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ShotLock AR15 Solo Vault
I like to think that there’s a big enough dose of decency in most human beings for civility. As evident by every newspaper ever written, however, there are plenty of exceptions; from drug-fueled burglaries to recreational rape and murder (i.e., home invasions), it’s pretty clear there’s a lot of human rubbish out there.
To those who put their faith in builder-grade deadbolts and slow police response times, I wish you the best. To those of us who choose to arm ourselves and our homes for the worst case scenario, the safest plan is to keep our weapons bedside in a quick access gun safe. It’s critical that you’re able to to arm yourself in seconds, but equally as important that you prevent unwanted access (from kids and irresponsible house guests).
So, how do you find the right safe for the job? Read below to educate yourself with the information necessary to pick the best quick access gun safe for you.
Size
I’m not going to plug a “size does matter” joke here…nope, it’s the high road for me. I will, however, stress the obvious: you need to pick a safe that’s going to fit your gun(s). The most common determinant of your safe size is going to be the length of the guns being stored. To simplify your search, I’ve assembled a list of 900+ home defense firearms (ranging from high velocity bolt-action rifles to semi-automatic pocket guns, and everything in between).
First, find your gun in the table below (search for fastest results). Note the length, then scroll down to the “Quick Access Gun Safe” table and find a safe that fits your dimensions and feature demands.
Other than the length of your gun, it’s additionally important to weigh in other size factors. Consider whether you also need room for the following:
- Additional firearms
- Knife or multi-tool
- Tactical flashlight
- Additional magazines and ammunition
- Cell phone
- Go bag
- Cash and ID
- Sweet bandanna and/or aviator sun glasses to let the intruder(s) know you mean business
Taking all of those potential extra items into account, take stock of your inventory, measure dimensions as necessary, and choose a safe that meets the dimensional criteria. Some models are built with ample accessory storage in mind (e.g., the Stealth Handgun Hanger or the Barska Biometric Rifle Safe), while some more low-profile products offer only enough storage for the weapon itself (e.g., the GunVault SV500 SpeedVault).
Whether you need need to get to your pistol, shotgun, rifle or all three, you have plenty of options.
Lock Type
Biometric
Biometric fingerprint gun safes probably get the most attention; at least the most “ooohs and aaaaahs”. They allow for extremely fast access to safe contents.
Safes with fingerprint readers have been available for over a decade, but until recent years, have offered questionable reliability. Many were easily spoofed, while others offered the legitimate owner inconsistent access at best. Times have changed, however, and the technology has grown more sophisticated, and significantly more accurate, making these worthy of their often demanding price tags.
One of the most important features to consider is the number of fingerprints that can be stored for recognition. Fumbling around in the dark, scared half to death, you might not always have your thumb or index finger ready for scanning. It’s of huge benefit to have multiple fingers enrolled in the system for redundant access. Want proof? How many times have you had to use TouchID on your iPhone with a secondary or tertiary finger because you had potato chip grease all over your thumb? Now imagine someone is also trying to kill you in the middle of the night…better drop those chips, and arm up, son.
In addition to using your own multiple fingerprints, you may have more than one resident in your home who also needs access to the safe. By choosing a model with a high number of authorized print storage, your spouse and/or responsible children can also experience the benefits of firepower on rapid demand.
There are many biometric bedside gun safes that feature hyper-accurate, multiple print storage, however, one consistently stands out above the rest:
The “Verifi Smart.Safe” from Zvetco Biometrics not only boasts a 3D imaging scanner for the most accurate scanning available on the mainstream market, but the option to store up to 40 different fingerprints. You can even retrieve access logs to find out who’s been digging around in the gun box. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive, but that’s the price of quality for ya.
Electronic Combination
Perhaps the most popular–at least the most prolific–lock type is the electronic combination style. These safes are unlocked when the user inputs the correct four or five button combination into the safe. Nearly all require battery power (at least for back up), and most can be reliably run from a power adapter for typical daily access. I’ve had two electronic quick access safes over the years, and both have functioned with reasonable reliability.
Lockout thresholds are a common feature offered with these models. When someone guesses the wrong password too many times, they’re required to wait several minutes before attempting again. This is great for slowing down curious children (more specifically, tenacious children, who would ordinarily be willing to wade through 1000+ combinations before hitting the right one).
Of course, most include a three to five incorrect guess threshold to give the hasty, butter-fingery owner a slight padding for error. In the worst case, nearly all of them also include keyed entry for manual access.
The Stack-On Low Profile model is a solid buy for the price-conscious shopper. It offers several mounting options, a three-attempt lockout threshold, and room for almost all home defense and concealed carry pistols.
Mechanical Combination
If you held a gun to my head (hopefully not my own gun, which should be locked up in my safe) and made me choose my favorite quick access lock type, I’d have to choose the mechanical combination option.
They offer nearly the same speed of access as an electronic combination lock, but none of the electronic baggage (for better and for worse…mainly better, in my opinion). In short, you don’t have to worry about batteries.
