These 12 Gun Safes are the BEST (For the Money)

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The Browning Sporter SP33 is by far the best value for your money; it gets you a traditional-style gun safe with a great steel gauge (12 gauge) and has an adjustable interior. To build on that winning forumula, the safe is backed up by one of the best brands in the industry.

That said, it may be a well-rounded safe, but that does mean it is lacking in some departments that a more purpose-built safe would excel in, whether that be a modular design, a thicker steel gauge, or inclusion of more tech-oriented capabilities. This is where the remainder of my favorite safes on this list come into play.

Why should you trust me? I have been in the gun safe industry for nearly a decade, both in writing and helping people online find the best safe for them and in a retail environment, or directly assisting customers to find their forever safe. I have talked with CEOs, founders, sales representatives, and more (including plenty of hands-on experience) to compile this ultimate list of my favorite gun safes.

Stay tuned till the end of this article, where I go into everything you need to know when shopping for a gun safe to ensure you get the right one.

1. Browning Sporter SP33

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Whenever someone asks me what gun safe they should be looking at, I recommend looking at the Sporter series of safes by Browning before anything else. While they may be imported safes, they are made by one of the best brands; they have high-quality locking mechanisms (SecuRAM), one of the best interiors (fully adjustable), and with 12-gauge steel, they are secure all the way around as well.

While there are better safes out there for more specifica tasks, there is no better safe on the market today with as good of a blend of features to price than this one. Not to mention, it tops this all of with a great paint finish.

So what’s the major downside? This is truly an imported safe, that is shipped in from overseas. However, Browning has done a fantastic job of quality control, and has built a truly Browning safe, rather than a white label safe that is like all of the others (which is common in the industry).

2. Snapsafe Super Titan XXL

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When someone is looking for a safe but is concerned about the weight and moving the safe from one place to another, I always recommend looking at a modular gun safe, specifically this Super Titan XXL. SnapSafe is one of the original modular gun safe manufacturers and has created this massive (high-capacity), impressive fire-rating, and high-quality gun safe.

This 900-pound gun safe can be removed from a home in components and then put back together in a new home quickly, with none of the elements being more than 100 pounds.

What’s the major downside? It’s touted 9-gauge steel is achieved by sandwiching two layers of 14 gauge steel together to create a 9-gauge wall. This is definitely not as strong as a true 9-gauge steel safe, but is still impressive. This safe has also risen in price over the past couple of years, leaving it a little less on the value end of things.

3. SecureIt Answer Model 8 Pro

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Getting into your safe rapidly is essential when it is used for self protection, and being able to grab anything in your safe quickly once it is open is even more critical. This Answer Series from Security safe is a fully-welded double-door 12 gauge safe that reduces the depth of the safe to just 18 inches, in stark contrast to many other safes that are over 30 inches.

It’s design lines the firearms up in a row (rather than a u-shape rack like competitors), resulting in straightforward access to your guns. The safe is completely customizable, as it comes with SecureIt’s patented CradleGrid technology, which gives hundreds of louvers to which different accessories can be attached in all other configurations.

The obvious downside to this safe is its lack of fire rating, and it’s high price point.

4. SnapSafe Wall Safe

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SnapSafe has done a fantastic job innovating and creating high-quality products for the money. This wall safe is by far my favorite one right now! It may only have 16-gauge steel and an unbranded locking mechanism, but let’s be honest, it’s meant to be hidden, and rely on that for its security, not the steel gauge.

It makes up for this shortcoming by offering a false floor so that if it is accessed, you hopefully can further hide at least some of the valuables.

Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much innovation in the wall safe side of the gun safe industry, so you might as well go with a budget option like this one here.

5. Rhino Thunderbolt RT6033X

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USA-made gun safes generally have higher-quality standards, are made of better steel, and are overall better safes. This Thunderbolts safe from Rhino Metals is my go-to right now.

With 7-gauge walls and a 3-gauge door, this is the best USA-made safe for the money. Rhino has yet to get nearly the name recognition of Browning, Liberty, or Fort Knox, which means you aren’t paying the premium for the name. Yet, they have all the same quality of these (if not more in some ways).

6. Browning Platinum Plus 49T

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High-end gun safes aren’t for everyone! They are cumbersome (due to thick steel gauge and tons of fire-resistant material) and are extremely expensive. However, if you are someone looking for the ultimate option in security. That would be the Platinum series 49T from Browning, which is my favorite option.

These safes come with corner bolts, 7-gauge steel, all the custom options you could want, and Browning’s Axis Interior, which is my second favorite interior setup on any safe brand today (my overall favorite is SecureIt’s CradleGrid). Just make sure to sit down before taking a look at its price point.

