Top Costco Gun Safe (2023): Cannon Safe+US Made Alternative

Originally Published 11.16.2023 | Last Updated 3.19.2025

The beauty of Costco is not lost on us. Where else can you get a supersized hot dog and pop for just $1.50? A bargain’s a bargain — until it’s not. When it comes to Costco gun safes, it’s important to know just what you’re getting.

Here at NW Safe, we’ve been seeing safes since 1988. We’ve seen the good, bad, and downright now secure. We’ve also experienced first hand the pros and cons of buying a safe from a big box store. In fact, we purchased the Cannon Reliant Costco gun safe we’re reviewing in this article, just so we could give you our honest review.

The Cannon Reliant gun safe was Costco’s featured deal in 2023. Imported from China, the Cannon safe was selling for $799.99 at the time of purchase. That’s not too shabby of a price for a 30 gun capacity safe. But before you assume your favorite bulk discount store is always the best bang for your buck, we’re sharing a side-by-side comparison to an American-made Costco gun safe alternative at the time of purchase.

Costco’s Cannon Reliant Gun Safe vs. An American-Made Centurion 24 SMU Flag

We know when you’re shopping for a big-ticket item money is a factor. That’s why whenever we present alternatives, we look at something in a similar size for a similar price point. In this case, the best U.S. made alternative to a Cannon Relian gun safe is the Centurion 24 SMU Flag.

We’re going to dive deeper into how these two safes match up, but for a quick overview, we put together the following table.

Cannon Gun Safes Are Imported from China

Costco’s Cannon Reliant gun safe is imported from Mexico. The Centurion 24 SMU is built in Payson, Utah by an American-owned and operated company. Liberty Safe has been the industry leader for more than a decade in producing high-quality consumer gun safes at the most affordable price point. That remains true today.

What to Consider When Comparing a Cannon Gun Safe Fire Rating to a Centurion 24

One of the important things to know about gun safe fire ratings is that they are unregulated. Manufacturers perform their own testing and assign their own ratings.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a full-scale house fire will reach 1200 degrees within moments of ignition. To provide a reliable fire rating, safe manufacturers should raise their furnace temperature to 1200 degrees within minutes of ignition.

Liberty Safe ramps their furnace up to 1200 degrees within 10 minutes of ignition and maintains that temperature throughout the duration of the testing.

Other safe manufacturers will often slowly increase the temperature of their furnace over a 20-30 minute period — skewing their results.

Cannon Reliant Gun Safes Don’t Have U.L.-Certified Locks

The Cannon Reliant gun safe has an non-UL listed solenoid style lock with a key bypass — which is easy to bypass and open the safe.

The Centurion 24 SMU comes standard with a U.L. listed electronic lock. (An optional U.L. listed dial lock upgrade is available. Our in-house master gun safe technician can also replace the lock with any full-featured U.L. listed lock of your choice.)

Underwriters Laboratory is an independent and unbiased third-party testing agency. In order to earn a U.L. listing, locks must have two components:

1. Solenoid Plunger

U.L. listed locks are designed with a lock bolt that blocks the safe’s locking mechanism. This heavy-duty design makes it exponentially more difficult for a thief to break into your safe compared to less expensive locks that use a plunger.

2. U.L. Magic Module Footprint

The U.L. Magic Module Footprint is a standard template recognized by the gun safe industry. Locks made to fit this template can quickly, affordably, and securely be interchanged from safe to safe.

Top U.L. Listed Locks

• Biometric: Securam Scanlogic

• Keypad: Secuream ProLogic L01

• Keypad: Sargent and Greenleaf

• Mechanical: Sargent and Greenleaf 6741

• Mechanical: Sargent and Greenleaf 6730

Learn more about the three different types of gun safe locks: biometric locks, keypad locks, and mechanical locks.

Costco Doesn’t Offer Full-Service Installation

Depending on the safe, Costco’s delivery ranges from ‘Curbside Delivery’ to ‘Ground Floor Delivery Only (installation NOT included)’ Curbside delivery literally means the safe will be left on the ground outside your home.

For the Cannon Reliant safe in question, ground floor delivery is provided. As we have personally witnessed, this means the safe is carried into your home, with the box still on, and set down in roughly the location you would like. This does not include:

• Covering any doors to prevent damage

• Covering any floors to prevent damage

• Moving the safe into the exact location (such as tucked into a corner)

• Unboxing the safe to inspect it for damage

• Bolting the safe to the ground to offer increased security and prevent tipping

• Offering any explanation on how the safe works and how to properly maintain your safe

NW Safe offers full-service delivery and installation. Our in-house delivery crew has the expertise and the skills to move and install your gun safe exactly where you want. Second-story install? We handle those regularly. Up a winding staircase? We’ve done that too. Maneuvering a safe through a second-story balcony? Yep, we have you covered. Learn more about our full-service installation.

Did you buy a safe with curbside delivery or ground floor installation? Not sure what to do now? We can come get your safe installed exactly where you want it.

NOTE: Costs mentioned in the video and throughout the article were based on the cost at the original publish date. All costs and availability of these safes is subject to change. As of the last update, Costco is no longer selling the Cannon Reliant. The closest comparable Costco gun safe is the Bighorn SafeX