I am thinking about getting a small safe to keep some valuables and important paperwork. Obviously fire protection is, but what rating would ya'll recommend? What else should I look for in a safe? Thanks in advance!

Sturdy safe.

try here

RULE ONE - Buy half again to twice as large a safe as you think you'll ever need (you will find a way to fill it up).



RULE TWO - See RULE ONE.



RULE THREE - The fire rating depends on your local fire department response times. In a large urban area, you can get away with a shorter rating.

If you live in the sticks, get as long a one as you can. My local volunteer department has "saved a lot of chimneys"

(Not a dig, came from one of the members as a factual statement). We donate to them on a regular basis.



If it's a small safe, you must secure it to the floor or wall studs. Good idea for any safe.



Get a good name brand safe.



Hope this helps some.

That.

The capacity ratings are bullshit.  When it says "Holds 28 guns", they mean it'll hold 10 Ruger 10/22 carbines with no optics or pistol grip stocks and 18 Kel-Tec P3AT pistols, not 28 AR-15s.  

For a more realistic rating, take their number and divide by 2.  

Anchor it to the floor with some strike anchors or lag screws.  If it's on concrete, raise it using some plywood, horse stall mat, or something similar.  

I have a "50 gun" safe that the wife has acquired a like for... it has 6 rifles and some ammo. FULL.



Edit: 50 guns if I melt them down, in 12x12 cubes... maybe.




 

Don't fuck around, just build a vault and be done with it.

Make sure you have the combination written down everywhere so you don't have to start another "I have a safe...".thread

Hell, post it to ARFCOM...they never forget

Make a friend at bass pro and get one 40% off

Avoid the electronic locks.  I have a 2006 Heritage Fortress that was ORIGINALLY equipped with a S&G e-lock.  It started failing with 1 month left in warranty - the night before deer season.  Heritage gave me the option of another just like it or a manual.  I went with the manual - they sent a locksmith and problem solved.  

VERY SCARY SITUATION.  Luckily, mine did not totally fail - it would let me in about every 10 tries.  Company claims that the style lock I had was a problem in several cases.  It was the previous generation that had a "screw mechanism" that went "buzzzzz".  The new e-locks make a "click" noise and are not as unreliable.  

Point is = I don't trust e-locks any longer.  Locksmith said it would be a PITA to get into if the device failed permanently.

Heritage has a "china" made series now with an e-lock AND a key backup.

It is cheaper to get to good sized safes than one giant one. I dont trust the digital lock system. Your SO will find ways of filling it with
girly stuff so beware.

Those small silicon packs are great with safes.

Fire rating is good to know. Depending if the safe you are thinking to get has other features to defeat/delayed drilling or tampering.

This. The sest safes this side of TL15/TL30 safes.