Best Gun Safe Under 2000

By Asad | Updated 3 years ago

Looking for the best gun safe under 2000 dollars. You have just arrived on the right page. We have written a complete guide, from reviewing the best gun safes under this budget to buyer’s guide.

You can use these safes to store not only your guns and accessories but you can also use the valuable solid defense to safeguard your other household items specifically your wife jewelry, documents, data or other significant material you feel is important.

List of best Gun Safe Under 2000

Mesa MBF6032e

If you are looking for security as well as the style then this is beautiful safe to keep in your home. Finishing is top notch and gives great elegant looks. It has won wide applause because of its different and cool design.  Safes are usually not designed keeping in mind the aesthetics, Mesa goes a step further and has done a complete job.

The product is priced higher than from its competitor currently. It is because of the more defense provided by this safe and also because it is from Mesa which is an established brand with great authority. Mesa boasts MBF6032e to be made only from steel. No plastic or hard material is used in construction to cover up the manufacturing cost. MBF6032 is durable and is highly resistant to drills and other breaking techniques.

Mesa claims that you can store up to 30 long guns in this beast. This is a debatable number as the advertised storage capacity is the squeezed in capacity without scope and another add-on. If you want to know the comfortable number of guns you can store in this safe then that would be around 20. Safe is secured by keypad locking by two methods. Firstly, it is backed by drill resistant plate, so thieves cannot punch the lock and get their way in. Secondly, lock is further reinforced by the spring loaded re-locking mechanism. Which locks out the safe it any suspicious activity is done. This makes opening the safe a big headache for a burglar and one of the reasons why it is on this list of best gun safe under 2000 dollars.

The four mounting holes make it extremely difficult to take it off and drag the 665 pounds beast away. Mesa has even tested this model by throwing it from 2 story building and it survived the crash without cracking the sage. MBF6032e can withstand 1750 Fahrenheit temperature. This is significantly higher than the fire rating offered by many competitors. It will hold on to this scorching temperature for up to an hour.

The exterior dimensions are 59 x 32 x 22 inches and internal dimensions are 55 ³/₈ x 28 ½ x 15 ¼ inches.  You must have noticed that some inches are lost, well because its all gone into the steel thick walls made up of 12 gauge steel. But you still get plenty of room to store your valuable in 14 cubic feet of volume. The shelves are removable so you can customise the layout of the interior to match your style of storing the valuables.

Among the problem is the weight. It is quite heavy at 655 pounds, you will not have the freedom to move it around. Make it clear in your mind where you want this placed and have it fixed there. Unless you have the big manpower or some trolley to move it around. Secondly, the outer build is quite beautiful but the inner carpeting is not that professional. If you are planning to store jewelry or other similar valuables then beware of the rough texture. Another problem is the gap in the door which is about half an inch thick. Burglars with some good equipment can use this weakness to break open the door. Also, this gap can let humidity to get into the safe making.

Stack-On E-24-MB-E-S Elite

The E in the name model indicates the Elite Series badge for this model from Stack-On. Made up of high-quality steel Stack-On promises great security with E-24-MB-E-S. Stack-On claims that it can hold up to 24 long guns. We would like to you be realistic and consider that it can only store around 12-15 long guns. If you plan on squeezing in the guns of smaller and longer size then you may reach up to 24. But for comfortable stacking 24 is not a realistic number for the average user.

The external dimensions are 59 x 29.25 x 21.38 and internal dimensions are 56.32 x 24.07 x 16.97. All these dimensions are in height x width x depth order. Notice the depth loses a lot when from outer to inner thickness this is because of the front door thickness. Doors are easiest to crack that is why manufacturers make door heavy and thick. Usually, a door weighs almost 30-40% of the total weight of the safe.

You will not get the same cubic feet space of 14 like the Mesa model reviewed above but this model space is also significant at 13.3 cubic feet. Both are reasonable space and will prove helpful when you go to your arsenal with time. Although there is not much difference in the dimensions of Mesa Stack-on but this unit weight is much lower than the Mesa MBF6032e. It is almost 200 pounds lesser than Mesa. It weighs 442 pounds, this is where Mesa takes lead from Stack-On, as if you read the buyer guide then we explain there that if two models have same dimensions but different weight than more high quality and thicker steel sheets are used in the heavier model.

There is a keypad for unlocking which you can program to your own code. There is drill resistant sheet behind the lock so it won’t be a straightforward task to simply drill in. The 8 locking points comprising of 5 live actions and 3 dead bolts further add into the headache of the burglars. It is a tough nut to crack and will not be a walk in a park for thieves. It can also withstand 30 minutes of intense fire but the fire rating temperature is lower than the Mesa MBF6032e. You will also get pistol holster, document folder and storage bags that you can attach to the inside of the door to create more storage space.

