Liberty vs Cannon gun safes: what the listings and spec sheets show

A note on method before the tables. This is a spec-and-listing comparison: every figure below comes from Liberty's and Cannon's own product and warranty pages or a named retailer's spec sheet, and every value in the tables links to its source. Scores follow the published gun-safe rubric on how we rate, which weights an independent burglary listing most heavily (30 percent), then construction and fire evidence (20 percent each), then lock, fit and support.

The entry-level matchup: Centurion 24 vs Cannon 24-Gun

These two are the closest like-for-like pair in the two line-ups. Both are rated by their makers for 24 long guns, both use 14-gauge steel, both are sold on Amazon, and neither carries a burglary listing.

The Liberty is the bigger, heavier box: 375 lb and 28.25 inches wide, against the Cannon's 280 lb and 22 inches. Liberty claims 40 minutes at 1,200°F; Cannon claims 30 minutes at 1,200°F. Neither names a testing lab. Liberty names its lock, a UL-listed S&G Spartan electronic; Cannon lists an electronic keypad with a backup key but doesn't name the lock model.

On the burglary question these two are a tie at the bottom: both keep kids and unauthorized hands out, and neither has been rated against a timed tool attack. The bigger practical difference is the warranty, which we cover below. Liberty's transfers with the safe; Cannon's doesn't.

The step-up models

Above entry level the two lines split. Liberty adds a burglary listing and thicker steel as you move up its series. Cannon's larger models add capacity, door organizers and power outlets, but on the pages we could check, no burglary listing.

Capacity is where Cannon leads. The Fortified 73 is 40 inches wide and Cannon rates it for 73 firearms, counting 8 handguns and a shotgun or AR on the door. The Colonial 23 is rated for 25 long guns and the Lincoln 25 for 27. Treat every one of those numbers as a maximum rack count, not a count of scoped rifles.

Burglary ratings: the difference that matters most

A UL RSC listing means the design passed UL's Residential Security Container test. At Level 1, UL describes a "five-minute attack by one technician using common hand tools such as drills, screwdrivers and hammers" (UL). It is an entry-level burglary rating measured in minutes, not a vault rating, and it says nothing about fire. Our UL RSC explainer covers all three levels.

Liberty. The Lincoln page names the listing itself: a "UL-listed 10-gauge steel safe body" rated as a residential security container. The Colonial, Franklin and Presidential pages say "UL-listed body" without naming the standard; retailer Dean Safe's spec sheets list all three as UL RSC. The Centurion is the exception. Its lock is UL-listed, but Liberty cites no UL listing for the safe itself.

Cannon. The AZ6022 spec sheet lists California DOJ certification as its only rating. Cannon describes the Fortified 73 as a "California-approved Firearm Safety Device, meeting Penal Code section 23655". The American Eagle page names no burglary rating at all. To be fair to Cannon, it has sold RSC-rated safes: a retailer listing for Cannon's 1965 Series CA594024 describes it as "UL RSC Burglar Rated" (PartsSource listing). We couldn't confirm a current RSC-listed model on Cannon's own site, so none appears here. If you shop Cannon at a dealer, ask for the UL listing by model number and get it in writing. Our Cannon safes review goes further on this point: we searched all 50 current listings on Cannon's own store and the only "UL" claim anywhere refers to a lock.

A California DOJ statement is not a burglary rating. California's gun-safe standard sets construction minimums, including "minimum 12-gauge thick steel for a single-walled safe" and at least three 1/2-inch locking bolts, and it accepts a UL RSC rating as an alternative (11 CCR § 4100, via Cornell LII). A maker's DOJ statement tells you the maker says the safe meets California's rules. It doesn't tell you a lab attacked it.

Fire claims: neither brand names a lab

Every fire rating in both line-ups is the maker's own. Liberty's run from 40 minutes on the Centurion to 2.5 hours on the Presidential, all stated at 1,200°F. Liberty calls the Franklin's 110 minutes "certified" but names no testing lab. Cannon states 30 minutes at 1,200°F for the AZ6022 and 45 minutes at up to 1,200°F for the American Eagle. The Fortified's 60 minutes is also called "certified", with no lab and no test temperature, so it can't be lined up against the others at all.