7. SecureIt Agile Model 52

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If you have followed my site regularly, you are familiar with this gun cabinet. These small, modular gun safes are an incredible deal for the money. They are high quality, can be built up wherever you need and are perfect for people that may want to purchase multiple to disperse their firearms throughout their home.

They are also one of the cheapest ways to access the CradleGrid interior, which is my all-time favorite gun safe interior.

The primary downside to this safe is that it only offers 14-gauge steel and lacks a fire rating.

8. Longhorn LNS2618

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Home safes don’t have to be boring, or that is what Rhino Metals thought when they designed this nightstand home safe. With 14-gauge steel, a SecuRAM locking mechanism, a fire rating, and the fact that it doubles as an actual nightstand (with a slide-out drawer) mean, this is a fantastic home safe.

The major downside to this is that it doesn’t have a ton of room and is one of the smaller safes on this list.

9. Tactical Walls Wall Clock 1410

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If you are someone who either can’t have a gun safe or want a safe that offers more discrete styling, you should consider getting a diversion safe.

While these types of safes don’t usually have high security (or, in the case of the 1410 Wall clock, a locking mechanism), it makes up for it by being hidden. This Tactical Walls clock is my favorite, and you can choose from plenty of different clock faces fitting your home’s decor.

The major downside to this one, is its lack of a truck locking mechanism or usage of steel of any kind. If someone knows their are items inside of this clock, it won’t be that hard to get to it.

10. Vaultek RS Series

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While most other gun safe companies are working in the dark ages regarding technology, Vaulek has been pushing forward with some high-tech, high-quality safes.

While I only recommend a few biometric safes, Vaultek is one of the few that surpass my standards. This safe has tons of features, including ways to access the safe, tamper alerts, humidity alerts, and a completely customizable interior.

The major downsides are how small it is compared to its hefty price tag, and its lack of fire rating.

11. Vaultek Slider

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Vaultek not only makes my favorite Biometric Safe (see above), but they make my favorite desk safes as well.

While this safe can only handle a single handgun (and nothing else), it makes up for it with a quick access keypad and spring-loaded functionality. This safe is the highest quality desk style, and I wouldn’t recommend anything other than this one for that functionality.

12. Console Vault

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Keeping your firearm at home has plenty of options; however, keeping your gun secure while out and about is a different task. I am a massive fan of Console Vault’s safes (I had one that the company gifted me a while back in an old truck of mine) and have had plenty of experience with them.

If you are looking for a high-security vault that fits your existing console. In that case, this safe offers 12 gauge steel and multiple lock options.

These safes are built for each specific application, meaning it maximizes the interior of your vehicle’s console, so you don’t lose any of that valuable space, while also maintaining security. That all comes at a cost though, as these are quite expensive.

Your Complete Guide To Buying A Good Gun Safe

Buying a gun safe is getting more intricate and more complicated over time. With more manufacturers forming and the ability to build overseas becoming increasingly less expensive, it is becoming easier for anyone to make safes, whether they can back it up with excellent customer service and warranty or not.

That is why I have put together this buying guide, so you can keep an eye out for these features every time you are looking for a gun safe to buy.

One thing before we get too far into this portion of this article is that you are purchasing time when you buy a safe. If someone breaks into your home and tries to get into your safe, the better the safe, the longer it takes to access it. 

In the end, you get what you pay for, so while a cheaper safe can still be safe, it won’t keep someone out as long as a more expensive safe.

I mainly add this thought because many people out there don’t believe you should buy a cheap safe; however, my opinion is just to be aware of what you are buying and think through it. Maybe for your purposes, that cheap safe is perfect for you.

With that comes the decision as to which one should be purchased. It also means that a buyer needs to be educated on what to look for when buying a safe! Below are nine things I look for in a great safe.

1. Get a safe with a Quality Locking Mechanism.

The locking mechanism is one of the most essential parts of any safe, whether a full-size safe, a pistol box, or a gun cabinet. Without a quality lock, it can fail at any time, leaving your firearms on the inside and you on the outside.

This isn’t a winning formula when someone breaks into your home, and you need to access your safe easily and quickly. Some good brands of locks to watch when shopping are SecuRAM, S&G (Sargent and Greenleaf), La Gard, Kaba Mas, and others. 

A good rule of thumb is to keep an eye out for a brand, most locks with higher quality build display their name on them, and you will typically find locks lacking name brands on lower-end import safes. Most USA-made safes have a great lock, backed by some warranty.