Among the drawback is high gauge steel usage which means that steel is not as high quality if you compare it with Mesa. But if it is compared with the other model in competition it is still reasonable. While the racks are customisable but they are not clearly lined up which makes it difficult to square them again. If you fully fill up the bags, holster and folder then the safe will tilt a little forward. But due to its large pros, we have shortlisted it into this list of best gun safe under 2000 dollars. If you have the much lower budget then you can also try these gun safe options under 500 dollars.

Modular Electronic Lock Fireproof Titan 12

An overall great unit for someone with a budget under 2000 dollars. The budget of this amount ensures quality is a guaranteed. Weight is one of the biggest problems when you are planning to buy a gun safe. All gun safes come in one big piece with some giving the option to detach the door and move it around. This model is unique in a sense that it allows you to disassemble the safe completely into different pieces. Once you are done with relocating the safe you can assemble it again. So the weight of 310 pounds is not actually important when you consider this safe apart from steel gauge.

The safe has the capacity of 13 cubic feet which implies that you can store up to 10-12 guns comfortably in the safe. The exterior dimensions are 59 x 22 x 18 inches (h x w x d). There are adjustable shelves, four in number, allowing to be altered to your desired layout.

Security is maintained by eight chrome steel locking bolts. This keeps the door tightly closed. It has one of the biggest fire ratings we have reviewed. It can withstand the intensive heat of 2300 degree Fahrenheit for up to an hour.  But if you are already living in the home which is safe from fire with proper wiring and equipment then this powerful rating might not be the core decision making factor for you. They have made it resistant to shocks and impacts. Being lighter in weight thieves can throw it form high building but it will be able to absorb shock pressure until few floors thereby make into this list of best gun safe under 2000 dollars.

You will get a six-digit code combination controller which is powered by 9V battery power. You can change the safe code for periodic safety. Because you put in the same passcode each time, it fades out the keypads digit and makes it easier to know what the code combination could be. Therefore, it is necessary to change the code after every few months.

Modular design is the problem itself, it thieves have the right tools then they can disassemble the safe. If they know how to assemble the safe they will find it even easier to do the reverse engineering.  Another problem is the pain to assemble the safe. It is a big thing, although they do provide a user manual in pdf guiding you assemble but still it can be troublesome doing it for the first time. Lastly, the interior racks are made up of very low-quality plywood.

Blue Dot Fire-Resistant Second Amendment Gun Safe

A great gun safe for those who have a budget under 200 dollars. The internal dimensions of the safe are 55.18 x 32.5 x 20 inches which means that you get almost 35.6 cubic inches of spaces to store your valuables. It has massive space to store more than just guns.  The external dimensions are 59 x 28 x 20 inches and have the claimed capacity of 24 rifles, 4 guns holster and 5 ammo pouches. For realistic, comfortable and scratch free guns storage consider the long gun’s storage up to 12-15 guns only.

The fire rating is pretty similar to Mesa And Stack-On but it is lesser than Snapsafe safe which is abnormally very high fire rating. The fire rating is up to an hour. The construction is done by steel rated at 12 gauge that is further coated with black powder to give more strength and durability. The ball bearing and pins of hinges are carefully made out of highly concentrated steel. You can also attach it to the ground with the help of ground anchoring bolts.

The inside is carpeted with grey carpet it means that there will be no scratching between the inner walls and your guns. In addition, you can also put your expensive jewelry and other items which need to be placed into the scratch-free environment. Weight is quite reasonable just under 500 pounds at 482lbs.

Like every other model reviewed in this list, you will get chrome polished keypad and lock. All blue dot safes have a thick drill resistant plate placed behind the electronic keypad. Burglars will have very tough time drilling into the keypad lock. It is a basic requirement to have the spring-loaded relocking device along if someone tries to tamper the electronic lock. This unit is no different and offers the same security backup as other gun safes in this list of best gun safe under 2000 dollars.

Among the problems is the weight which can be difficult to manage. Although it is quite an average weight when you compare it with similar models. Also, you will not be able to anchor it with the wall if you have trouble working drilling your floor.

 Steelwater AMHD593924-blk

The most expensive and bulky safe in this list of best gun safe under 2000 dollars. You can store up to 30 long guns in this massive safe. Like all gun safes basic requirements this safe is also fireproof. It has massive fire resistant time of 2 hours rate at 1875 Fahrenheit. The seal placed on the door expands in case of fire this prevents any heat to get it. In addition, the seal also cuts off any humidity to get inside the safe and corrode anything.

California State has been given approval of nod because of its high-security standard. This also means you will have to pay lower insurance fee if you plan to get gun safe insured. Safe is made out of low gauge steel to resist any kind of drill and pry attempts made by the burglars. It will take a very sophisticated and out of the box thinking for a team of crooks to really open or crack this tough guy.

