Long-gun safe · No. 9 of 15
Browning Sporter 23
12-gauge steel · 95 min fire rating · 530 lb
8.4/10Good$1,649Nov 13, 2026
Browning Sporter 23 vs Steelwater Heavy Duty 20
Browning Sporter 23 or Steelwater Heavy Duty 20? They finish 0.1 apart in our formula: pick on the detail that matters at home.
$1,649at Browning, Nov 13, 2026
Check price at Browning
Long-gun safe · No. 10 of 15
Steelwater Heavy Duty 20
12-gauge steel · 60 min fire rating · Keypad + key
8.3/10Good$1,399Nov 13, 2026
Short answer: Browning Sporter 23 wins this one, 8.4/10 against 8.3/10, mainly on fire rating and published approvals. Steelwater Heavy Duty 20 answers with price and lock and ways in.
What really separates them?
Two 12-gauge safes, $250 apart, and both leave something unsaid. Browning claims 95 minutes at 1,200°F and states "UL Listed", but names neither the lock nor the warranty term. Steelwater claims 60 minutes at 1875°F, names its keypad and bypass key and says it exceeds California's standards, but its policy pages were unreadable to us. The Browning is the bigger, heavier safe (530 lb against 453 lb); the Steelwater is the only one to print an honest capacity, 12 to 16 long guns. Ask each seller for the missing line before you choose.
Decide
Which one is for you?
Choose the Browning Sporter 23 if
- Fire is your main worry: 95 minutes at 1,200°F, by the brand's figures, against 60 minutes at 1,875°F, by the brand's figures
- You want the approvals in writing: UL listed, against CA DOJ
- You want the stronger cover: no warranty term on the pages we read
Choose the Steelwater Heavy Duty 20 if
- You want to spend less: $1,399 against $1,649
- You want more ways to open it: keypad + key, against a lock the page doesn't name
2 safes in this table: scroll sideways to see them all
| Safe | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Long-gun safe | Long-gun safe |
| Capacity | 23 long guns (claimed) | 20 long guns (claimed) |
| Body steel | 12-gauge steel | 12-gauge steel |
| Fire rating | 95 min at 1,200°F (brand's claim) | 60 min at 1,875°F (brand's claim) |
| Ways to open | Not stated | Keypad + Key |
| Approvals stated | UL listed | CA DOJ |
| Locking bolts | 8 | 10 |
| Weight | 530 lb | 453 lb |
| Outside size | 58 × 30 × 20 in (22.5 in deep with the handle) | 59 × 28 × 18 in (add 3 in for the handle) |
| Inside size | 52.5 × 27 × 13 in | 56 1/4 × 25 3/8 × 14 1/4 in |
| Made in USA | Not stated | Not stated |
| Warranty | Not stated | Not stated |
| Returns | 30 days | Not stated |
| Shipping | Charged or quoted | Charged or quoted |
| Sold by | Browning | Steelwater |
| Where to buy | Check price at Browning | Check price at Steelwater |
✓ marks the better figure. "Not stated" means the seller's page doesn't publish it. Fire ratings and capacities are the brands' own claims. Prices checked November 13, 2026 at the seller named in the table.
Which one is built stronger?
Browning Sporter 23: solid 12-gauge (7/64 in) steel body; 1 in formed steel door with an inner steel plate, per Browning; 8 one-inch hardened steel bolts on three sides of the door; 530 lb. Steelwater Heavy Duty 20: 12-gauge steel; 4 7/8 in composite door with two layers of fireboard, per Steelwater; 10 solid steel bolts, 1.5 in across: 7 active, 3 fixed on the hinge side; 453 lb.
Gauge runs backwards: a lower number is thicker steel. The Sporter 23 is 77 lb heavier, which helps once it is bolted down and hurts on delivery day. Approvals stated on the pages: Browning Sporter 23, UL listed; Steelwater Heavy Duty 20, CA DOJ. A listing we can't read on the seller's page is one we can't count. Bolt down whichever you choose.
Which one protects better against fire?
Browning Sporter 23: "95 minutes at 1,200°F", per Browning. Steelwater Heavy Duty 20: "60 minute fire proofing at 1875°F", per Steelwater.
These are the brands' own figures, quoted as written; no gun safe is fireproof. The test temperatures differ, so the minutes don't compare directly: a shorter time at a higher temperature can be the harder test. Our gun safe fire rating guide explains how to read these numbers.
Which lock is easier to live with?
Browning Sporter 23: lock type not printed in the spec list; the lock sits behind triple-steel hard plates and hardened steel pins, per Browning. Steelwater Heavy Duty 20: digital keypad described as EMP-proof, with a double-bitted bypass key, per Steelwater. Power: one 9-volt battery.
More ways in means fewer bad surprises: a key or a mechanical lock still works when a battery is flat. Whichever lock you choose, the code and the keys stay with the adults; the guide to California DOJ approved gun safes links the official child-safety advice, and storage laws differ by state.
What do they cost, and what cover do you get?
On November 13, 2026: Browning Sporter 23 $1,649 at Browning, Steelwater Heavy Duty 20 $1,399 at Steelwater. That is $250 between them.
Warranty: Browning Sporter 23, no warranty term on the pages we read; Steelwater Heavy Duty 20, no warranty term on the pages we read. Returns: Browning Sporter 23, 30 days; a 15% restocking fee applies to customized safes once work has started, per Browning's refund policy; Steelwater Heavy Duty 20, no return window on the pages we read. Delivery: Browning Sporter 23, free pickup at a nearby dealer; $449 for main-floor or garage delivery, $549 with stairs, per the product page; Steelwater Heavy Duty 20, no delivery terms on the pages we read.
Where to go from here
Full reviews: Browning Sporter 23 review and Steelwater Heavy Duty 20 review. Both appear in our ranking of the best gun safes, fireproof gun safe, best rifle safe, budget gun safe.
Other head-to-heads: Liberty USA 30 vs Browning Sporter 23, Winchester Ranger 26 vs Browning Sporter 23, Liberty Centurion 24 vs Steelwater Heavy Duty 20.
Still deciding what kind of safe you need? Read our guide: Gun safe fire ratings explained.
By Grant Holloway, editor, gun safes · updated November 13, 2026
Browning Sporter 23 or Steelwater Heavy Duty 20: quick answers
All head-to-headsIs the Browning Sporter 23 better than the Steelwater Heavy Duty 20?
In our formula, yes: 8.4/10 against 8.3/10, with the edge on fire rating, published approvals and warranty and returns. The Steelwater Heavy Duty 20 is ahead on price and lock and ways in, which may matter more in your home.
Which is cheaper, the Sporter 23 or the Heavy Duty 20?
The Steelwater Heavy Duty 20: $1,399 against $1,649 on November 13, 2026.
Which has the thicker steel?
Browning Sporter 23: 12-gauge steel. Steelwater Heavy Duty 20: 12-gauge steel. A lower gauge number means thicker steel.
Which has the better fire rating?
Browning Sporter 23: 95 minutes at 1,200°F, by the brand's figures. Steelwater Heavy Duty 20: 60 minutes at 1,875°F, by the brand's figures. Both figures are the brands' own claims.