The 10 Best Handgun Safes

As firearms owners, each of us is responsible, whether legally or morally, for the safe storage of our firearms when they’re not directly in our possession. If our firearms were lost, stolen, or simply used in a way that we did not intend, the consequences could be awful. Thus, it is so important that we have the means to securely store our guns.

In this piece, we’re going to walk through the ten best handgun safes. We recognize that there are a lot of safes on the market and a lot of different needs. Therefore, this list will cover a wide range of safes covering different budgets and needs.

At the very least, a gun safe should be lockable by some means: today that can mean some kind of electronic lock or the old standby of keys. Some models combine both, ensuring that you can always access your firearms if you need them.

From there, capacity is a concern. Some people only need to store a single handgun, whereas others have fairly substantial collections that need to be stored; we will cover options for a single gun, many guns, and some in between.

Additionally, there are a lot of different places one might need to store a gun. For that reason, we’ll cover options that are great for cars, offices, and different parts of the home. With just a little bit of homework, you can do your part to be a safe and responsible gun owner.

Here are our picks for the best handgun safes below.

Vaultek Safe LifePod Rugged Airtight Weather-Resistant Storage with Built-in Lock Up

To kick things off, we’re looking at the extremely durable Vaultek LifePod. This case is large enough for a single handgun and a few magazines, or would be an awesome place to store important documents. To open the small, rugged case, you can use the electronic keypad or the included manual keys.

handgun safe

In terms of features, the thing that stands out here is that it is an airtight and waterproof case that is not only durable but meets TSA guidelines. Between the solid rubber gasket and included foam, anything you put inside of this case is likely to stay intact through just about anything.

This case would be ideal for people who need to travel with their firearm, thanks to it meeting TSA standards. Of course, check the relevant state laws and airline regulations for specifics, but the Vaultek LifePod is an excellent case for the job.

Vaultek Safe NSL20 Slider WiFi Pistol Vault

The digital age has finally come to firearm safes. This NSL20 can be opened from wherever you are through the use of an app that only you can access. Aside from that, there are also manual keys and a keypad on the safe itself, meaning that you’ll never be locked out of your gun if you need to access it.

vaultek handgun slider safe

Made out of tough, 16 gauge steel, this case can fit one full-size handgun and is the perfect size to tuck either next to a desk or in the back seat of a vehicle. With the included mounting hardware, you can also make it much harder for someone to walk off with your safe, a major concern if, for instance, you need to leave your firearm in your office.

We think this case would be great for people who want to store a gun in their office either at home or work. The case is small and subtle enough to be overlooked, but can be opened immediately should you need to respond to a threat.

Hornady Rapid Vehicle Safe

Navigating concealed carry laws can be sort of a pain. For a lot of us, there are situations in which we can’t carry a firearm with us into an event or a place of business, but we also don’t feel great about leaving a loaded gun in our glove box in the parking lot. This is where the Hornady Rapid Vehicle Safe comes in.

hornady rapid vehicle safe

This safe, big enough for a single handgun and a few magazines, is meant to tuck in between the seat and console of your car: you can adjust the fit with an included airbag. From there, you loop the steel cable around something sturdy, like the rails that your seat rides on, and it will be much harder to steal the safe.

If you need to get to your gun, you can do so with a key, the keypad on the safe, or, take advantage of some new tech and use an RFID bracelet for instant access. This safe is perfect for people who want to be responsible for leaving a firearm in their vehicle should the need arise.

Barska Large Biometric Fingerprint Safe

The handgun bug has bitten a lot of us rather hard. What started with a single Glock has now turned into half a dozen handguns that need to be safely stored, along with their magazines. If this describes you, the Barska Large safe is a great option.

barska fingerprint handgun safe

This safe, big enough for half a dozen handguns, comes with mounting hardware so you can secure it to your floor and can be opened with a fingerprint or the included keys. One of the clever things here is that it can store 120 fingerprints: this means everyone in a home or business that you want to have access to your guns can get access if they need it.

In terms of use, this case is perfect for people who want to store their whole handgun collection in one spot, or have other valuables they want to secure in a home or a business.

GunVault Multi-Vault Handgun Safe

In terms of the cool factor, this case is one of our favorites. On the outside, it’s a nondescript-looking safe that is opened via either keypad or key. Once you open it, though, things get cool.

gunvault multi vault 4 pistol safe

Once opened, the drawer slides out automatically, revealing up to four full-size handguns inserted into foam blocks, displayed muzzle down for safe access should you need to use your gun in a hurry. The inside is also lit by an LED so you can see what you’re accessing.

