Top Fort Knox Gun Safe Reviews
Fort Knox started out in the safe game has more than 30 years ago and has since grown to be one of the most trusted names in the gun safe industry. Fort Knox is proud to say that all of their models are made right in Orem, Utah and have even earned the reputation of “America’s Best”. It’s important that you know exactly what kind of quality you are getting when purchasing a safe and eliminate the headache of quality questioning. The last thing you want is to have a large heavy safe delivered to your home and find that it’s not of the quality you were hoping for. I find that Fort Knox only engineers and manufacturers high quality built right safes, so you can order with complete confidence.
Fort Knox is known to have a huge selection of security upgrades for several of their safe models, which is something unique that many other safe companies do not provide. Some of these features include corner bolts, a stainless steel barrier, extended body thickness, an additional steel liner, body steel thickness and an incredible ballistic metal upgrade that is capable of take three shots from a .44 magnum. In addition to security upgrades, Fort Knox provides complete safe customization including exterior and exterior color, hardware color, decal choices, lock type choice and safe layout options as well as tons of other great interior accessory upgrades. Although Fort Knox does produce some small handgun safes, they specialize in full-size long-gun safes.
Now that I’ve told you a little bit about the Fort Knox brand lets go over some key features that will play an important role in helping you decide which model safe best fits your needs. Since each and every situation is unique, I won’t be able to simply to you what you need, I can only give you the tools to help you decide yourself. Let’s take a very brief look into some of those features.
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Fire protection is such an important feature to have no matter if you live directly next door to the fire department or in the middle of nowhere. The question should not be whether you want it or not, it’s how much do you need and what will your budget will allow. Fort Knox provides their 1680°/ 90min fire protection rating in most all their models with the options to upgrade to 120min. Their entry-level safe the Maverick, has a fire protection rating of 1200°F / 45min, upgradeable to 60min.
An equally important feature to take into consideration is the actual strength of your new safe. This is where I feel Fort Knox really excels. They have such a great variety of upgradable security options for all of their models and provide some of the highest quality and thickest steel on the market.
Choosing the right capacity for your new safe is one of the more challenging puzzles to figure out. This is because it requires you to plan for the future not just the now. If you were to go buy a gun safe that fits your current collection perfectly what happens when you get that new gun you’ve been wanting? My point is, plan to grow into your safe now out grow your out of it. Fort Knox has a ridiculous amount of storage options to accommodate any collection from just a couple rifles all the way up to a ridiculous 100 long-gun storing capacity!
The aesthetics of your safe is an important feature, especially if you’re planning on placing it somewhere visible like a living room or game room. That’s why Ft Knox provides several exterior color options and finishes as well as some really sweet decals designs for the doors. Fort Knox really knows how to dress up a gigantic chunk of metal.
Another important thing to look for in a safe is a good warranty. You’ll find that some of the more economically priced safes brands provide a much less than satisfactory warranty. Fort Knox knows that their safes are built with only the best materials and craftsmanship so they have no problem providing a comprehensive lifetime warranty on all of their safes.
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The Legend
Coming in at the top, the Legend is FT Knox flagship safe and it’s definitely for a reason. This safe comes standard with nearly every single security and accessory option and upgrade that Fort Knox offers. This thing is seriously the cream of the crop. The Legend is offered in four different sizing options: The Legend 6637, which is the smallest of the bunch at 36 cu. Ft. Then there is the Legend 7241, which is slightly larger at 45 cu. Ft. The next size up is the 7251, which has 57 cu. Ft. of space and then the largest of the bunch the Legend 7261 has a generous 69 cu. Ft. of space. In addition to the size options, there are also several different interior configurations for each size ranging from a max capacity of 57 long-guns down to mostly storage and just enough room for a few rifles.
The Legend comes with your choice of two different fire protection ratings, the standard 90 minutes at 1680° or upgradable to 120 minutes at 1680°. These incredible heat protection ratings are accomplished by using UL listed fireboard on all six sides of the safe and behind the door hinges. In addition to the fireboard, the Legend also incorporates two different types of door seals. The first seal is in place to protect your valuables from smoke damage until the second seal is activated. The second seal is a Palusol heat expanding seal that wraps around the entire door. Once this seal is exposed to access amounts of heat, it expands up to 7 times its size protecting your valuables from heat and smoke damage.
