Choosing the Best Handgun Safe in 2022

Looking to invest in a handgun safe? Want to secure your gun when not in use? If so, then you’ve come to the right page.

A handgun safe is a compact safe designed to hold one or two handguns. It can also store other important items, such as spare magazines or speedloaders, flashlights, passports, documents, or jewelry.

Due to their small size, you can keep handgun safes in a car, or keep them hidden at home. In addition, you can also keep them by your bedside for quick access in an emergency home defense situation.

In this guide, we’ll cover the top reasons why you should consider investing in a handgun safe. Also, the main qualities to look for in one, and then our choices for the best handgun safes for this year.

Best Budget Buy	RPNB Portable Handgun Safe	Durable, sturdy, and compact Portable and concealable Less price for great value No mounting holes for permanent placement	$64 Shop NowClick to read my review
	Stopbox Instant Access Handgun Lockbox	Very reliable Lightweight Comes with a cable Locking mechanism takes time to learn	$119 Shop NowClick to read my review
Top Pick	Fort Knox PB1 Handgun Safe	Locking system is very durable No batteries are required Concealed hinges It’s very expensive	$299 Shop NowClick to read my review
	SnapSafe Two-gun Keypad Vault	Durable 16 gauge steel walls Unlock with a code or with a bypass key Can hold up to two pistols Lack biometrics, RFID, and Bluetooth	$215 Shop NowClick to read my review
	GunVault GV2000C-DLX Multi Vault Deluxe Handgun Safe	Has over twelve million different possible locking codes Comes with a one year warranty from the manufacturer Durable 16 gauge steel Requires a 9V battery to operate (and it must be purchased separately)	$169 Shop NowClick to read my review

Why Do You Need A Handgun Safe?

Is buying a handgun safe truly necessary? After all, why buy a safe that can only hold one or two handguns when you could buy a larger safe that could hold all of your guns?

Accessibility and Security

Well, just because you could fit all of your guns in a larger and more traditional gun safe doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t invest in a handgun safe either. The main reason to invest in a handgun safe is to have a handgun or two, that you can easily access while keeping it secured against children and burglars.

The idea is that you could keep your handgun safe by your nightstand or in your car. This way, you could easily access the pistol in an attempted home invasion or carjacking. Additionally, it is also to ensure that your pistol is kept secure against unauthorized entry or even a fire.

Concealability

Another reason to consider a handgun safe is concealability. Traditional gun safes are quite large, and therefore difficult to hide. Due to their smaller size, you can easily hide handgun safes, such as underneath blankets or clothing.

We can make a strong argument that concealability is the best form of defense against theft. Because how will a burglar decide to break into your safe, if they don’t even know that you have a safe to break into?

Portability

Another reason to consider a handgun safe is portability. While some handgun safes come with mounting hardware, so you can bolt them down to a wall or the floor (more on this later), others are designed to be easily transported around.

For example, you may want to transport your handgun between your home and another location (such as your work office), in which case a compact and narrow safe would be very desirable.

And keep in mind, you don’t have to keep a firearm in your handgun safe if you don’t want to. You can’t bring a gun with you as part of your carry-on luggage, but you may be flying with other valuables such as jewelry, documents, or electronics that you’d like to keep secure while you travel. Furthermore, a compact handgun safe would be an excellent security option for this scenario.

What Should You Look For In A Handgun Safe?

Here are the top qualities you need to look for in a handgun safe:

Durability

One of the most important things to look for in a handgun safe is durability. The overwhelming majority of handgun safes on the market are not built to the same level of quality as a larger and more conventional safe.

Remember that even if your pistol safe comes with a quality and hard-to-break locking mechanism, it doesn’t matter if the body of the safe itself is flimsy and easy to break with little more than a hammer, rifle stock, or a sledgehammer.

The best handgun safes should be built out of hardened steel. 19 gauge steel should be the absolute minimum that you consider, but 16 gauge steel would be even better. 10 gauge handgun safes are even more durable, but also much heavier.

Take note that there are some handgun safes that are not built out of steel or metal at all, but rather hardened plastic such as polycarbonate. These are not true handgun safes, but rather ‘lockboxes’, and they should be labeled as such. A lockbox can be effective at keeping a child or intruder who makes a minimal effort at bay. However, it won’t be effective against fire or a skilled burglar who is willing to make the effort to break into them.

Welded

Another very common construction flaw with handgun safes is going with a safe that is not welded or seamed together. Even if your safe is built out of durable 16 or 10 gauge steel like we just discussed, if it’s not welded together properly that won’t matter much either.