Life of thieves is made even worse with the gear driven and bolt lock system. It almost becomes impossible to crack open as one layer of safety is reinforced with another one beneath it. Additional security layers give it a prominent place in this list of best guns safe under 2000 dollars. The top section of the safe is spacious enough to hold a big number of scopes and other attachments of your guns. The racks inside are removable and customisable. So if you want to change the layout to create more space to hold your long guns then you can do that as well. Just make sure that you do not cross the limit otherwise you will scratch your guns which is not pleasing to the eyes.

From the weight perspective, it is massive at 700 pounds. This means that high-quality thick steel walls are used in the construction of this gun safe. It has one best steel gauge used in construction give at 9 gauges. No other model reviewed in this list of best gun safe under 2000 dollars has steel gauge as good as this one. Not only the walls but the top shelf is also reinforced with U-Channel steel to prevent any kind of breakage and warping.

The dimensions are 59 x 39 x 24 (h x w x d). The eight-times hard plate protection is spread throughout the safe, it is not just placed in the lock but also behind gear drive, re-locker and other areas which are considered weak when drilled into. It will take 110 A/C power to operate the lock. The front door is extremely thick and holds most of the weight of this safe.

Among the problem is weight it’s quite a lot which makes it nearly impossible to move without any equipment. So keep in mind beforehand where you want to place it permanently on chosen spot otherwise it will become a big problem to move it around. Another problem is the advertised capacity, although it is common with all manufacturers and Steelwater is no different, you cannot store 22 guns in this. Apart from these problems, there is nothing much wrong with this gun safe. It is a safe gun safe to save your important belongings to.

BUYER’ S GUIDE FOR GUN SAFE

When choosing a gun safe you need to consider a number of factors. Apart from knowing what exactly a fancy term means it is also very important to decide it if it is a decision changer. Here are some of the factors that you need to pay attention to.

GUN SAFE LOCK TYPES

Gun safe comes in wide variety of types. But we have done classification for you to discern quickly between some obvious types.

Biometric Gun Safes

As the name indicates it has to do with you. The biometric part in the name means to take your fingerprint as lock opener. It is the quickest way to open the lock of your gun safe. Other locks take time but when it comes to gun safe it is not really a mobile phone that you would open many times in a day. It is something to open once in a week or month. So don’t really give too much importance to this feature.

Keypad Gun Safe

Operating on battery and requires the user to enter a correct code pattern on the keypad to open up the safe. They are less quicker in comparison with the biometric gun safes but are more widely used than biometric locks. It is because they are relatively less vulnerable to damages than fingerprint lock electronic board. But the problem is that with the passage of time, the number on keypad begin to show signs of wear and tear. Crooks would know what numbers are in use and can try out different combinations to guess the correct code.

Dial Gun Safe

Another reliable type of lock and is least linked with malfunctions. It is because there are no chips used that are vulnerable to many types of the gun safe. But they take more time to open up. If you are kind of person who uses safe every day than it can be a problem to open and close such safe every day.

GUN SAFE SIZE TYPES

A gun safe can be categorized into two types when it comes to storage types.

Longer guns gun safes:

This is a type of gun safe we have reviewed in this article. You can store longer guns arranged in a good arrangement in this type of gun safes. Mostly the advertised capacity is not correct and is usually lower than the actual storage capacity. The good news is that if you plan to store smaller items in this gun safe then you can alter the rack and change the layout to cater your need.

Handgun gun safes:

The smaller cubicle style of gun safes. They are designed to hold you smaller guns and their accessories. Few mid-range handgun safes are able to hold long guns as well. But you would have to compromise a lot of space to fit in few long guns in there.

WEIGHT

This is a very important factor when you decide the quality of the gun safe. If two gun safes have the same price but are different in terms of weight then the general rule of thumb is that the one higher is weight is of better quality.

Similarly, if two gun safes have same dimensions and different weight then go for the one which is heavier in weight as well. Conversely, if two safes have same weight and dimensions then look who has fancier inner racks. The one with more inner racks will be lower in quality than the one with lesser heavy inner racks.

SIZE OF GUN SAFE

One problem which is common in all kind of gun safes is the exaggerated capacity told by the manufacturer. The actual capacity is always lower than the advertised capacity. Always consider the actual capacity to be 40 to 50 percent of the capacity claimed by the manufacturer.

When planning to buy gun safe, we would recommend that you should go for the gun safe which is larger in size. It is because that you will build up your gun collection with time and buying another gun safe can prove to be expensive.

