Heritage Safe

Fortress Security Citadel 366023 Gun Safe Review

This safe was discontinued in 2012

Heritage Safe makes the Fortress Security Citadel 366023, a very big, yet inexpensive entry level gun safe. How big is big? This safe holds up to52 guns making it the largest gun safe in the Citadel Series from Heritage. There are a total of four models in this series.

I have seen the Citadel 366023 offered for as low as $1,154. Thus, for a safe of this size, this is a remarkable price. The question you have to ask, however, is if the safe is worth it at any price?

Let’s take a look at some of what makes this safe a good choice and some that may make it less so.

Heritage Safe Key Advantages

1. Locking Bolts: Many entry level safes only have locking bolts on three door sides and some even have them only on two sides. The Citadel 366023 has bolts on all four sides. This is a plus. Each bolt is 1″ and there are 12 bolts in total.
2. UL Group II Rated Lock: There is a UL Group II rated S&G combination lock that comes standard on the safe. Many “top of the line” safes costing 4 or 5 times more than this safe have the same lock.
3. Fire Rating: Heritage Safe is one of the few manufacturers that actually use a third party to verify its fire ratings. The Citadel Series has a 60 minute, 1,200° F fire rating established by IRT. This is very good.

Heritage Safe Key Disadvantages

1. No UL RSC Rating: The Citadel Series does not have a UL RSC rating. As I write this review, I am trying to remember a safe, besides those made by Sentry, that does not have this rating and I cannot think of one.
2. Big But Not Heavy: This safe is big, but it certainly is not heavy. It weighs in at just 700 pounds. If the safe held only about 25 guns, this is not a big deal, but it seems a 51 gun capacity safe should weigh a bit more than 700 pounds.

Bottom Line

You may think from reading the above that I do not like this safe and think it is a bad choice. This is not entirely correct. If your primary goal in purchasing the safe is security, I would probably go elsewhere. I mean, this safe doesn’t even have an RSC rating.

However, it does have something very valuable. It has a 60 minute, verified, fire rating. As you recall from my safe buying guide, the threat of fire is much greater, statistically, than a burglary attempt. Thus, this safe will do a competent job securing your guns from children and will do a great job protecting them from fire. Thus, this safe is almost akin to a very good gun cabinet with an excellent fire rating.

Heritage Fortress Security Citadel 366023 – By the Numbers