The key to choosing the right gun safe is considering your particular requirements. Secure firearm storage solutions should provide access to a defense weapon in seconds, protect a valuable antique from environmental hazards, prevent children or intruders from acquiring the guns, and fit inside your chosen storage space.
Here’s what to look for to choose the best gun safe for your needs:
Safe Types
Safes can house long guns, handguns, or a combination of the two. They can be designed to fit under the bed, in walls, in drawers, or in closets. So consider first the number and types of guns you have. You may have to purchase multiple safes to accommodate them.
Safe Capacity
Contrary to popular belief, deciding based on advertised capacity is not how you should choose a gun safe. This is because even though a safe may advertise that it can house 16 long guns, it’s often not clear whether it means 16 rifles with scopes and bipods, or 16 single barrel shotguns with no attachments.
If you’re storing rifles, the advertised capacity also likely won’t take your gun’s scope into account. In other words, use capacity claims as a guideline rather than a hard rule.
Keep in mind also that if quick access is important to you, having all your guns lodged in a too-small space can make it a challenge to easily grab one. You may also have difficulty fitting magazines, extra barrels, lights, holsters, and other accessories with the guns in the safe.
Size/Weight
Gun safe size considerations involve more than how many guns the safe can store. The safe’s size will also impact where you can have it in your home. For example, Steelwater’s Extreme Duty 45 Long Gun Safe is 72” tall and weighs 1,250 pounds — before you ever store a single gun in it. It is very important to consider how you will move your safe into its final position. Whether that is hiring a professional like a safe mover or locksmith, or teaming up with a couple of your buddies to handle the task.
The size of the interior should have enough room to comfortably remove your guns. Generally, 58” of vertical clearance is enough for most long guns, and 36” of horizontal space can accommodate upwards of 12 rifles. The 45 Long Gun Safe, for example, has a generous 67.75” interior height.
Lock Type
Some safes have multiple lock types, while others have one. Make sure you look carefully to ensure the safe has the type you need and that they’re secure. Steelwater safes emphasize this point, using chrome digital keypads with non-volatile memory and a double-bitted emergency bypass key as a backup in case of an outage.
A few common lock types you’ll find include:
Combination Lock
Using a dial or series of buttons, users can select a series of numbers or letters to unlock the safe with a combination lock.
Keypad Lock
An electronic keypad lets the user type in a password or code to provide access.
Key Lock
Safes rarely rely on just a key lock. Usually, these locks are paired with another type of lock for convenience.
Biometric Lock
Biometric locks rely on fingerprints, eye scans, or facial recognition to open them.
Fire Rating
Most fireproof gun safes have a fire rating of at least 30 minutes, while Steelwater’s gun safes are all rated for at least 60 minutes at 1,875 degrees. If you plan on keeping polymer guns or important documents in your safe, the fire rating may be a larger selling point for you.
The fire itself isn’t your only concern, however. The best gun safe for your needs should also be sealed to prevent smoke from entering. That’s why Steelwater uses heat-activated door seals, which keep out both smoke and water in the event of a fire. And since sealing can be an issue for corrosion, they also include dehumidifiers.
Wall Strength
While your average criminal isn’t going to lift a thousand-pound safe out your front door, you can’t necessarily rely on the locks to keep them out. This is why it is important to consider your use case and make sure you purchase a safe that offers the amount of steel you need. For example, a 14ga steel safe like our standard duty models will do a great job keeping the kids away from your firearms and your common burglary attack. However, if you want to buy more time during a planned professional attack, you can step all the way up to our MAX series of safes, feature ¼” steel construction from top to bottom.
Fireproof and theft-resistant safes need stronger walls, which can keep burglars from easily compromising your safe’s door. Steelwater safes use drill resistant hard plates. They also leverage spring-loaded re-locking bolts in case thieves make it through the plates or try and disable the internal lock body.
Legal and Insurance Requirements
When evaluating the best gun safe for your needs, make sure you consider any requirements imposed by the law or your insurer. Depending on where you live, you might need to have a safe that meets Department of Justice guidelines. If you insure your guns, your policy will likely include rules about storage.
Budget
The best gun safe for your needs will also fit your budget. If you’re storing one or two guns, you don’t need a safe with a 45-gun capacity. You may also not care for biometric locks or other cost-adding tech. The cost of the safe should be between 10% and 30% of the replacement values of your guns.
Secure Your Guns With Steelwater Gun Safes
Now that you know how to choose a gun safe, make the right decision for your firearms. With fire ratings up to 2 hours at 1,875 degrees and thick, thief-resistant steel, Steelwater Gun Safes can protect your guns through the toughest challenges. Our safes can accommodate from 16 to 45 long guns. Browse our selection of secure, strong, and durable Max Capacity safes from Steelwater Gun Safes today.