Stealth UL23 Gun Safe Review

Stealth Safes have been manufacturing high quality safes for over a decade now. They are based out of California and like many manufacturers import globally and produce in the USA. They use the highest quality locks in the industry, include most accessories standard and provide lifetime warranties on all of their gun safes. In this review, I’m going to break down exactly what makes the Stealth UL23 Gun Safe so tough.

NL UR-2020 High Security Electronic Lock

First and always most important for any safe is the lock and Stealth went with the best, the NL UR-2020. This is a UL approved type 1 high security electronic lock and very high quality. If you go back and read any of my reviews, you’ll see I constantly tell everyone that a UL rated lock should be the minimum you look for and the best brands are NL, S&G and Securam.

What makes this lock so great is the engineering behind it. It is actually half the size of a traditional lock which allows it to be hidden away from the spindle hole and creates a smaller and more difficult point to hit during a drill attack. It also features over 1 million possible combinations and the keypad includes a red light that makes it easy to see in the dark. The 9 volt battery is replaceable from the keypad, outside of the safe.

S&G High Security Mechanical Lock

The second lock option available is the S&G mechanical lock. This is a UL Approved Type 2 high security lock which is one level below Type 1 electronic locks. S&G makes the highest quality mechanical locks in the industry trusted by the U.S. Military. This lock is designed to last forever and uses the traditional 3 number combination with 1 million possible combinations. Many people like this lock purely due to the fact that it has no batteries. Please note, this lock option is only available at Dean Safe and not available on Amazon.

NL Doomsday High Security Redundant Lock

The final lock option available is the NL Doomsday Redundant Lock. This lock is UL approved type 1 high security but features both electronic and mechanical access. The top of the lock features a 10 button keypad that has the same security level and features as a standard electronic lock but then combines it with a mechanical dial in the center of the lock. This effectively gives you the best of both world, convenient fast access when you need it via the electronic lock and a mechanical back-up for emergencies. I highly recommend this upgrade. Please note, this lock option is only available at Dean Safe and not available on Amazon.

Hard Plate and Internal Re-Locker

All three lock options are protected by both a hard plate and internal spring-loaded re-locker. The Hard plate is a piece of hardened steel that absolutely destroys drill bits. In addition, the internal re-locker fires if the lock is punched through securing the bolts in place. Both of these are essential security features and included on this safe.

Security

This is where the Stealth UL23 Gun Safe really starts to stand out. It earned the UL Residential Security Container RSC burglary rating. It was able to accomplish this with its 12 gauge steel door and body. This is significantly thicker than the standard 14 or 16 gauge used on comparable safes. This gun safe also has 4-way bolt work covering all sides with twelve 1.25″ thick solid steel locking bolts.

Comparable safes will have only 1-way or 2-way bolt work covering only the horizontal sides. 4-Way bolt work in addition to the 12 gauge steel adds significant pry resistance. Bolt the safe down to a concrete surface with the included hardware. There are four bolt down holes located at the bottom of the safe. By mounting the safe, it prevents a thief from being able to push it out of your house and into their truck to open it on their own time.

Fire Rating

Traditional safes of this price range often feature only a 30 minute fire rating or no fire rating at all. The Stealth UL23 Gun Safe has a 1 hour fire rating at 1200 degrees. It also has a Palusol door seal that expands 7 times its size during a fire and prevents smoke from entering the safe.

Style and Function

If you take a look at any of the comparable safes in this price range, they have an internal hinge, no door panel organizer, no electrical outlet and a cheap textured black paint job. It’s really just the absolute bare bones of a safe. Once you add what should be standard features, the safe will cost much more than the Stealth UL23 gun safe.

With this safe, you get an electrical outlet included, a molle door panel organizer that is completely adjustable and includes all of the accessories, external hinges that allow the safe to open a full 180 degrees and an extremely durable, high quality paint. It can be described as a crinkled matte black that is super tough. It is far more durable than the standard powder coat finish on comparable safes. The Stealth UL23 also features leather lined shelves and a 5-Spoke Handle, the attention to detail and quality is immaculate.

Warranty

Now the final feature I want to point out on the Stealth UL23 Gun Safe is that it is backed by a lifetime warranty against break-ins and fire as well as a 2 year parts and labor warranty. Stealth will pay for a safe technician or locksmith to come fix your safe on-site and at absolutely no cost to you. In addition, they don’t require you to ship the safe back to the factory for warranty either. All in all, this is a high quality warranty provided by a reliable company.

The Bottom Line

The Stealth UL23 Gun Safe is one of the absolute best options at this size. It’s extremely secure, will protect your valuables during a fire and has all of the features you could want already included. It makes the competitive safes from Liberty, American Security and Rhino Metals look cheap in comparison.

Where to Buy?

There are two main options on where you can buy a Stealth gun safe: Amazon or Dean Safe. If you check the seller on Amazon, you will find that it actually sells and ships from Dean Safe. So, ultimately you are buying it from Dean Safe either way. The benefits of buying from Dean Safe are that you can have it shipped same business day at no extra cost, upgrade the lock, add a dehumidifier and light kit to the order for a discounted rate, have a customized combination pre-set before shipping, get financing and get instant communication without having to go through Amazons system. You are also supporting an American small business. All things considered, I recommend you buy direct from Dean Safe.