Prices checked Nov 13, 2026
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Prices checked Nov 13, 2026 at each US seller · Official sources · Public scoring method · Our No. 1: Liberty USA 30, 9.3/10Our No. 1: USA 30 · 9.3/10 · prices of Nov 13
Heavy steel vault door with a spoked handle and locking bolts

Best gun safes of 2026, ranked

15 safes scored on dated US prices, steel, fire rating, lock and approvals. Our No. 1 costs $1,969; the cheapest, $170.

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Photo: Jason Dent / Unsplash
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Top picks

All 15, ranked

Prices checked November 13, 2026 at each US seller. Scores come from one public formula; fire ratings are the brands' own figures.

The ranking

15 gun safes, best first

How we score
No. 1Best overall

Liberty USA 30

Best for a family collection of long guns that needs one serious safe for the next twenty years.

  • 12-gauge folded steel frame with three hardened steel plates over the lock, per Liberty
  • "UL-Listed safe body" and a UL-listed electronic lock, both stated on the page
  • 60 minutes of fire protection at 1200°F by Liberty's figures

The catch: It is 565 lb and needs a 24-inch doorway, so the delivery matters as much as the safe, and Liberty prices it at checkout. The page also names the lock two ways: "Securam Toplit" in the security list and "S&G Spartan" in the lock selector. We quote the selector, since that is what you order. And 60 minutes at 1200°F is a gentler test than the 1400°F Winchester and Rhino quote.

Body steel
12-gauge steel
Fire rating
60 min at 1,200°F (brand's claim)
Ways to open
Keypad
Approvals stated
UL listed + CA DOJ
Weight
565 lb
Capacity
30 long guns (claimed)
9.3/10Excellent

$1,969

At Liberty Safe, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at Liberty SafeRead review
No. 2

Winchester Ranger 26

Best for a large mixed collection that needs depth, a stated RSC listing and a replacement guarantee.

  • "U.L. Listed for burglary protection, RSC", stated on the page, and it "Exceeds California DOJ Requirements"
  • 60-minute fire rating at 1400°F, a tougher test temperature than most rivals quote
  • 12 one-inch steel bolts, 7 active and 5 dead, on all four sides of the door

The catch: Returns go through customer service with an approval number, and the policy page prints no window in days, so you don't know your deadline before you buy. It ships within the contiguous United States only. At 594 lb it is the heaviest safe we rank whose weight we could read, and 25 inches of depth will not suit every closet. The 35-gun figure also depends on Winchester's GunStiXX rods.

Body steel
12-gauge steel
Fire rating
60 min at 1,400°F (brand's claim)
Ways to open
Keypad
Approvals stated
UL RSC + CA DOJ
Weight
594 lb
Capacity
35 long guns (claimed)
9.2/10Excellent

$1,899.99

At Winchester Safes, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at Winchester SafesRead review
No. 3

Rhino Kodiak KGXR5933

Best for a large collection that needs room to grow, a stated RSC listing and lights that come on by themselves.

  • "UL Certified RSC / CA DOJ Compliant", stated on Rhino's page
  • "60 Minutes of Fire Protection at 1400°F", with fireboard in the ceiling, walls, floor and door, per Rhino
  • Limited lifetime warranty with free repair or replacement after a burglary or a fire

The catch: Sending it back is expensive: Rhino's policy gives 45 days from the ship date, minus a 20% restocking fee and the shipping both ways. On a $2,449 safe that is close to $500 before freight, so measure twice. The page gives no count of locking bolts and no interior dimensions, and "41 long guns" is the brochure figure. Delivery is curbside, about 2 to 4 weeks out.

Body steel
12-gauge steel
Fire rating
60 min at 1,400°F (brand's claim)
Ways to open
Keypad
Approvals stated
UL RSC + CA DOJ
Weight
536 lb
Capacity
41 long guns (claimed)
9.1/10Excellent

$2,449

At Rhino, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at RhinoRead review
No. 4Best for an apartment

SecureIt Fast Box 47D

Best for one home-defense long gun kept locked under the bed, plus a handgun or two.

  • $399, the lowest price of any long-gun storage on our list
  • Backlit four-button keypad, fingerprint scanner and key override
  • "16-gauge steel and 3-point locking", per SecureIt

The catch: It is a one-gun answer: a single long gun up to 44 inches, flat on a foam pad. SecureIt's FAQ says the Model 47D "should only be used horizontally", so it will not double as an upright locker. Sixteen-gauge steel is thin, there is no fire rating, and the page states no UL or California DOJ approval. At 60.5 lb it must be anchored through its pre-drilled holes, or it can leave with whoever finds it.