So, what are the different lock options for a gun safe? Let’s talk about that quickly; however, you can read more in-depth about it in my article here.

1. E-Lock (Electronic Lock, Digital Lock) – Best if you need quick access to your safe, whether to access it regularly or if you intend to use it for your self-protection weapons.
2. Mechanical Lock (Dial Lock) – Best for people that keep their self-protection weapons in a quicker access spot like a pistol box. Suitable for people that get into their safe infrequently.
3. Redundant Lock – This type of lock has both a mechanical and electronic lock built-in. It is excellent for those who want the ease of access that the electronic give but don’t want to rely on the battery and then have the mechanical lock version included.
4. Biometric Lock (Fingerprint Lock) – This option isn’t my favorite, which is why it is later on in this list. Biometric locks, also known as fingerprint locks (for the most part), are locking mechanisms that use your fingerprint to gain access to the contents; they also generally have a key or keypad backup for those times you need another way in. I have this lower down on my list because even though it offers quick access, there is a small part of the population where this type of lock doesn’t work. Sometimes it can reject your fingerprint, even when you have done everything correctly.

2. Steel quality and thickness

The steel of a gun safe is what keeps thieves out of the safe and away from the contents, so it is imperative to pay attention when you are buying your safe. 

The thicker and better quality the steel is, the longer it will take to get into the safe, buying you more time and is more likely to make the offender give up and move on. You should watch for two different aspects of gun safe steel.

Where is the steel made?

I don’t have much evidence on this side of things. However, I have heard that Chinese steel can be softer and easier to be cut through. Meanwhile, USA-made steel is more hardened than its Chinese counterpart.

As mentioned, I don’t have many facts to back this up, as everywhere I find that talks about it talk about how 14 gauge steel is often easier to cut than American 12 gauge steel… well, duh, it’s thicker steel. 

So take this with a grain of salt, but just be aware of this aspect of the steel.

How thick is the steel?

This is the much more important aspect of steel, and there are quite a few ways you can handle this part of the process. Gun safe manufacturers mainly handle this by having a single layer of varying steel thicknesses. This is standard across the industry and is how most safes are made. 

12 gauge will be the start of a quality safe. You will find quite a few safes with 14, and 18-gauge steel, but those can be cut through, pryed open or dented easily.

12 gauge and better (lower numbers are good) are where you start seeing higher quality security. These safes can also be purchased for a low price, as companies like Tracker Safe and Browning.

Now the second way some manufacturers, which can be arguably better than the main option, is to layer thinner steels to give a more complex form of cutting through the safe, the most common safe with this would be a SnapSafe Titan series safe.

Meanwhile, companies like SecureIt sandwich a proprietary cement filling between a 16 gauge steel outer steel and a 14 gauge inner steel liner. Then there is the more traditional path Fort Knox takes by having a standard outer liner. Then you can upgrade it by having 1, 2, or 3 additional 10 gauge liners.

3. Get a Fire rating that suits you

Fire ratings have become synonymous with gun safes. However, only some safes come with a fire rating that is too little or may even come with too much!

If you were to live two minutes from a fire station, you might only need the industry standard 30 minutes at 1200 degrees. However, if you live in a rural area 2 hours from a fire station, or any help, a 2+ hour fire rating may be called for.

Not all fire ratings are created equal, though; cement is a great way to keep the heat out (but crazy heavy), while specific cheap Chinese fire boards may not stand up to what they are advertised as due to lack of quality, gaps in the fireboard, and more.

That isn’t to say that fireboard is terrible, as many companies like Liberty and Browning (and more) use it extremely effectively.

Also, please keep in mind that fire ratings may also not be necessary for everyone, as you may have a fire suppression system in your house, or you may not even care if what is in it is burned up; instead, you want to keep it out of children’s hands, or possibly just for the burglary rating. 

While not as commonly built, there are also safes with a “waterproof” rating; however, most of those tend to sacrifice quality in other ways.

4. Security Features

There are many different features that a gun safe may have to better enhance how well a safe will handle an attack.

