For anyone who owns a firearm, there are three issues that should be of major concern. First of all is the issue of security. In fact, anyone who watches or reads the news these days is undoubtedly aware of the rising trend in criminal activity facilitated by the illegal use of firearms. In addition, there seems to be an alarming increase in the number of children who abscond with their parent’s firearms and then take them to school for whatever reason.
Second is the issue of damage to valuable and/or rare firearms due to excessive heat caused by house fires. Last, if you live in a humid environment, there is the issue of damage caused by corrosion due to excessive moisture in the air.
Fortunately, purchasing a quality long gun safe for the money can alleviate the worries caused by all three of these issues. Therefore, the purpose of this post is to provide you with pertinent and valuable reviews of the Best long gun safe for the money that will allow you to make an informed decision when purchasing a long gun safe to protect your firearms from unauthorized access, damage from fire, and damage from environmental conditions.
Why you should invest in a safe for your long guns
When most people think of long gun safes, their mind first and foremost turns to the issue of security. Consequently, a properly constructed long gun safe should be impervious to attack from criminals intent on stealing your firearms. In addition, it should be secure enough to prevent children from gaining unauthorized access to your firearms. Therefore, a properly constructed long gun safe should be made from heavy gauge steel, have a secure locking mechanism, and be heavy enough to prevent easy removal and/or have the ability to be bolted directly to the floor or wall where it is placed.
Consequently, modern long gun safes are available with several different types of locking mechanisms such as mechanical dial locking mechanisms, and electronic keypad locking mechanisms, and biometric locking mechanisms and each type of lock has its own advantages and disadvantages. Last, the door of the safe should be constructed in such a manner that it prevents the application of force from allowing it to be pried open.
Although, no one likes to contemplate the idea of their house catching on fire and the subsequent damage that would be caused to their valuable and/or rare firearms due to the excessive heat caused by such an unsavory event, unfortunately, all too often such events do occur. Therefore, having your firearms stored in a properly constructed and fireproofed gun safe can provide them with the protection that they need. Consequently, in addition to heavy duty construction, a properly constructed gun safe should incorporate a thick layer of heat resistant material within its walls. Also, it is important to note that the thickness of this heat resistant material determines the temperature rating and the duration at that temperature that the safe is able to withstand. Therefore, when purchasing a gun safe, it is wise to spend some time contemplating the issue of balancing the temperature and duration rating that you feel is best for you against the added cost of purchasing a safe with a higher rating.
In addition, for those of you who live in humid environments, corrosion on your firearms due to excessive moisture in the air is a major concern. Thus, in order to reduce the time spent in maintaining your firearms against corrosion, a properly constructed gun safe can create a miniature environment in which proper atmospheric conditions can be maintained in order to reduce or eliminate the problem of corrosion on non-stainless steel firearms.
Therefore, when purchasing a long gun safe, some of the features you should consider are the physical size of the safe to make certain that it will fit within your available space, the number of firearms the safe will hold, the construction of the safe and the quality of both the design and the materials used in its construction, the temperature rating and the duration at that temperature, the type of lock the safe has, and the warranty. Also, you want to make certain that you purchase a well known, brand name, safe with a sound reputation and a history of providing excellent customer service. Consequently, although there are many fine manufactures of quality gun safes on the market today, finding comprehensive gun safe reviews can sometimes be difficult to find.
Best long gun safe for the money
Out of all the long gun safes that I have looked up, it’s hard to say there is one clear cut winner. Honestly, it is going to come down to which gun safe is the best for YOU. Below I’ve picked 4 best long gun safes for the money that are very solid choices and are for different users.
American Security BF6030 (Amsec BF6039)
The BF Series from American Security is one of the most sought-after high-end long gun safes on the market. I’ve chosen the BF6030 because it is not only of very high quality, being it’s from Amsec, but also because it is reasonably priced for the features that it provides. It has a 30 long gun capacity and it provides 90 minute fire protection for fires up to 1275 Degrees, and this is backed by Mercury ratings. It has a total wall thickness of 7 gauge which is far and above most safes on the market that only provide normally 10-14 gauge wall thickness. Then you combine the PDO which adds even more storage space to your gun safe, it becomes a storage unit for ammo and pistols as well.
Security features included on this model include a U.L. Listed Group II Lock with two relocking devices, spy-proof key-locking dial with a five-spoke handle, and 11 1 1/2″ chrome-plated bolts.
All in all this safe will provide the security you need to provide protection for your investments. It offers superior wall thickness, a high fire rating, and a Group II lock for a very reasonable price. If you’re serious about guns and gun safety, this is the way to go.