Body steel
16-gauge steel
Fire rating
No rating claimed
Ways to open
Fingerprint + Keypad + Key
Approvals stated
None stated
Weight
60.5 lb
Capacity
1 long gun (claimed)
8.9/10Very good

$399$479

At SecureIt, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at SecureItRead review
No. 5Best handgun safe

Barska AX13092 Desk Safe

Best for a desk or the side of a nightstand: one handgun stored upright behind a fingerprint lock.

  • 2 mm steel per Barska's spec table, thicker than most quick-access handgun safes
  • Fingerprint scanner (20 prints), a PIN and 2 backup keys
  • "DOJ Approved: Yes", in Barska's spec table

The catch: The warranty is 1 year, the shortest stated term on our list, and Barska's page gave us no return window. The keypad stores a single PIN, where others store several. Barska's own table says "Fireproof: No". It holds one standard-size handgun and nothing else, the 4 AA batteries are not included, and the page gives no interior dimensions, so check that your handgun fits.

Body steel
2 mm steel
Fire rating
Not fire rated
Ways to open
Fingerprint + Keypad + Key
Approvals stated
CA DOJ
Weight
8.6 lb
Capacity
1 handgun
8.8/10Very good

$299.99

At Barska, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at BarskaRead review
No. 6Best budget long-gun safe

Liberty Centurion 24

Best for a first real safe for a dozen long guns, without spending four figures.

  • $829 on Liberty's store, the lowest price among the full-size safes we compare
  • Transferable lifetime warranty that covers fire damage and attempted break-ins, per Liberty
  • UL-listed S&G Spartan electronic lock, with a relocker behind it

The catch: The body is 14-gauge steel, thinner than the 12-gauge that California's regulatory standard asks of a single-walled gun safe (the standard gives other ways to qualify, and Liberty does state DOJ approval), and the page gives no UL Residential Security Container listing. Liberty's fire figure is also printed two ways on the same page: 40 minutes at 1200°F in the product text, 30 minutes in the comparison table. And "24 long guns" is a brochure count: plan on fewer.

Body steel
14-gauge steel
Fire rating
40 min at 1,200°F (brand's claim)
Ways to open
Keypad
Approvals stated
CA DOJ
Weight
375 lb
Capacity
24 long guns (claimed)
8.7/10Very good

$829

At Liberty Safe, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at Liberty SafeRead review
No. 7

Vaultek 20 Series

Best for a bedside or desk-drawer handgun safe you can open four ways and check from your phone.

  • Four ways to open: fingerprint (80 prints), 5-digit backlit keypad, key and app
  • WiFi alerts from the ViSN app, per Vaultek
  • Anti-pry bars, interior hinges and two anti-impact latches

The catch: Sixteen-gauge steel is about 1.5 mm: fine against hands and a screwdriver's first try, modest against real tools. At 7.2 lb the safe must be cabled or screwed down. The page we read states no California DOJ approval for the 20 Series, the 3 AAA batteries are not included, and the Nano Key fob is sold separately. The cheaper Essential version ($259.99) drops WiFi and stores 20 fingerprints instead of 80.

Body steel
16-gauge steel
Fire rating
No rating claimed
Ways to open
Fingerprint + Keypad + Key + Phone app
Approvals stated
None stated
Weight
7.2 lb
Capacity
Handgun size
8.6/10Very good

$312.99

At Vaultek, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at VaultekRead review
No. 8

Fort Knox Original Pistol Box

Best for anyone who wants a bedside handgun safe with no batteries, no app and a lot of steel.

  • "10-gauge steel body, 3/16 in wrap-around door": the thickest handgun safe we compare
  • Simplex mechanical push-button lock: nothing to charge, nothing to fail electronically
  • Gas strut lifts the lid; concealed continuous hinge

The catch: There is one way in: the push-button code. Fort Knox quotes "over 1000 possible combinations", far fewer than a digital keypad offers, so pick a code that isn't a child's first guess. There is no key, no light inside and no cable; at 22 lb it should be bolted down. The page gives no return window and no California DOJ statement.

Body steel
10-gauge steel
Fire rating
No rating claimed
Ways to open
Push-button mechanical
Approvals stated
None stated
Weight
22 lb
Capacity
Handgun size
8.5/10Very good

$299$345

At Fort Knox, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at Fort KnoxRead review
No. 9

Browning Sporter 23

Best for owners who rank fire protection first and want a branded 12-gauge safe under $1,700.

  • "95 minutes at 1,200°F", per Browning: the longest fire rating of the 15 safes here
  • Solid 12-gauge (7/64 in) steel body and a 1 in formed steel door with an inner plate
  • Door storage for 7 long guns plus pistol pouches, so the interior stays usable

The catch: Two blanks. The spec list describes how the lock is protected (triple-steel hard plates, hardened pins) but not which lock is fitted, and Browning's warranty page gave us no readable term. Delivery is also a real line on the bill: $449 to a main floor or garage, $549 with stairs. And the "UL Listed" line does not say Residential Security Container, so we score it one notch below a stated RSC listing.

