Gun Safes have exploded in demand in the last 20 years and with it have come a slew of new manufacturers, importers and misinformation. Many companies are just trying to make a quick buck at your expense and only provide you with the illusion of security. The best example of this is Vaultek who in just the last 5 years paid every Youtube influencer to promote their products and while they have the “cool” factor, they are seriously lacking in security while making you think they are good quality products. So what should I look for when buying a gun safe you ask? I’m here to help break down the most important features and point you in the right direction because ultimately it depends on your specific needs and budget.
Lock
The lock is the absolute most important component of any gun safe. Think of it as the engine to the car. It doesn’t matter if you have the nicest seats, radio, wheels or body if the engine doesn’t work or run well. In the safe industry, Underwriters Laboratories also known as UL tests and certifies the security and quality of locks. There are two main types, UL Type 1 High Security Electronic Locks which are the most secure and UL Type 2 High Security Mechanical Locks which are the traditional “old school” style that don’t have any electronics or require any batteries. This isn’t a suggestion to look for but an absolute necessity and I only recommend electronic locks from brands like NL, S&G and Securam and Mechanical locks from S&G and Big Red. In my 30 years of experience in the safe industry, these are the highest quality and most reliable locks. Within each brand there are levels to their locks that include additional features such as Time Delay and Multi-User Mode which are used more in commercial applications and you will be fine with the standard entry lock such as the NL UR-2020, SecuRam Basic or S&G Spartan Direct Drive lock. You should stay away from anything that is unbranded, unrated, operates on a Solenoid or has a key override.
Security
When it comes to the security of a gun safe, you should look again for certifications. CA DOJ is the absolute most basic testing that is more common among handgun safes and UL tests the full size gun safes. The standard minimum security rating you should look for is the Residential Security Container also known as RSC. This tests certifies that the safe can withstand a burglary attack of 5 minutes from several different standard household tools including pick axe, crowbar, drill, hammer, sledgehammer and more. UL has now expanded their test to RSC Level II and RSC Level III which increase the time and number of tools in the test. Currently there is only one gun safe series that is RSC Level II, the American Security BFII Gun Safes. The level of security needed is dependent on the value you are placing in the safe. If you only are protecting a couple thousand dollars and a few guns, a 14 gauge steel gun safe with CA DOJ approval may be the right fit for you but if you are moving into the $10,000 plus level in value an RSC gun safe should be the minimum you look for. To earn the RSC burglary rating, the gun safe has to have a set of standard minimum features like a Hardplate, Relocker, Solid Steel Locking bolts, minimum 12 gauge steel and UL rated lock. By searching for an RSC gun safe, you can be sure you are getting all of the essential security features.
Fire Rating
A gun safes fire rating is also an important feature to consider in what should I look for when buying a gun safe. Similar to the lock and security ratings, gun safes can also have certified fire ratings by UL or ETL. Independent Lab tests certify that the manufacturer isn’t lying about their rating and proves that it was actually tested. On many imported gun safes, the Chinese factory just claims it can withstand that level of fire without actually testing it so an independent lab verifies this claim. There are also two main types of fire insulation material that vastly vary in quality. The first is the most common which is gypsum fire board. Manufacturers just increase the number of layers in the door and body and claim that if one layer of board can last 30 minutes in a fire, then 3 layers of board can last 90 minutes. It doesn’t actually work this way and when American Security tested all of their competitors, they proved that the safe didn’t hold up as claimed. American Security uses a concrete composite material called Drylight in their BFX and BFII gun safes that is significantly higher quality fire insulation material than Gypsum board. It also provides additional burglary protection and overall makes these gun safes the highest quality from both a fire and security standpoint. As always, this comes at a cost because with safes, you get what you pay for. Another essential feature for any fire rated safe is the intumescent door seal that expands to multiple times its size during a fire to keep smoke and heat out of the safe. Double check that the safe you are buying has this feature.
Warranty
The products warranty is very important to consider when thinking about what should I look for when buying a gun safe. The longer the warranty, the more the company believes in the product and the shorter the warranty, the more likely things will go wrong sooner rather than later. Liberty Safe for example provides a 5 year warranty on all components of the safe, Fort Knox provides a lifetime warranty, Stealth provides a 2 year warranty and American Security and Rhino Metals only provide a 1 year warranty. Another important factor to consider is the type of warranty. Some manufacturers like Liberty and Stealth will pay for the locksmith or safe technician to come to your home and fix it on site also providing all parts necessary to repair. Other companies like Fort Knox, require you to physically send the product to their warehouse for repair at your cost so while that lifetime warranty sounds great, it’s not really practical to send a 2,000 lb safe to Utah for repair and then have to pay for the transportation back. Take a hard look at the warranty before buying just in case you have to use it. In my experience, Liberty and Stealth provide the best warranty and service in the safe industry.
Additional Features
Finally, the bells and whistles are also important to consider when looking to buy a gun safe. Does the safe come with lights, a door panel organizer, electrical outlet, etc? What type of shelving does it have, is the interior material going to last? These are all important factors to consider. In my experience, Fort Knox, Rhino Ironworks and American Security have the best quality interiors and accessories in the industry but are also the most expensive. Remember, you get what you pay for. These factors are not nearly as important as the lock, security or fire rating but still important to consider nonetheless.
The Bottom Line
To summarize here are the most important factors to think about when you ask the question: What should I look for when buying a gun safe:
- UL Rated High Security Type 1 Electronic or Type 2 Mechanical Lock from NL, S&G, SecuRam or Big Red
- Minimum UL Residential Security Container RSC Burglary Rating
- Minimum 12 Gauge Steel Construction
- Hardplate Protecting the Lock
- Relocker Protecting the Lock
- Minimum 1″ Thick Locking Bolts – 1.25″+ is Ideal
- 4-Way Boltwork is Ideal
- Independently Verified Fire Rating from ETL or UL
- Minimum 30 minute fire rating at 1200 Degrees
- Intumescent Door Seal
- Concrete Composite Fire Insulation Material such as Drylight from American Security is Ideal
- Reliable Warranty
- Minimum 2 Year Parts and Labor Warranty
- Company Pays Locksmith or Safe Tech to Fix it in Your Home and Not at Their Factory
- Lifetime Burglary and Fire Warranty
- Additional Features
- Door Panel Organizer
- Quality of Interior Material – Carpet, Wood, Laminate
- Electrical Outlet Pre-Installed
- Mounting Hardware
- Light Kit, Dehumidifier, Additional Accessories
Helpful In-Depth Video
Check out the super helpful video below detailing all of the components and features Youtuber Bosnian Bill considered when buying the Stealth UL28 Gun Safe.
