Top Field and Stream Gun Safe Reviews
Field and Stream is one of the largest outdoor sporting good stores in the country and offer a huge variety of products from all different brands in addition to the Field & Stream name. Since their humble beginnings in 1871, they have expanded their stores across the eastern side of the country offering 15 different locations. In addition to their physical locations, Field & Stream has an even bigger online store that offers a huge variety of every outdoor product that you could possible want.
You may be surprised when you see the cost of the Field & Stream safes as they are much more affordable than other manufactures. Field & Stream’s forte is affordability and value, not security and protection. I personally find these safes to be a great option if the items you’ll be storing are not high in value and if high security and fire protection isn’t necessarily a high priority. However, if you are looking for something to keep your very expensive, sentimental items safe, I would recommend considering some of the other great brands with higher levels of security and protection.
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Field and Stream Reviews
It is very important that you be completely thorough when reviewing the different types of safes and features from the different manufacturers. Otherwise, you may end up purchasing a safe that wasn’t quite right for you situation. To make this easier for you I have narrowed it down to 6 specific review categories that I look for in each and every safe, the first being the fire protection rating.
Fire protection plays a key role in the safety of your valuables and is often times overlooked. It is possible to recover your stolen items from a burglar, but not a fire. I always recommend a minimum of 60 minutes of fire protection in any situation. The Field & Stream brand only offers 30 minutes of fire protection so it’s not that great of an idea to store expensive or irreplaceable items.
Another thing to consider is the safes capacity and size. It is imperative that you choose a safe that you can grow into, not grow out of. A common mistake is looking at your current setup and buying a safe that is the perfect fit for now and now later. You’ll soon have a case of buyer’s remorse once you get that new gun you’ve been wanting and find that you’ve already maxed out the capacity of your safe.
How secure does your safe need to be? Well, there is no such thing as too much security, especially when you can’t really put a price on your valuables and keepsakes. Field & Stream is an entry-level safe manufacturer so their safes tend to be on the low side of security. I would be weary of storing anything of extreme value. Anything is better than nothing, right? Wrong. Putting all of your valuables in one convenient spot is great for any burglar and if you have a low security safe, in a matter of minutes the intruder can gain access and be out of their quicker than going through all of your drawers and hiding spots.
The lock type of your safe will help determine how quickly you will be able to access your safe in the event of an emergency. A dial combination lock can take some time, especially when compared to a quick 4 digit electronic keypad. Depending on the model you choose, Field & Stream offers key lock, dial combination locks as well as the electronic keypad lock, which is what I recommend.
Even though Field & Stream safes are budget friendly safe, they still offer aesthetically pleasing units and also includes some nice interior features, especially on the Sportsman Pro series. More commonly now than ever, full-sized safes are becoming a piece of furniture in living rooms and game rooms so it is important to have something that looks good.
A warranty is another important thing to look for in a safe. You’ll commonly find that I write about the warranty information at the end of my reviews. Most manufacturers provide some type of lifetime warranty in addition to a short-term warranty that covers things like the lock and finish.
Sportsman
The Sportsman series is an entry-level full-sized safe from Field & Stream. This is a great option if you’re looking for an affordable way to keep your valuables and guns safe from intruders and of reach from children. You’ll find that the Field & Stream models are a fraction of the price of other safes similar in size; this makes it perfect for any sized budget. The Sportsman comes in 3 different size options: The Sportsman 10, which measures in at 55” x 19” x 15.25” is the smallest of the series and holds about 10 guns. The mid-sized model, the Sportsman 16, holds about 16 guns and measures in at 55” x 24” x 20.25. The largest of the series is the Sportsman 24, this model holds about 24 long-guns and measures in at 55” x 29” x 20.25”. With budget friendly prices like these, there is no reason jump for the largest size they offer.
This safe is ETL verified for 30 minutes of fire protection at 1400°F. I know this is 30 minutes below my recommendation of 60 minutes, but you really can’t complain at this price. If you’re considering the Sportsman series I would highly suggest storing it in a more fire-retardant location like a garage or basement. This is really the only way to combat the lower fire resistance rating. If you are planning on storing anything of high value, I would recommend checking out some of the other brands that offer a higher fire protection rating.
