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Fire Ratings
   There is no industry standard on fire protection. As such, it is almost impossible to compare a line of safes from one company against another. While I was told there is a UL fire-rating standard, it was written for record-storage safes in commercial applications only.
   Most fire protection being used today in gun safes is made from good old-fashioned gypsum board. That’s right, drywall. It provides a very good level of fire protection by virtue of its construction. Gypsum board contains moisture that, when subjected to temperatures above 262° F, keeps the inside of the safe cool by releasing steam. Most safe companies tout the number of gypsum board layers they are using, but again, take into account the construction of the box, how well it seals and steel thickness. One company’s claim of a 90-minute, 1,200° F rating may be with four layers of gypsum board, while another company may claim a 100-minute, 1,250° F rating with only three.

The Gunsaver from Cannon Safe is a dehumidifier that elevates a safe’s interior temperature by one or two degrees over a room’s ambient temperature, thereby all but eliminating any possibility of condensation.

   Additionally, several companies use proprietary materials for fire protection. Regardless, don’t get too hung up on the number of layers or someone’s claims. Instead, look for a safe verified by a credible independent laboratory, such as ETL Testing Laboratories. ETL is a third-party company that specializes in providing performance verification services—independently verifying manufacturer claims through a series of testing protocols.
   Lastly, be sure the door has a quality fire seal. Many safes are equipped with smoke seals to prevent smoke and chemicals from contaminating your contents, as well as fire seals made out of palusol. When the palusol seal is exposed to temperatures above 212 degrees F, it expands to as much as five times its original thickness. Once expanded, it provides a strong positive seal between the door and body, preventing heat damage to the contents.

Many kits are available to help better organize and store your firearms in a safe. This door panel kit, from Cannon Safe, requires no drilling to mount, comes with six holsters and can be altered easily to help organize interior space.

Locking Mechanisms
   What you lock inside your safe is only as secure as the locking device. There are three types of locks on the market today: keyed, combination and the newest of the technologies, biometric. Keyed locks are the easiest to defeat and you will not find a UL-rated gun safe with a keyed lock.
   Combination locks come in two varieties, mechanical and electronic. Mechanical locks are typically a spinning dial with 100 numerically incremental lines on the dial allowing for up to a million different combinations. Electronic locks are typically a keypad utilizing the numbers 0 to 9. They too must provide for up to a million different combinations to become UL rated. Mechanical locks come in three UL ratings.

UL Group 1—Approved for government use, considered manipulation proof and have withstood 48 hours of active attack.

UL Group 2M—Approved for ATM use and must withstand a minimum of two active hours of manipulation attack.

UL Group 2—Approved for gunsafes.

   The highest-rated mechanical lock is a UL Group 1. Those in this group can even survive attacks by skilled individuals using sophisticated listening equipment. Group 2M-rated locks are approved for use on ATMs and are guaranteed to withstand a minimum of two hours of manipulation by the same skilled individual. UL Group 2 locks found on quality gun safes are rated to withstand a minimum of 15 minutes of manipulation by a skilled individual.
   With the 21st century came electronic locks. They are not susceptible to the same type of manipulation that mechanical locks are. As such, the only rating provided by UL is a Type 1. The last of the new technologies available is biometrics. Biometrics uses the unique physical characteristics all human beings possess to verify identity. Fingerprints, iris scans and DNA are all being utilized in the security field today. Biometric locks utilizing the owner’s fingerprints are typically being offered as an option on many gun safes today. Biometric locks offer a quick means to access your safe and don’t require codes or combinations. Due to the technology involved, biometric locking devices are still evolving, can be expensive and as of yet no standards have been developed by any independent testing authority.
   The bottom line is that you should not buy a gun safe without a UL-rated Group 2 mechanical (or better) lock or Type 1 electronic lock. If you’re a technology fiend, and are bad with remembering combinations, consider a combination electronic/biometric lock, but as with any electronic device they can go south without warning.

