8 Best Steelwater Gun Safes of [2020]

If you’re a firearms enthusiast, you’ve probably been hearing some buzz about Steelwater safes. Steelwater is a relatively new company, founded by a former police officer and locksmith who wanted to address some of the flaws in commercial safes.

This has been done before, of course. But usually, this kind of top-of-the-line safe has been a custom job and would cost about as much as a brand new economy car. Which is why we wanted to get our hands on the best Steelwater gun safes.

In our Steelwater safe reviews, we’ll look at security, ease of opening, weight, ease of installation, capacity, and any extra features like fire resistance. We’ll also be looking at the price, but only as a secondary consideration. The reason being that these safes are pretty consistently priced across the board, and run about the same as other, pre-fabricated safe brands.

Don’t touch that (safe) dial. We’re just getting started.

8 Best Steelwater Gun Safes

1. Standard Duty 16

The Steelwater AMEGS592216-BLK is a reliable safe with an EMP-proof keypad.

Key Features

• 16-gun capacity
• Measures 59” high x 22” wide x 16” deep
• 14-gauge steel sides
• EMP-proof keypad with double bitted bypass key
• 10 1 ½-inch locking bolts
• Felt-padded steel shelves
• Pre-drilled power supply hole
• 4 pre-drilled mounting holes
• Automatic interior LED lights
• 5-inch thick door
• Fireproof for 60 minutes
• Includes a Steelwater door organizer

The AMEGS592216-BLK is Steelwater’s basic mid-sized safe. The “EG” indicates that it has 14-gauge steel sides rather than the “SW” model’s heavy-duty 12 gauge steel. The 5-inch thick door has two layers of special expanding, fire-proof material, which swells to fill any gaps when the safe gets hot.

This safe features felt-padded steel shelves for all of your accessories and ammo. Automatic interior LED lights come pre-installed, so all you have to do is plug it into your wall outlet and you’re ready to go. If you want to use a plug-in dehumidifier, Steelwater has you covered. The back of the safe has a pre-drilled ½-inch hole specifically for that purpose.

Pros

• Well-lit interior
• Reliable

Cons

• Thinner construction than their heavy-duty models

This safe will protect 16 guns from fire for at least an hour.

2. Extreme Duty 39

The Steelwater AMHD593924-EMP features reinforced mounting holes for added security.

Key Features

• 39-gun capacity
• Measures 59” high x 39” wide x 24” deep
• 9-gauge steel sides
• EMP-proof keypad with double bitted bypass key
• 20 1 ½-inch locking bolts
• Felt-padded steel shelves
• Internal power supply with 3 outlets and 2 USB ports
• 4 pre-drilled, reinforced mounting holes
• Automatic interior LED lights
• 5 ¼-inch thick door
• Fireproof for 120 minutes
• Includes a Steelwater door organizer

The Steelwater AMHD593924-EMP is one of the most burglar-proof safes you’ll find without going into the rarified territory of custom safes. It has thick, 9-gauge steel sides, and the 5-inch door is reinforced with an additional ¼-inch sheet of solid steel for added security. It also has an impressive 20 locking bolts, including seven on the hinge side.

This safe has an internal power supply. No need for a hole just to run a cord for your dehumidifier. It’s fire rated for up to 120 minutes, which is enough for all but the worst of scenarios.

Pros

• Well-lit interior
• Reliable
• Extended fire resistance
• Very heavy gauge steel

Cons

• Expensive

This safe has extra-thick, 9-gauge steel sides.

3. Heavy Duty 20

The Steelwater AMSW592818-BLK is a reliable, fireproof safe.

Key Features

• 20-gun capacity
• Measures 59” high x 28” wide x 18” deep
• 12-gauge steel sides
• EMP-proof keypad with double bitted bypass key
• 10 1 ½-inch locking bolts
• Felt-padded steel shelves
• Pre-drilled power supply hole
• 4 pre-drilled mounting holes
• Automatic interior LED lights
• 4 ¾-inch thick door
• Fireproof for 60 minutes
• Includes a Steelwater door organizer

The Steelwater AMSW592818-BLK holds up to 20 guns and protects them from fire for up to 60 minutes. The 4 ¾-inch door isn’t as thick as some of their other big models and has a relatively wide gap on the hinge side, but it’s still secured by ten 1 ½-inch locking pins, which cover all four sides of the door.

