Top 3 Best Gun Safes Under $2,000

Overview

High Quality gun safes under $2,000 are plentiful but which ones are truly the best? Models in this category are higher quality than the entry level UL RSC gun safes and typically include a UL rated lock, 10 gauge steel construction with even thicker steel doors and a 90 minute fire rating. I’ve tested all of the safes and compiled this list of the Top 3 Best Gun Safes Under $2,000 that you can trust. All of these models are built beyond UL RSC standards, have high quality UL Rated locks, advanced security features and are sold by companies who actually honor their warranty.

Lock – Top 3 Best Gun Safes Under $2,000

First and always most important for any gun safe is the lock. All three of these gun safes from Stealth, American Security and Hollon feature high quality UL Rated Type 1 High Security Electronic Locks. UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories and they are an independent agency that certifies that the locks are both secure and high quality. I always recommend to purchase a UL rated lock and all three of these options are very high quality.

Stealth Premier Gun Safes – NL UR-2020

Stealth includes the NL UR-2020 high security electronic lock. I highly recommend this lock and it is very high quality. In addition, the parts are globally sourced with the electronic boards and lock body produced in Europe and the keypads coming from Korea.

It is powered by a 9 volt battery that is easily replaced from the outside of the safe. Also included is a red LED light that illuminates the keypad in the dark. Finally, the lock features a 6 digit code and has over 1 million possible combinations. It is designed for decades of trouble-free use.

Hollon Crescent Shield Gun Safes – S&G 6120

Hollon includes the S&G 6120 high security electronic lock. This is an excellent quality lock made by the oldest lock company in the United States. They have a premier reputation and make the highest quality locks. The locks are made in America with global parts coming from Mexico.

This lock features a 6 digit electronic code that is easy to program to your own custom combination. In addition, the lock opens 10,000+ times on just one battery. The battery needed is a 9 volt battery that is easily replaceable from the keypad outside the safe. Finally, there are over 1 million possible combinations on this lock.

American Security Gun Safes – ESL5

American Security includes the ESL5 standard on the NF series. While this lock is UL Approved type 1 high security, it has had quality issues in the past. As of the last 5 years, they seem to be resolved but with only time will tell. I always recommend going with locks made by NL, SecuRam and S&G. Fortunately you can upgrade the lock from ESL5 to one of the higher quality brands but it will make the safe more expensive.

This lock features a 6 digit electronic code that is easy to program to your own custom combination. It’s powered by an external 9 volt battery that is easily replaceable from the keypad outside the safe. Finally, there are over 1 million possible combinations on this lock.

Hard Plate and Re-Locker

All three locks are also 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. 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 all of these Top 3 Best Gun Safes Under $2,000.

Security – Top 3 Best Gun Safes Under $2,000

When it comes to security, all three models use 10 gauge steel in both the body. Stealth and American Security add a 1/4″ steel plate door to the front to beef up the safe. All three brands use 1.5″ solid steel locking bolts that cover all 4-sides of the safe. Only the American Security NF series has been tested and approved as UL RSC level 1. While normally I would see this as a red flag, the Hollon Black Hawk series is currently pending and the Stealth Premier series is built to the exact same specifications as the American Security but uses a better lock. When it comes to 1/4″ steel doors and 10 gauge bodies with four-way 1.5″ locking bolts, the UL RSC test almost becomes irrelevant. This is the same reason companies like Vault Pro don’t test their safes which would easily pass.

Passing the UL RSC burglary test ensures the safe can withstand an attack on the door with multiple different tools for a minimum of 5 minutes each. One attacker is used in the test and this is the same burglary rating as the most expensive Liberty and Fort Knox gun safes. This also allows it to carry insurance up to $30,000 when combined with a home burglar alarm.

Fire Rating – Top 3 Best Gun Safes Under $2,000

When it comes to the fire ratings of the Top 3 Best Gun Safes Under $2,000, they are all near identical but with a few key differences. They all use gypsum fire board for the fire insulation material and all have 90 minute fire ratings. In addition, they all use intumescent door seals along the door frame that expand up to 7 times their size during a fire to keep smoke and heat from entering the safe.

The one difference is that the American Security NF series is ETL verified which means they sent it to an independent laboratory to verify their claims. Both the Stealth and Hollon models have been through numerous fires and survived without issue so while they weren’t verified by an independent agency, they were verified in the real world.

Style and Function – Top 3 Best Gun Safes Under $2,000

Paint

American Security and Hollon both use a gray powder coat paint that looks great and is so much better than the standard textured black used on low end models. However, Stealth uses a high quality armor black paint that looks like a crinkled matte. This paint is highly durable and looks fantastic in addition to being strong. Stealth definitely wins from a style perspective.

Accessories

Another key differentiator is the door panel organizer. American Security and Hollon use a sewn-in style that features a few pistol holsters and a zippered bag. The items are permanent and can not be moved or replaced. Stealth uses a full Molle system with strap and snap accessories that can be moved, replaced and customized to your exact needs. This also allows for far more storage on the door so there is no wasted. Stealth also adds a finial pull handle that assists in opening the heavy door. In addition, Stealth includes all necessary mounting hardware for mounting the safe to a concrete surface.

Finally, all three companies include power outlets and both Stealth and Hollon include light kits.

Warranty

All three companies include limited lifetime warranties on their gun safes that cover burglary, attempted burglary and fire. All three companies also include parts and labor warranties where they will pay for a locksmith or safe technician to come out to your home and repair the gun safe on site and at no cost to you. These are reliable warranties from good companies that keep their word. The key differentiator in this category is that American Security and Hollon only provide a 1 year parts and labor warranty while Stealth doubles it to a 2 year parts and labor warranty. The longer the warranty, the more the company believes in the product. It’s really that simple.

The Bottom Line

All three of these models are easily the Top 3 Best Gun Safes Under $2,000. While the American Security NF series has the UL RSC Burglary Rating and an ETL verified fire rating, the ESL5 lock is just not as good as the NL UR-2020 used on the Stealth Premier gun safes or the Hollon Black Hawk gun safes. Between the Stealth and Hollon gun safes, the 1/4″ steel plate door, high quality paint, higher quality interior, Molle door panel organizer and finial pull handle really set the Stealth Premier series apart and have earned the rank as the absolute best gun safes under $2,000.

Is $2,000 above your budget? Check out this list of the Top 3 Gun Safes under $1,200 or the Top 3 Gun Safes under $1,600.