Cannon Gun Safes

Commander 43 Review

Cannon Gun Safes makes the Commander 43. The Commander Series is the “Top of the Line” offering from
the company. The series was only introduced in 2011, so it is an entirely new safe from Cannon.

The Commander 43, 36 gun capacity, does not come cheap, retailing for between $3,705 and $3,900 depending on what finish you select. The big question is whether the safe is worth it for the price compared to other offerings on the market at a similar price point.

Before we get to the review, be aware that Cannon Safe has been on business for over 40 years and has experienced a lot of success during this time. Additionally, the company manufactures Gunvault handgun safes.

If you are new to my site, some of the jargon below is more fully explained in my gun safe buying guide. Please review the guide for a much more in depth discussion of various safe features and benefits.

Key Advantages:

1. Warranty: Cannon Gun Safes has an excellent warranty. Basically, they will repair or replace your safe, shipping and locksmith charges included, if the safe is damaged due to theft, fire or natural flood. The key to the policy is the free shipping and the locksmith service. Many companies cap the amount of the locksmith service fee and/or make you pay the freight.
2. Steel: The Commander 43 uses 10 gauge steel. This is very good and exactly what you look for in a higher end gun safe. Interestingly, every other safe made by Cannon uses 12 gauge steel (which is thinner), so this is the best you can get from tis company.
3. Fire Protection: The safe has a 90 minute fire rating. What makes this rating unique (in a good way!) is that it has been independently verified by Intertek-ETL. Very few companies have their fire rating verified by a third party.
4. UL Rated: The safe carries a UL RSC rating. For a high end safe this is pretty standard, but still an advantage.
5. Lock Rating: Canon uses electronic locks on all of its gun safes. If you want a mechanical lock it is an extra expense. Interestingly, this is just the opposite of hat most other manufacturers do. Cannon does not disclose in its product literature, which locks it uses, other than it is a UL type 1 lock. A type 1 rated lock is good. Typically, the lock is manufactured by S$G, SecuRam or LP.
6. Weight: This bad boy weighs almost 1,500 pounds. Very heavy safe.

Key Disadvantages:

1. Locking Bolt Sides: The Commander has locking bolts on 3 door sides. This is a real head scratcher for me. Every high end safe I have reviewed has locking bolts on all four sides. Every one. Yet, Cannon gun safes chose to only have bolts on 3 sides. Very strange considering this safe is $3-4,000.

Fit and Finish

You get 7 different color choices. This is nice, but what really makes this safe cool is the other interior features. It has an interior lighting system that comes standard. It also has interior electrical, USB and RJ45 Ethernet connections.

Why have an outlet and ethernet connection. Well, you can easily add an electronic dehumidifier. Alternatively, you can put your computer in the safe and protect your data, not just your weapons. Kudos to Cannon!

Bottom Line

It is mystifying why Cannon Gun Safes chose to only have locking bolts on three door sides. It really doesn’t make a lot of sense for a high-end offering. Nonetheless, it has just about everything else you would want. AND, it has the internet and electrical connections already installed. I cannot think of another gun safe that does this. Great job.

Cannon Commander 43 – By the Numbers