20 Best Gun Safes for Any Budget [2021]

Bryan Hill / May 26 2021

You can't always carry your pistol, especially if you own more than one. How will you store it? How often do you have children in the home?

Did you know most "gun safes" are cheaply made, and easy to bypass in seconds?

We'll cover the truth about most "gun safes" on the market, your options, and how to choose the best safe for your security needs and budget.

On this Page:

1. The Hard Truth about Gun Safes
2. What about High-Security Safes?
3. The Middle Ground
4. What's Right for Me?

The Hard Truth about Gun Safes

Most gun safes are trivial to force open, especially the cheap ones. Such safes have videos on YouTube showing how.

There are many more videos like that, with instructions and the make and model of the safe. Gun safes are no exception.

The cheaper the safe, the more likely anyone could be a Google search and a few seconds away from opening your safe.

The safes we recommend have been tested by security professionals like handgunsaferesearch.com and have no known bypasses. Someone could still get in with enough time and tools, but they won't break in with a few seconds and a magnet, paper clip, etc.

What about High-Security Safes?

How do we tell which safes are high-security, and what does it really mean?

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is a global independent safety science company that tests safes. Their ratings are the industry standard. They come in two main types:

• UL Residential Security Container (RSC)
  
• UL Tool-resistant Safe (TL)
  

If a safe doesn't have a label like the above, it's designed more to slow down children and opportunistic thieves than career criminals.

UL Residential Security Container (RSC) Certs

These come in three levels:

• UL RSC Listed, or RSC-I: It takes a net working time (NWT) of at least 5 minutes for one person to break in through the safe door with common tools:
  
  It doesn't test many real-world attacks.
  
• UL RSC-II: A NWT of at least 10 min. for 2 people to break in through the safe door with more powerful, real-world tools:
  
  
• UL RSC-III: A NWT of at least 10 min. for 2 people to break in with any power tool.

There's a huge gap in the security of UL RSC and RSC-2. The prices reflect that.

UL Tool Resistant Safe (TL) Certs

Law enforcement, jewelry stores, and other professionals use UL TL safes. They come in many levels. Some general patterns:

• UL TL-X: Rates the NWT for career criminals armed with modern power tools to break in through the door. TL-15 is 15 minutes, TL-30 is 30, etc.
  
• TL-Xx6: Like TL-X, but tests every side of the safe, not just the front door. TL-15x6 is 15 minutes, TL-30x6 is 30, etc.
  
• TLTR-X: As TL-X, but resists plasma torches as well. TLTR-30 is 30 minutes, etc.

Some examples: ^{Sources: https://www.ul.com/news/residential-security-container-standard-revised
http://www.acmelocksmith.com/documents/LevelII-RSC-1-Sheet.pdf
http://www.graffundersafes.com/ratings/
https://gunsafereviewsguy.com/articles/myths-about-gun-safe-theft-protection/2/#myth-gun-safes-are-safes
https://www.safeandvaultstore.com/pages/burglary-ratings/
https://www.libertysafe.com/images/downloads/channel/liberty-safe-what-do-safe-ratings-mean.pdf}

"UL-listed" is not "UL Certified". If a safe lacks a UL TL-15 Cert or better, burglars can probably get in with cheap power tools or long pry bars in under 5 minutes:
A reasonable security budget is 10-30% of the valuables. What if you own less than $1,000 worth of guns? That's just $100-300. Any safe under $3,700 doesn't come close to real security. What do you do?

The Middle Ground

Here are some options for someone with just a few guns.

Quick-Access Safes

These will keep kids out, and offer speed of access.

Pros

• Small, like a purse.
• Not too heavy (10-25 lb.).
• Takes 3 seconds or less to open.
• Ideal for a nightstand or desk.

Cons

• Cost ($205+).
• Can only hold one gun.
• Can be too small for larger pistols.
• Won't slow down criminals.

Industrial Tool Box

These don't have a security rating, but offer some protection if bolted down.

Pros

• Looks like a toolbox, not a safe full of valuables.
• Moderate weight (100-130 lb.) takes 1-2 people to move.
• Ideal for renters or homeowners on a budget.

Cons

• Cost ($420+).
• No fire protection.
• Heavy (97+ lb). Can take 1-2 people to move.
• Needs a padlock to lock it.

Storage Safes

These aren't quick to get into, or easy to transport, but they're more secure.

Pros

• Much tougher for burlgars to open or take if bolted down.
• Can protect against fire (somewhat).
• Ideal for homeowners.

Cons

• Cost ($1,100+).
• Heavy (500+ lb). Can take several people to move.
• Bulky, like a person. Won't fit everywhere in a home.

Modular Safes

Like storage safes, but can be disassembled and reassembled.

Pros

• Tougher for burlgars to take if bolted down.
• Disassembled, each piece can be moved by 1-2 people.
• Can be assembled inside a room impossible to get a normal safe in.
• Ideal for renters and homeowners.

Cons

• Cost ($700+).
• No real protection against modern burglar tools.
• Little or no fire protection.
• Bulky, like a person. Won't fit everywhere in a home.

No matter what you choose, bolt it down. Why?

A burglar's first move is to push the safe flat on the ground. From there, it's much easier to cut or pry open. Watch two guys get into an RSC-I safe in under 2 minutes. Had it been bolted down, it would have stopped them for much longer.

If burglars can't open it right away, they'll take it away. They don't care about destroying your home to get what they want. They'll throw your safe down the stairs and through a wall if that's what it takes. Once they get away with your safe, it doesn't matter if it's a TL-60: They have all the time they need to get it open.

For heavier safes, bolting down is also a safety feature: Up to half of a safe's weight is in its door. When you open it, it may tip forward and crush you unless it's bolted down.

How do you bolt it down? See our guide: How to Bolt down Gun Safes

What's Right for Me?

We've handpicked the best safes for you.

1. Quick Access Safes
2. Storage Safes

Quick Access Safes

Quick safes trade security for convenience and speed of access. They do not protect against house fires, and are easy to force open if they're not bolted down.

They come in 3 main types:

1. Versatile
2. Large
3. Desk-mounted
4. Travel

Versatile

These can be mounted in the most places.

Large

These are the largest among quick-access safes. They can fit a full-size pistol and accesssories, or a few smaller pistols.

Desk-Mounted

Made to be mounted out of sight under an office desk, counter, or work bench.

Travel

Lightweight and easy to carry, these are for some security while traveling with family.

Storage Safes

Storage safes can hold much more, but take too long to access in response to a home invasion, offer little to no fire protection, and cost a huge amount to get a UL safety rating. No matter the security rating, bolting down the safe will make it far more secure.

They come in various types types:

1. No Security Rating
2. Modular
3. UL RSC-I
4. UL RSC-II
5. UL TL-15
6. UL TL-30x6

No Security Rating

These will keep out children and honest people. Must be bolted down to have any security value whatsoever.

Modular

Can be broken down into several pieces for easier transport, and for assembling them in a room that normal safes couldn't fit in. Must be bolted down to have any security value whatsoever.

UL RSC-I

These will stop one person with common hand tools for 5 minutes. Must be bolted down to have any security value whatsoever.

UL RSC-II

These will stop two people with common power tools for 10 minutes. Must be bolted down to have any security value whatsoever.

UL TL-15

These will stop two people with power tools from getting through the door for 15 minutes. Not rated for the other sides. Bolting it down adds major security value.

UL TL-30x6

These will stop two people with power tools from getting through any side of the safe for 30 minutes. Bolting it down adds major security value.

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