The security features on the Legend are unmatched. It is virtually impossible to break into this thing without some serious heavy machinery. This monster is made from a ¼” thick sheet of solid steel with a stainless steel liner. It also comes standard with steel corner bolts, a 5 to 1 patented gear drive system, drill deflector bolt guard, drill stop hard plates, re-locking devices and as with all Fort Knox safe, it is UL listed and approved. If you’re looking for the absolute maximum protection, Fort Knox offers an Armaknox Ballistic Metal option that is able to with stand 3 shots from a .44 magnum. If you have items that are simply irreplaceable or too expensive to take the risk of being stolen, this is your safe.
Fort Knox includes an electronic keypad lock for quick access to your items, along with several other great features and customizable options. The Legend comes standard with a lighting package, dehumidifier and the electronic lock. You also get choose your interior fabric, exterior finish, hardware color and graphics for you door.
The warranty on any Fort Knox gun safe is very hard to beat. It is a lifetime replacement warranty to the original owner that covers, fire damage, flood damage, break-in and break-in attempts and of course manufacturers defects. This warranty even covers the locks, which is rare.
If you are looking for the best of the best from Fort Knox, this is it.
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Titan
The Titan from Fort Knox is near top of the line just under the Legend. This safe comes standard with more security features than most other brands top of the line fully upgraded model. The Titan comes in 5 different sizing options and capacities. The Titan 6031 is the smallest of the bunch offering 25 cu. Ft. and a max long-gun storage of 32 guns. The next step up is the Titan 6637, which offers 36 cu. Ft. of space and max long gun storage of 48 long-guns. The middle of the road is the 7241, which a total of 45 cu. Ft. and can a maximum of 57 long-guns. The Titan 7251 features a 57 cu. Ft. interior and can hold about 73 long-guns. The largest of the Titan line provides 69 cu. Ft of interior space and can hold a maximum of 82 long-guns. The Titans interior has 8 different interior options allowing different configuration options allowing for a wide variety of different storage options. Let’s take a look at some of the features that make up the Titan series.
The Titan provides 90 minutes of fire protection at 1680°F by incorporating UL listed fireboard on every single side of the safe including the door hinges. In addition to the fireboard, Fort Knox incorporates the heat expanding seal by Palusol that expands up to 7 times the size and protects your valuables from smoke and heat damage. If you feel the 90 minutes is not quite enough for your situation, Fort Knox provides the option to upgrade to a 120-minute fire protection rating.
This safe also provides ample standard security features that are not even available on other brands most premium models. The Titan starts with unibody construction made from 3/16” high quality solid steel shell and an inner steel liner that adds additional security. The Titan also comes standard with star corner bolts that completely seal all four sides of your safe as well as the 5 to 1 patented gear drive system that has proved itself to be on of the most reliable locking systems available. In addition to these great security options, nearly every Fort Knox safe includes a drill deflector bolt guard, drill stop hard plate, remote locker and a back up re-locking device. The only security option that is not included in the Titan is the stainless Steel Package and the ¼” steel upgrade, however it is still available for an additional cost.
The Titan, along with all other Ft Knox long-gun safe models, offers a fully customizable exterior and interior, which is definitely one of my favorite features from Fort Knox. With 19 different color options and 3 different finish choices, you will surely be able to find an awesome color combination that fits your home perfectly! The interior of the safe is just as customizable as the exterior and offers 8 different configurable layout options to either hold as little or as many long-guns as you need. The Titan comes with a dehumidifier and has the option to included lighting, an electronic lock and a door rack.
Fort Knox provides an incredible comprehensive lifetime warranty on all of their safes. This warranty protects you against flood damage, fire damage, damage due to break-ins or break-in attempts and of course manufactures defects. As long as you are the original owner, Fort Knox will replace or repair your safe for free.
Guardian
The Guardian series from Ft Knox has all the features and amenities anyone could hope for in a safe, and of course is made right here in the USA. The Guardian is near middle of the road in the Fort Knox line of safes and like the other models, comes in a variety of sizes and capacities. It includes 5 different sizing options along with your choice of 8 different configuration options to choose from. They range any from the smallest being 25ft cu. Ft of storage space, up to the largest size providing a generous 69 cu. Ft. of interior space. The interior storage configuration options included in the Guardian are extremely diverse, offering an option for someone who is just in need of shelving for collectables all the way up to a safe decked out with a gun rack big enough to hold over 80 guns and everything in between. I find Fort Knox to definitely be one of the most customizable safe brands out there.
Fort Knox provides a 90 minutes of fire protection at 1680°F standard on nearly all of their safes with an option to upgrade to a protection level of 120 minutes at 1680°F. Most people do find that the 90-minute rating is enough for their situation, but if you live far from the fire department and your safe is going to be tough to access in the event of a fire, I would consider the 120 minutes option. Ft Knox uses several layers of UL listed fireboard in the guardian as well as dual activated thermal door seals that protect your items from heat and smoke damage.
