Among the top reasons for purchasing a gun safe for your home are security against theft and safety for children. Also in the top position is protection against fire.
Fire resistance is one of the most important factors to potential gun safe purchasers.
In addition to choosing a safe that will hold the proper number and type of firearms, you also need to think about what other items you might store. Plastic media such as CDs and film negatives are damaged at temperatures as low as 140 F, while paper chars at 400 F. Although metal will not be greatly affected at these temperatures, composite and wooden gun parts can be damaged. At temperatures over 400 F, ammunition can discharge and damage the contents of your safe.
Look at the safe’s UL rating to determine how much protection it will offer. A UL rating of 125 means the internal temperature of the safe will not go above 125 F for the indicated hours. A UL rating of 350 means the internal temperature will not go above 350 F for X number of hours.
Fire safes are rated for half, one, two, and three hours of protection. The average home fire burns for 15 to 30 minutes before responders can put it out. Consider how flammable your home is, how large it is, and how far you are from help. Wooden structures will obviously burn quicker and hotter than those made of masonry. Larger homes may burn longer than smaller ones because of the time and volume of water required to put them out. If you live in a secluded area, it may be some time before the fire department can reach you.
Think about where you will place the safe. Safes are very heavy, and in case of fire, a safe stored on an upper floor may fall through.
Remember that no safe is fire proof, just fire resistant. Consider your requirements and conditions to determine which style and rating of fire safe will suit your needs.