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As someone pointed out, you cannot trust the manufacturer's own internal test for fire rating. I'd buy one *ONLY* if the test was done by U.L. (underwriter's laboratory).
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There's only one problem with this.....I have never, ever, seen a gun safe with a UL fire rating. Gun safe companies tend to use dry insulation, and only moist insulation can handle the higher temps that UL tests.
Also, in some cases a safe may very well pass the UL test, but for various reasons will not carry a tag. UL regulations state that all safes must be produced identical to the safe tested. If you change anything about the design, you have to resubmit for testing.
There are a lot of safe companies that build outstanding custom safes which can not carry UL tags for this reason. A UL rating isn't the end all be all, but it is a good benchmark.
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there is a sticker placed on the inside edge of the door that gives it's fire rating. I thought it was a UL sticker
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The UL sticker inside of your Liberty safe indicates that it kept a UL tech armed with a hammer and a screwdriver out of the safe for 5 minutes. This is a UL RSC (Residential Security Container) rating. Notice the Lab didn't refer to the unit as a "safe" but rather a "container". This is because most gun safes aren't really considered safes by professionals.
Liberty makes an OK product, but I believe they are one of the worst at deceptive marketing practices.
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They always have lots of impressive pictures of their safes which people have tried to get into
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Anybody that claims that nobody has ever broken into a safe they made is either a liar, or hasn't been in the safe business very long. Most gun safes are built out of very thin steel....this steel does not take on magical properties just because they form it into a box and mount a dial on it.
I've seen bank vaults compromised. I've seen 1.5" steel plate safes cut in half. I've seen 5,000 pound safes "walk off". A 12 gauge steel gun safe is 1/10" thick. Most gun safes are the wet paper bag of the safe business.
Most people will not encounter a professional burglar, and don't need bank type protection. Unfortunately, even a meth head can swing an axe or a hammer during a smash and grab.
Just weigh your options before making a decision. If you are willing to accept a little higher risk for a cheaper, less secure safe then that's fine....so long as you understand the risk. The problem I have with a lot of these gun safe companies, is that they mislead the consumer into thinking they are getting a far greater protection than they really were.
By the way...here's what 5 minutes with a sledge will do to a 12 gauge safe.
