You will feel a tremendous amount of peace of mind you find a gun safe that is perfect for your needs. A study carried out by the University of Washington School of Public Health revealed that just 37% of firearm owners lock away their guns in a safe.
Could it be that a lot of people simply haven’t found the model that is right for their needs? It is certainly worth taking some time to look for exactly the gun safe that you need.
Have you been struggling to find one that you feel completely confident about? There are plenty of models out there but narrowing down your options might seem like a tough task. What information do you need to know in order to make a sensible decision in this respect?
Well, one way of getting started is by looking at some reviews of the good gun safes that fit your budget. This Fortress Fireproof 24 gun safe review will cover the strengths and weaknesses of a popular model that might interest you.
Contents
Who Are Fortress?
This company offers a range of affordable safes of different types. They seem to be aimed firmly at those gun owners who want good value and convenience rather than a hugely expensive, professional level safe.
Their site doesn’t include too many details about them. However, their headquarters are based in Grace, Idaho. They have proven to be innovative in the past and now have a number of home security products that might be of interest to you.
These are good-quality safes, so you shouldn’t compare them to the cheap, low-quality models that you might have seen for sale. However, they look more expensive than they really are, as they cost less than the high-end models from premium brands.
This brand provides a range of different security products. As well as gun safes, they also have executive, portable, and personal safes as well as steel ammo cans. According to their site, they also produce gun safes under the Heritage brand.
Fortress Fireproof 24 Gun Safe Review – The Size
As the name suggests, this safe is marketed as having enough room to fit in 24 firearms. However, you may already know that the maximum number of guns stated is usually on the high side on any safe. So, you probably won’t fit 24 in here.
The dimensions listed for this safe are 60 x 26 x 20 inches. In centimeters, that is about 152 x 66 x 50. For many people, this is bigger than they need, of course. You really need to have a collection of firearms to justify buying a big model of this type. It is a big, bulky safe so you will need somewhere to put it too.
Yet, what if you need space for a lot of guns? With any type of safe, it is always best to measure the room that you need rather than simply relying on the stated capacity. Remember that you need to always have enough space so that the firearms aren’t cramped together or difficult to take out.
As with most good gun safes, this Fortress model has adjustable shelves that make it easier for you to organize your collection exactly how you want them to be. Don’t forget that a big safe is also ideal for storing other valuables such as documents and cash in, so even if you don’t fill it with guns it could still come in very useful.
You should also remember that moving this item into place is going to take a bit of hard work. It weighs 332lb, so you will want to get some helping hands to aid you. Ideally, you will be able to get the delivery crew to put it right into its final spot.
What Does It Look Like?
It is important to consider the look of a new gun safe before you buy it. This isn’t just a superficial matter about how nice it appears to be, though. There are other points to take into account as well.
For a start, you will want to see how it fits into your home. This model is a simple, classy looking safe that should fit into most homes without too much fuss. It has a smooth, black finish that makes it easy to combine with many types of furniture and fittings.
If you want to make it a centerpiece of one of your rooms then it is a nice model for this task. It looks sturdy and attractive, so you can show it off to the world without any worries.
Another point to look at is how it looks to any burglars who might plan to force it open. A tough-looking gun safe can help to put off any criminals right away.
There is no doubt that the size and sheer presence of this Fortress Fireproof 24 Gun Safe makes it look tough to open. Few thieves will be keen to try and open this safe unless they a lot of time and some tools that they can use.
The Lock Mechanism
A safe is only as good as its locks. All of the tough walls and sturdy doors in the world count for very little if the locking mechanism is weak. So what can you expect from this Fortress safe?
It uses an electronic lock with a digital keypad. This is by far the most common type of mechanism used on gun safes these days. This is because it is a lot more convenient than using keys, but cheaper than cutting-edge biometric scanners.
The lock also a tamper sensitive alarm on it. This means that you will be alerted is something tries to open it. Just as importantly, you will also find out right away if any children start playing with it.
There are higher-quality locking mechanisms out there, on more expensive safes. However, the quality of this lock is pretty much what you would expect given the price. It certainly does the job of keeping your guns out of harm’s way and difficult for thieves to access, while being easy for you to operate when needed.
The Quality of the Construction
This safe is made out of steel. In keeping with the rest of the specifications, it is neither the toughest nor the weakest gun safe around. Once again, for the price it is sort of the level of quality you should expect.
So, if you want a safe that simply can’t ever be broken into then this isn’t it. A determined, experienced thief with the right tools could get in here after some work. However, the quality of the construction is good enough to put most people’s mind at ease.
Recessed doors and a patented notched bolt certainly help to make it more difficult for someone to pry open. It also comes with a kit that makes it easy for you to bolt down into the floor. If that is enough security for you then this model is fine. If you want a higher level of protection then you will need to pay more for it.
The Interior Space
As mentioned earlier on in this Fortress gun safe review, it is classed as being suitable for 24 guns. Yet, it is likely that you only fit in about half that amount comfortably.
It is nicely laid out inside, it has to be said. A good array of shelving options and containers on the back of the door mean that it shouldn’t take you long to get everything neatly stowed away.
It has a reasonably luxurious feel, thanks to the containers on the door and the carpeted finish. It isn’t one of those safes where you need to buy a lot of accessories just to make it usable.
Having said that, you might feel the need to add an interior light to make it easier to access your firearms in the night.
How Does It Handle a Fire?
One of the big selling points here is that this safe offers a degree of fire resistance. It is worth noting at this point that no safe is going to keep your valuables safe for very long in the event of a fire. At best, they will keep the flames at bay for an hour or so.
This Fortress 24 gun safe gives you 40 minutes of protection from fire at 12000 degrees Fahrenheit. This might not sound like much but it could be the difference that stops your guns or your irreplaceable documents from being completely destroyed.
As with other points covered here, this specification fits it into the middle range of gun safes. There are plenty of them that offer no fire protection at all. More expensive models will tend to offer a little longer than this one, but for the price it is a very decent level of fire protection on offer.
What Is the Warranty Like?
A good warranty is always great to get on any product. It is even more important on a relatively expensive like a gun safe that you expect to last for years without causing you any problems.
In the case of this model, there is a lifetime attack warranty included. This means that you are protected in the event of it being damaged by someone trying to break in. It also covers damage caused by fire.
If either of these things happen then they will repair or replace it for you. Ideally, you will never need to use this warranty. But it is still nice to know that it is there in case you ever have to use it.
How Easy Is It to Install?
Fitting a big, sturdy gun safe is a job that needs a bit of planning. This is why it pays to have the job clear in your head before it is even delivered.
The good news is that there is nothing particularly complicated about this Fortress safe that you need to know about. Apart from the actual task of moving it, the biggest job is that of bolting it down to the floor.
This is standard for any good gun safe, as it is what ensures that thieves can’t just carry it away with them. Therefore, you will want to work out where to put it to make this as easy to do as possible. All of the bolts and other accessories that you need for this are included.
It is then a question of setting up the keypad. Instructions for this step are included and it is easy enough to sort out in just a few minutes.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Great value for money
- Easy to use digital keypad
- Simple to install
- Classic, sleek look
- Reasonable degree of fire protection
- Lifetime warranty in case of attack or fire
Cons
-
There are sturdier gun safes on the market
Overall Thoughts
If you are looking for your first gun safe then this is a very good choice. The low price makes it seem like a no-frill option but there is more to it than that.
40 minutes of fire protection and a lifetime warranty in the case of attack or fire help to make this an attractive package that should help you to sleep more soundly at night from now on.
