Quick Answer: The Steelwater Heavy Duty (LD593024) is a 1-hour, 1875°F fire-rated gun safe built on 12-gauge steel for $2,099 on Steelwater’s store, while the Extreme Duty (HD593024) doubles the fire rating to 2 hours with a 9-gauge body and a 1/4-inch steel plate door for $2,499. Both are sold as “26 Long Gun” safes, but Steelwater’s own spec sheet lists a maximum of 22 long guns and a recommended 14-18. The Extreme Duty weighs 765 lb against the Heavy Duty’s 581 lb and has slightly less usable interior depth. For fire rating per dollar, both undercut comparably rated Liberty and Fort Knox safes by hundreds of dollars.
Last updated October 31, 2026: we re-checked both prices against Steelwater’s store (unchanged at $2,099 and $2,499), corrected our capacity section (Steelwater’s spec says 22 long guns maximum, not 26), and added a full spec table with weights, interior dimensions, door construction and lock details from Steelwater’s product listings.
Steelwater built its reputation on a simple pitch: match or beat the fire rating of the big brand names for noticeably less money. We pulled current specs directly from Steelwater’s own product pages to check that pitch against two of its most popular models — the Heavy Duty and Extreme Duty — and found that the “26” in both product names is not the capacity Steelwater’s own spec sheet gives.
Steelwater Heavy Duty vs. Extreme Duty at a glance
| Model | Capacity | Fire rating | Steel | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelwater Heavy Duty (LD593024) | 22 long guns max (14-18 recommended) | 1 hr / 1875°F | 12-gauge body | $2,099 | ★★★★½ |
| Steelwater Extreme Duty (HD593024) | 22 long guns max (14-18 recommended) | 2 hr / 1875°F | 9-gauge body + 1/4" plate door | $2,499 | ★★★★★ |
Steelwater Heavy Duty Gun Safe (LD593024)
- 1-hour / 1875°F fire rating on 12-gauge steel — one of the highest temperature ratings in its price class.
- 20 solid-steel locking bolts total (13 active, 7 inactive on the hinge side) driven by a gear-and-bolt system, plus a spring-loaded relocker if the lock is punched or drilled.
- Meets California DOJ's residential security container standard, one of the toughest state-level bars a safe can clear.
- 581 lb empty, per Steelwater. Plan for a dolly and at least one helper for placement.
Steelwater Extreme Duty Gun Safe (HD593024)
- 2-hour / 1875°F fire rating, double the Heavy Duty's window, on a thicker 9-gauge body.
- 5-1/8-inch composite door with a 1/4-inch solid steel plate and 4 layers of fireboard, against the Heavy Duty's 4-7/8-inch door with 3 layers.
- Same 20-bolt locking system, gear-driven lock, and CA DOJ compliance as the Heavy Duty.
- Exactly $400 more than the Heavy Duty. The extra cost buys fire time and steel, not room: usable interior depth is 16-3/4 inches vs 18 inches on the Heavy Duty.
The capacity correction: 22 long guns maximum, despite the “26” in the name
Steelwater sells these safes as the “Heavy Duty 26 Long Gun Safe” and the “Extreme Duty 26 Long Gun Safe.” The specifications in the same listings say something different: “Maximum Long Gun Capacity: 22 (11/11)” and “Average Recommended Long Gun Capacity: 14-18.” An earlier version of this review read that the wrong way round and called 26 the current spec and 22 a stale figure. Steelwater’s own spec sheet says 22, so that is the number to plan around. In practice, size your collection against the 14-18 recommended range, especially if your rifles wear scopes.
Heavy Duty vs. Extreme Duty: full spec sheet
| Spec (Steelwater listing, Oct 31, 2026) | Heavy Duty LD593024 | Extreme Duty HD593024 |
|---|---|---|
| Price on Steelwater's store | $2,099 | $2,499 |
| Fire rating | 1 hour at 1875°F | 2 hours at 1875°F |
| Body steel | 12-gauge | 9-gauge |
| Door | 4-7/8 in composite, 3 fireboard layers | 5-1/8 in composite, 1/4 in steel plate, 4 fireboard layers |
| Wall fireboard | 2 layers | 4 layers (over 1-1/2 in) plus a 1/8 in fire barrier |
| Locking bolts | 20 x 1-1/2 in (13 active, 7 fixed hinge-side) | 20 x 1-1/2 in (13 active, 7 fixed hinge-side) |
| Outside dimensions (H x W x D) | 59 x 30 x 24 in (add 3 in for handle) | 59 x 30 x 24 in (add 3 in for handle) |
| Usable interior (H x W x D) | 56 x 27-1/4 x 18 in | 54-3/4 x 26 x 16-3/4 in |
| Weight | 581 lb | 765 lb |
| Long gun capacity | 22 max (11/11), 14-18 recommended | 22 max (11/11), 14-18 recommended |
| Lock | EMP-proof digital keypad + bypass key; X3 biometric optional | EMP-proof digital keypad + bypass key; X3 biometric optional |
| Included extras | LED lighting, UL-listed power supply (3 AC, 2 USB), 450 g Dry Pack dehumidifier | LED lighting, UL-listed power supply (3 AC, 2 USB), 450 g Dry Pack dehumidifier |
The table shows where the extra $400 goes. The Extreme Duty adds 184 lb of steel and fireboard, two more wall layers and a steel-plate door, all inside the same footprint. That extra protection takes up space: 1-1/4 inches of usable depth and 1-1/4 inches of width. Both safes have four pre-drilled 1/2-inch anchor holes reinforced with 1/4-inch steel plate. Steelwater sells extra emergency bypass keys for $14.99 each, but only when you order the safe, so buy any spares up front.
Who should buy which tier
Buy the Heavy Duty if a 1-hour fire rating is enough margin for your situation and you want to spend the least amount of money on real fire protection — it already beats the fire rating of many safes costing $1,000+ more. Buy the Extreme Duty if you’re storing irreplaceable documents, optics, or a larger collection where a second hour of rated fire time and a steel-plate door are worth exactly $400 more, and your floor and stairs can handle 765 lb.
Neither tier is the right choice if you need a true budget entry point — see our best gun safe under $1,000 guide instead — or if brand-name resale and showroom support outweigh a better fire-rating-per-dollar spec sheet, in which case our gun safe brands comparison covers Liberty, Fort Knox, and other name brands directly.
The bottom line
The Steelwater Heavy Duty delivers a 1-hour, 1875°F fire rating on 12-gauge steel for $2,099, a 22-gun maximum (14-18 in practice) despite the “26 Long Gun” name, and a 20-bolt locking system that undercuts comparably rated big-name safes by hundreds of dollars. Step up to the $2,499 Extreme Duty for double the fire rating, a 9-gauge body and a steel-plate door if that margin is worth $400 and 184 extra pounds. See our best fireproof gun safe roundup for how these stack up against Liberty and SentrySafe, or our best Steelwater gun safe guide for how Heavy Duty and Extreme Duty fit alongside the entry-level Standard Duty and the premium MAX Series.