Top 9 Quality Gun Safes With The Best Fire Ratings in 2023

Fire resistance on a gun safe can be incredibly important for so many people, especially if you are someone that lives away from town, and away from the closest fire department. In this article, we are discussing my favorite gun safes, with the best fire ratings on the market today. Each of these bring a different aspect, but all have the best fire rating in their category.

Best Modular Gun Safe	Snapsafe Titan 4.0 N/A	See Price on Gun Safes
Best Value	Winchester Legacy 44 4.0 N/A	Shop on Amazon
Best Overall	Rhino Thunderbolt RT6033X 4.5 N/A	See Price

Best Modular Gun Safe

Snapsafe Titan

4.0

N/A

See Price on Gun Safes

Best Value

Winchester Legacy 44

4.0

N/A

Shop on Amazon

Best Overall

Rhino Thunderbolt RT6033X

4.5

N/A

See Price

Best Overall Fire Rating

1. Rhino Thunderbolt RT6033X

4.5

This safe is a relatively new addition to Rhino's lineup, and it is one of their range topping offerings. With an impressive 7 gauge steel body, and a 3 gauge door, there aren't many consumer-based safes with thicker steel options. It also offers THE BEST current fire rating of any gun safe I could find on the market today. That said, you won't be moving it very often, as it is incredibly heavy but well worth it.

Specifications:

• Lock: Electronic, Mechanical or Biometric
• Dimensions: 60" High by 33" Wide by 27" Deep
• Steel: 7 gauge (3 gauge door)
• Fire Rating: 160 min 1400 degrees
• Weight: 1098 pounds

Pros:

• Awesome door and body steel gauge
• One of the best fire ratings in the industry
• USA Made
• Lots of lock options (including high-quality biometric)

Cons:

• Extremely heavy
• Traditional interior

See Price: Thunderbolt RT6033X

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. [Image courtesy of Rhino Metals]

Best From Liberty Safes

2. Liberty Presidential 25

4.5

The Presidential series from Liberty is the best gun safe that they have to offer. Liberty is also a big enough name that it deserves its category as well! This company makes extremely high-quality safes from budget safes to high-end safes, and this is a favorite when it comes to fire rating. With a 150-minute rating at 1200 degrees and 7 gauge steel, this is an impressive safe. Just don't hold your breath too much, its price matches the features.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 60.5" High by 30.25" Wide by 24.75" Deep
• Steel: 7 gauge
• Fire Rating: 150 mins at 1200 degrees
• Weight: 1021 pounds

Pros:

• Extremely high fire rating
• One of the best steel gauge's available
• Awesome warranty from Liberty Safe
• High quality locking mechanism

Cons:

• Very expensive
• Extremely heavyweight

See Price at Gun Safes

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. [Image courtesy of Liberty Safe]

Best From Browning

3. Browning Platinum 49T

4.0

Much like other safes on this list, the Platinum Series safes from Browning is its range-topping version, and the 49T is one of my favorites of the series, as it is the best price for the size. You also can option tons of different features, including a high-quality biometric lock. Even though it has such a high price, you get 7 gauge steel and an awesome 120 minutes at 1750 degrees. If you are looking to purchase your own, I have seen the black cherry color in person, and it is my personal favorite.

Specifications:

• Lock: Electronic, Mechanical or Biometric
• Dimensions: 60" High by 46" Wide by 27" Deep
• Steel: 7 gauge
• Fire Rating: 120 min 1750 degrees
• Weight: 1425 pounds

Pros:

• Impressive fire rating
• Tons of customizations
• Axis Interior (one of my favorite)
• Thick steel gauge
• Equipped with corner bolts

Cons:

• Very heavy
• Very expensive

See Price: Platinum 49T

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. [Image courtesy of Browning]

Are gun safes fireproof? You see the “fireproof” word all over the place on lower end gun safes. Did you know that there isn’t a single safe on the market that is truly “fireproof”? This article I wrote discusses why safes are not fireproof, and really should not be marketed that way.

