When looking to buy an affordable gun, a future owner will face a controversial question whether the storage should be fireproof or not. On one hand, it makes sense to consider the feature. Fire may happen at any time and a safe owner wants to have a peace of mind that their valuables are protected. On the other hand, cheap fireproof safes provide poor protection from fire but cost more than non fire rated ones. Are fireproof gun safes worth it? In our summary below we`ll try to find the answer to the question as well as to figure out the best budget fireproof gun safe.
Are fireproof safes really fireproof?
To start with, let's analyze what the word “fireproof” implies. It means either non-flammable or able to withstand fire. No fireproof gun safes for sale are non-flammable. However, some of them can withstand fire at specified temperature and only for some period of time. To tell you the truth, if you buy a fireproof storage, you apparently acquire a fire resistant gun safe. Nevertheless, a fire resistant gun safe of good quality will protect your valuables from heat pressure for a while, fumes, and water from a fire extinguisher.
The best fire rating for a gun safe
Speaking about fireproof gun safe ratings, each manufacturer has their own system. But when you see a sticker on a storage which says that it is fireproof, don't believe it immediately. It is important to know that only specialized independent laboratories can identify real fire protection of a safe. We`d recommend choosing safes which are either tested and certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL ) or meet Phoenix ™ Fire Security quality standards. The former gives UL Class 350-1, UL Class 350-2 and UL Class 350-3 certifications whereas the latter offers 6 class system. The higher the class, the higher temperature a gun safe can withstand. For example, Phoenix™ Class I shows a 45 minute fire rating whereas Phoenix™ Class VI means two hour fire rating. If the storage does not have at least one of the certifications, it can be considered as non fire rated gun safe.
Consider To Security
When pursuing a fire resistant safe, don`t forget about security. The main purpose of any safe is to protect the valuables kept inside it from burglars. Here arises the question “How can I buy a safe which will be both fireproof and secure without overspending?” We have a solution for you. Have you ever thought that UL fire rated gun safe can provide a strong protection against pry attacks? We really mean it. As you probably know, UL applies several stages of testing storages for fire resistance. One of the stages includes Fire and Impact Test which also checks the robustness of the storage.
Consider To Size
In addition, it is also important to think about the size of your future storage. If you have one or a few guns, then buy a small fireproof gun safe. Large gun storages which are fire resistant will be quite expensive as they require more steel and fire insulation materials. However, it is worth keeping in mind that a safe should be a little larger than you actually need right now.
Best Fireproof Gun Safe For The Money
Cheap
And lastly, here we are with the most important question, “What is the best price-quality ratio for a fireproof gun safe?” To be honest, a fireproof gun safe under $500 is not worth considering at all. A cheap fireproof gun safe of a normal quality costs from $500 to $1500. However, you need to sacrifice either a beautiful interior design or capacity of the storage or sophisticated locking system or some of the security features for the price.
Affordable Price
An affordable fireproof gun safe which can probably meet all your requirements will cost you from $1,500 to $7,000. A good example of such safe is Champion Crown 65 Gun Safe. It has Phoenix™ Class V Fire Protection, UL® Security Rating, very spacious interior and luxurious exterior design. Not bad, isn't it?
Expensive
However, if you are ready to invest in one of the top fire rated gun safes, you need to have at least $8,000. It will no doubt pay you off. Just take a glance at Browning Pinnacle 65T Gun Safe. There is nothing to compare to it in terms of fire resistance, quality, security, convenience, endurance and capacity. But not everyone has this kind of money laying around. So to help you figure out if the safe you’re considering to buy is good enough for the value of the valuables you’re looking to protect, you can use this Content Value Calculator.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the best cheap fireproof gun safe is the one which meets your personal expectations. Hopefully, considering our analysis of the price-quality ratio, you can choose the storage which you need for the money you have. You can save on size, interior and exterior design, lower fire rating, some additional security features. However, remember the saying about the cheapskate who pays twice, and don't follow their example.
