Buying the best gun safe under $500 is a difficult task. This portion of the market is flooded by no-name manufacturers that import safes with I’m sure little to no quality control. This results safes that can’t be opened, and warranties that won’t be honored.
This article is going to detail safes that can handle a rifle, and not just pistols. There is a different article that better details pistol safes! As $500 will get you a high end pistol safe, but an entry level rifle safe.
Let’s not pretend that you are going to get a premium gun safe at this price point. If you feel like you are going to, or hear from someone else that you can… then this article probably isn’t for you. If you understand that you are just going to be buying yourself a little bit of time with this $500 you plan on spending, then this is for you!
| Our Favorite | The Product | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | SecureIt Agile Model 40 | 5 / 5 |
| Best Underbed Safe | Snapsafe Underbed Safe | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best Normal Safe | Field & Stream 10 Gun | 4 / 5 |
| Best Value Entry Level | Stack-On SS-Series 10 Gun | 4 / 5 |
| Best Keypad Safe | Barska AX13100 | 4 / 5 |
1. SecureIt Tactical Agile Ultralight Model 40
Yes, I know this isn’t a true gun safe. However SecureIt’s Model 40 is a great option, for a great safe under $500.00.
It may have a lower than ideal gauge of steel, and be kinda small. However it makes up for it in quality, portability, and usability.
The interior of the safe uses a modular quick access style. This means all of the long guns can be removed very quickly, and without them bumping into each other.
This interior also allows for accessories to be added as well. You only have one rifle? Use the rest of the interior for different things like pistol pegs, shelves, and bins.
Hands down, of any safe, or gun cabinet out there today, this is one of the best value safes out there.
Key Features
- Gun Safe Lock: SecureIt Branded Electronic Lock
- Steel Thickness: 18 gauge
- Fire Rating: N/A
- Security Features: Fits in small areas
- Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Aesthetics: Black satin finish, standard looks. Very utilitarian.
- Additional Features: Modular interior with tons of accessories. Ships flat.
Product Specs
- Weight: 90 pounds
- External Dimensions: 40” High by 20” Wide by 15” Deep
Pros
- Modular design
- Modular interior design
- Portable
- Lightweight
- Great warranty
Cons
- Thinner steel than most on this list
- Non-branded lock
2. SnapSafe Under Bed Safe
Much like the SecureIt Agile 40 above, this is not your standard gun safe. However it does fit long guns, and does it well.
For under $500.00 this safe offers 14 gauge steel, which is super impressive. This puts it in the same range as Cannon safes, and the Liberty Centurion.
Because it lays flat, instead of upright, you can put your long guns into it, and then fit other things like jewelry, and other items around it (remember, don’t keep ammo in the same container as your firearms).
One of the best things about this, is that you can put this right below your bed, meaning not only is it hidden, it also acts as a quick access point when you are in bed. Which you spend hopefully around 8 hours around.
You can also either tether this safe to your bed by the security cable that is included, or mount it to the floor by the mounting points on the bottom of the safe.
Key Features
- Gun Safe Lock: Non-branded electronic lock
- Steel Thickness: 14 gauge
- Fire Rating: None
- Security Features: Hidden safe, key backup, pry resistant door, security cable included
- Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty
- Aesthetics: Pretty standard flat black finish
- Additional Features: Sliding drawer design, not much extra, which is fine for this price point.
Product Specs
- Weight: 105 pounds
- External Dimensions: 40″ Wide by 6″ High by 22″ Deep
Pros
- Hidden
- Quick Access
- Great warranty
Cons
- No fire rating
- Not a real standard gun safe
3. Field & Stream Sportsman 10 Gun Fire Safe
This is the first standard style gun safe on this list, and I mainly put the standard gun safes lower down on the list because these tend to be expensive to make, and other options may be a bit more focused on security.
That said, this Field and Stream safe offers some great features for it’s price. It does give some fire rating (only one on this list with a fire rating), double sided locking bolts and the aesthetics of more expensive gun safes.
One of the best things about this safe, is that it has a mechanical lock. These locks are well known for lasting a long time, however they are not the quickest access.
This safe would work well for those on a budget, that want a standard gun safe. Although are highly aware that what they are buying is more of a deterrent to try and break in rather than actual real security.
Key Features
- Lock: Mechanical Combination Lock
- Steel Thickness: Not Advertised
- Fire Rating: 30 Minutes at 1400 Degrees
- Security Features: Double sided locking bolts, hard plate,
- Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Aesthetics: Some pin-striping, otherwise standard black color
- Additional Features: At this price point, a fire rating is an additional feature.
Product Specs
- Weight: 247 pounds
- External Dimensions: 55″ High by 19″ Wide by 15.25″ Deep
Pros
- Mechanical lock
- Is a standard full size safe
- Good Warranty
Cons
- Not quick access
- No advertised steel gauge
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4. Stack-On SS-Series 10 Gun Safe with Electronic Lock
This is one of Stack-On’s most entry level gun safes on the market today. However it does offer some good features for the price of under $500.00.
