Cannon 40 Gun Safe Review

Originally headquartered in California, Cannon was one of the first companies to every produce gun safes. They since moved their headquarters to Henderson, Nevada and all manufacturing operations to Mexico. They have an interesting history over the last decade. Alpha Guardian acquired them through a merger with Stack-On. They then went bankrupt and came back to life. While Cannon safes are not the premier, high security products they once were, they are quite the bargain for the size. In this review, I’ll help you understand why the Cannon 40 Gun Safe TS5934-45 is one of the best options for the price.

Lock – Cannon 40 Gun Safe

First and always most important for any gun safe is the lock used and the Cannon 40 Gun Safe TS5934-45 uses one of my absolute favorite locks, the NL UR-2020. NL is a very reputable lock company and was started by the Nick Gardner, the original inventor of the very first electronic lock. NL sources its components from Slovenia, Italy, Korea and assembles everything in Torrance, California.

The locks are UL Approved Type 1 High Security which is the highest rating you can get. The NL UR-2020 will last for decades and the quality is impeccable. Also protecting the lock is a triple hard plate that is a nightmare to drill through and adds significant time during an attack. The lock is the focal point when attacking safes and this extra protection makes a big difference.

Security – Cannon 40 Gun Safe

The Cannon 40 Gun Safe TS5934-45 is CA DOJ approved as a firearm safety device. This rating certifies it can withstand light burglary protection. Ideally, you want a UL Approved as a Residential Security Container, RSC rating. Because it only has a 14 gauge steel door and body, it does not qualify for the test. This Cannon gun safe has 5 solid steel locking bolts 1.25″ thick and an internal hinge which offers no exposed cutting points. With the UL rated NL lock, this gun safe is actually quite secure despite the 14 gauge steel thickness.

In my opinion, there really isn’t a big difference between 11 gauge through 14 gauge steel as they can all be cut with the same saws. The big difference comes from the American Security BFX gun safes with concrete composite in the walls. This type of material just destroys the saw blades. They are significantly more expensive though so if you just need standard burglary protection, this 14 gauge Cannon will do a great job.

Fire Rating

The Cannon 40 Gun Safe TS5934-45 comes standard with a 45 minute fire rating at 1200 degrees. Cannon Gun Safes use Gypsum Fire board as their insulation material. This is consistent with nearly every other manufacturer besides American Security who uses concrete composite. Cannon used to have all of their gun safes tested with ETL to verify their claims but no longer do. This means that they only do a factory test and we have to trust that it will actually survive.

Also included is a dual state triple fin door seal. This seal expands to multiple times its size during the fire to keep smoke and heat out. Cannon also backs this gun safe with a lifetime transferable warranty against fire.

Style and Function

The Cannon 40 Gun Safe TS5934-45 is finished in a matte black paint scheme. Hardware includes a chrome 5-spoke handle, chrome keypad and very stylish beveled edges. The interior is a gray carpeting with split gun rack capable of holding 55 firearms, adjustable side shelving, adjustable top shelf and door panel organizer with pistol holsters, pockets and a strap for holding a long gun on the door.

The Bottom Line

For the price and size you get with the Cannon 40 Gun Safe TS5934-45, it’s pretty hard to beat. In my opinion, 14 gauge really isn’t all that different from 10 gauge. So long as the model you choose has the triple hard plate and UL Approved NL lock, this gun safe offers nearly the same security of what is typically a UL rated RSC gun safe.