Best Modular Gun Safe

4. Snapsafe Titan

4.0

The Snapsafe Titan may not have the longest fire rating, but it is by far the best fire-rated modular gun safe on the market today. It utilizes a fire blanket style fire rating, which means that it is lightweight, and easy to install after you have brought all of the components to wherever you want to build up the safe. This safe is also rated at up to 2300 degrees, while many competitors are only at 1200 degrees.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 59" High by 22" Wide by 17.5" Deep
• Steel: 9 gauge (2 layers of steel)
• Fire Rating: 60 mins at 2300 degrees
• Weight: 400 pounds

Pros:

• Modular design gun safe
• Great build quality
• Fantastic price for fire rating
• High steel gauge

Cons:

• Does not have a large capacity (see larger versions)
• Interior isn't anything special

Shop on Gun Safes Shop on Amazon

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. [Image courtesy of Snapsafe]

How are gun safes fire rated? Gun safes are able to achieve their fire rating by multiple different means. Most safes on the market today utilize gypsum board, which is essentially dry wall. You also have fire blanket style safes, safes with cement in them, and even safes with spray in foam fire resistant materials. Another common method is to leave a air pocket between different layers of steel, as this can slow down the rate of rising air temperatures considerably. Make sure to read this article here, where we go in depth about how safes are fire rated!

Best Alternative Fire Material

5. American Security (Amsec) BFX6024

4.0

Amec makes some of the best gun safes on the market, but they are also often overlooked by people looking at brands like Liberty and Browning as this brand is more commonly seen in commercial applications. This compact safe by the company has a small form factor, with an awesome fire rating of 120 minutes, and an impressive 11 gauge steel.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 59.25" High by 24" Wide by 21" Deep
• Steel: 11 gauge
• Fire Rating: 120 min at Unknown Degrees
• Weight: 751 pounds

Pros:

• High end fire rating
• Great high quality safe that can fit in a closet
• Made in the USA
• Uses lightweight DryLight fill for fire rating

Cons:

• Very heavy
• Quite expensive

Buy Now

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Best Budget Gun Safe

6. Steelwater Extreme Duty AMHD593924-EMP

4.5

$3,095.00

Not everyone has a crazy amount of money to spend on their gun safe, and if you are looking for an awesome value and a great fire rating, then this one should be at the top of your list. While it may be an imported gun safe, you wouldn't be blamed if you ignored that, when you saw its 9 gauge steel and 120-minute fire rating at 1875 degrees. Steelwater makes some impressive safes, that are high quality, but budget-minded. Plus, they have been around for quite a while, and have proved themselves over the years.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 59” High by 39” Wide by 24” Deep
• Steel: 9 gauge
• Fire Rating: 120 mins at 1875 degrees
• Weight: 925 pounds

Pros:

• Awesome value
• Optional biometric lock available
• Hard-plate behind lock

Cons:

• Imported safe
• Non-name-brand locking mechanism

Shop on Amazon Shop on Gun Safes

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

06/01/2023 02:51 pm GMT

What is a good fire rating? If you are reading this article, it is probably because you want the best-of-the-best when it comes to fire resistance. However, you might not even need the best! Read through this article here, where we talk about what a good fire rating is, and how much you need.

Best Steel/Fire Rating to Price Value

7. Winchester Legacy 44

4.0

While Winchester is most well known for their firearms, they also make some awesome safes, especially on the value and budget side of things. This 10 gauge steel, 150-minute fire-rated gun safe, and reasonably large capacity sit well under $4000, making it an awesome deal for the money. That said, this is an imported safe, which may not be ideal for many (I think, as long as you know what you are buying, that these safes can make a great alternative).

