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In the most basic definition, a gun safe is a secure lockable vault designed to store firearms and ammunition. A gun safe is used to prevent access to the handgun by unqualified, unauthorized, or undesired individuals for burglary prevention. Some modern handgun safes also protect against damage by fire, flood, and other natural disasters.
This article highlights the top 10 best handgun safe models that help you securely store your firearms. However, discussing the features to watch out for when buying a gun safe before highlighting these gun safes is imperative.
Features to Consider When Buying a Gun Safe
Gun safes come in all shapes, sizes, and distinctive styles; however, certain features must remain paramount when conducting the best handgun safe research.
UL Ratings
Every gun safe has a rating based on tests that ensure the handgun safe can withstand fire-resistant protection and common burglary attempts. All the ratings are supervised by Underwriters Laboratories, a company in charge of certifying handgun safes for reliability, security, and safety levels.
Lock Options
When purchasing a gun safe, you need to understand that modern handgun safes utilize three major access methods:
As with everything, each lock comes with its own pros and cons.
Biometric Locks
A biometric lock is the standard when it comes to handgun safe locking mechanisms. A biometric lock requires a biometric fingerprint from the gun owner to open the safe.
Biometric gun safes can also store various fingerprints, ensuring that every responsible gun handler in the house has access to the firearm.
One significant disadvantage of the biometric locking mechanism is that it requires constant power to be operational. Another disadvantage is that biometric fingerprint technology isn’t completely foolproof. Dirty hands, for example, can stop gun owners from gaining access to their gun storage.
Electronic Locks
Electronic locks are a great choice for individuals who want quick firearms access. These locks require you to enter a code. They also provide various special features that make any gun safe with this locking mechanism user-friendly. You can program most electronic locks for various user combinations, and they don't require the service of a locksmith to change the codes.
One significant disadvantage of using an electronic lock on your handgun safe is that it is dependent on power. If you suffer a power outage, you lose access to your handgun.
This disadvantage has been somewhat negated thanks to the use of batteries. However, battery-operated electronic safes require frequent maintenance to ensure the batteries are charged at all times.
Combination Locks
Combination locks are perhaps the most prevalent locks used in safes. They are generally simplistic, featuring spin dials. One major drawback of the combination lock is our faulty or short memories, as many handgun safe owners tend to forget the combination.
Furthermore, a certain level of dexterity is required to rotate the spin wheel—a process that can be arduous when you need to quickly get to your firearm.
Gun Size
A factor you need to consider is the size of your handgun and the number of guns you intend to store safely. It is always best to think ahead when purchasing the best handgun safe. Purchasing a wall safe can be a significant expense, so you must be cautious when making a purchase, especially if you intend to expand your collection.
Top 10 Best Handgun Safe Models
Vaultek Bluetooth 2.0 10 Series
This is one of the best handgun safe models as it has an interactive feature enabling you to monitor your safe from your smartphone. As a biometric safe, it has a fingerprint scanner that enables safe, quick, and easy access to your handgun.
Features
- Auto-open lid
- Responsive LED lighting
- Anti-theft protection
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Vaultek SR20i Biometric and Bluetooth 2.0 Slider Safe
This biometric gun safe offers Bluetooth 2.0, providing an interactive experience for gun owners. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that powers the gun safe for up to four months.
Features
- Slim vertical design
- New optics ready design
- 2 spare manual keys
Vaultek VT Series
This biometric handgun safe comes with advanced anti-theft protection. This means it can withstand prying thanks to the anti-pry bards, interior mounted hinges, impact detection, and dual anti-impact latches.
Features
- High Capacity
- 4-point entry
- Smart Safe Technology
- Refined interior
Vaultek Barikade Series 1
This handgun safe has a compact design that can store a handgun as large as 8 inches. It has a Smart Sense digital keypad coupled with a proprietary touch-sensitive function
Features
- Precision-formed 18 gauge rugged steel enclosure
- 2 backup keys
- Compact design
Vaultek Biometric Barikade Series 2
This gun safe improves upon the Series 1 with a larger (10.875 inches) design. It can store up to 20 fingerprints, and the keypad remains touch-sensitive.
Features
- Compact design
- Smart Sense Digital Keyboard
- 2 backup keys
Vaultek Essentials Series Slider
This gun safe is as simple as they come. While it has no special features, its quality cannot be understated. It has a 16-gauge carbon steel construction with a corrosion-resistant finish.
Features
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Refined interior
- Quick access signature 3-point precision rail system
Vaultek LifePod 2.0
This generation of the LifePod provides upgradeable layered storage, full-size capacity, and more refinement. It can store handguns as large as 9.25 inches long and features a removable interior tray and convenient interior LED light.
Features
- Vaultek’s precision-engineered safe technology
- Anti-impact latch design
- Advanced non-polymer construction
Vaultek VT Essential Series
This Vaultek handgun safe is a full-size design that can securely hold two handguns and additional magazines. This handgun safe is TSA-compliant for flying. It is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that lasts up to four months.
Features
- Battery type
- Full-size design
- Rugged and tough
- Quick access
- Responsive LED lighting
Vaultek Wi-Fi Slider
This is one of the best handgun safes out there. It is tough and rugged, thanks to the 16-gauge carbon steel construction. It has a slim vertical design that makes it easy to store under a nightstand or desk.
Features
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- High-density interior foam
- Adjustable interior LED light
- A 3-Point signature precision rail system
Vaultek Slider Series Wi-Fi and Biometric Gun Safe
The Vaultek Slider Series Wi-Fi and Biometric Gun Safe has a slim vertical design capable of holding a maximum firearm length of 8.875 and an additional magazine. The 16 gauge carbon steel construction is tough and rugged to prevent corrosion. It has four fast access points with a rapid-fire backlit keypad, biometric scanner, Smart Key, and backup manual keys.
Features
- Quick access signature 3-point precision rail system
- Powerful Wi-Fi connectivity
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Best Handgun Safe to Securely Store Your Firearms
Investing in a reliable gun safe will provide peace-of-mind knowing your firearm is stored properly and protected against various daemons like unwanted access, fire, flood, and other natural disasters. Whether it be for personal or professional use, make sure you put time into considering the features needed for the perfect size and type when selecting a gun safe to meet your needs.
If you’re on the fence about investing in a gun safe, rest assured that these types of products can often save lives as well as valuable belongings. Overall, after understanding what it is and its purpose, finding a reliable gun safe that suits one's needs can prove itself to be a rewarding investment in more ways than one. Furthermore, if you have any questions regarding purchasing a gun safe we encourage you to contact us so we can help provide further details on how these products can come in handy.