While the door may be thinner than some of Steelwater’s heftier safes, the sides aren’t. They’re manufactured from durable, 12-gauge steel, which is tough enough to stand up to anyone who hasn’t brought a heavy-duty grinder or a target saw.

Pros

• Well-lit interior
• Reliable
• Heavy gauge steel
• Great value

Cons

• Relatively wide gap on hinge side

This is the toughest 20-gun safe you’ll find for the price.

4. Extreme Duty 22

The Steelwater AMHD593024-EMP has 20 heavy-duty steel locking bolts.

Key Features

• 22-gun capacity
• Measures 59” high x 30” wide x 24” deep
• 9-gauge steel sides
• EMP-proof keypad with double bitted bypass key
• 20 1 ½-inch locking bolts
• Felt-padded steel shelves
• Internal power supply with 3 outlets and 2 USB ports
• 4 pre-drilled, reinforced mounting holes
• Automatic interior LED lights
• 5 ¼-inch thick door
• Fireproof for 120 minutes
• Includes a Steelwater door organizer
• Includes a dehumidifier rod

The Steelwater AMHD593024-EMP has the same 5 ¼-inch door as the 593924 model we already reviewed, complete with the ¼-inch reinforcement plate. It also has the same 9-gauge steel sides, which are almost impossible to cut through without the use of specialized equipment.

This safe includes a dehumidifier rod, which plugs directly into the internal power supply. Its mounting holes are reinforced with extra steel, which makes them harder to pry loose. All of this comes at a steep price, but it’s well worth the investment.

Pros

• Well-lit interior
• Reliable
• Extended fire protection
• Very heavy gauge steel

Cons

• Expensive

The reinforced mounting holes on this safe make it virtually impossible to pry off of the floor.

5. Heavy Duty 45

The Steelwater AMLD724228-BLK has a 5 ¼-inch door with a ¼-inch solid steel plate.

Key Features

• 45-gun capacity
• Measures 72” high x 42” wide x 27 ¾” deep
• 12-gauge steel sides
• EMP-proof keypad with double bitted bypass key
• 20 1 ½-inch locking bolts
• Felt-padded steel shelves
• Internal power supply with 3 outlets and 2 USB ports
• 4 pre-drilled, reinforced mounting holes
• Automatic interior LED lights
• 5 ¼-inch thick door
• Fireproof for 60 minutes
• Includes a Steelwater door organizer

The Steelwater AMLD724228-BLK is a 60-minute fireproof safe with a maximum capacity of 45 long guns. It includes a Steelwater door organizer, so you can also throw a handful of pistols into the mix without any further inconvenience. It has 12-gauge steel sides, which are towards the heavy side of the scale.

To hold this many guns, a safe needs to be big, and a big safe is a heavy safe. This one weighs just over 900 pounds. Needless to say, you’ll need to hire a professional to install it, or at least enlist the help of a few friends.

Pros

• Large capacity
• Well-lit interior
• Reliable
• Heavy gauge steel

Cons

• Very heavy

This safe boasts an impressive, 45-gun capacity.

6. AMSWFB-685

The Steelwater AMSWFB-685 offers 120 minutes of fire protection for your pistols or documents

Key Features

• Pistol and document safe
• Measures 27” high x 21” wide x 20” deep
• 9-gauge steel sides
• Analog combination lock or keypad lock
• 3 1 ¼-inch locking bolts
• Adjustable, removable steel shelves
• 1 pre-drilled mounting hole
• 4 ½-inch thick door
• Fireproof for 120 minutes

The last three safes we’re looking at aren’t rifle safes. They’re pistol/document safes. The first of these is the Steelwater AMSWFB-685, which features a 4 ½-inch thick door with composite layers that expand under heat to provide two hours of fire protection.