Body steel
12-gauge steel
Fire rating
95 min at 1,200°F (brand's claim)
Ways to open
Not stated
Approvals stated
UL listed
Weight
530 lb
Capacity
23 long guns (claimed)
8.4/10Good

$1,649

At Browning, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at BrowningRead review
No. 10

Steelwater Heavy Duty 20

Best for buyers who want 12-gauge steel and a 60-minute fire rating for well under $1,500.

  • 12-gauge steel for $1,399: the cheapest 12-gauge safe on our list
  • "60 minute fire proofing at 1875°F", the highest test temperature any brand here quotes
  • Keypad with a double-bitted bypass key, so a dead battery never locks you out

The catch: The policy pages on steelwatergunsafes.com answered "Access Denied" when we read the site, so the warranty length, the return window and the shipping terms are blanks in our data, and blanks score low. The page claims no UL listing for the body or the lock. At 18 inches deep outside it is also the shallowest full-size safe here: fine for shotguns, tight for scoped rifles.

Body steel
12-gauge steel
Fire rating
60 min at 1,875°F (brand's claim)
Ways to open
Keypad + Key
Approvals stated
CA DOJ
Weight
453 lb
Capacity
20 long guns (claimed)
8.3/10Good

$1,399

At Steelwater, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at SteelwaterRead review
Also ranked

No. 11 to 15

All 15 reviews
Side by side

The top six compared

Open the comparison tool
The six best-scoring gun safes compared
Safe
Liberty USA 309.3/10$1,969 · Nov 13, 2026
Winchester Ranger 269.2/10$1,899.99 · Nov 13, 2026
Rhino Kodiak KGXR59339.1/10$2,449 · Nov 13, 2026
SecureIt Fast Box 47D8.9/10$399 · Nov 13, 2026
Barska AX13092 Desk Safe8.8/10$299.99 · Nov 13, 2026
Liberty Centurion 248.7/10$829 · Nov 13, 2026
Capacity30 long guns (claimed)35 long guns (claimed)41 long guns (claimed)1 long gun (claimed)1 handgun24 long guns (claimed)
Body steel12-gauge steel12-gauge steel12-gauge steel16-gauge steel2 mm steel14-gauge steel
Fire rating60 min at 1,200°F (brand's claim)60 min at 1,400°F (brand's claim)60 min at 1,400°F (brand's claim)No rating claimedNot fire rated40 min at 1,200°F (brand's claim)
Ways to openKeypadKeypadKeypadFingerprint + Keypad + KeyFingerprint + Keypad + KeyKeypad
Approvals statedUL listed + CA DOJUL RSC + CA DOJUL RSC + CA DOJNone statedCA DOJCA DOJ
Weight565 lb594 lb536 lb60.5 lb8.6 lb375 lb
WarrantyLifetimeLifetimeLifetimeLifetime1-yearLifetime
Sold byLiberty SafeWinchester SafesRhinoSecureItBarskaLiberty Safe
Where to buyCheck price at Liberty SafeCheck price at Winchester SafesCheck price at RhinoCheck price at SecureItCheck price at BarskaCheck price at Liberty Safe

✓ marks the best figure of the row. "Not stated" means the seller's page doesn't give it. Fire ratings and capacities are each brand's own claims; capacity is not scored. Prices checked November 13, 2026.

Rankings by

Need

All rankings
Glowing fingerprint pattern on a dark touch sensorBiometric6 fingerprint safes · No. 1: Fast Box 47DLogs burning in a brick fireplaceFire rated7 fire-rated safes · No. 1: Sporter 23Bedside table with a lit lamp in a dark bedroomHandgun and bedside5 handgun safes · No. 1: Barska AX13092Log cabin living room with a lit wood stoveRifles and long guns9 long-gun safes · No. 1: Ranger 26Glass jar full of coins on a dark wooden tableBudget, under $1,5004 budget safes · No. 1: Centurion 24Welder in a mask and gloves welding steel, sparks flyingAmerican made4 American-made safes · No. 1: USA 30Brick apartment buildings with fire escapes on a city streetFor an apartment3 light cabinets · No. 1: Fast Box 47D
Stainless steel keypad with numbered buttons on a brushed metal wall

One formula. 6 criteria. All of it public.

Every safe gets one score out of 10 from what its seller puts in writing. A blank on the page scores low, and claimed gun capacity is not scored at all.

