Browning Gun Safe – The Silver SR35F Review

The Browning gun safe Silver SR35F is a very good safe that hits most of what I look for, as detailed Silver Series in my Gun Safe Buying Guide. Moreover, as a whole, the Browning line of safes has great security technology, very good interior storage options, and arguably the best exterior finish options in the business.

Browning has 7 different gun safe series. The Silver Series is right in the middle. There are three series with fewer features and three with more. Yet, despite being right in the middle, the Silver Series has most of what you will probably want in a gun safe.

Browning divides its safes into two different categories:Premium and Value. The Silver Series is considered the “entry level” premium series.

Depending upon the interior configuration you choose, the safe has a stated capacity of between 20-30 long guns. Plus, with the DPX door storage system, you can get an additional 10 long guns in the safe. The door storage system is quite unique to the different Browning gun safe series’.

So, what makes these safes so good? Let’s take a look

Key Advantages:

1. UL RSC Rated: I have a theory that some gun safes just barely make it through the necessary 5 minutes of attack the UL lab rats subject a safe, to achieve an RSC. Other safes simply shrug and could keep going (figuratively speaking, of course). Mind you, this is wholly unscientific observation.
   This is not to diminish the RSC rating, but to point out that there are different levels of passing. For example, if you take a math test and get a grade of 70. This is wholly different than passing the test with a grade of 95. Both students pass, but they are clearly not the same student.
   Why bring this up here? The Silver Series has so many little things that make a safe secure that other safes simply do not have. For example, multiple steel panels in the door, reinforced (U shaped channels) door frame, and extra strong locking bolts at the top and bottom corners of the door (the areas most likely to be attacked).
2. Locking Bolts: There are 16 bolts (1.25″) that are spread throughout all 4 door sides. As pointed out above, the two bolts on the upper and lower corner of the door are extra strong. UL Group II Rated Lock: S&G combination lock is standard, but you can get an electronic lock if you prefer.
3. Fire Rating: The safe is rated for 60 minutes at 1,200° F. Browning does the ratings in-house, so this is obviously not optimal. However, they do provide some insight about their safes which tend to support their ratings. This is, obviously, preferred to the alternative where some companies simply toss a number out and do not explain it at all. Take a look at a cross section of fire proof insulation.

Key Disadvantages:

1. Steel: The Silver SR35F has 11 gauge steel. My minimum preferred thickness for premium safes is 10 gauge. Eleven gauge is pretty close and far better than 12 gauge steel.
   What you will need to do is balance the price with the slightly less thick steel. You can get the safe for approximately $2,400, before adding certain options. For a safe of this size and quality, this is a very good price.

Fit and Finish

In this section for many safes, I often do not have much to say. I simply mention a couple colors or finish options and that is it. For this Browning gun safe, there is much more to say.

1. Colors and Textures: You can get five different colors and several different textures (texture, gloss, etc.).
2. Scenes: You have eight different animal scenes you can get painted on the safe door.
3. Affiliations: There are four different organizational affiliations to choose from, if you wish (e.g., NRA).
4. DPX Storage System: I discuss the DPX storage system more fully on the general Browning page of this site. Notwithstanding this
   discussion, the DPX system is unique because it allows you to store many more long guns on the safe door, and other items such as handguns
   with ease. The DPX system from Browning gun safe is arguably the best in the industry.
5. Options: You will have to pay for a lighting kit and a dehumidifier if you want them. However, what I like is that Browning
   lays out what options you can get in an easy to understand format. This isn’t always the case.

Bottom Line

As you can tell, I like the Silver SF35F and I like the Browning gun safe line of products in general. I do wish this safe came in 10 gauge steel, but for 2,400 (plus upgrades), I like the size and overall quality of this safe very much.

Silver SF35F – By the Numbers