5 Questions to Ask That Guarantee the Best Remington Gun Safe for Your Home

Since 1816, Remington has been part of America's history—helping in wars, feeding the hungry, and bringing people together in the field and at the range. They've been a trusted name with hunters and shooters for generations. Now, they make safes to keep your storage secure and loved ones protected. But with so many options like the Remington Express safe, Remington Nitro safe, and Remington STS safe, how do you know which one is right for you?

These 5 essential questions will help you make the most informed decision about which Remington gun safe is best for your secure storage needs.

Quick Links

1. Size -  What size gun safe do I need?
2. Fire Rating -  What fire rating do I need for a gun safe?
3. Lock Type -  What is the best type of lock for a safe?
4. Weight -  How heavy should a gun safe be?
5. Style & Location -  Where is the best place to keep a gun safe?

Bonus Questions

     6. What else comes with a Remington gun safe?

     7. Which Remington gun safe is right for my home?

1. What Size Gun Safe Do I Need?

The short answer is bigger is better.
Here's how to figure out what size gun safe you need in 3 easy steps:
  1. Count how many guns you own.
  2. Now add that to the number of guns you would like to buy.
  3. Double that number for a fair estimate of the gun safe capacity you need.

This is the number one question (and regret) people have when buying a gun safe. Almost all gun safe owners we speak to regret not buying a bigger gun safe. 

That's because the capacity rating on a gun safe is kind of like the capacity rating for a camping tent. An 8 person tent CAN fit 8 people. If you're heavily intoxicated and don't mind sleeping with someone's foot in your face. A 24 + 6 gun safe DOES secure 24 long guns and 6 hand guns. But it takes some advanced Tetris skills and a dash of recklessness to do it.  

Sizing up is the best way to protect your collection. It gives you enough space to keep things safe and organized. And it allows your collection to expand without outgrowing the investment you've made in your safe. 

All the Remington gun safes offer different sizes to fit your collection. But the Remington STS safe has the biggest capacity out of all the models. 

Remington STS 

• Biggest capacity for large gun collections.
• Plus the highest fire resistant rating withstands 1800° F for 120 minutes.
• And 10-gauge steel construction provides maximum security against even professional burglary.

Shop the Remington STS Now.

You can compare the all the sizes of the Remington gun safes in the table here:

But size is not the only advantage of the Remington STS. It also has the highest independent fire rating. Of course, how much of a fire rating you need depends on a couple of things.

2. What fire rating do I need for a gun safe?

You need a safe that can stand up to fire for at least 1 hour (but 2hrs is better). Anything less won't protect your guns and valuables in a "normal" fire at home or at work. What sense does it make to spend money on a safe that can't keep your hard-earned cash, guns, bullets, or other things protected when there's a fire? 

Fires cause over $6 billion in property damage every year. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) reports that a home structure fire takes place every 85 seconds. No one wants to imagine their sanctuary going up in flames. But not preparing for the worst can leave you and your family up a creek without a paddle.

The good news is that even the base model Remington Express safe comes with an independent fire rating that can stand temperatures of 1650° F for 60 minutes. As a budget-friendly safe that will protect its interior contents during a basic house fire, the Remington Express is a solid choice.

For basic fire protection when you live in town:

Remington Express

• Base fire resistant rating withstands 1650° F for 60 minutes.
• Available in smaller sizes suitable for limited spaces.
• 12-gauge steel offers good protection against smash & grab burglary.

Shop the Remington Express Now.

If you live further from town or in an area that's hard to reach it might take firefighters longer to get to your home. In that case, a fire rating of 90 minutes or even 120 minutes would be a much better choice.

The Remington Nitro safe can withstand higher temperatures for longer than the Express. It has a fire rating of 90 minutes up to 1800° F. This extra half-hour gives another level of security and ensures your contents stay protected even in more intense fires.

For houses that take firefighters longer to reach:

Remington Nitro

• Medium fire resistant rating withstands 1800° F for 90 minutes.
• Small to large size options available.
• 11-gauge steel construction gives reliable security and durability against residential burglary.

Shop the Remington Nitro Now.

As you consider the best safe fire rating for you, don't forget, inside is not just "stuff". Your safe holds memories—faded photos, important papers, your irreplaceable keepsakes, your guns and your money—and if a fire ever rages, you need to protect your family. Not worry about your safe.

If your home is off grid, in the hills, or plain difficult to reach, your best bet is the highest fire protection you can get.

That's the Remington STS safe. It withstands temperatures of 1800° F for 120 minutes. For 2hrs, while firefighters are banding together and battling to reach your home, the contents inside the safe will stay below 350° F. That's well below the temperature paper burns to keep your important documents, guns, and valuables, SAFE.

The best fire protection for an off-grid home:

Shop the Remington STS.

