A good, quick-access safe can keep your handgun secure, but also readily accessible. There many factors to consider when buying a small, rapid-access pistol safe: reliability, locking mechanism type, case metal strength/thickness, need for battery, ease of installation, internal capacity, built-in lighting, attack resistance, and overall quality. If you are considering getting a small handgun safe, we recommend you watch the videos below. Each shares some valuable observations, and the videos cover a wide selection of pistol safes with many different features.

Quick-Access Handgun Safes Reviewed by Lucky Gunner

Not all small handgun safes are created equal. In this 11-minute video, Lucky Gunner reviewer Chris talks about what to look for in a small pistol safe, setting out the pros and cons of the seven safes with which he has done “hands on” testing.

Fort Knox Original Pistol Box
Fort Knox handgun safes feature 10-gauge Uni-body construction and reliable Simplex mechanical locking mechanism. Low-tech but reliable. The vertical lid PB01 Pistol Box is $299.00 at Amazon.

V-Line Hide-Away Two-gun Pistol Safe
The V-Line safe with Simplex mechanical lock and slide-out drawer holds two handguns. Sold with mounting bracket, this is designed for under-tabletop or under-shelf installation. It is $260.84 on Amazon.

ShotLock Handgun 200M Solo-Vault
Shotlock’s 200M Solo-Vault, reliable mechanical lock, and mounting plate costs $198.75 on Amazon. This can be set up horizontally or (preferred) in a vertical orientation on the side of a desk or wall.

Vaultek VT20i Biometric Pistol Safe
This is a modern two-handgun safe with electronic lock and Biometric (fingerprint scan) instant-access system. Crafted of 16-gauge steel, the VT20i has a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery. $289.99 on Amazon.

Hornady RAPiD Safe 2600KP
The Hornady RAPiD 2600KP safe offers very fast RFID access for a modest $139.99 on Amazon. This small safe meets TSA requirements for handgun storage in checked luggage. Good choice for travel.

Stack-On PDS-1500-B Drawer Safe
This is a basic safe with biometric electronic locking mechanism. Just 4.5″ high, it can store in a drawer easily. Good value at $119.99 on Amazon. If you don’t need biometric access, consider the Amazon Basics Drawer Safe for $46.84, which has a programmable electronic keypad plus key access.

Ten Handgun Safes Reviewed by Survival Gear

This video is titled “TOP 10 Best Gun Safe”, but it should be more accurately titled “10 Pistol Safes”. None of these safes will hold a long-gun, and most will hold just two handguns. The largest safe reviewed, the Vaultek MX high-capacity, will hold six pistols on the lower level, and a couple more on the upper, internal shelf. This is a well-made, professionally-produced video that shows “hands-on” operation of 10 safes.

SentrySafe QAP1E Handgun Safe with digital keypad. Top-opening gas-strut supported lid. Circular key override. Single pistol safe $79.99 on Amazon. Larger model with 2-gun capacity and interior light $220.77 on Amazon.

Konig Safe “Smart” Motion Sensor Gun Safe. Modern exterior design. Safe has audible motion alarm that sounds if moved. This unit has keypad, RFID, and fingerprint funtionality. $239.99 from Konig SAfe.

Titan Pistol Vault Safe with mechanical, push-button lock, 14-gauge steel with mounting brackets for vehicle or home installation. $348.52 on Amazon.

Vaultek VS10i Biometric Smart Pistol Safe with Auto-Open Lid and Rechargeable Battery and backlit keypad, $269.99 on Amazon.

Verifi Smart Safe S5000. Worth a look if you want a Biometric pistol safe. This has the largest and only FBI-certified fingerprint sensor. There is back-up key access, but no keypad. $299.99 on Amazon.

BILLCONCH Biometric Gun Safe. This offers four access modes: keypad, biometric, phone App, and keyed entry. User reviews have been good. If you want a biometric safe on a budget, this is a logical choice for just $139.99 on Amazon.

Vaultek MX WiFi High Capacity Smart Handgun Safe. Auto-open Door and rechargeable battery. This 15″x 11.5″x 11.6″ safe can hold up to 8 handguns on two levels. Available as Biometric ($629.99 on Amazon with WiFi connectivity — receive instant alerts for safe activity on your phone.

Handgun Safes for Bedside at Home — Pew Pew Tactical Reviews

A rapid-access bedside safe is a great way to keep your pistol secure, but also readily available, close at hand. Not all rapid-access pistol safes are created equal, however. In this video, John of Pew Pew Tactical explains what to look for in a small pistol safe, and points out the pros and cons of the four safes tested:

Fort Knox FTK-PB Simplex Pistol Box
Strong case, reliable no-battery locking system. This was a very good safe, but has been superseded by the Fort Knox PB1 handgun safe ($299.00 on Amazon).

Vaultek Electronic Pistol Safes
Multiple styles, thin profile, 5-button electronic ($159.99 on Amazon), or Biometric VT10i + 5-button ($269.99 on Amazon), both with rechargeable batteries.

GunVault SpeedVault Handgun Safe
Designed for vertical mount under desk on vehicle, one gun only, requires batteries, $222.00 on Amazon.

Quick Summaries of 2023 Model Pistol Safes (Rapid Access Focus)

Here are a couple more handgun safe reviews. These are mostly collections of manufacturers’ promotional materials, but these two videos do showcase some of the most recent models. In addition, the first video covers rapid-access, biometric-activated safes.

Smart Advice for Handgun Safes from AccurateShooter
With any small pistol safe, there are some important points to remember.

1. Keep the safe out of plain view — Don’t place it on top of a bedside table. Burglars often go straight to the bedroom looking for valuables. We recommend attaching your pistol safe to a secure surface using bolts. Or use a steel cable.

2. With electronic handgun safes, you should change/charge the batteries regularly. It is pointless to have a self-defense pistol in a safe you can’t open because the battery is dead. Electronic safes should always have back-up key-locks!

3. Don’t put important valuables such as car keys, credit cards, and jewelry in compact pistol safes. Even when screwed down, these small safes are known targets for thieves.

4. Remember the KISS principle. Some of the latest pistol safes are WiFi enabled so they can talk to a smart-phone APP. This may provide entertainment for tech types, but simpler may be better. You want a safe that will open/close without WiFi and without a battery.