If you need a reliable portable pistol safe, here’s my personal ranking of the most popular options in America. Read these hands-on reviews.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. VAULTEK - LifePod 2.0 Biometric Travel Safe
Top-rated: 1,902 ratings | 70 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Water-resistant fingerprint scanner.
Helpful review: "I bought two of these lifepods for myself and my girlfriend and they are great little cases for travel. The pluck and pull foam is great and I managed to get it to fit my firearm perfectly. Set up is extremely simple with the instructions and I had it ready for my purposes in just a few minutes.
The steel cable that you can use to tie it down so it can't be lifted as easily (obviously a heavy set of bolt cutters would defeat this) is a great touch to the product and something not all portable safes have.
And now... the customer service! So when I received the pods I was missing the lid organizer from one and was rightly miffed about this. I sent a message through amazon and spoke with a Vaultek rep the same day and had it resolved by the next morning (I passed out or it would have been same day). They were very apologetic and mailed out the missing component very quickly and I have the missing part ready to go for my vacation in a few days.
I absolutely recommend this product, not only for the quality and ease of use but because they have amazing customer service as well.
MY NEIGHBOR’S REVIEW:
Out of the box it is very impressive. I bought this safe as a bedside safe that could go in my car when traveling. Based on the size I would NOT want to travel with this thing on foot unless it was in a suitcase from hotel room to hotel room. It is not heavy, but too bulky to consider using it in a backpack without dedicating the majority of the pack to this safe. Currently I have it kitted out to hold a G19-Gen 5 with TLR7 and RMR alongside a Kywi double magazine holster. If I skipped the mag holster, I could fit the tray in place, but the belt clips add too much thickness. Without the Kywi loose mags fit easily on top of the tray with the subcompact in the lower level. For fun I test fit a full Sig 226 (no attachments) next to my G19 and it barely fits. If the Sig had anything on it or I ran a bigger light it wouldn't fit. I really like the tray and how modular it is. As a bedside safe I won’t be using the tray but will if used for travel.
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
I’ve had this box since March and unfortunately my car got broken into yesterday. My pistol was in the car in this box with the tether attached to the car. The 5 individuals that broke into the car attempted to cut the cable, pulled the box against the cable, and also attempted to open the box. Much to their dismay, they couldn’t get the box to open or the cable released so the gun was still in my car. Although the individuals were able to pry open the door to my car they still were unable to get into the box. Contacted the company wanting to get a new cable because in the cutting they cut off parts of the plastic coating and the company is sending me another box just to make sure my current one wasn’t compromised. Incredible product and incredible customer service." — Codey Menachem
Get it from Amazon now: $199.99 & FREE Returns
2. Hornady - Rapid RFID Vehicle Safe
Top-rated: 425 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Comes with a heavy-duty 1500 lb. steel lock-down security cable, which can attach the safe to any stationary object.
Helpful review: "Great purchase and fairly simple to install... if you read the instructions first... which I didn’t. This should have taken 4 to 5 minutes to assemble and 1 to 2 minutes to program but again... I didn’t read the instructions first.
Fits a BMW 740i perfectly and is pretty rapid to open once you get the hang of activating it. You have to place a hand on the top of the device to get it responsive and then you place the RFID on/over it to open. The device opens consistently once you perfect the touch to activate motion. You will have to readjust the pad each time your wife drives the car or after a car wash, but that takes 1 minute to place back in the same location.
The attachment of the locking cable to the safe could be more secure. Anyone who knows about these safes and has a screw driver can detach it.
MY NEIGHBOR’S REVIEW:
I followed the instructions provided by the manufacturer, and it mounted securely and functions as expected (flawlessly). I like that it is a presentation/retention type safe mainly because it provides a more controlled method of storing and retrieving my weapon rather than for speed of access. Having years of experience believing in and relying on the need for speed, I learned on more than one occasion that if your hand isn't already full when you realize the need, you are too slow. This safe provides what I believe is the safest manner of temporarily securing a pistol in a motor vehicle when it is necessary to leave the weapon unattended in the vehicle for a short period of time (providing all of the instructions are followed).
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
This vehicle safe is the real deal! After a long time of considering purchasing the safe I finally did it, and now I’m kicking myself for not doing it sooner. Setup in the vehicle took less than ten minutes and programming the devices to unlock and open the safe took half that time. The very best thing is how easy it will be for me to move from one vehicle to another. I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for an affordable solution to confidently secure your firearm, wallet, or other valuables in your vehicle! Also, the speed at which the safe opens is perfect. There is no doubt in my mind that I can easily and quickly access anything in my safe whenever I need to." — David Carlisle
Get it from Amazon now: $199.99 & FREE Returns
3. RPNB - Smart Pistol Safe
Top-rated: 6,607 ratings | 147 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: 3 dependable methods of entry.