This safe has a ½-inch pre-drilled mounting hole in the bottom for securing your safe to the floor. Make sure you’re happy with where you’re putting it because the 9-gauge steel sides are heavy. The safe weighs 330 pounds empty.

The AMSWFB-685 comes in two variants: an analog mechanical lock, or a keypad lock. We strongly recommend the analog lock. Not only is it just as reliable – and cheaper – it’s more or less foolproof. The electronic lock, on the other hand, doesn’t have a bypass key, so if the battery dies you’ll have to spend time replacing it before you can access your pistol.

Pros

• Very heavy gauge steel
• Extended fire protection
• Reliable

Cons

• Heavy
• No key bypass

This is one of the toughest safes available in this size.

7. AMSWEL-530

The Steelwater AMSWEL-530 is a lightweight safe that’s still tougher than the competition.

Key Features

• Pistol and document safe
• Measures 21” high x 17 ¼” wide x 17 ½” deep
• 14-gauge steel sides
• Electronic keypad lock
• 2 1-inch rectangular locking bolts
• Adjustable, removable steel shelf
• Removable drawer
• 1 pre-drilled mounting hole
• 2-inch thick door
• Fireproof for 120 minutes

The Steelwater AMSWEL-530 is a pistol safe with an ammo shelf and a removable top drawer for valuable documents. It’s almost as big as the last one we looked at, and only half the weight. The safe achieves this by utilizing lighter gauge steel and fewer, hollow locking bolts instead of the solid round bolts Steelwater is known for.

That said, this is still a rugged safe, with static bolts on the hinge side of the door to keep it secure even if the hinges are removed. The electronic keypad lock allows for four combinations.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Extended fire protection
• Affordable

Cons

• Hollow locking bolts
• No key bypass

This is a more affordable document safe that’s still rated for 2 hours of fire exposure.

8. AMSWS-610EL

The Steelwater AMSWS-610EL is lighter than their AMSWFB and more secure than their AMSWEL.

Key Features

• Pistol and document safe
• Measures 22 ¼” high x 18 ¼” wide x 18 ½” deep
• 12-gauge steel sides
• Electronic keypad lock
• 2 1-inch steel locking bolts
• Adjustable, removable steel shelf
• Removable drawer
• 1 pre-drilled mounting hole
• 4-inch thick door
• Fireproof for 120 minutes

The Steelwater AMSWS-610EL is a 12-gauge steel safe with an electronic keypad lock. As with Steelwater’s other small safes, there’s no key backup, so make sure to keep your batteries fresh or you may find yourself delayed in an emergency. That said, this safe provides plenty of space for your pistol collection and ammo, with space left over for documents in the removable drawer.

The AMSWS-610EL has 1-inch steel locking bolts. Two fixed bolts on the hinge side hold the door in place, while two more on the jamb side slide in or out when the lock is activated. This safe offers two hours of fire protection, securing your valuables in the event of a disaster.

Pros

• Reliable
• Extended fire protection
• Heavy gauge steel

Cons

• No key bypass

This is a nice happy medium in Steelwater’s pistol/document safe lineup.

Bottom Line

As you may have noticed, the best thing about these safes is just how durable they are.

Most commercial gun safes are designed to delay thieves, not lock them out entirely. They use relatively thin steel that can be pried or cut open by anyone with determination and time.

Steelwater safes utilize thick, heavy walls that a thief won’t be able to penetrate with anything short of a diamond-bladed target saw. And they’d better bring a few extra blades.

Another thing you’ll notice is that these safes have far more locking bolts than the competition. Most of their models feature 1 ½-inch thick locking bolts around the entire perimeter of the door. This further improves security over most commercial safes.

We hope our Steelwater gun safe reviews helped you find the perfect secure storage for your gun collection. Even if you decide you prefer a different model, we hope we helped clarify things for you.