The Guardian series also offers significant security features that I find to be better than most other brands most expensive flagship safes. The feature that I find most fascinating is there star corner bolts, which are arrow shaped steel bolts that secure each corner of the safes to door to the body. This feature prevents the safe from being pried open from the corners, which tends to be a weak spot on most safes. In addition Guardian comes standard with a reinforced fire door, 5 to 1 patented gear drive, quadra fold doorframe and a complete unibody construction for maximum strength. Along with all Fort Knox safes, the Guardian incorporates a drill deflector bolt guard, drill stop hard plate, manipulation resistant lock and of course is UL listed.
Aesthetically, the Guardian is designed to enhance the feel and look of any room it’s in. This safe will be a great conversation piece and is perfect for game rooms, living rooms, offices and practically anywhere else. I really like that Fort Knox offers such an awesome array of colors and finish choices instead of the typical generic black. They are also one of the only safe companies to provide you with a choice of several different logos designs, scrollwork, and patterns. The Guardian comes with an option to add a light package, an electronic keypad lock, door rack and dehumidifier.
Fort Knox offers an amazing lifetime warranty that I find to be one of the best in the industry. If your safe is damaged in a flood or fire or has been damaged due to a break in attempt, Ft Knox will replace or repair your safe for free! It also covers you from manufactures defects.
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Protector
Fort Knox design the USA made Protector to stand on the more economically priced side of their lineup, but even with economical price tag, the Protector still provides plenty of great features and options to satisfy nearly anyone. This safe comes with tons of different sizing and capacity choices so you can really nail down the exact size that best fits your home and collection. There are 7 different sized models of the Protector series ranging from a small 10 cu. Ft. safe that has just enough room for a few long-guns all the way up to a massive 69 cu. Ft. options that is capable of storing more than 80 long-guns. The interior also comes with your choice of 8 different layout configurations to fit your safes specific purpose. Now that we’ve briefly covered the storage options that are available for the Protector, let’s take a look at some of the features that comes with this safe.
Even though the Protector is part of the more affordable line from Fort Knox, it still comes standard with 90 minutes of fire protection at 1680°F. You’ll find that a fire protection rating that high is common only among the higher end safes from other brands. Ft Knox uses UL listed fireboard on all six sides of the safe as well as a Palusol heat expanding seal that expands 7 times it’s size when exposed to high amounts of heat protecting your goods from heat and smoke damage. Make sure you check out my article on fire protection to get some great advice on how to choose how much fire protection you actually need.
The Protector series comes with some great standard security features as well as a lot of great optional upgrades for additional security. This safe includes a reinforced fire door, a quadrafold doorframe and a 7ga. Steel unibody construction. If you like the Protector but want a little more security, you can add the star corner bolts, an inner steel liner or stainless steel package. Even without these upgrades, most people find that the standard security features of the Protector are enough for their situation. This model is also UL listed for security and has a drill deflector bolt guard, remote relocker, bolt detent, mechanical relocking devices and a manipulation resistant lock.
One of my favorite things about purchasing a Fort Knox safe is the ability to customize the interior and exterior to your exact liking. The exterior comes in 18 different color options and 2 different texture types along with 2 different interior fabric choices. Another thing unique to Fort Knox is the option to choose out of a few different Ft Knox logo designs and artwork. For an additional charge you can add a lighting package, dehumidifier, door rack, electronic keypad lock and several more cool accessories.
The Protector comes with the Fort Knox comprehensive lifetime warranty, which covers your safe from fire damage, flood damage, break-in attempts and manufactures defects. It also covers the mechanical and lock portion of your safe, which is very uncommon.
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Defender
The Defender series is one of Fort Knox more economically priced safes and has the exact same standard security features as the Protector. This series was designed for people who aren’t necessarily looking for an overly aesthetically pleasing safe and are looking for something especially durable for their garage or shop. The Defender also comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes just like the Protector. The smallest size comes in at just 10 cu. Ft. holding just a few shelves or long-guns while the largest of the line has 69 cu. Ft. with the ability to hold a ridiculous 100 guns. The Interior of the Defender comes with your choice of 8 different layout configurations to fit your specific needs. Let’s take a look at the features of the Defender.
What I love about Fort Knox is that they provide excellent fire protection even on their more budget friendly safes. The Defender series has the same fire protection rating as their flagship safe, the Legend, with 90 minutes at 1680° and upgradable to 120 minutes for an additional cost. Most other brands entry level safes provide less than half of the fire protection that the Defender offers, which is yet another reason why I highly recommend considering Fort Knox.