Many manufacturers of these products use Simplex locks, which, generally speaking, are more secure and resilient that the solenoid options offered in many popular electronic models. My Winchester eVault’s lock, for instance, finally gave up after about five years of weekly use. The mechanical lock on my V-line Deskmate, however, hasn’t malfunctioned once in the eight years that I’ve had it.
Unfortunately, they don’t offer extra security features like a lockout threshold or audit logging (at least none of them that I’m aware of), or the perk of interior lightning. That said, most models allow for simultaneous button input, which offers 1081 combinations on a typical four-button unit. Also, many don’t have alternate keyed entry (which could also be seen as a benefit; one less piece to manipulate), so don’t lose your combination.
Keyed
There isn’t much to say about keyed entry pistol safes that you probably don’t already know. As the name implies, you need to access them with a key. So, while simplicity has an advantage, quickness takes a hit. Not to mention, you have to have the key on hand, which may defeat the purpose entirely, depending on your application.
Caveats aside, most keyed models are ideal for portability. They also make a solid, inexpensive car safe. Not only are you already carrying your keys in the car, but multiple bike lock-esque tethering options help add to security.
The Sentry PP1K is one of the most popular keyed handgun safes (also comes in biometric and electronic combination options).
Door and mounting options
Where is this safe going to go? Underneath a night stand; under the bed; in the wall; in a drawer; in a house with a mouse? These are very simple, but important factors to consider. You have plenty of options for the task.
Front opening door
A safe where the door opens from the front is probably the most common configuration. This is handy for most situations, where the safe is sitting on top of an open surface (e.g., a desk or nightstand).
Top Opening Door
A safe door that opens from the top is necessary when access from the front isn’t possible (e.g., inside a desk drawer). It’s also a common configuration for a safe that can be optionally mounted on the wall (more on that in a second).
Horizontal Surface Mount
Nearly every quick access safe on the market includes some sort of mounting option for added stability and security. The most common far and away is the horizontal surface mount; fastening the safe to the floor or a desktop. There’s no need to overthink this; just make sure you know whether you want to mount the box from the top (e.g., underneath a desk) or from the bottom (e.g., on top of a desk), and purchase accordingly.
V-Line Deskmate mounted underneath a kitchen shelf.
Stack-On QAS-1512 mounted from the bottom on a closet shelf.
Wall mount
The wall mounted option is practical in a couple circumstances. One being the obvious; when you want to hang a safe on the wall to save space elsewhere. The other is when you want to add reinforcement, and can’t mount the safe to the horizontal surface that it’s sitting on. Not every model offers these options, so be sure to check the manufacturer specs before you buy.
Homak HS10036683 Mounted in a closet wall.
In-Wall Mount
The difference between a wall mount and an in-wall mount configuration is that the latter is literally mounted in the wall; typically between two studs. This allows for maximum real estate savings and increased security. Ripping the safe out of the wall is far from a practical option for a burglar in a hurry, and considering the concealment potential, he may not find it in the first place.
Stack-On QAS-1522 hidden behind an innovative mirror on rails configuration.
Other Features
Lighting
With daily, or even weekly use, gaining access to your safe should become as easy as breathing, even in the dark. Having said that, adding fear and adrenaline to the equation tends to have wildcard results. If you place a heavy value on being able to see in the dark, you may want to consider a model with interior lightning.
Alarm and Monitoring
For some, a standalone lock isn’t enough for a solid peace of mind. If you fall into this category, you might want to consider a safe with a built-in alarm system to ward off unwanted tampering, like the GunBox (pictured below).
You can additionally take it to the next level with a monitoring unit, like Liberty’s SafElert system. While it’s generally designed for use in full-sized gun safes and residential security containers, it’s compact enough (about the size of a pager) to fit in most of the quick access safes featured on this page. They offer lifetime monitoring with purchase of the device, as well as an app to update you with the following alerts: when motion is detected, the door opens, and even when the humidity gets too high.
The GunBox comes equipped with a built-in tamper detection audible alarm.
Specialty
Finally, there are some configurations that call for a very specific fit. ShotLock products like the AR15 Solo Vault (pictured below) are the perfect example. ShotLock makes several safe models specially designed to fit either an AR15 black rifle or shotgun (check their site to verify a proper fit first). I own one of the early models myself, which I use to secure my Mossberg 500. It works beautifully, and looks awesome.
Many models are appropriate for legally securing firearms in the car, however, very few offer a presentation as slick as the ConsoleVault (pictured below). ConsoleVaults offer perfect form-fitting safes in the center console of your car (primarily SUVs). Check to see if they offer a fit for your ride.
Quick Access Gun Safe Table and Final Words
When you don’t have the luxury of waiting for protection, and you need your firearm by your bedside, kitchen cabinet, or vehicle for immediate access, rest assured, there are plenty of great options to reach for your heat in a hurry.
Consult the table below for an all-encompassing look at quick access gun safes. Use it to find the features and dimensions you’re looking for, and let me know if I’m missing a model (I’m constantly adding to it).