This safe would be perfect for someone who needs to store four handguns and would do well on a tabletop or workbench where there is room for the drawer to slide. It would also fit nicely on a closet shelf if you wanted to keep things a little more concealed.

Hornady SnapSafe Lock Box with Key Lock

Oftentimes, the simple solution to a problem is the one that a lot of people should go with. That’s the case with gun safes: these affordable lock boxes are perfect for people who want a simple and rugged solution to safe firearm storage.

These boxes come in two sizes: the small is big enough for a single handgun and a spare magazine, whereas you might be able to fit two guns in the larger size. Either way, what you get is a locking box with a foam insert which can be opened by key.

For additional security, there is a steel cable that you can attach through something sturdy to prevent the safe and its contents from being stolen. These boxes are great for storing firearms in vehicles, or for putting inside of a larger container, for example, a dresser, to keep firearms out of sight and thus off of everyone’s minds should they go looking.

Barska Keypad Gun Safe

If you’re looking for a great all-around safe, the Barska Keypad gun safe is an excellent option. The safe can store two handguns and is only 15” tall: this would be awesome for putting under a bed or on the floor in a closet.

From there, the safe can be bolted to the floor, making it much harder for it to be stolen. In terms of access, Barska has included a smart feature: the keypad doesn’t beep. Those beeps that a lot of safes make could give you away if you need to open them quietly, which is a bad idea if, for example, you need to get to a gun to use in self-defense.

This safe is a great choice for folks looking to store a gun and some other important valuables somewhere in their homes that might need to access them quickly and quietly.

Barska Hidden Dictionary Book Safe

The most secure firearm is one that a would-be thief simply never knows about. That’s the logic behind this hidden dictionary book safe, and we think it makes sense.

This false book is big enough to hold a single handgun and if it’s a compact firearm, a spare magazine. From there, you lock the main compartment and put it on the bookshelf.

For this one, the book choice is an especially clever one: even someone who is in your home library for a legitimate reason is pretty unlikely to pick up a dictionary and so it’s fairly likely that people will walk right by this and never think twice about it.

To be fair, this is not the most secure safe on this list as someone could, indeed, walk off with it if they knew what to look for. The primary strength of this case is that it can hide in plain sight, which is in and of itself a reasonable level of security.

Personal Security Products Concealment Patriot Flag Case

Another variation on the theme of concealed pistols, this one takes advantage of a handsome wood flag case to give you a locking compartment in which you can put a gun and some other valuables.

To access the gun, you have to unlock the flag case and remove the flag, which is secured by Velcro straps. From there, the triangular compartment is about the right size for a handgun plus some important documents.

In terms of use, this would be ideal for someone who wanted fast access to a gun outside of the common storage areas such as a bedroom closet safe; this would look good on a mantlepiece and give you secret storage for a gun should you want to stage one in your living room.

Surelock Security Combat 14 Gun Plus Ammo

For a lot of gun owners, handguns only make up part of our collection. Many of us have some kind of long guns as well, whether rifles or shotguns. If you’re looking for a one-stop safe solution, this one is a great option.

While this safe, openable by keys, your whole collection will be kept secure behind 19-gauge steel. With the installation of a shelf inside, you could keep a large number of handguns and a few rifles securely locked away. It might not be strictly a handgun safe, but an all-in-one solution is an attractive option for many firearms owners.

Which Handgun Safe is Best?

In this piece, we’ve gone over ten safes that we think are good for handgun owners. Depending on your needs and wants in a safe, there is something out there for you. If you want to store firearms in a vehicle, one of the more mobile safes is a great option.  For those looking to hide things in plain sight, the concealed safes are excellent. From there, depending on the size of your collection, one of the larger, floor-mounted safes is an excellent way to go.

For a lot of us, two safes may make sense. For example, a larger safe at home is the best and most secure way to keep others from getting to your firearms. From there, a smaller safe in your car adds a layer of security to store a gun in your car if you have to leave it there.

Whichever safe you pick, we hope that this list has you thinking a little more carefully about safe firearm storage, as safety and security are all of our responsibility, and just a little forethought and planning goes a long way.