1. Re-lockers – These are one of the more complex gun safe concepts to understand. However, they essentially make it so that if a safe is tampered with, a bolt will go into place, making it completely impossible to open. An expensive but well-known version of this is where there is a glass plate inside the door. When accidentally drilled into, it shatters and closes the safe forever. I have seen this one in movies at least once.
2. Bolt shear pins – Shear pins are very similar to the above re-locker and the slip clutch we will learn about after this one, where there is a pin between the bolt work and the safe handle. If enough force is put on the handle, it will shear this pin off and make the handle move freely, making the safe impossible to force open.
3. Slip clutch – This may sound like car terminology; however, it is another excellent way to keep someone from breaking into your safe. Slip clutches are a part of the exterior handle of the safe; when too much pressure is put on the handle, it will release and spin freely (it can easily be put back to normal by turning it the other way); this makes it so that a thief can’t force your safe open.
4. Anti-pry tabs – Prying open a gun safe door is a well-known way to enter a safe. However, anti-pry tabs sit on the inside of the corner of the door. This makes it so a pry bar can’t gain leverage to pry it open.
5. Bolt-down kits – Not every safe even has bolt-down holes from the factory inside the safe. However, this is a security feature that everyone should think about. This means that even if someone could carry your safe out of your home, they can’t because it is bolted to the ground. Remember, you are buying time when you buy a safe; this is a cheap, effective way of doing this. As mentioned above, this makes it so you can’t get safe on its side to gain leverage on the door to pry it open.
6. Hard plates – This is where there are varying amounts of hard-plates between the locking mechanism on the inside and outside of the door. These different thicknesses of plates will protect the lock from drill attacks that can harm the lock and possibly allow access to the safe if damaged. Sometimes this part of looking for a safe may set very similar safes apart from each other, and it is up to you as the consumer to decide which is most important to you.

Liberty has even launched some excellent security features in the way of military-style locking bars, a new development. The USA-made gun safes are well known to have some of the best security features.

5. Gun Safe Warranty

My wife can attest that I enjoy the idea of a warranty. Having someone fix something for me, for free, that I would otherwise have to do myself is just incredible.

A personal favorite of mine is to have a lifetime warranty because I don’t have to worry about the product for the lifetime of owning it.

In the gun safe world, there are many different types of warranties.

1. Lifetime warranty on craftsmanship and for fire, break-in, and locking mechanisms. – This is reserved for the best gun safe manufacturers out there. Fort Knox is one of the few that offers this warranty.
2. Lifetime warranty on craftsmanship and fire and a break-in. However, only a specified warranty term (generally 1-5 years) is on the lock. – While this is still an excellent warranty, this raises a red flag that this company doesn’t trust its lock. Make sure to look further into that.
3. Lifetime warranty on fire and break-in, but only 1-5 years on craftsmanship and lock. – Yes, strangely, I have seen this warranty before, which worries me. They are questioning their craftsmanship and betting your house won’t get broken into or burned down.
4. 15-year warranty. I have only seen one gun safe manufacturer with this warranty term on it. It’s respectable; however, I still would like to see a lifetime.
5. 5-Year warranty. – Most full-size gun safes tend to have a lifetime warranty on them. However, a few do have lesser terms for their warranty. You will also find this warranty is standard on electronic pistol safes.
6. 1-Year warranty. – I would avoid any manufacturer of gun safes that only offer a 1-year warranty on their products. Safes need to be accessed after that 1 year is up… so they should be built and warrantied for that.

My favorite manufacturers offering remarkable warranties are Liberty, Fort Knox, and Browning. Yes, I know, big-name companies, but there is a reason they are big names.

6. Aesthetics of the Safe

Yes, I know, gun safes are just for storage. However, they can also look fantastic. These are just some aspects to think about when buying a safe and shopping for the right aesthetics for your safe.

1. Paint – There is a tremendous difference between manufacturers in the quality of paint they use on their safes. Some of the safes have a rough texture, like some of Browning’s safes (This is a good paint), then there is your powder-coated finish, which is good quality. Then, there is my favorite, which is an authentic automotive quality finish! Fort Knox and Vault Pro are great examples of manufacturers that use this automotive paint finish style. This is paint you can buff just like a car, and it will end up exceptional afterward.
2. Decals – Alright, so only some people want decals on their safes. However, many different types of artwork can be added to a safe. Browning has 11 other scenes you can add to your safe, and Liberty has an incredibly modern style of painting you can have on the Lincoln series. Of course, every manufacturer has their own thing, but you want to ensure you get a safe that looks how you want it to.
3. Interior cloth – You probably didn’t even think about the cloth inside your safe? Nope! Well, there are tons of different types out there. Fort Knox is a great example; they have 6 different carpet styles, including 2 carpets and 4 velours. On the other hand, Browning even allows for wood in the back of the safe on their Platinum series safes.
4. Hardware – Gun safes have quite a few different things in their hardware. These are things like the handle, the lock, and the hinges. Some manufacturers allow you to adjust these colors to match the safe’s color or even your home decor. As for the hinges side, Fort Knox has an excellent 2S Crane Hinge you should look into. 
5. Pull handles – Gun safe doors are enormous and crazy heavy. Because a safe gets too heavy, you don’t want to pull that much on the handle itself, so a final pull handle solves that issue! This handle goes on the non-hinge side of the safe and allows you to pull on that instead of the spin handle that can damage the door. Also, they look fantastic; your safe should have one just because of that.
6. Shelving – Many safes come set with how the interior will be put together; however, some manufacturers (mainly USA-made) will allow you to order it in different styles. Regardless of whether you can adjust it, look at the safe interior to see if it will fit your needs. Also, make sure to look into Browning’s Axis interior. It is my personal favorite and is entirely adjustable.
7. Lighting – Have you ever been to a cave? It’s incredibly dark. Now keep that in mind when you are shopping for a safe. They tend to be rather deep, and everything in the back of the safe will be dark and difficult to find. So make sure you have a lighting kit (complete guide here) to help out with that! Strangely enough, some manufacturers can add a mirror in the back to also reflect light there.
8. Door panel – This is also extremely important. You will want the maximum amount of space in your safe, and you don’t want that door to be just unused real estate! You can buy a safe with one built-in, or you can get one aftermarket; it’s up to you.

