Liberty Safe Company has announced to retailers that the fire ratings of select gun safes have been increased. This information has yet to be updated on Liberty’s website. But as new shipments have arrived at our Enumclaw warehouse, we’ve seen stronger fire packages for the following models:
- Centurion 24 Deluxe: 40 Min. Fire Rating (previously 30 min.)
- USA 30, 36 & 48: 60 Min. Fire Rating (previously 40 min.)
- Colonial 23, 30 & 50: 75 Min. Fire Rating (previously 60 min.)
- Franklin 25, 40 & 50: 90 Min. Fire Rating (previously 75 min.)
- Premium 20: 90 Min Fire Rating (previously 75 min.)
- Lincoln 25, 40 & 50: 110 Min. Fire Rating (previously 90 min.)
These new fire ratings are reflected on our website in order to provide you the most accurate information possible.
**This post will be updated as we receive more details.
Are Gun Safe Fire Ratings All the Same?
Gun safe fire ratings are not regulated. Manufacturers can list any fire rating they want on any safe, without being required to complete any testing or provide any warranty. Consumers often confuse the U.L. Label they see on a safe’s door with the safe’s fire rating. But if you look closer, you’ll find it’s referencing a U.L. Security Rating which has nothing to do with a fire test.
Even some high-security safes are not tested by an impartial third-party. This is why you’ll see some safe and vault stores claiming to sell fireproof safes when fireproof safes don’t exist. (There’s not a safe known to man that can withstand burning temperatures indefinitely.)
This is why we encourage customers to not just look at the fire rating listed by a manufacturer. You want to also look at the construction details a manufacturer shares. These details include, but are not limited to:
- How many layers of fire insulation were used?
- How is the body welded? Is it fully welded or were stitch or spot welds used? (Fully welded bodies consistently outperform spot and stitch welds.)
- What gauge steel was used?
In an effort to provide the highest level of transparency, Liberty lists these details on a sticker within the door panel of each safe.
Why Are Liberty Fire Rated Gun Safes Superior?
Founded in 1901, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was established by Congress to improve the U.S. industrial’s “measurement infrastructure.” In more than 100 years, NIST has developed hundreds of testing guidelines to promote country-wide standards.
Liberty gun safe’s fire resistance testing is based on NIST guidelines developed to mimic a full-scale house fire. The NIST study showed that the temperature of a typical home fire roared to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit in just minutes.
Among the gun safe manufacturers who perform fire testing, it’s not uncommon for it to take 20-30 minutes for the temperature to rise to 1,200.
Liberty Safe raises the environment to 1,200 degrees within 10 minutes of exposing the safe to fire and keeps it at that temperature for the duration of the test. This ensures their ratings are founded on tests you can trust.
How Gun Safes Offer Fire Protection
Over the past several years, devastating fires have ravaged the West Coast. Our hearts and prayers go out to all those who have been impacted. In an effort to help you and your loved ones be as prepared as possible, we’ve put together a resource guide about steps you can take to protect your valuables at home.