Learn about gun safes, the gun safe industry, ratings, and UL certifications in this video. Security perceptions, not hard facts and genuine certificates, are used to market and sell gun safes. We make every effort to provide accurate and helpful information to make an informed decision based on facts rather than preconceptions and emotions.
UL-listing is the first thing I want you to look at. The majority of gun safes are UL – RSC certified. Manufacturers tout UL certifications as a selling feature, but what exactly does the “RSC” rating imply? The RSC, also known as the “8M10,” is UL-listed and stands for “Residential Security Container.” This does not appear to be very safe and with good cause. This isn’t a gun safe. This grade was designed for a group of products that do not fulfill the UL Certified Safe’s minimal requirements. The RSC Standard was created with low-cost steel cabinets in mind. They must use a pry bar less than 18 inches long and a hammer weighing less than three pounds to restrict entry for five minutes as part of the RSC certification. That is all there is to it. This is a threat level from the 1950s. In less than 5 minutes, modern burglars will break into an RSC-certified gun cabinet with high-powered battery-operated tools. In the video below, I use a Harbor Freight tool to nearly chop the entire side off of an RSC safe in less than 15 minutes.
On thehighroad.org, there’s an excellent article: The distinction between “Safes” and “RSC’s”
These home security containers are marketed as safes. They make them large and hefty, and they spend a lot of time discussing the doors and locking mechanisms. This is done to give you a sense of safety. On the other hand, Thieves disregard the doors and locks and instead cuts a large hole in the side. The unpleasant reality with RSC-certified “gun safes” is that they provide no more security than a standard gun cabinet, and you’re paying for a lot of unnecessary weight and marketing.
Is it true that they are fireproof?
According to the placards, one safe has a 45-minute fire rating, while the other has a 60-minute fire rating. What exactly does that imply? The answer is a little hazy and unknowable. Safe gun makers develop this kind of fire ratings with minimal scrutiny. Every manufacturer has its own set of rules. This is only a sticker in the case of the Chinese safe, and no testing has been done. Safes are certified by UL Laboratories in one of three standard class ratings. UL Class 350-1, UL Class 350-2, and UL Class 350-3 are the three levels of UL certification. Your safe is not fireproof if it does not have a UL Class 350 certification.
I strongly advise you to conduct your study. Several articles have been written on the subject. The data reveals that whether weapons survive a fire in a safe, gun cabinet, or wooden box has less to do with the container’s rating and more to do with how the fire burns. According to UL regulations, RSC containers are being sold and touted as fire-rated gun safes, yet they are not safes at all. They don’t fulfill the minimum safety requirements, and their fire ratings haven’t been independently validated. You’re purchasing a large, weighty cabinet with a sense of security.
Most classic gun safes are built up of a container constructed of 11 to 16 gauge steel lined with plasterboard and carpeted. A 10GA steel container with a steel inner wall filled with a specified material (see image above) is required to acquire a real fire safety rating.
RSC containers employ drywall because it is both heavy and inexpensive.
Despite its inexpensive cost, drywall is an unsuitable material for gun safes. Formaldehyde is used as a dispersion agent in drywall. Formaldehyde is extremely corrosive to steel, nickel, and copper, causing rapid corrosion in a gun. Bacteria can also be found in drywall. A bacteria called Acidithiobacillus can be found in almost all Chinese drywall. It does not affect people; instead, it consumes iron and creates sulfuric acid. When you open the safe door, have you ever noticed a sulfur odor? This is caused by bacteria and formaldehyde consuming the metal in your firearms.
RSC – UL Laboratories will not give residential Security Containers a fire rating since they do not meet the basic fireproof standards. These gun cabinets are made of materials that are harmful to weapons’ long-term health. They’re offered on the premise that storing your guns in a thousand-pound gorilla will keep them safer than storing them in a steel cabinet. The data does not back up their claims about fire resistance and security, and they use materials that promote weapon corrosion.
Traditional safes’ enormous weight and specific bars and locks on the doors are advertised as security features. The Model 52 is a 14-gauge steel gun safe with a proprietary Dedlock locking system. It comes flat and requires eight bolts to put together. This innovative technique has the same rigidity and strength as a welded cabinet.
Its Safe Model 52 is a compact gun cabinet.
Years of expertise producing weapon cabinets and armories for military forces worldwide have gone into the Model 52 Gun Cabinet. In terms of fire and security ratings, we offer no incorrect or inflated claims. Our cabinets are just as secure as any other gun safe available in retailers around the country, but they’re a fraction of the weight.
The Model 52 is a lightweight, lockable cabinet that can safely store six rifles, handguns, and many supplies. Multiple devices can be placed throughout your home to give discreet security and quick access in a crisis.
Every seven years, the average American relocates. The Model 52 gun cabinet is very easy to dismantle and transport. SecureIt has created modern cabinets to fit your modern lifestyle. Things are becoming lighter and easier to use, so you don’t have to carry around a large, heavy safe. Take some chance to teach yourself so you can make an informed decision about weapons storage and avoid ending up with a thousand-pound gorilla in the room.