  • Price20%
  • Body steel thickness20%
  • Fire rating claimed by the brand20%
  • Lock and ways to open it10%
  • Published approvals15%
  • Warranty15%
Read how we score
Photo: rc.xyz NFT gallery / Unsplash
Reviews

Latest

All 15 reviews
Handgun safe

Vaultek 20 Series

16-gauge steel · Fingerprint + keypad + key + phone app · 7.2 lb

8.6/10Very good

$312.99Nov 13, 2026

Lightweight long-gun storage

Vaultek RS500i

14-gauge steel · Fingerprint + keypad + key + phone app · 93 lb

7.8/10Fair

$1,699.99Nov 13, 2026

Home workshop with hand tools hanging on a pegboard above a workbench

Two safes in mind? Put them side by side

Price, steel, fire rating, lock, approvals, weight and warranty in one table.

Open the comparison tool15 head-to-heads
Photo: camera obscura / Unsplash

From the guides

Gun safe fire rating: what the minutes really tell youA gun safe fire rating is minutes at a test temperature, usually from the brand, not a lab. How to compare 60 minutes at 1200°F and at 1875°F.Fire · read the guideGun safe dehumidifier: rod, desiccant or nothing?A closed steel safe traps moisture, and rust follows. Heated rod or desiccant: which gun safe dehumidifier fits your safe, and which safes include one.Care · read the guideHow to move a gun safe without wrecking your back or your floorA full-size gun safe weighs 375 to 594 lb. How to measure the route, when to pay for delivery ($449 at Browning), and the safes two people can carry.Delivery · read the guideGun cabinet vs gun safe: which one do you actually need?A gun cabinet is thin steel and a lock; a gun safe adds thick steel, bolts and a fire rating. Weights, prices from $399 and how to choose between them.Compare · read the guideHow much does a gun safe weigh? Real figures for 14 modelsFrom a 3.3 lb travel case to a 594 lb fire safe: the published weight of 14 gun safes, what it means for stairs and floors, and when heavier is better.Sizes · read the guideCalifornia DOJ approved gun safes: what the label meansCalifornia defines a gun safe (12-gauge walls, three half-inch bolts, or a UL RSC listing) and keeps a roster of certified devices. How to check any model.Rules · read the guide
All 6 guides

How to choose a gun safe in 2026

A gun safe has three jobs: keep children and visitors away from firearms, slow down a thief, and give the contents a chance in a house fire. No safe does all three perfectly, and none is fireproof or impossible to open, whatever the brochure says. So we read the US product pages of 15 current safes, from a $170 travel case to a $2,759 vault built to order, noted each price at the seller on November 13, 2026, and scored them with one public formula: price, steel thickness, fire rating, lock, published approvals, and warranty.

Start with what you own. For a collection of rifles and shotguns, a full-size safe in 12-gauge steel with a 60-minute rating is the sensible floor: our No. 1, the Liberty USA 30 ($1,969), puts every claim in writing, and the Liberty Centurion 24 does a lighter version of the job for $829. For one handgun by the bed, a quick-access box is the right tool: the Barska AX13092 leads that group. If you rent or live upstairs, a 500 lb safe is not coming up the stairs, and a light cabinet such as the SecureIt Agile 52 is the honest alternative. One note before the list: fire ratings and capacities are the brands' own figures, quoted as written. Storage laws differ from state to state; nothing here is legal advice.

By Grant Holloway, editor, gun safes · updated November 13, 2026 · 15 safes from 10 brands

Gun safes: questions buyers ask

More answers in our guides
What is the best gun safe in 2026?
On our formula, the Liberty USA 30 (9.3/10): 12-gauge steel, a 60-minute fire rating, a UL-listed body and lock and a lifetime warranty for $1,969 on November 13, 2026. For a handgun, the Barska AX13092 (8.8/10) leads at $299.99.
How much should you spend on a gun safe?
From $170 to $2,759 in our comparison. Under $350 buys a handgun safe; $400 to $850 buys a light cabinet or an entry-level fire-rated safe; $1,400 to $2,500 buys 12-gauge steel with a 60-minute rating or better. See our budget gun safe ranking.
Are gun safes fireproof?
No. A fire rating is a number of minutes at a test temperature, almost always from the brand's own test. Our fireproof gun safe ranking lists each claim as written, from 40 to 95 minutes.
Do you have to bolt down a gun safe?
You should. An unbolted safe can be tipped onto a hand truck or pried on its back, and a small one can be carried away. Every safe we rank is either pre-drilled or supplied with a cable or mounting hardware.
Does the law require a gun safe?
It depends on your state, and sometimes on your city. California, for example, publishes standards for gun safes and a roster of certified devices on the California DOJ website. Check your own state's official pages; this site does not give legal advice.