The Sportsman series includes a variety of security features that aid in the prevention of drilling and prying. The door of the safe is recessed and held tight against the body by the use of 1” steel bolts that cover 2 of the 4 sides of the safes door. Also included is a hardened still plate that is located behind the lock to prevent the safe from drilling. These are great security features to have in a safe, but I would still give this safe a low security rating. Like I said earlier, Field & Stream’s main concern is affordability and value, not security and protection. If you are looking for a safe to store high priced valuables in, I would strongly suggest taking a look at other brands that offer a higher security rating.
The Sportsman exterior comes in a matte black pebble finish with the logo and stripes right on the front of the door. The interior of the safe is gray carpeting and has adjustable shelving and barrel rests for added convenience and storage of guns, accessories and valuables.
Field & Stream a limited lifetime repair or replacement warranty that covers your safe from damage due to theft or fire to the original purchaser. In addition, they also include a 5-year warranty that covers your safe from defects in the materials and workmanship.
Sportsman Pro
The Sportsman Pro series is top of the line safe from Field & Stream and yet is still a fraction of the price of other models entry-level series. This series may not quite have as much security and fire protection as some of the other safes brands out there but that is why it’s so affordable. The Sportsman Pro Series includes 3 different models that vary in size and gun capacity. The largest of the 3 holds about 48 long-guns and measures in at 59” x 43” x 26”. The mid sized model Sportsman Pro can hold about 40 long-guns and measures just a little smaller than the largest model at 59” x 35.25” x 26.75”. The smallest safe in the series will hold 32 long-guns and is 59” x 29.25” x 25.5”. Now that we’ve covered the different sized models of the Pro series, let’s continue on and take a look at the security, fire protection and aesthetic qualities.
Since Field & Stream designs their safes to be affordable for nearly any budget, the fire protection rating on their safes tend to be on the low side. The fire protection rating on the Sportsman Pro series is 30 minutes at 1400°F. I always recommend a minimum of 60 minutes of fire protection in any scenario so I would recommend putting the safes somewhere like a garage or basement where it will be surrounded by cement and not wood stud walls and flooring.
The Pro model does features similar security features as the standard Sportsman series but does include a few additional. Included is a recessed pry resistant door that is locked down by 7 – 1 ½” steel bolts and 3 dead bolts that completely secure all four sides of the safe door to the body. It also includes a drill-resistant hard plate located behind the electronic 4-digit lock.
For being such an affordable safe, the Sportsman Pro does include a variety of storage options. These options include fully adjustable carpeted shelves, barrel rests for long guns and an integrated door panel that includes movable handgun holsters and several different sized pockets for storing accessories. The exterior of the safe comes in a black matte pebble finish with the Field & Stream logo and a graphic of an eagle.
The warranty included on the Pro Series safe includes a limited lifetime repair or replace warranty that covers your safe from damage due to theft or fire. In addition, they also include a 5-year warranty that covers your safe from defects in materials and workmanship. This warranty is only valid to the original owner of the safe.
Bottom Line
All in all, Field & Stream makes some great products that are actually a good balance between quality and value. They seem to maintain great customer feedback unlike other economically priced safes. You’ll find very few full-sized gun safes with a price tag this good. As I stated earlier I would highly suggest the Field & Stream brand if you are on a tight budget and are looking for an affordable way keep your firearms out of reach from burglars and children. Since there are really only two different series of gun safes from Field & Stream, your biggest decision will be capacity. Make sure you choose a size that you can grow into as you add to your collection. The last you thing you want is to grow out of it a year down the road.
The most popular top selling safe from Field & Stream is their Sportsman Pro 32 model. This is a great mid to large capacity safe that has all the basic features that you’d want in a safe including an affordable price tag. Since it’s part of the Pro series, you’ll see enhanced security features over the standard Sportsman series as well as a convenient door panel that hold all types of guns and accessories. If you’re sold on the Field & Stream brand, I would definitely spring for this model or maybe even jump up to larger model the Sportsman 48 since there is a small price difference.
