Conversion process begins shortly. It only came with one of the 7” high security keys so I’m in the process of sourcing a blank from Germany (or in the US if I can find one) and having that cut for a backup. Talking with some local locksmiths to see if anyone wants to tackle the 1/4” hole for electrical access. Also debating doing the hole myself with some carbide or strong arm bits - any advice? ISM doesn’t publish exact numbers for security reasons but the back wall should be somewhere around 1” hardened steel plate, 2-3” of alchronite (basically concrete with metal/glass chunks and ball bearings - from what I’m told) and then an outer ~12ga steel liner. I’m just glad that I don’t have to put a hole in the door

My self included. I was thinking walk in bank vault. Still a solid safe.

I gave you guys the dimensions in the first post! If anyone has ideas on how to improve my design as I start the conversion please let me know! I’ll post design thoughts, build progress photos, etc as I order parts and move along.

Well after an hour of standing in the NY November weather (30 degrees and windy with flurries), we finally got the hole drilled. I used Mangione Locksmiths out of Troy, NY. The tech showed up with the special safe bits and a few batteries and got the job done. The 1/4” electrical hole is complete - onto choosing an interior color and ordering lights!

Interior pics coming this weekend (hopefully). Should I go beige or grey?

Well with the overwhelming response in favor of grey (*sarcasm*), I’ve decided on a light grey interior. Installation and pics to follow this weekend

Intumescent door seals installed

I'm waiting for the pics of what goes in this safe....

The safe contents (for the most part) won’t be posted online

Carpet hopefully going in today. I had to scrape the latex paint off the inside that the previous owner put in there. The original paint (tan color) will hold the carpet adhesive much better. Progress pics below. Good thing it’s 71 degrees in NY right now...

What? Even Pelossi showed us the high-priced ice cream that she keeps in her expensive fridge.

Not one Merkel or Weatherby?

What is the little pin thing?

Maybe I’ll post a few teasers aka pics of tugboat shirtless

Boots - the pin needs to be depressed to lock the bolts. So it keeps the bolts from going outward when the door is open. Unless I push the pin and roll the bolts The bolts you see on the pin side of the door are fixed

That makes sense and is very cool, thank you for the clarification!

Lots of progress today. Electrical, carpet and lighting in! Next stop - custom magnetic rifle rods (first batch pictured drying). I’ll keep y’all in the loop.

Rifle rod prototypes drying

The rifle rods worked out perfectly. Pics of the finished product soon. Maybe even with a rifle or two for bustedknee

Swiss rifles starting to go in! I may get a larger diameter polycarb rod for the larger calibers. I got 3/16” to accommodate the .22 caliber rifles but it is a little bendy for the larger stuff. That’s an easy change later on. In the meantime, the current magnetic rifle rods are working great. This will be the only sneak peak of the rifles as I’m not all about posting my entire collection online - nor will it all fit




frame images free download

Rods rather than racks?

Definitely a lot easier for me to make magnetic rods instead of racks. Plus it holds more rifles without taking up room for racks

Just ordered some 1/4” diameter polycarbonate rod for the 6.5mm and up calibers. That should stop the bending you see in the last pic. The current diameter will stay for the taller rifles and the .22 caliber rifles (taller rifles don’t bend the rod since more is in the barrel - peep the Swedish Ljungman in the pics above)

The 1/4” rod worked much better for the larger (6.5mm+) caliber rifles. Pics to come. Any interest in other details on the safe? If not, I think I’m almost done on this thread.

This safe is for sale - go check the accessories section!!

Safe sold - $3500 but it was a fun project. Certainly not a money maker

Not a safe I'd want to use to hold guns or anything that rusts. Buddy did a similar project 10 or so years ago. He was constantly fighting rust on his guns, had a HUGE Goldenrod about twice the size as it needed to be, with no luck...slowed it down, but didn't stop it. Come to find out safes made for document protection are designed to give off water vapor to protect the contents as much as possible during a fire...the Goldenrod, while doing it's jobs was actually activation the "protection". He ended up selling it to a buddy with full disclosure of what not to keep in it. Just a heads up if you go that route again...

@GE_Minigun I disagree. I’ve had nothing but compliments from my safe conversions and actually noticed that with the seals I add, they discourage humidity more than store brand safes.