Long-gun safe
Liberty Centurion 24
14-gauge steel · 40 min fire rating · Keypad
8.7/10Very good$829Nov 13, 2026
Best budget gun safes under $1,500
4 safes and cabinets for long guns at $1,500 or less on Nov 13, 2026, 3 of them under $1,000, ranked with price at 45%.
$829at Liberty Safe, Nov 13, 2026
Check price at Liberty Safe
4 results"Budget" weightsPrices checked Nov 13, 2026
Budget, under $1,500: all 4 in order
Lightweight long-gun storage
SecureIt Fast Box 47D
16-gauge steel · Fingerprint + keypad + key · 60.5 lb
8.9/10Very good$399$479Nov 13, 2026
Long-gun safe
Steelwater Heavy Duty 20
12-gauge steel · 60 min fire rating · Keypad + key
8.3/10Good$1,399Nov 13, 2026
Lightweight long-gun storage
SecureIt Agile 52
Fingerprint + keypad + key · 115 lb
8.1/10Good$699$799Nov 13, 2026
No. 1Best 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)
No. 2Best price
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)
No. 3Best all-rounder
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)
No. 4
SecureIt Agile 52
Best for renters and upstairs bedrooms: six long guns behind a fingerprint lock, in a cabinet two people carry.
- 115 lb per SecureIt's spec table: it goes up a staircase and into a closet
- Fingerprint scanner (30 prints), keypad (3 codes) and 2 override keys
- Six long guns up to 48.25 in, counted with room around each one
The catch: SecureIt's page gives no steel gauge, no fire rating and no UL or DOJ statement for the Agile 52, so three of our criteria score as unstated. A light cabinet resists a child and a casual thief; it is not built to resist tools or heat, and you must bolt it down or it can simply be carried off. The electronic lock is covered for 2 years, not for life. The weight is printed two ways: 115 lb in the spec table, 105 lb in the description.
- Body steel
- Not stated
- Fire rating
- No rating claimed
- Ways to open
- Fingerprint + Keypad + Key
- Approvals stated
- None stated
- Weight
- 115 lb
- Capacity
- 6 long guns (claimed)
4 safes in this table: scroll sideways to see them all
| Safe | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 24 long guns (claimed) | 1 long gun (claimed) | 20 long guns (claimed) | 6 long guns (claimed) |
| Body steel | 14-gauge steel | 16-gauge steel | 12-gauge steel | Not stated |
| Fire rating | 40 min at 1,200°F (brand's claim) | No rating claimed | 60 min at 1,875°F (brand's claim) | No rating claimed |
| Ways to open | Keypad | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key | Keypad + Key | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key |
| Approvals stated | CA DOJ | None stated | CA DOJ | None stated |
| Weight | 375 lb | 60.5 lb | 453 lb | 115 lb |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime | Not stated | Lifetime |
| Sold by | Liberty Safe | SecureIt | Steelwater | SecureIt |
| Where to buy | Check price at Liberty Safe | Check price at SecureIt | Check price at Steelwater | Check price at SecureIt |
✓ marks the best figure of the row. "Not stated" means the seller's page doesn't publish it. Fire ratings and capacities are the brands' own claims. Each safe keeps its one overall score; this page only changes the order. Prices checked November 13, 2026.
What to know before you choose
A cheap gun safe is worth buying; a safe that is cheap because it hides what it is made of is not. So this list has one rule: long-gun storage at $1,500 or less on November 13, 2026, ranked with price at 45%, and every blank on the spec sheet named. Four products qualify, and two of them cost under $1,000.
The Liberty Centurion 24 comes first: $829 for a 375 lb safe with a UL-listed lock, a 40-minute fire claim and Liberty's lifetime warranty. Its body is 14-gauge, and that is the saving. If you can stretch to $1,399, the Steelwater Heavy Duty 20 gives you 12-gauge steel and 60 minutes. The other two are not fire safes at all: the SecureIt Fast Box 47D locks one long gun under a bed for $399, and the SecureIt Agile 52 is a 115 lb cabinet for six. At this price you are choosing which protection to give up, so choose knowingly.
How this ranking is weighted
Every safe keeps its overall score from the public formula. For this page we re-order the eligible safes with the "Budget" weights: price 45%, body steel thickness 15%, fire rating claimed by the brand 10%, lock and ways to open it 10%, and the rest for the other 2 criteria. The full table is on the methodology page.
Head-to-heads between safes of this list: Liberty Centurion 24 vs Steelwater Heavy Duty 20, Liberty Centurion 24 vs SecureIt Agile 52.
Other rankings: best gun safe, biometric gun safe, fireproof gun safe, handgun safe, best rifle safe, american made gun safes, gun safe for apartment.
By Grant Holloway, editor, gun safes · updated November 13, 2026
Budget, under $1,500: questions buyers ask
More answers in our guidesWhat is the best budget gun safe?
The Liberty Centurion 24 (8.7/10) at $829: the lowest price among the full-size safes we compare, with a lifetime warranty.
What is the best gun safe under $1,000?
Among long-gun safes, the Liberty Centurion 24 at $829. The SecureIt Agile 52 ($699) and Fast Box 47D ($399) also qualify, without a fire rating.
Is a cheap gun safe worth it?
Yes, for what it does: a locked steel door stops children and most walk-in theft. Don't expect it to resist tools for long or to protect contents through a long fire.
What do you give up under $1,500?
Steel thickness or fire time, usually both. The Centurion is 14-gauge with 40 minutes; 12-gauge with 60 minutes starts at $1,399.
What is the best gun safe for the money?
If "for the money" means the most stated protection per dollar, the Steelwater Heavy Duty 20; if it means the lowest sound entry price, the Liberty Centurion 24.