Browning BR16 Gun Safe (Browning BR16)
The Browning BR16, from the Bronze line of Browning gun safes, is a 12-gauge steel body safe with a fire rating of 60 minutes @ 1200 Degrees Farenheit. The company calls it it’s value line safe, but this safe still comes with plenty of great features including a Group II lock with key lock dial, pry-stop end bolts, fully reinforced integrated door frame, and a full DPX storage system allowing you to get even more bang for your buck on this safe.
The DPX storage system allows for long gun storage on the door backside as well as various pouches and pockets to store either gun clips, or other smaller valuables. In addition, it has two handgun loops to store handguns along side your long gun rifles.
Security features include a Force Deflector locking system, hardened steel pin lock protection, and the previously mentioned Group II lock. That means it will be pretty difficult for most run of the mill burglars to get those guns! More importantly, it will keep children from inadvertently getting into your firearms and causing potential harm upon themselves or others. The fire rating is pretty much standard for most safes in this category.
So, while Browning categorizes this safe as the top end of their value series, you can see it has many good security features to keep both burglars and children out of your safe while also keeping your valuables, both guns and other smaller items, safe from fire. The DPX storage system allows you to use this safe as more than just a gun safe, but also to store smaller valuables such as jewelry. If you’re looking to upgrade because of an expanding collection, or just looking to the future with the thought you may expand your collection, this is a good option for you.
Stack-On SS-16-MB-E 16 Gun Security Safe
For those gun enthusiasts who may just be starting off in the gun collection scene, you may not want all the flare and fluff that some of the mid and upper tiered safes offer. With that being said, you are still going to want your guns safe and out of the reach of burglars and other unwanted hands. For that, I would suggest an entry level safe such as the SS-16-MB-E from Stack-On. While Stack-On may not offer all of the add-ons like company such as Browning or Amsec, it can still offer enough security and storage for those that may not be quite as hard core about collecting.
This SS-16-MB-E 16 long gun safe comes with 16 long gun capacity, a removable interior shelf, and a hunter green matte finish with an electronic lock. Compared to the other two safes listed above, this is a fairly big safe with dimensions of 22 x 23 x 56.3 inches and only weights 168 pounds.
As for security, there is a 2-way lock with 3 1″ steel locking bolts and 2 dead bolts, and it also comes with a 6 locking points, drill resistant lock with a hardened steel plate to prove extra security. Like many entry level safes, there is no true fire resistance rating for the SS-16-MB-E 16.
If you’re wanting just a pistol gun safe with all the bells and whistles, and a top end fire rating, then this is not for you. But, if you are looking for a good solid safe to store your long guns collection, then look no further than this Stack-On gun safe. It will keep your long guns safe from burglars and children and provide enough storage for your small collection.
Steelwater AMHD593924 Long gun safe
When it comes to choosing the ideal long gun safe, size is a factor that should definitely be taken into account. In regards to the Steelwater AMHD593924, this is a gun safe that will most likely be kept in someone’s garage or attic; two locations which offer a significant amount of space to store a gun safe of this one’s size. Being that the safe is able to hold up to 39 long rifles, it is ideal for a gun owner whose collection is expected to continue growing in number.
4-gauge steel composes the thickness of the door, along with the thickness of the body of the safe. The safe’s exterior dimensions are 59″ x 39″ x 24″ it weighs in at 925 lbs, making it practically impossible for a thief to drag away from one’s house.
The Steelwater AMHD593924 has a UL certification for burglary protection of RSC, or Residential Security Container, meaning that it is designed for household use and can withstand a maximum of five minutes of thorough chiseling, drilling, and general tampering done in order to break inside of it. Drill/ballistic resistant hard plate that is 8x’s larger and protects the combination lock, re-locker, gear drive and linkages. Gear driven lock and bolt system for added strength against prying, punching, and drill attacks. All in all, there is no doubt that the Steelwater AMHD593924 gun safe is one of the best long gun safe for the money
Final Thoughts
So, if you are a long gun owner who does not presently own a high quality long gun safe in which to store your valuable and/or rare firearms, you owe it to yourself and your community to check out the many fine manufactures of quality gun safes available. Not only will the added security of owning a gun safe provide you with peace of mind knowing that your firearms are safely secured from theft by criminals and unauthorized access by children, they will also be protected from damage in the event of a house fire. Plus, for those of you who own non-stainless steel firearms, the micro environment that can be maintained inside of quality long gun safe will help to protect those firearms from damage due to corrosion that inevitably comes with living in a humid environment. Please make sure you do your due diligence and check gun safe reviews to make sure you’re purchasing the correct safe for you.