I was in the market for a large safe and had looked at all the options in the $1500-$3000 range. I was very close to purchasing a Liberty USA 50 safe, or one of its Liberty variants from Tractor Supply, Sportsman’s Warehouse, etc. In fact, I was finishing my research on the Liberty when I discovered the Stealth brand when reading this review; https://www.expertsafereviews.com/liberty-usa-50-gun-safe-review/ In hindsight, that review is one of the most fair and accurate reviews I found on any product, and it also provided comparable alternatives. Kudo to the authors!
I’m usually pretty brand loyal and have owned a Liberty Lincoln safe for 25 years. I would still purchase the USA 50 had I not discovered the Stealth UL50. I researched all the information I could find about the UL50, with a particular focus on customer reviews and photos. I typically find customer photos are often a more accurate depiction of the actual product than marketing photos, which is why I’m also including photos in this review. However, the photos provided by Stealth of the UL50 on their website, and Mammoth’s site, are really spot on.
From a security perspective, I was looking for; thickness of the steel body and the door needed to be at least 12 gauge, the gap between the door and body needed to be minimal, and the doors needed to have a decent number/size of active bolts or bars. Lasty, I really wanted the top and bottom of the doors to have bolts/bars without having to pay over $3k to get them. The Stealth UL50 met or exceeded the Liberty USA 50 in each of these categories.
Although fire ratings are worth comparing, for me the reality is there will always damage to a certain extent, whether the fire is 1200 degrees or 1400 degrees, and I certainly won’t be checking the duration of fire with a stopwatch. Still, the fire rating of the USA 50 and the UL50 are the same.
Once you have compared a lot of safes you know there is a wide range in quality, especially when looking inside. Many appear unfinished, with rough / undressed welds, thin paint or coatings, and poor fitting shelving / interiors. Not so with Stealth, the fit and finish is very good. The reconfigurable Molle door system is also a huge bonus! Because I was looking for a safe to go in my garage, I also wanted a durable/industrial type finish and the Stealth coating is perfect for my needs. Granted, the finish may hide weld dressings and other finish details, but that and the durability is exactly why I like the Stealth coating so much. My Liberty safe is in my office and has a nice gloss finish; however, that is not what I wanted in my garage.
Frankly, I am extremely pleased with my UL50 and have zero regrets for purchasing it. However, there is one minor recommendation for improvement. Although I really like the way the power cable plugs into the safe (similar to a TV, PC, etc.), I recommend moving the cable connection from the right side to the back of the safe. Why? The current placement isn’t very stealth (yes, I did) and I prefer not seeing a cable sticking out from the side of the safe. I understand this was to enable the back of the safe to sit flush with the wall, so moving the cable connection from the center of the fight side to the very rear of the right side would also be a good option. I ended up drilling a hole through the rear wall of the safe for cable entry and then rewired the power outlet. This is a minor issue.
I have added a light kit and a dehumidifier to the safe, and I will add guns once I’m satisfied with the humidity level. Based on initial testing, it appears I will need the larger Peet dehumidifier to maintain relative humidity below 50%.
So what about Mammoth Safes? One-word summary; Wow!
I compared several companies that sell the Stealth safe when I found Mammoth. Mammoth has comparable pricing including shipping to other vendors. However, they have no tax and I also found a coupon, so when combined, Mammoth saved me several hundred dollars over the next closest company. That said; I was somewhat hesitant to order initially from Mammoth because they are a relatively new company without a lot of reviews. Thankfully there was just enough information on the web that I felt fairly confident that the advertisement was not a scam.
I really appreciate Mammoth’s efficient ordering, communication and delivery process….simply impressive! From ordering to delivery, California to South Carolina, in 6 days……impressive! The safe was very well packed, and I received it with no damage. Mammoth has done their customer service homework and it shows. Between Mammoth’s pricing, customer service and Stealth’s product quality…..I have and will continue to highly recommend both companies to anyone needing a safe!!! Well done!