An unwelded safe can get broken easily by hitting it hard enough with a sledgehammer or throwing it hard enough against a hardened surface. Make sure that your handgun safe is built out of hardened steel, and make sure that it is welded or seamed closely together.

Size

The size of your handgun safe is also important, depending on what you decide exactly to store in your safe and what you want to do with it. For example, do you want to keep one pistol or two pistols in your safe? Are you going to place any additional valuables in there, such as passports, important documents, jewelry, flashlights, or spare ammunition?

Before you buy a safe, you need to determine what exactly you want to keep inside, and then buy a safe that is large enough to hold those items. Do not make the mistake of buying the safe first and then choosing what you want to put into the safe later.

You also need to think about how you will be using your safe as well. If you’re going to be placing it underneath your car seat, for instance, you’ll need to go with a safe that has a much more slim shape and profile.

Locking Mechanism

The construction quality and durability of your handgun safe is the first factor that determines how secure it is. The second factor is the locking mechanism.

There are two primary types of locking mechanisms when it comes to handgun safes: mechanical and electronic (or combinations, which utilize both).

Mechanical safes do not require electricity or batteries and come with an actual mechanical lock with a key. Safes with mechanical locking mechanisms are the most popular handgun safes due to their simplicity. Additionally, their advantage is that you do not need to worry about the batteries running out or the electricity getting compromised in any way.

Battery-Operated or Not?

Electronic handgun safes usually run on batteries to operate. While the locking mechanism is still mechanical, it still needs battery power or electricity for the mechanism to operate nonetheless. A common system for an electronic gun safe is a keypad for a code, or for RFID lighting, or even biometrics (meaning you must press your fingerprint against a screen to open the safe).

Combination safes combine elements of both mechanical and electronic safes. For example, a combination safe may have both a mechanical key lock and a keypad as options for opening the safe.

Is one superior to the other? Both mechanical and electronic safes work, but electronic safes are usually faster to operate. You simply have to punch in a combination (or use an RFID or biometric option) to access the contents. Mechanical safes with physical keys can be slower, and you also always run the risk of misplacing or losing the key.

But on the flip side of the coin, electronic safes still require electricity or batteries to operate. If you run out of battery power, you won’t be able to access the safe unless there’s a mechanical key option available as a backup.

Bolting

It’s a good idea to have some kind of bolting system for your safe as well. This means that you could bolt it securely down to the wall or the floor of your home. The benefit here is that a burglar won’t be able to pick up the safe and take off running with it.

As an alternative, handgun safes can also come with cables where you can secure them to something sturdy as well. This is a common choice for vehicle safes, where you can secure the cable around the legs of a car seat. This way, someone who breaks into your car won’t be able to so easily take the safe with them.

No Holes

Last but not least, make sure that there are no holes present in the steel of your safe. If there are, burglars could potentially access the interior contents of the safe through the holes. Holes also leave the contents of the safe vulnerable to fire.

The reason why some handgun safes come with holes is that they are built out of pieces of sheet metal that are not welded or seamed to the safe itself. Another reason is that the safe may have mounting holes, and if you fail to mount the safe to the floor or a wall, the holes will ensure that the interior of the pistol safe remains exposed.

Avoid going with a handgun safe that comes with holes. If it comes with holes because it’s a safe that you can mount. So make sure that you actually do mount it or you may end up regretting it later.

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The Best Handgun Safes

Here are the following best handgun safes to consider in 2022:

RPNB Portable Handgun Safe RP2001

The RPNB Portable Handgun Safe is a straightforward case with a key lock. If you aren’t a fan of passwords and fingerprints, then this is a great option for you. It also comes with a security cable which allows you to latch it when needed.

The safe has a simple and retro design, featuring a dense memory foam that cushions your valuables inside. It’s just the right size which makes it very portable and easy to hide. It’s compact so it’s an ideal companion when you’re on the road. Be it in your car, under the seat, or in the luggage, this handgun safe from GGD brings security with you on the go.

Meanwhile, it serves just as much ease when used at home. Though, take note, as it was made mainly for portability, this safe doesn’t have mounting holes on it. And since it unlocks with a key, a skilled picklock may be able to get access. Though, this is more of a general weakness for locks and not this case in particular. You can easily prevent this through concealment, which the case does a good job at.