BUDGET

Gun safes are available in both used and new form. If you are planning to buy a used unit then get it from a seller which has reliable authority like from Amazon. Buying the US made gun safe inside America will be a better idea. As the gun safes from outside America have to pay the extra shipping price as well. You may not get extra features even you pay the extra price. Tell Me best has provided more details about different gun safes.

Again a pro tip for you, take the gun safe as a one-time investment. Therefore, get a higher end model with more features and protection.

SECURITY

Look for the security feature the gun safes is providing you. Apart from the locks look how heavy is the weight of the gun safe. It also indicates how much steel is used in construction. Apart from that special steel plates are placed to make the gun safe resistible to drilling. As the security features increases, the price tag will also increase.

PORTABILITY

Gun safes are very heavy. They are a big pain if you plan to move them quite often. Decide where you want to place it once and considered that as a fixed location. Some gun safes have the ability to be dissembled into pieces and are easier to move from one place to another. This comes at the price of assembling again which can be a problem. Most of the weight is on the door of a gun safe. You can detach the door and move it around as well. This lowers the weight up to 30 to 40 percent.

FIRE RESISTANCE

350,000 home fire cases are reported in the USA each year. It can happen to anyone and if you placed all your valuable belongings in a poor safe then forget about them. All good gun safe comes with the fire rating. It is the amount of time your safe will be able to withstand the massive scorching heat. It is usually in between 1500 to 1700 Fahrenheit temperature. One gun safe reviewed in this guide has fire rating even above 2000 degree Fahrenheit.

STEEL

Gun safe walls are made up of steel. This factor is linked to the weight of the gun safe. A gun safe higher in weight implies that it has more steel used in it.  Steel used will be expressed in terms of the gauge rating. The best safe reviewed above has 9 gauge steel rating. Lower the gauge reading is stronger or better quality steel is used in the safe construction.

Manufacturers try to use the fancy term to confuse buyers. Specifically, they would use the term front door thickness instead of steel thickness. Front door thickness includes the lock, drywall, inner panel and airspace.

Another problem is the side walls made up of hard rock. Usually, the first layer is made up of steel and the inner is filled with hard rock. This is very commonly used by gun safe makers. Steel increases the cost of the gun safe not only for the manufacturer but also for the buyers.

RELOCKERS

Strong pins are provided so you can attach the gun safe with the ground or to the wall. Another is the spring loaded re-locking system. If somebody tries to crack into your keypad lock then a backup system activates to lock the safe.

LAYOUT

Almost gun safes are able to be customised. This means that you can change the layout of the racks, change height and dimensions. Some guns have more in build compartments that can be changed according to the requirements while others are plain with straightforward 2 racks to divide the safe into three compartments. Such gun safes are a problem if you have small accessories that you want to store in classified areas.

DOOR SEAL

Gun safe doors may have a seal on the door. This is an add-on feature it does not come with most of the gun safes. As there is a gap between the gun safe door and the internal storage. This gap lets humidity to come in and can corrode the metallic items if placed on the side for a long time.

LIGHTING

Considered to be as unrequired feature but you will realize that in low light or emergency conditions it would have been great if there was an internal lighting in the safe. If your gun safe does not have the lighting feature then buy an extra flashlight and place it near the gun safe for emergency usage.

BOLTING

Gun safes can be either bolt to the wall or with the floor. Both are equally good. Floor bolts require you to drill the floor this might cause damage to your floor but the protection is very solid. Wall bolting requires connecting with the wall through bolts. But most homes have wooden walls and they are easier to break. Having both wall and floor bolting can make great safe.

LIABILITY PROTECTION

All states in America have different rules and regulations for guns. These rules also enclose how you protect your guns from being stolen. In case your guns get stolen and are used in a crime then you must present evidence of protection you had which failed. Therefore, check what are the standards for your state and buy safe according to it.

INSURANCE

Many people get their guns insured. Different insurance companies offer different packages for gun insurance. If you have a good secure safe then you will have to pay less insurance in comparison with a safe bought cheaply. Therefore, take safes as a one-time investment and get a high-end gun safe.

HINGES

Hinges may be interior or exterior for the gun safe door. Bother have their own importance. Internal hinges are relatively safer as crooks cannot crack those while exterior hinges are exposed. But hinges are not the sole reason how the door is attached. Lock also keeps the door attached.

External hinges also open up the door to full 180 degrees. External hinges also allow you to easily remove the door and reduce the weight of safe for relocation.

VERDICT

Reading the whole article would have taught you how to choose the best gun safe. All the models reviewed above are spread in terms of budget from mid thousand to almost two thousand dollars.

Just a pro tip, which is already emphasized on in this article is to buy something as a one-time investment. You will build up your number of guns with the passage of time. Especially with enticing deals, your guns portfolio will build up. So buy a safe which offers more capacity than what your current number of guns is.

So stop waiting anymore, get a gun safe and make your valuables secured.