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 60" High by 42" Wide by 30" Deep
• Steel: 10 gauge
• Fire Rating: 150 min 1400 degrees
• Weight: 1406 pounds

Pros:

• Amazing value for the fire rating
• Lifetime warranty
• Large capacity

Cons:

• Imported safe
• Very heavy, especially for steel gauge

Shop on Amazon Shop on Gun Safes

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Best High Quality Safe

8. Fort Knox Defender 6637

3.5

I am a huge fan of Fort Knox's safes, and I am even willing to say, that they are my favorite. The safe that sits at the top of the heap is this Defender 6647, as I believe it to be the best value of any of their safes today. It has an ideal size, 10-gauge steel, and a 120-minute fire rating (with an optional fire upgrade), and you can completely customize the safe to have any variety of options that Fort Knox has to offer.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 66″ High by 37″ Wide by 27″ Deep
• Steel: 10 gauge
• Fire Rating: 120 min 1680 degrees (w/ Reinforced Fire Liner)
• Weight: 1125 pounds

Pros:

• Awesome fire rating
• Completely custom
• Still budget friendly for the fire rating
• Backed by Fort Knox’s warranty

Cons:

• Still only 10 gauge (this is upgradable easily)

Shop on Fort Knox Learn More - Fort Knox

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. [Image courtesy of Fort Knox]

Need water resistance? There are not many gun safes on the market today that offer both a fire rating, and a water resistance rating. Most gun safes are not truly air tight, which leaves places for water to get in (such as the dehumidifier hole in the back). That said, here is quick list of water resistant safes!

Best USA Made Value

9. Hollon RG-39 Republic Series

3.5

$3,381.00

Hollon is another one of those lesser-known, yet high-quality gun safe manufacturers, and there is no better example of their value to quality than the RG-39. With 10-gauge steel, 120-minute fire rating at 1400 degrees, and built-in USA quality, you will be hard-pressed to find a better deal with these specs.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 59″ High by 39″ Wide by 24″ Deep
• Steel: 10 gauge
• Fire Rating: 120 min at 1400 degrees
• Weight: 925 pounds

Pros:

• Affordable price point for the fire rating
• 10 gauge steel
• Assembled in the USA

Cons:

• Low recognition company

Shop on Amazon See Price on Gun Safes

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

06/01/2023 01:01 pm GMT

What to look for in a gun safe with awesome fire ratings?

1. What fire rating do you need?

If you are reading this article, it is likely because you want the best of the best when it comes to fire ratings. Generally speaking, you won’t find any gun safes with a fire rating of over 160 minutes, and most highly fire-rated safes are in the 120 to 150-minute rating. If you are someone that lives outside of a normal fire district, or you commonly are worried about forest fires, then you probably should be opting for one of these.

However, if you live somewhere in a town, or you have fire suppression systems, you might not need quite as much fire rating.

2. Does the safe still have great security?

The most important thing for most gun safes is that they are highly secure, while the fire rating is secondary.

Make sure, when you are shopping for your gun safe, that you don’t ignore the security side of things, and only pay attention to the fire rating, as you might end up with something less than secure in the end. All of the safes on the list above offer awesome security, fire rating, to price.

3. Is it built by a reputable company?

Many warranties offer a warranty around fire, and will sometimes replace or repair your gun safe if it has been affected by a fire. That said, make sure to purchase a gun safe from a reputable company, as you don’t want the warranty to become invalid due to the company going out of business, or just deciding they don’t want to hold up to the warranty.

4. Is it worth the price?

Don’t go too crazy with your gun safe! Make sure to pay attention to all of the features it offers, and make sure that it is worth the price. You should also consider the value of the items you are putting in the safe as well. If you are only putting $1000 worth of valuables in the safe, but are spending $9000, you are probably doing something wrong.

Why are highly fire-rated gun safes so heavy?

Most gun safes are fire-rated using gypsum board (aka drywall). This material is incredibly heavy, and many times is the major reason why a gun safe is heavy. In the end, it likely is much heavier than the steel gauge.

This is something to keep an eye on! Many knock-offs and no-name brands will add fire protection (that doesn’t do much) so that the weight of the safe is higher. This gives a false sense of security to people that may think that heavier means more secure.

If you don’t like the idea of having drywall in your safe, we have a complete guide to safes without this material right here!

Conclusion

I hope that this article helped you out on your search (and hopefully answered a few questions along the way) for finding the right safe for your home. Make sure to keep an eye on the site for more advice on purchasing a gun safe!