Selecting the best gun safe for purchase can be quite a challenge. Many manufacturers now produce an array of quality safes, making it more difficult than ever to single out one particular model over another.
At best, one must perform a thorough side-by-side comparison of any safes that they are currently considering for purchase, in order to distinguish a clear-cut winner.
Of today’s various gun safe manufacturers, few are as highly regarded as Liberty and Browning. Both of these manufacturers routinely turn out high-quality offerings, which are quite popular among gun owners.
In all honesty, it is difficult to go wrong when purchasing a safe from either company. However, for the sake of discussion, it is worth delving into the finer points of each brand, in an attempt to determine which takes top honors.
The following guide will compare the merits of Browning and Liberty gun safes, on a characteristic by characteristic basis.
Table Of Contents
Size Considerations
When basing your choice in gun safe upon a particular model’s size and gun capacity, Liberty and Browning both have a lot to offer. Each offers a particular model of safe to meet the needs of any consumer, no matter how large, or small their firearm collection may be.
In fact, for the average gun owner, there is little discernible difference between the size of available safes between Liberty and Browning.
However, in terms of maximum overall capacity, it would appear that Browning has a small edge over Liberty. Browning offers several safes with a maximum capacity of 65 long guns, while Liberty’s largest safes are rated to hold up to 60 guns of the same fashion.
While even this is quite a minor discrepancy, it might be enough to allow a little extra elbow room for a growing collection.
Structural Integrity
At times, thieves can be quite relentless. If a gun safe is capable of being broken into, a determined thief will find their way into a safe whenever possible, by exposing any vulnerability of note.
Therefore, the stronger a safe’s construction, the better its overall level of security. Luckily, both Browning and Liberty are extremely versed in the production of sturdy safes, which are more than capable of taking a severe beating.
Regarding physical construction, many of Browning’s and Liberty’s safes are very similar in design and are all manufactured in the USA. The vast majority of both company’s high-end offerings are constructed with 7-gauge steel, though each company also markets a select number of premium safes with an even thicker shell.
Also similar, is Browning and Liberty’s use of integrated door plating, to avoid lock manipulation.
Fire Rating
In terms of fire protection, there is little identifiable difference between Liberty and Browning. Liberty offers several safes that are rated to withstand temperatures of 1,200 degrees for up to 2.5 hours.
This comes largely as a product of the company’s use of Palusol heat-activated fire steel and fireproof insulation boarding. Meanwhile, a number of Browning safes are rated to withstand temperatures of 1,750 degrees, for up to 2 hours, thanks to their use of Thermoblock insulation.
Since Browning and Liberty’s fire protection specs are both derived using different maximum temperature ratings (1,200 degrees/Liberty Vs. 1,750 degrees/Browning), it is extremely difficult to provide an accurate side-by-side comparison in this category. However, it suffices to say that safes of each brand are capable of withstanding even the mightiest of blazes.
Security
There are few considerations as important as the overall security of a gun safe when making such a purchase. While both Browning and Liberty safes are constructed in a manner that should ward off most any break-in, it is certainly worth discussing the finer points of security offered by each of these safe companies.
Today, the vast majority of both Browning and Liberty’s inventories feature electronic locking mechanisms. These electronic locks are largely superior to the combination locks of old.
Additionally, each manufacturer also offers biometric locking mechanisms for purchase, on an optional basis.
Likewise, both companies offer safes that feature a variety of locking bolt configurations. These bars are built into a safe’s steel door, and prevent entry by brute force, should a burglar attempt to access the contents within.
In this regard, Browning proves superior, offering safes with as many as 28 individual locking bolts, while Liberty’s higher-end safes feature a total of 18 locking bars in most cases.
Warranty
Both Browning and Liberty offer superb lifetime warranty policies with the purchase of every safe they sell. In fact, both offer very similar policies in this regard.
Each of these two manufacturers warrants the locking mechanisms found on their safes for a period of up to 5-years. Meanwhile, both offer to repair any damage that is incurred during a fire or attempted break-in, for the lifetime of the warranted safe.
Only minor discrepancies exist between the warranty policies offered by each manufacturer. On their website, Browning (ProSteel) states that they will pay for a locksmith to pick the lock of any safe that has been damaged during an attempted burglary or fire.
Meanwhile, Liberty ensures that they will not only send you a new gun safe if yours were to become damaged but professionally deliver and install it as well, free of charge.
Additional Features
Browning and Liberty also incorporate a number of innovative technology into the design of their newest gun safes. Browning currently equips its safes with the company’s proprietary DPX Gun Storage System, which features door-mounted racks for rifles and shotguns, as well as individual pockets for handguns.
Many of these same safes feature Browning’s Axis Adjustable Shelving, which is perfect for storing ammo totes and various additional accessories.
Not to be outdone, Liberty also offers many of their top-tier safes, complete with several specialty add-ons. The vast majority of Liberty’s safes now come complete with integrated dehumidifiers, as well as structurally mounted electrical outlets.
Additionally, many Liberty safes feature some degree of door-mounted storage, for added convenience.
Price Range
There are no two ways about it. Gun safes are expensive, and quality does not come without a sizable price tag. As such, one can expect to spend their fair share when purchasing a safe from Browning or Liberty.
However, a slight variance in price between the two manufacturer’s offerings keeps things interesting. At most every size range, Browning’s safes tend to command a slightly higher purchase price, than similar safes offered by Liberty.
However, it is also worth mentioning that even Browning’s most economically priced safes come loaded with features. Rather than cutting the costs of a particular safe as low as possible, it appears that Browning is more concerned with offering their consumers the most bang for their buck.
For example, the Browning Sporter, even at its compact size, includes many of the same features as the company’s top-tier models.
Overall Evaluation
As you can see from the side-by-side comparison above, the gun safes offered by both Liberty and Browning stack up quite evenly against one another. In many ways, it would be extremely difficult to go wrong with the purchase of a gun safe from either of these manufacturers, as any such offering will make a nice addition to one’s home security system.
At the end of the day, if you are looking for a somewhat basic gun safe that takes security to the absolute extreme, then Liberty offers many safes that are likely to make excellent choices. On the other hand, Browning produces some good safes for those who assign a particular value to additional features, and convenience items, though the company’s various safes tend to be somewhat more pricey.