7. Gun Safe Size and dimensions

Buying a gun safe with the right size and dimensions is incredibly important. You want to buy something other than a gun safe that is too small when you could have bought a bigger one and stored more items. 

You also don’t want to buy a too-big safe that won’t fit where you want it.

I recommend looking at these couple of things to ensure you get the right safe, and also, you should read this article where I go much more in-depth to help you find the right-sized safe.

1. Height – The height of the safe is crucial because you need to make sure it will fit height-wise where you are putting the safe, but also because the taller a safe is, the more storage you will get at the top of the safe.
2. Width – This is where you will get most of your capacity in your safe, so the wider the safe is, the more rifles you can store. However, you want to make sure it isn’t too wide where it won’t fit where you need it.
3. Depth – Most safes are around the same depth; give an inch or two either way. This depth tends to offset the weight of the door so that it doesn’t tip forward, so the larger a safe is, the more depth you will have.
4. Capacity – You are buying a safe to store your rifles and other items, so you want to ensure you purchase a suitable capacity. However, be wary; manufacturers advertise that their safes can handle much more than they can. So if they advertise 40 rifles, you probably will fit 20-25 in it when you account for larger rifles and scopes.
5. Weight – There are quite a few reasons to keep weight in mind. However, the main reasons are moving it and making sure your home can handle the weight of the safe without damaging it.

8. Additional Features when buying a gun safe

Outside of security features like those discussed above, gun safes can come with many features. This may be things like:

• Rhino’s swing-out rack lets you swing 6-13 rifles out of the safe, making it extremely easy to access the rifles and the remaining items.
• Browning’s Axis shelving/DPX Door system – I mentioned this a bit earlier; however, Browning has an excellent interior system that is entirely adjustable. They have also maximized the door space that few others can compete with.
• Mossy Oak’s sliding rack system – These racks slide in and out of the safe and allow for easy but highly dense storage of long guns in the safe. This is perfect for collectors.
• Corner bolts – Some manufacturers have corner bolts that can be added. They basically are those anti-pry tabs times 100.
• Modular assembly – While these safes are not extremely popular yet, modular gun safes are one of my favorites. These safes come in pieces in a crate, so you can put them together one part at a time. This can save you money on moving companies of excellent quality. Here is an article about my favorites.

9. Non-Feature Related things to look for when buying a gun safe

When shopping, things may need to be clarified. Make sure to keep an eye out for the below items.

• Manufacturers are constantly launching new products and discontinuing old products. Make sure to compare their new line with the old one.
• Another great thing to keep an eye out for is a good value on used safes. This has upsides and downsides. Reading this article may help you understand if this is a good idea for your situation.
• Keep an eye on where you are keeping them safe, as the garage may or may not be the best place.

When researching the safe you want to buy, you know everything to look for. Let’s sift through some of the things you shouldn’t listen to. Make sure when you find the gun safe you are looking for to look into the best way to buy it.

Conclusion

In this article, I have helped you understand there is much more to consider when buying a safe gun than the steel thickness. I want to ensure you buy the best safe for your needs.

Remember, you are buying time when you get a gun safe. While most all safes have a place in someone’s home, you must decide for yourself what needs you have and where each of these thoughts fits into your plan for protecting your home.

If you want to learn more about safes, this is a great post where I have links to most questions about different brands, features, and gun safes.