Helpful review: "I was a little skeptical with the price compared to some of the competitors. Arrived today, as expected. The Manufacturer's box was a pleasant surprise. It came in a nondescript matte black box with just the company logo.
Opened the box, to find custom made foam cushions, fit to the exact width of the instruction manual. At this point I was expecting to find a high end safe. And I was not disappointed. Very sturdy construction, can't flex with my hands, heavy. The inside has perfect fit foam cushion pads top and bottom. The key, which seems to be a problem for some, worked well with little resistance. However, the key needs to be returned to position and removed before opening the cover.
In a moment of need, this may be a significant drawback as it adds time and maneuvering to open. I didn't think ahead and remember to think about batteries being needed for the electronics. 4 AAA batteries are required. The battery compartment is under the keypad inside the safe. The bottom pad needs to be moved to access freely. It is a nice fit and finish cover. The removable battery Holder and associated wiring look a little flimsy and too light of a gage.
I don't expect to be opening the battery cover often though. From what I read in other reviews it seems like the battery life is pretty good. All in all, I was very pleased with my purchase.
MY NEIGHBOR’S REVIEW:
I got this safe after buying another one on Amazon that was a bust. The other one got stuck and wouldn't open and is in the garbage now. I really like that this one has three ways of opening, the key, RFID and combination. The mechanism for opening seems to be an improvement on some of the other cheaper versions. There were some reviewers that mentioned that it was hard to program. I did not find this at all. Use the little supplied tool to press the button, wait for the beeps, enter your password, and press the button again. You are done. Same is true for programming the RFID. Press the button, wait for the beeps, apply the RFID key and press the button again. This is not a foolproof safe, but it is not meant to be. This is really just meant to provide a little better security in your vehicle than just leaving your gun in the glove compartment. Can a thief with tools get to the gun? Yes. But a thief would have to spend more time in your car doing that and most likely would just move on. The cable also is sufficient to prevent someone from walking off with the safe.
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
I needed to find a decent pistol safe for my car and this one fit the bill. I followed the instructions right out of the box and everything worked perfectly. I was able to get my personal code setup and the key-fob with no problems. So now I have a piece of mind leaving my pistol in my car in a locked safe when I have to. The lock cable they provide does the job when anchoring down to your car. I ran the cable around under the passenger's seat near the back and the cable is long enough for me to get to the safe from my driver's seat with no problem. I will say this, the key itself takes a little effort to get open, but other than that, so far so good." — Steven Birch
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns
4. LANGGER V - Quick-Access Handgun Lock Box
Top-rated: 234 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Upgraded biometric fingerprint scanner.
Helpful review: "I have now purchased two of these. One for myself and one as a gift for someone. I was looking for a bedside safe that I could take while traveling without breaking the bank. This safe was perfect for a multitude of reasons but the biggest being its size. There are a lot of options out there and a lot of them are a lot bigger. I wanted something that had a slim streamlined design.
There is a little bulk but honestly it's not that bad, I can fit an M&P compact 2.0 with a light and a 15 round mag inserted with room to spare for an extra mag/light/knife. If I could change one thing about this safe I think I would add a rubber coating to the outside. It just has a rough metal texture which feels durable but I would have preferred a rubber coating because it would make it easier to grip when moving the safe.
The only issue I have had with this safe is when I took it camping and left it in my backpack. I could hear it beeping because the buttons were being pushed as I moved my bag to my tent. No big deal but.... When I got home from my tip the fingerprint reader would no longer read my fingerprint. I just re-added my finger print and it worked.
I would also suggest that if you take this traveling, take one of the included keys just in case your battery dies and your safe is cabled to something. It hasn't happened to me but I always take a spare key.
MY FRIEND’S REVIEW:
I bought the gun safe to store my Springfield Armory XD 9mm handgun and after time the batteries eventually got so low that neither the fingerprint reader or the combination, although both tried to unlock the safe, couldn't activate the solenoid. I couldn't find my keys, so I contacted customer service and sent them all my information. They were extremely helpful and sent me replacement keys at no charge. The keys work great and I was able to replace the batteries with no problems. I have three of their safes and they are very reliable and well made. Reasonably priced also.
A FEW WORDS FROM A NEIGHBOR:
The box performs well and opens quickly without much trouble as far as I can tell. I am most impressed with Langger’s customer service. The website was buggy so I had my concerns. However, They quickly responded to an email I sent late on a weekend. They (as in a REAL person) answered that night and then followed up the next Monday morning and resolved my concern. With Amazon vendors you never know what to expect. The only negative is that I wish I had the option to forgo setting up any combination. I’d prefer just to use the key and biometric parts." — Dirk Diggler
Get it from Amazon now: $89.99 & FREE Returns
5. SnapSafe - Treklite Lock Box
Top-rated: 4,545 ratings | 139 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Impact-resistant polycarbonate construction for exceptional toughness.