One thing we really like about the RPNB Handgun Safe is that it’s impressively sturdy. Made with 16-gauge carbon steel, it weighs relatively heavy for a portable safe. Your 9mm and other famous handguns can easily call this case home, together with extra magazines and ammo. Most of all, it’s very affordable so it’s a safe we’d definitely use ourselves.

Features and Specs

Stopbox Instant Access Handgun Lockbox

The StopBox Instant Access Handgun Lockbox is a lightweight and durable lock box to keep your pistol stored. Something to keep in mind is that this is a lockbox and is not an actual safe. The Stopbox built itself from plastic, specifically polycarbonate, and is not quite as durable as an actual safe built out of steel.

In addition, the StopBox can prevent unauthorized entry. While not the most protective against a fire, the polycarbonate construction can still prevent access by children (and even burglars may have a hard time with it).

The StopBox is also notable for its very slim design and unique locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is an original StopBox design that is currently patent-pending, and while it will take a while to learn how to use it, it requires several steps to operate. This reduces the odds that a child or a burglar on a time crunch would be able to access the interior contents.

The slim design also makes the StopBox very portable and concealable. You could easily slip it under a car seat, in your luggage, or concealed in your home. It also comes with a cable designed to wrap around, so a burglar or child can’t pick it up and run off with it.

Features and Specs

Fort Knox PB1 Handgun Safe

One of the most durable and secure, but also expensive, options for a handgun safe is the Fort Knox PB1 Handgun Safe. This is a compact-sized safe, designed to hold one full-size pistol or two compact pistols.

The body of Fort Knox is built out of ten gauge steel. This makes it one of the most durable handgun safes available on the market. It also makes it incredibly heavy (a whopping twenty-four pounds, which is quite large for a handgun safe).

Fort Knox utilizes a Simplex locking system, which means it only has one thousand possible locking combinations. While this may sound like a lot, the truth is that one thousand combinations are actually rather few in the safes market overall.

On the plus side, the PB1 has concealed hinges (which makes it harder to break into) and the wrap-around door helps improve durability as well. It also comes with a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer as well.

Features and Specs

SnapSafe Two-gun Keypad Vault

The SnapSafe Two-gun Keypad Vault can hold up to two pistols. It has a matte surface, a spring-loaded door, and 16 gauge steel walls. Though it lacks Bluetooth, biometrics, and RFID, it still has a competitive locking mechanism.

The SnapSafe Two-gun Keypad Vault is powered by an electric motor and is unlocked using push buttons on the top. Either you use the bypass key or you enter the correct combination. Enter a 2- to 4-digit code or use the backup key given to unlock.

The device is powered by a single 9v battery that can only be changed from the inside. And the battery life is fantastic. If the battery dies, simply replace it and you’re good to go. On the top, there are also three LED indicator lights that show the status of the code being input, battery life, and sound.

One drawback of this vault is that it is a bit big & a little heavy. But overall, the SnapSafe Two-gun Keypad Vault is a solid alternative for most people.

Features and Specs

GunVault GV2000C-DLX Multi Vault Deluxe Handgun Safe

Yet another option for a sturdy handgun safe is the GunVault GV2000C-DLX MultiVault Deluxe Gun Safe. One of the biggest benefits of the GV2000C-DLX is its multiple locking combinations (over twelve million to be specific).

When there are too many failed attempts to enter the safe, a computer installed in the safe automatically locks you out. GunVault provides you with override keys in the event this happens. Make sure that you keep the keys stored away from the safe so a burglar or child cannot access them either

The body of the GV2000C-DLX is built out of durable and strong 16 gauge steel. There’s enough space within the safe to store more than one handgun (or a handgun and additional items) and there is internal lighting in the safe so you can view the contents at night or dusk.

Just take note that the GunVault uses a 9V battery in order to operate. You need to purchase this separately as well.

Features and Specs

Conclusion

And that concludes our list of the Best Handgun Safes for 2022. Any one of the five handgun safes that we have covered here today will be a solid choice to keep your pistol or revolver protected at home or in a car.

The Fort Knox PB1 Handgun Safe is our top recommendation. It is the toughest safe on our list, with a thousand different locking combinations. It’s not too big, just the right size to handle one full-size pistol or two compact pistols. There’s also a lifetime warranty included, and that’s all you get for the price tag.

However, if you’re looking for the Best Budget Handgun Safe, then the RPNB Portable Handgun Safe is the best option. For only $64, you’ll get a sturdy, portable, and concealable safe.

So, did we help you find the handgun safe that you’ve been looking for? Which one do you think is the best?

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