Need a Fire-Rating? These 9 Gun Safes Have the Best Fire Protection!

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Fire resistance on a gun safe can be significant factor for so many people, especially if you are someone who lives away from town and away from the closest fire department. This article discusses my favorite gun safes with the best fire ratings today. Each brings a different aspect, but all have the best fire rating in their category.

Why should you trust me? I have helped hundreds of thousands of people hunt for the right gun safe for them. With years of experience writing on sites like this, working in retail, and regularly talking directly with these companies’ owners, CEOs, and salespeople, I have a unique and extensive knowledge base of what makes a great safe.

1. Rhino Thunderbolt RT6033X

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This safe is a relatively new addition to Rhino’s lineup, one of their range-topping offerings. With an impressive 7 gauge steel body and a 3 gauge door, there are few 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 will only be moving it irregularly, as it is cumbersome (but well worth it).

2. Liberty Presidential 25

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The Presidential series from Liberty is the best gun safe they offer. Liberty is also a big enough name that it deserves its category! This company makes extremely high-quality safes, from budget to high-end safes, and this is a favorite regarding fire rating. This is an impressive safe with a 150-minute rating at 1200 degrees and 7 gauge steel. Please don’t hold your breath though; its price matches the features.

3. Browning Platinum 49T

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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 by far the best price for the size. You can choose between many different features, including a high-quality biometric lock. Even though it is expensive, you get 7 gauge steel and an incredible 120 minutes at 1750 degrees. If you want to purchase your own, I have seen the black cherry color in person, which is my favorite.

Are gun safes fireproof? You see the word “fireproof” everywhere on lower-end gun safes. Did you know that no single safe on the market is genuinely “fireproof”? This article discusses why safes are not fireproof and should not be marketed that way.

4. Snapsafe Titan

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The Snapsafe Titan may not have the most longest fire rating out there, but it is by far the best fire-rated modular gun safe on the market today. It utilizes a fire blanket style fire material, which means it is lightweight and easy to install after you have brought all 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.

How are gun safes fire-rated? Gun safes can achieve their fire rating by multiple different means. Most safes on the market today utilize gypsum board, essentially drywall. You also have fire blanket-style safes, safes with cement, and even safes with spray-in foam fire-resistant materials. Another standard method is to leave an air pocket between different layers of steel, which can considerably slow the rate of rising air temperatures. 

5. American Security (Amsec) BFX6024

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

6. Steelwater Extreme Duty AMHD593924-EMP

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Not everyone has a crazy amount of money to spend on their gun safe, and if you are looking for an excellent 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 proven themselves over the years.

7. Winchester Legacy 44

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While Winchester is most well known for its firearms, it also makes some excellent safes, especially on the value and budget side. This 10-gauge steel, 150-minute fire-rated gun is safe and reasonably large in capacity and sits nicely under $4000, making it an excellent deal for the money. That said, this is an imported safe, which may not work for everyone (I think, as long as you know what you are buying, these safes can make a great alternative).

8. Fort Knox Defender 6637

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I am a huge fan of Fort Knox’s safes and this is my favorite. The safe at the top of the heap is this Defender 6647, as it is 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 offers.

Need water resistance? There are not many gun safes on the market today that offer both fire and water resistance ratings. Most gun safes are not airtight, leaving places for water to get in (such as the dehumidifier hole in the back).

9. Hollon RG-39 Republic Series

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Hollon is another lesser-known yet high-quality gun safe manufacturer, 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.

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

1. What fire rating do you need?

If you read this article, it is likely because you want the best regarding fire ratings. Generally speaking, you won’t find any gun safes with a fire rating of over 160 minutes; most highly fire-rated safes are in the 120 to 150-minute rating. If you live outside a typical fire district or are commonly worried about forest fires, you should opt for one.

However, you might only need a little fire rating if you live somewhere in a town or have fire suppression systems.

2. Does the safe still have excellent security?

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

When shopping for your gun safe, ensure 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. All the above safes offer excellent security, fire rating, and 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, purchase a gun safe from a reputable company, as you want the warranty to remain valid due to the company going out of business or just deciding they want to hold up to the warranty.

4. Is it worth the price?

Don’t go too crazy with your gun safe! Please pay attention to its features and ensure it is worth the price. You should also consider the value of the items in the safe. If you are only putting $1000 worth of valuables in the safe but are spending $9000, you probably need to do something differently.

Why are highly fire-rated gun safes so heavy?

Most gun safes are fire-rated using gypsum board (aka drywall). This material is weighty and is often the primary reason 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 only does a little for security) so that the weight of the safe is higher. This gives a false sense of security to people who may think that heavier means more secure.