Quick Answer: The Stack-On Sentinel 40-Gun is the best overall Stack-On gun safe — a genuine 30-minute/1,400°F fire rating and 40-long-gun capacity for around $549.99-$729.99. Buyers who need less room should get the Total Defense 24, a 22-24 gun safe with the same fire rating for around $300-$450, and anyone who just wants visible deterrence without fire protection should look at the GCB-8RTA, an 8-gun steel cabinet for around $120-$225. For a drawer-mounted handgun option, get the current PDS-1800-E (around $75-$120) rather than the discontinued PDS-500 — Stack-On’s own current lineup no longer lists the older model.
Stack-On’s current catalog spans genuine fire-rated safes, a lighter cabinet tier, and a compact drawer safe rather than one continuous product line, so which model fits depends on whether fire protection or just visible deterrence and budget matter most. We compared the lineup on capacity, fire rating, lock type, and price to help you land on the right one.
Stack-On safes and cabinets compared
| Model | Capacity | Fire rating | Best for | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stack-On Sentinel 40-Gun | 40 long guns | 30 min / 1,400°F | Best overall | ~$549.99-$729.99 | ★★★★★ |
| Stack-On Total Defense 24 | 22-24 long guns | 30 min / 1,400°F | Best fire-rated budget | ~$300-$450 | ★★★★½ |
| Stack-On GCB-8RTA | 8 long guns | None (cabinet) | Best value / deterrence | ~$120-$225 | ★★★★ |
| Stack-On PDS-1800-E | 1-2 handguns (drawer) | None | Best drawer-mount | ~$75-$120 | ★★★★ |
Stack-On Sentinel 40-Gun
- Real 30-minute/1,400°F fire rating at a price well under most other 40-gun-capacity safes on the market, per Stack-On's own product spec.
- 3 live-action locking bolts plus a pry-resistant door for meaningfully more theft resistance than the cabinet tier below.
- Sold through retailers like Academy Sports and Sportsman's Warehouse rather than direct from Stack-On, so it's worth price-checking more than one source — prices we found ranged from $549.99 (in-store pickup) to $729.99 (shipped).
A safe this size weighs several hundred pounds and typically arrives via freight or in-store pickup rather than a standard doorstep delivery — try Amazon Prime free for 30 days so any accessories like a dehumidifier rod or bolt-down kit ship free in two days while you coordinate delivery for the safe itself.
Stack-On Total Defense 24
- Same 30-minute/1,400°F fire rating as the larger Sentinel, in a smaller footprint and at roughly half the price.
- Available with either a back-lit electronic keypad or a traditional 3-number dial combination lock, depending on the exact SKU.
- Fireproof and waterproof door seal protects against both fire and the water damage that often follows a house fire.
Stack-On GCB-8RTA
- Ready-to-assemble steel cabinet with a 3-point locking system that secures the door at the top, bottom, and side.
- Foam-padded cabinet bottom and foam barrel rests protect firearms from scuffs — a detail missing on cheaper unlined cabinets.
- Carries no fire rating at all — this is a security cabinet, not a safe, and shouldn't be treated as fire protection.
Stack-On PDS-1800-E
- Current replacement for the discontinued PDS-500 — pre-drilled mounting holes and hardware included for bolting under a drawer, shelf, or wall.
- Electronic keypad with a safety-key override for backup access if the battery dies or the code is forgotten.
- Compact enough for a desk drawer or nightstand shelf, with real steel construction rather than a lightweight lock box.
Why the PDS-500 isn’t on this list
The PDS-500 drawer safe was a longtime budget pick in this category, but it’s been discontinued by Stack-On — it no longer appears anywhere in the company’s current personal-safes lineup (which now runs PDS-1800-E, PS-1808-E, PS-1814-E, PS-1820-E, and QAS-1845-E), and it’s flagged as unavailable at retailers that used to carry it, including Best Buy and Lowe’s. The PDS-1800-E is Stack-On’s current closest equivalent — similar electronic-lock drawer-mount design, at a similar price point.
For a brand-vs-brand comparison instead of a single-brand rundown, see our best gun safe brands overview, or our Liberty vs Fort Knox guide for how a premium pairing stacks up. If you’re not committed to Stack-On specifically, our best large gun safe guide ranks top 40+-gun-capacity picks across every brand on this site.
The bottom line
For most buyers who need real capacity and fire protection at a reasonable price, the Sentinel 40-Gun is Stack-On’s best current safe. Buyers who don’t need 40-gun capacity should get the Total Defense 24 for the same fire rating at a lower price, budget shoppers who just want visible deterrence should go with the GCB-8RTA cabinet, and anyone needing a drawer-mounted handgun safe should get the PDS-1800-E — Stack-On’s current replacement for the discontinued PDS-500.