An independent fire rating reads differently. Under UL 72, "Class 350 rated devices are intended to protect paper records": the class number is the maximum interior temperature the device must hold, and the time is how long it held it in UL's furnace test (UL 72). Neither brand publishes a UL 72 classification for these gun safes. A longer maker claim may reflect more fireboard, but without a named lab you can't check how it was measured. Our guide to safe fire ratings shows how to read both kinds of claim.

Steel: Liberty publishes more of it

Steel gauge runs backward: a lower number is thicker steel. Liberty publishes a gauge for every series we checked: 14 (Centurion), 12 (Colonial), 11 (Franklin), 10 (Lincoln) and 7 (Presidential), and the Presidential also lists a composite door with a 1/4-inch inner steel plate. Cannon lists 14 gauge for the AZ6022's exterior and for both the body and door of the Fortified 73. The American Eagle page says only "heavy duty steel", with no gauge, dimensions or weight.

Gauge is a construction input, not a result. A listing is the result: it shows a design survived a timed attack. That's why a 14-gauge Cannon and a 14-gauge Liberty sit in the same tier, and why the 12-gauge Colonial, with its RSC rating, sits above both. Our steel gauge explainer converts gauges to inches.

Warranties: the clearest difference on paper

Liberty offers a "transferable lifetime warranty" on the safe body. After a fire or an attempted break-in, Liberty says it repairs or replaces the safe, including "free delivery and installation of the new replacement safe" and removal of the damaged one. You must register to activate it. UL-listed locks carry a separate 5-year warranty, and lock damage is excluded from the lifetime coverage (Liberty warranty page).

Cannon offers a limited lifetime warranty "for residential use only". It states: "This warranty is not transferable." You must register within 30 days to activate any claim, and for burglary or fire claims, "customers must first file with their property insurance provider", filing proof of denial if the insurer turns the claim down. Locks carry a five-year limited warranty: parts and labor in year one, parts only in years two to five (Cannon warranty page).

If you might sell the safe or hand it down, Liberty's terms follow it and Cannon's end with you. If a fire or break-in happens, Liberty's process starts with Liberty; Cannon's starts with your insurer.

Where they're made

Liberty says it "proudly manufactures its gun safes, home safes, and vault doors in Payson, Utah using American-made steel", and that "some products, including handgun vaults and select accessories, are imported" (Liberty, Made in the USA). Cannon's spec sheet for the AZ6022 lists its country of origin as "Imported" (Cannon product page). We didn't find an origin statement on the Fortified or American Eagle pages, so we don't generalize to the whole Cannon line. These are the makers' statements; we haven't audited either supply chain.

What the spec sheets don't show

• How the fire tests were run. Neither brand names a lab, a test method or the interior temperature reached.
• The RSC level. Liberty's wording and the retailer sheets say "RSC" without stating Level 1, 2 or 3.
• Build quality. Welds, door fit and how the boltwork engages are only visible in person, and we haven't seen these safes.
• What "Level 9 Security" means. Liberty ranks its safes on its own 10-level scale. It's a useful map of Liberty's line-up, not a third-party certification.
• Basic specs on Cannon's American Eagle. No gauge, dimensions or weight, which you need before planning a delivery.
• Stored codes. Liberty keeps combination recovery information on file unless you ask it to delete it; our Liberty safes review covers that policy and the 2023 controversy behind it. We didn't find a published Cannon policy on this, so ask any maker whether it stores a reset code for your lock.

Who should buy which

• Liberty Colonial 23: the family that wants a UL RSC-rated safe from Amazon, with a choice of electronic or dial lock and a warranty that transfers.
• Liberty Lincoln 25: the buyer who wants the listing stated on the maker's own page and a 10-gauge body. It's 767 lb, so plan the floor and delivery first.
• Liberty Centurion 24: only when kids and casual access are the whole threat and you value Liberty's transferable warranty over a burglary listing.
• Cannon AZ6022: basic locked storage for up to 24 long guns in a 22-inch-wide footprint, with a backup key for the keypad.
• Cannon Fortified 73: the largest capacity here, with a built-in power box. It isn't on Amazon, and its listing names two different finishes, so confirm before ordering.
• Cannon American Eagle 46: only after a dealer confirms the gauge, weight and dimensions in writing.

If you want both a burglary listing and a fire rating verified by an outside lab, neither line-up here offers that combination. The American Security NF6036, for example, pairs a UL RSC Level 1 listing with an ETL-verified 90 minutes at 1,200°F, and it appears in our overall gun safe rankings.