The History of Liberty Safe

Have you ever wondered how a company that started in a tiny storage unit became the top safe manufacturer in the United States?

We’ve been selling Liberty Safes since the year they were founded in 1988. (That’s when we were founded too!) Our founder, David Ballestrasse saw an ad for Liberty Gun Safes in Shot Gun News. He called Jay Crosby that week.

Just a few days later, Mr. Ballestrasse met James Stoddard and Calvin Cole from Liberty at a gun show. He bought every safe they didn’t sell at the show. The next day they delivered those safes and thought they’d never hear from Mr. Ballestrasse again.

Little did they know, NW Safe would become Liberty’s first official dealer and their biggest single dealer in the country. To say we have a history with Liberty Safes is putting it mildly. Our company has grown right along with them from our own humble beginnings as well. Here’s a thorough look at how Liberty Safe has developed over the years and where they are today.

Liberty Safe’s Humble Beginnings

In 1988, an engineer named Jay Crosby founded Liberty Safe. He had previously co-founded another safe company but wanted to start fresh. With just eight employees, they began building safes by hand in a small storage unit. At the time, they produced only six safes a day. 

Their focus was on quality over quantity. People noticed the craftsmanship, and soon, demand grew. Within a year, Liberty Safe moved into a 25,000 square-foot facility in Provo, Utah. 

Rapid Growth and Expansion of Liberty Safe

In 1995, Jay Crosby sold the company to an investor. Under new ownership, Liberty Safe experienced rapid growth, doubling its sales and profitability in less than four years. The company expanded its operations, moving its headquarters to Springville, Utah, and adding a distribution center in Spanish Fork. 

By 2001, Liberty Safe consolidated all operations into a 200,000 square-foot facility in Payson, Utah. This facility later expanded to 300,000 square feet, allowing the company to produce up to 700 safes a day. 

Liberty Gun Safe’s Innovations and Quality

Liberty Safe didn't just grow in size; they also focused on innovation. They introduced several features and manufacturing process that set their safes apart:

• Roll-Form Safe Bodies: Using specialized technology, Liberty Safe creates safes from a single piece of American steel, making them stronger and more secure.

• Fire Protection: Their safes undergo rigorous fire testing, ensuring they can withstand high temperatures and protect valuable contents.

• Military-Style Locking Bars: Instead of traditional round bolts, Liberty Safe uses solid steel locking bars, making it harder for thieves to pry open the safes.

• Robotic Welding: Precision robotic welding in its manufacturing process ensures consistent, high-quality welds. This technology enhances the strength and durability of Liberty safes, providing superior protection against break-ins and fire damage.

These innovations, combined with exceptional customer service, helped Liberty Safe earn a reputation for quality and reliability. Unlike imported safes that often feature suspect construction, Liberty safes are dependable — a fact that’s paramount when you’re protecting you and your loved ones.

Ownership Changes at Liberty Safe

Over the years, Liberty Safe changed ownership multiple times. In 2006, it was acquired by Compass Diversified Holdings. Later, in 2021, Monomoy Capital Partners purchased the company. Despite these changes, Liberty Safe continued to focus on producing high-quality safes in the USA.

Liberty Safe Company Faced Challenges and Controversies

In August 2023, Liberty Safe faced criticism for providing an access code to the FBI during a legal investigation. This incident sparked a debate about customer privacy and law enforcement access. The company faced major blowback from customers, the majority of whom were miss-informed. Many of the details (such as what kind of lock was on the safe) were not being represented correctly.

Ultimately, Liberty updated their customer service policy, allowing customers to choose to expunge their data from the system. As a service to the customer, Liberty securely stores the combination for each factory-installed lock to assist customers who lock themselves out.

On average, Liberty assists 5,000 customers retrieve lost combinations. Expunging your information would ensure Liberty can’t provide your combination to anyone, including you. It would also void your warranty. And, it won’t keep law enforcement from getting into your safe. If they have a warrant, they will cut your safe open, rendering it an ineffective large paperweight.

Liberty’s Commitment to American Manufacturing

Today, Liberty Safe remains committed to American manufacturing. Their facility in Payson, Utah, employs nearly 400 people. They produce a wide range of products, including gun safes, home safes, handgun safes, and vault doors. Their product lines range from entry-level safes, like Centurions, to high-end safes, like the Liberty Magnum 50.

Here at NW Safe, we carry the largest selection of in-stock and ready to deliver Liberty Safes of any dealer in the country. Over the years we’ve sold thousands of Liberty safes and these are some of the most popular currently:

Liberty Safe Centurion 24

The Centurion 24 SMU is our best-selling entry-level gun safe. It holds up to 24 long guns and weighs 375 pounds. Its 14-gauge steel body offers 40 minutes of fire protection.