Fires aren't the only disaster to consider when buying a safe. Another highlight of each Remington gun safe is an independent waterproof rating that protects from floods. All of the Remington safes would protect your contents for 7 days in up to 2ft of water. 

Now, they can have all the protection against disasters that you want. But they won't be much good if they don't stop burglary and unauthorized access. Which leads us to the next couple of questions.

3.  What is the best type of lock for a safe?

A strong electronic lock is the go-to best safe lock. When every second counts in an emergency, an e-lock is your dependable hero. It's quicker to use compared to mechanical locks. They're also built tough with heavy-duty parts to guard against unauthorized entry.

With any safe lock, you need to make sure it's UL rated. A UL rating comes from the "Underwriters Laboratories". They're an independent group that sets and tests the safety standards that hold manufacturers up to their promises. There's no guarantee your safe will hold up to attempted forced entry if it doesn't have a UL rating.

The Remington STS safe, Remington Nitro safe, and Remington Express safe all come with a SecuRam UL rated, EMP resistant, electronic lock to protect your guns and valuables. As well as two fail-safe override keys, so you can still access it in any situation. And a must-have relocker that's damage-activated to prevent forced entry.

You can program the locks with a master code and an additional user code for multi-user access. A great feature for families. 

4.  How heavy should a gun safe be?

The best weight for a gun safe depends on the level of protection needed and the size of your firearms collection. An entry-level gun safe ranges from 200 to 600 pounds. While mid-range options weigh between 600 and 1,000 pounds. High-end models like the Remington STS can weigh between 1,000 to 1,600 pounds. All provide different levels of security based on their weight and steel gauge.

Think of the steel gauge like armor for your safe.

The Remington Express is made with 12-gauge steel. It's sturdy and offers reliable protection.

The Remington Nitro is constructed of 11-gauge. That's thicker and even tougher to breach.

The Remington STS gives the best defense with the 10-gauge steel. Even though 10-gauge is only .029mm thicker than 12-gauge steel, it's twice as strong and twice as resistant to break-ins.

You can compare the weight and steel gauges of all the Remington gun safe models in the table below.

****Please note, except for weight, this table only includes the specs for the largest size of each safe for comparison. Each model also comes in 2-3 other smaller sizes.****

The right weight for you might come down to where you plan to keep your safe. Which brings us to...

5. Where is the best place to keep a gun safe?

The basement is an excellent place to store a large gun safe where prying eyes can't see it. Putting it in the basement is better than the garage because of the extra security of having it within your home for better monitoring, protection, and access. 

Many people like to store their gun safes in a closet or bedroom. If that sounds like you, make sure you consider the weight and style. And definitely check out the floor/ceiling strength before you think about putting a 1200 pound Remington STS safe on your second floor.

I imagine you wouldn't want that thing to come crashing down through your ceiling. In cases like this, if it's big enough for your collection, the Remington Nitro weighs half as much as the STS, but still offers a high level of fire protection and extreme storage security. The Nitro or Express might be better options for secure storage on the second floor.

It's also ideal to store your safe somewhere people can't see it. But that doesn't mean you won't have to see it. Each Remington gun safe comes with a unique signature finish so you can pick the one that best suits your style, as well as your protection needs.

Remington Express - Graphite Satin Metallic Powder Coat 

Remington Nitro - Seltzer Gray Gloss Metallic Powder Coat

Remington STS - Sage Green Metallic Gloss

6. What else comes with a Remington gun safe?

All the Remington gun safes are backed with a best-in-class Lifetime Warranty that covers the entire safe against theft, fire, natural floods, locks, parts, and paint. Because you don't want a gun safe that just gives you a promise. You need a guarantee of security.

7. Which Remington Gun Safe is right for my home?

Remington STS

• Best for remote homes, homes on the edge of town, big gun collections, and most peace of mind. 
• 10 gauge steel construction, 14 - 2" thick bolts, and a luxury finish make this a premium fortress for maximum security.
• 120 minute fire rating gives the highest protection in an emergency.

Remington Nitro

• Best for second floor storage that needs high security.
• 11 gauge steel construction, 14 - 1.75" thick bolts, and a seltzer gray powder coat elevate this to a stronghold of safety and security.
• 90 minute fire rating gives excellent protection in an emergency.

Remington Express

• Best for smaller gun collections.
• 12 gauge steel construction, 10 - 1.5" thick bolts, and a graphite satin powder coat make this a  reliable defense, providing essential security for your valuables.
• 60 minute fire rating gives solid protection for most small homes fires.

The right Remington gun safe depends on your specific needs and home. We've based our recommendations on some of the most common gun safe questions. So you can pick which Remington safe will do the best job protecting your assets, strengthening your sanctuary, and giving you peace of mind.

Still have questions?

We'd be glad to help you decide which gun safe is perfect for your needs. Just drop us a line at sales@lakehouseandcottage.com or call us at 854-777-0909 Mon-Fri 9a-5p CST with all your Remington and gun safe questions.