Sanctuary Reserve 36 Gun Safe
Pros
- Water Rated for 7 Days in up to 2 ft of Water
- Comprehensive Lifetime Warranty Covers All Components of the Safe
- CA DOJ Approved Firearm Safety Device
- Premium Door Panel Organizer, Light Kit, Electrical Outlet Included
- 1.25" Thick Solid Steel Locking Bolts
Cons
- Low Quality Solenoid Electronic Lock
- No Hardplate or Relocker
- Thin 14 Gauge Steel Construction
- Made in China
- Way Better Options Available
Sanctuary Gun Safes are a Costco exclusive and are made by SA Consumer products who also makes the Sports Afield and Remington Gun Safes. I am not a fan of anything sold on Costco because they strip out all the most important features of a gun safe and provide you with an illusion of security. In this review, I will help you understand why you should stay far away from the Sanctuary Reserve 36 Gun Safe sold on Costco.
Lock
First and always most important for any gun safe is the lock used and the Sanctuary Reserve 36 Gun Safe comes with the standard Chinese Solenoid lock. This lock is very low quality and can be easily bumped open. They include a key override because this lock will inevitably fail and because it has a key override, it does not come with a hardplate or relocker, two absolutely essential security features. Costco likes to strip away all the things you can’t see on the inside of the safe to reach a super low price point. I do not recommend this lock and advise you look for something that is UL rated and made by NL, Securam or S&G.
Security
The Sanctuary Reserve 36 Gun Safe does not list the steel thickness anywhere and that is a HUGE red flag. The level of steel used is usually a bragging point but not for Sanctuary. It’s their biggest weakness because they use extremely thin steel. Considering this gun safe weighs only 254 lbs, we can assume it is 14 gauge at most and more likely 16 gauge steel. That is scary thin but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the outside, another classic Costco marketing move. Locking the door in place are seven 1.25″ thick steel locking bolts which normally would be pretty good but because the door is so thin, it can easily be bent rendering those locking bolts useless. While they brag it is CA DOJ approved, that is the most basic test performed and is really supposed to be reserved for handgun safes.
Fire and Water Rating
The one thing the Sanctuary Reserve 36 Gun Safe gets right is the fire and water rating. Almost no gun safes are water rated but the Sanctuary and entire SA Consumer product line is water rated for 7 days in up to 2 ft of standing water. It’s also fire rated for 60 minutes at 1400 degrees, however this is only a factory test and not independently verified by a certified testing agency like ETL or UL. While I’ve never seen a Sanctuary gun safe go through a fire, with a 60 minute fire rating, it should be able to survive the standard house fire. It’s also backed by a lifetime warranty against both fire and water so if anything were to happen, you can get a new safe.
Style and Function
The Sanctuary Reserve 36 Gun Safe is finished in a dark gray gloss metallic powder coat with 5-spoke chrome handle. I actually find the styling to be pretty good and far better than the standard imported textured black gun safes. The interior features a split shelving system with fully adjustable shelves and two gun racks. The back of the door features a door panel organizer capable of storing pistols and small items. Included with this gun safe is a light kit and electrical outlet pre-installed.
The Bottom Line
While the price of the Sanctuary Reserve 36 Gun Safe looks very attractive, I would stay far away from this cheap Costco gun safe that only provides an illusion of security. The Solenoid electronic lock with key override is far too easy to break into and unreliable. A great alternative to this safe around the same price would be the Stealth EGS28 Essential 28 Gun Safe which features the UL rated NL lock or the even better version would be the Stealth UL28 Gun Safe which matches the 60 minute fire rating but adds the UL RSC Burglary Rating and UL approved high security lock.