Warranties and Accessories
   Warranties say a lot about a company’s confidence in their products. I’ve seen as little as a five-year warranty offered by one company, while others provide lifetime warranties or some variation thereof. Look for a company that will at the very least provide a lifetime warranty for the original owner on fire, burglary and attempts to enter the safe. The better safe companies’ warranties will, upon verification by a police or fire report, pay for a locksmith to come to your home, drill open your safe if necessary, and repair or replace the safe. Again, a safe is probably going to be a one-time purchase for most of us, so make sure you buy from a reputable company that’s been around a while and that thinks enough of its own product to offer this type of warranty.
   Safes come with a whole slew of options. Door pistol storage racks and internal lights are just a couple of necessities, in my opinion. Dehumidifiers, paint jobs, graphics packages, lock options, a choice of interiors and different spinner handles are just a few of the other options available on safes today.

Regardless of the safe you choose, maximizing storage space means getting organized. A variety of companies offer interior racks that will keep those long rifles stowed safely and properly.

Summary
   While it still may be difficult to determine when you’re comparing apples to apples, there are some important things to look for when investing in a gun safe. Look first for a UL Residential Security Container certification. While a TL rating is nice, I only found one gun safe that had a TL rating, and that was American Security. Second, make sure the lock also has a UL Group 2 or Type 1 rating. Digital and biometric systems are cool, but you can anticipate a life expectancy of 10 years from an electronic, while a good quality mechanical will probably last 50 years. Fire ratings may be difficult to compare, but I’m confident most of the safe manufacturers I saw at the SHOT Show were providing quality products. If you really want something to make you sleep better at night, look for the safes that have had independent verification of their fire protection rating. If you live in an urban or suburban area, 30- to 60-minute protection should be just fine. If you live in a rural area, you might want to consider a 90- to 120-minute rating. Lastly, look at warranties. Most likely, you are probably making the only gun-safe purchase of your life. Look for a manufacturer that has been in business for a while and has a lifetime warranty. Better warranties cover break in, attempted break in, fire and locksmith fees where necessary. Some warranties are to the original buyer, while others will transfer.
   Big box stores, shopping malls, outlet centers and sporting goods stores are not where you will find these safes. You will typically have to find a dealer in your area, but shop around. Many times gun shows, online or the local classifieds will provide you with an opportunity for a deal. Also, buy as big as you can afford. I know a lot of people with gun safes, and almost every one of us wishes we had bought a bigger one. Plan on what your needs will be five or 10 years from now, not what your needs are right now. A little knowledge goes a long when it comes to making the kind of safe decision that’ll help you sleep a little easier at night.

From the Ground Up

Building your own house? Have an unfinished basement? Consider building a safe room. Several gun-safe companies make vault doors just for this type of application. Remember, your room is only as secure as its weakest point though. Breaching an adjoining wall could provide easy access to your safe room unless you plan ahead. Solid reinforced concrete walls, floors and ceilings are the best material from which to build a safe room. A more practical and cost-effective method is a poured concrete slab floor, block walls filled with concrete and reinforced with 1/2-inch rebar and topped off with a 1/2-inch steel plate ceiling. Vault doors are equipped with inside-release mechanisms and offer swing-in and swing-out variations.

Sourcebox

American Security Products
(800) 421-6142;
www.amsecusa.com

Browning ProSteel Safes
(800) 333-3288;
www.browning.com

Cannon Safe
(800) 242-1055;
www.cannonsafe.com

Champion Safe
(801) 377-7199;
www.championsafe.com

Ft. Knox Security Products
(800) 821-5216;
www.ftknox.com

La Gard
(310) 325-5670;
www.kaba-mas.com

Liberty Safe and Security Products
(800) 247-5625;
www.libertysafe.com

SentrySafe
(877) 736-8794;
www.sentrysafe.com

Sargent and Greenleaf
(859) 885-9411; www.sargentandgreenleaf.com

Winchester Safe
(817) 561-9095;
www.granitesafe.com