My cousin's son did something like this when he built his house. He recessed his all-concrete safe outside the basement walls by making the top of the safe be his outside porch (patio / step) to the front door of his house, and then framed a front porch on top of it! It's 8' x 12' to the outer edges but no one can tell from the outside.Or even better. If you are building, build the room OUTSIDE the footprint of the foundation. Then use something to hide the door.
If the smarter than average thief gets downstairs and looks around and sees 4 walls that match the upstairs perimeter, he's most likely done. "Nothing to see here".
And dont tell your builder what you want that room for.Or tell him its a storm cellar/safe room. Resist his suggestion to add outside access to the room since its for storms.Even better, "Its for storage, and I dont want to give up any floor space in the basement. I already have the rest of basement planned out."
Right next to your steel door and hardened pins is a 5/8 dry wall. If I see a steel door with a dead bolt lock on an interior wall, I will think there is something valuable inside. One good kick will knock a hole in the dry wall, and you will lose your gun and have to repair the wall. Just remodeled and was amazed at how easy the interior walls can be breached.Many years ago before I could afford to buy a safe, I put a deadbolt lock on a closet door and also added hardened pins that helped prevent someone from just removing the hinges and getting into the closet. It was better than nothing.
I didn't have a steel door and yes, if a determined thief with the right tools and time, wants to, they can defeat just about anything. Safes are best, but a closet is better than nothing. It might deter juveniles and dope addicts. Most thieves really hate spending time and effort doing their dirty deeds. As the clock ticks away, the police or nosey neighbors (a good thing) get closer and closer. I had a cousin who went on vacation, out-of-town, for a couple of weeks. It seems like his not being careful who he told of his plans came back to bite him. Thieves broke in to his house, then pried open the door of his quality gun safe just enough to fish out most of his guns with coat hangers. To add insult to injury, they used his tools and coat hangers that they found in the basement.Right next to your steel door and hardened pins is a 5/8 dry wall. If I see a steel door with a dead bolt lock on an interior wall, I will think there is something valuable inside. One good kick will knock a hole in the dry wall, and you will lose your gun and have to repair the wall. Just remodeled and was amazed at how easy the interior walls can be breached.
It's amazing how many people broadcast info like this on Facebook (not saying he did). Even then, an alarm and camera system is money well spent.I didn't have a steel door and yes, if a determined thief with the right tools and time, wants to, they can defeat just about anything. Safes are best, but a closet is better than nothing. It might deter juveniles and dope addicts. Most thieves really hate spending time and effort doing their dirty deeds. As the clock ticks away, the police or nosey neighbors (a good thing) get closer and closer. I had a cousin who went on vacation, out-of-town, for a couple of weeks. It seems like his not being careful who he told of his plans came back to bite him. Thieves broke in to his house, then pried open the door of his quality gun safe just enough to fish out most of his guns with coat hangers. To add insult to injury, they used his tools and coat hangers that they found in the basement.