How to Pick a Sentry Combination Safe

Decide what you want the Sentry combination safe to protect. Some possible uses include money, private documents, firearms, digital media, jewelry, collectibles or electronics.

Decide what you will be protecting your valuables from. Some possible menaces to consider: damage or destruction from fire or water, access to a firearm, or theft. Fire protection safes come in three levels of fire rating, indicating how long they can withstand a fire. The lowest rating is half an hour, the next is one hour and last is two hours of fire exposure.

For water protection, safes are classified as either waterproof or able to be submerged for an hour underwater 2 inches from the uppermost part of the safe, or water-resistant or able to withstand 15 minutes of 1,000 gallons of continuous water spray and one hour in 6 inches of standing water.

For theft and protection, Sentry safes are given the Security rating when they can resist attackers using tools such as power drills and chisels for five minutes.

Decide on the size of the Sentry combination safe. If it's for just a few rings or small handguns, a small safe will suffice. To protect fine art or huge collections, a large safe might be required. Also, consider the weight of the safe in relation to where you plan to install it.

Decide on your lock type. A simple key lock works for easy and simple access to the contents of the safe, while a more advanced combination lock provides superior protection. Other locks to look at are electronic combination locks, and dual locks that use both key and combination types.

Decide on your budget. This can range from an affordable everyday safe to the heavy-duty top of the line. When working on the budget, evaluate the choices you made in Steps 1 through 4 and narrow them down to what is best for your valuables. Sometimes the extra feeling of safety is worth the extra few dollars.