The construction and security features of the Defender series are identical to the Protector series, offering a reinforced fire door, quadrafold doorframe and a 10 gauge steel unibody. If you’re looking for some additional security for your Defender safe, Ft Knox provides several optional upgrades like their unique star corner bolts, an inner steel liner and their stainless steel package. The Defender can also be upgraded to a higher thickness of steel all the way up to ¼” thick body with a ½” thick steel doorplate. This series is a great value if you’re looking for an extremely strong safe.
Stripped from all the fancy exterior options that the other models offer, the Defender is meant to be rugged and durable to withstand the rough environment of a garage or shop. The secret behind its enhanced durability is the thick zolate finish that protects your safe’s finish from scratches and scuffs that would normally start to collect when sitting in a rough environment. The Defender comes in 4 different durable textured finishes, dark granite, gray granite, black and a lighter colored option called rimrock. This safe comes standard with a mechanical lock but does have the option to be upgraded to an electronic lock. Some popular additional upgrades include, a fluorescent lighting package, door rack and dehumidifier.
Fort Knox includes their comprehensive lifetime warranty on the Defender, which covers fire and flood damage, break-in attempts and manufacturers defects in every aspect of your safe including the lock. I find this warranty to be one of the best warranties available.
Maverick
The Maverick is Fort Knox’ entry level, most economically priced safe that they offer. Just because the Maverick has a great price tag, doesn’t mean that it lacks in construction or functionality. This safe comes in a variety of 6 different size and capacity options allowing you to pick out the perfect size for you application. The smallest of the Maverick lineup provides 8 cu. Ft. of storage space perfect for storing just a couple long-guns. The largest of the series is a 41 cu. Ft. model that provides storage for up to 57 long-guns. The interior of the Maverick is completely customizable and provides 8 different layout configurations to fit your specific needs! That is such a rare option on most brands entry-level designs.
The fire protection rating is slightly lower than all of the other models from Fort Knox but is still substantially higher than any brands entry-level safes. The Maverick provides 45 minutes of fire protection at 1200°F through the use of UL listed fireboard in all 6 sides of the safe. Also included are two different types of door seals, the first is a basic seal that will protect your valuables from smoke damage until the second seal becomes activated. The second seal is a Palusol heat-expanding seal that grows 7 times its size to protect your valuables from being damaged by smoke and heat.
The security features that come standard in the Maverick safe are the reinforced fire door, quadrafold door frame, concealed ball bearing hinges, folded door and an 11 gauge steel unibody construction. If you’re wanting more than just the standard, the Maverick has completely customizable security options including a ballistic metal upgrade, corner bolts, stainless steel reinforcement, thicker body and an inner steel liner. Ft Knox believes that even entry-level safes should still provide a high level of protection and keep intruders from accessing your goods. They even urge you to compare the Maverick to other manufacturers high-end safes. Do not dismiss this just because it is labeled as entry level.
The Maverick comes in a variety of different color, textures, and finish options to make your safe unique. With nearly unlimited exterior, interior, and hardware color combinations. I find this to be the best part in picking out a safe from Fort Knox. In addition to the awesome color choice, the Maverick is compatible with several awesome accessory options including a fluorescent lighting package, an electronic keypad lock, door rack, dehumidifier and more!
The Maverick comes with the Fort Knox comprehensive lifetime warranty that covers your safe from manufacturers defects, flood damage and fire damage. It also includes the lock, unlike most manufacturers. Fort Knox will replace or repair your safe for free. You’ll be hard pressed to find a warranty that is this good.
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Bottom Line
Fort Knox is simply one of the best safe manufacturers out there and provides only the best, highest quality safes on the market. Their safes are completely customizable and provide numerous security and accessory upgrades and options that are not found in any other brand. If you’re on the hunt for a safe, you should definitely consider a Ft Knox.
When picking out your safe, make sure that you completely understand the importance of pick out the right safe that best fits your needs. Safes are extremely heavy and tough to place, so the last thing you want to do is have to pay someone to remove the old safe and bring in the new one especially when it’s avoidable. Make sure to consider fire protection, strength, capacity, lock security and aesthetics. If you need help on deciding what you exactly need in a safe, check out my article “What to look for in a safe”.
The maverick is the most popular, best-selling safe series from Ft Knox. This is due to its outstanding security and fire protection features that are comparable to most other manufactures mid-live safes. If you’re considering a Fort Knox, this is definitely a great place to start.