It gives a 10 firearm storage capacity, a top shelf, and a basic design that just works. At the budget of this article, this isn’t going to with any awards when compared to higher end safes, however it does the job it is intended to have.
The L shaped handle is attached to inner workings that include 3 bolts on the non-hinge side of the door. The locking mechanism may not be name-brand, however thankfully Stack-On offers a limited lifetime warranty on this safe to keep you going without issues.
Key Features
- Lock: Non-branded electronic lock
- Steel Thickness: Unknown
- Fire Rating: None
- Security Features: Locking bolts on both sides of door
- Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Aesthetics: Very very basic
- Additional Features: Little to none
Product Specs
- Weight: 134 pounds
- External Dimensions: 55.25″ High by 16” Wide by 15.25 Deep
- Internal Dimensions: 54.75″ High by 15.5” Wide by 11.75 Deep
Pros
- Has all the features of a standard full size safe
- Good dimensions allow for longer rifles
- Lifetime warranty
- Lighter weight for a normal gun safe
Cons
- Not much extra features
- Thinner steel
5. Barska 4.33 Cubic Foot Keypad Rifle Safe – AX13100
Barska is a big name in the budget gun safe market! This safe easily makes it on this list due to the fact it looks great, still offers at least 16 gauge steel and is your traditional style safe.
It’s non-name-brand locking mechanism is backed up with some bypass keys, so you shouldn’t have to worry too much about getting locked out of your safe.
This also is the rare budget safe that offers storage for handguns on the door (seriously rare on budget safes).
Honestly, my favorite things about this safe is its dimensions, and the styling of the safe. It’s minimalistic design should work well in many homes.
Key Features
- Lock: Non-branded electronic lock w/ key bypass
- Steel Thickness: 16 Gauge
- Fire Rating: None
- Security Features:
- Warranty: 1 Year Limited Warranty
- Aesthetics: Standard safe design
- Additional Features: Pistol storage on door
Product Specs
- Weight: 82 pounds
- External Dimensions: 52.25” High by 13” Wide by 13” Deep
- Internal Dimensions: 52” High by 12.5” Wide by 11.5” Deep
Pros
- Super basic
- Actually looks pretty cool
Cons
- Super basic (Yes, a pro and a con)
What to look for when buying a gun safe under $500
Here are some features that you want to make sure you keep an eye on while shopping and looking through these safes to see which makes the most sense for you!
Steel Thickness
Unfortunately with the budget of $500 you will definitely sacrifice on steel gauge for the safe you are looking at buying. Most of the safes in this range offer somewhere between 14 and 18 gauge steel, with many of them being at the 16 gauge range.
As mentioned earlier in the article, this does mean you need to focus heavily on keeping your safe hidden (out of sight), and make sure to never mention you have firearms in your home in the first place (this is a rule even if you have $10,000 safe).
Fire rating
With the allotted budget, there aren’t many safes that offer a fire rating. Not only is fire resistant material expensive, but it is even more expensive to get it tested (which many companies just don’t do). That is why you only find one safe with a fire rating on this list.
Keep in mind, when talking about a budget safe you have to weigh all of the features. If you want customizability, you are going to sacrifice quality. If you want steel gauge, the safe isn’t going to be as cool, or have a fire rating.
Security Features
In this range of price, you are only going to find the most basic of security functions, however this isn’t necessarily a bad thing by any means. Having a locking mechanism, some basic steel, and some locking pins can mean the difference between someone gaining access to your items or not. Far better than just leaving them out in the open.
Warranty
Warranty is so incredibly important, and paying attention to what the manufacturer offers also gives you a good idea of the quality of their product. The longer warranty they offer, the more confident they are in their product.
Also, use the warranty if you need to, don’t push it off like most people do and later regret.
Aesthetics
Having a great looking safe is awesome! However don’t put this over any of the other items on this list. You are going to want better security far before you want it to look cool next to the TV stand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What you should spend heavily depends on what you will be using the safe for! If you want basic protection, then a budget like this article at $500 will be just fine. However if you have a large sum of money, or expensive firearms, you should definitely think about upgrading to $2000, $3000 or even $4000.
No matter what firearm you own, you should have it secured in some way with a safe. Because of this, even inexpensive safes make a gun safe worth it. Keep in mind though, the less expensive a safe is, the lower quality it is, resulting in the need to rely more heavily on other things like hiding the safe well within your home.
Money will burn in a fireproof safe. Fireproof is not really fire proof, and is better referred to as fire resistant. Gun safe fire ratings that you see are rated for how long, and at what temperature a safe can handle a fire until it reaches 350 degrees, this 350 degrees is when paper (aka money) will begin to burn.
Conclusion
I would love to say I could recommend “22 best gun safes under $500”, however honestly there just aren’t that many safes under this price.
In the end, I would personally go with either the Agile 42, or the Snapsafe under bed safe. Otherwise, you may want to look at upgrading just a tiny bit to $600 (read this article about that price point), as those safes are considerably better and more usable. It’s worth saving up for.
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