Helpful review: "I'm an avid 2nd amendment and pro carry individual. I've had more training and experience than most folks with a cwp. The military and sheriff's office programs are outstanding. Never settle for those cheap over the counter classes. Find the best and longest classes. You'll learn a lot more.
Having said that, the selling point for me here was weight. I have a similar case, all metal made by Hornady and while it too is a great safe, the downside is the 5.6 pound weight before adding contents. In a vehicle not a bother, but in your check in luggage it's a bother and may cause you to pay an extra $100 in overweight baggage fee. Besides that, I don't like drag'n heavy luggage.
As the only person who gave this a one star review pointed out, the case has one very small flaw in that the hinge is external. If it was a super big deal I could see a one star rating. But some folks don't know what stars 2 thru 4 mean. If it was a big deal I would have dropped one star down to a 4. But it's not a big deal. You must understand (because he didn't) that if a burglar wanted busted in the car and found the safe, doesn't mean he can get in.
Most car burglers want a fast way in and a quicker way out. It's called smash and grab. These guys don't carry any tools let alone the tools necessary to do a fast grab of the contents. It takes too much time and any crook knows that the longer they stay at the scene the more drastic the likelihood of getting caught, shot or killed becomes.
Then there's this point. "If they don't know it's there and find it, they don't have the tools, so they won't get away with it." Well, they will definitely try. If someone knows it's there beforehand, then they will come with the right tool(s). If this is the case, then you're the one to blame because you let too many people know about it. Most thefts are caused by people you know so keep yer mouth shut.
There's no such thing as a foolproof safe so don't go trying to find one. As you know, crooks don't give a hoot about gun laws.
To think otherwise is just ignorant and wishful thinking. If someone wants the safe and access to the contents badly enough, they're gonna get it even if you bolt it down and permanently weld it shut. All a safe is for is 3 things, to make it hard enough to discourage a would be thief and to keep hones men honest. That's it.
Snapsafe sells a unit with a TSA lock built in. If TSA needs to open it up they have a common key to do so. DON'T BUY THAT UNIT!
IT'S AGAINST FEDERAL LAW for anyone (TSA, AIRLINE EMPLOYEES, HOMELAND SECURITY) to open that safe while you're not present and/or handle the weapon once it's opened.
So (1) They can't open it without you being present, and (2) They can't handle the contents once opened without your consent. Other problems connected to the TSA lock should be a matter of common sense, but think about the potential for "crooked employees" for starters. So getting the one with the TSA lock is the most incredibly irresponsible thing you can do.
I hope this helps you to make a decision on whether to buy or not. My recommendation is, buy metal for the car or truck and buy this for travel and transport (meaning if you have to move the safe a lot). If money is a concern and you need a one to do all then this safe is an excellent choice!" — Ben Cadwell
Get it from Amazon now: $44.99 & FREE Returns
6. HOLEWOR - Biometric Travel Safe
Top-rated: 160 ratings | 19 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Memory capacity for up to 100 fingerprint.
Helpful review: "Wow, I’m really surprised by this safe! It’s very easy to set up and get fingerprints entered. It can remember a ton of prints so you can put every finger onto it.
The safe door pops open with a decent amount of force. What can it fit? Any pistol that is around G19 size fits great, even with a holster. I can just barely fit a kydex holstered 1911 in it as well. The only pistol I had a little trouble with was a holstered G34 (1911 length, just thicker). It barely fit and the door had trouble opening. I had to help it open by slightly holding it down, but it still opened.
Now to the cons... the cable lock is really thin and I’m honestly afraid you’d be able to detach it from the safe even when locked. The led lights in the inside are kind of dim and very blue colored.
Lastly, there isn’t a mute for the beeps. They aren’t too loud but still annoying and when you’re trying to sneak your pistol in and out in a parking lot. Maybe some tape on the speaker will help. All in all, it’s a pretty good safe, but I have had safes that the electronics deteriorate over time. We will see.
MY NEIGHBOR’S REVIEW:
I have been using this Holewor safe for three weeks now and like it a lot. I wanted to use it for storage in my truck when I got to a place I could not conceal carry but it won’t work for that purpose. I have not tried it, but the lid gives enough of a lip to get a nice size screw driver in there and I don’t think it would take long to get into it. I had a GunVault next to my bed that will be going into the truck, and this one will become my nightstand vault. As others had stated you can have up to 100 users enter finger prints to open the vault. My wife and I set it up for us and it would open 8 out of 10 times. Once we entered our prints a couple times each, we didn’t have any further issues. When I mounted the cable to the safe, I took one other reviewer's advice about the nut coming off and put a dab of lock tight on the included nut. Two things I would like to see improved is a heavier spring to open the door and maybe some holes in back for mounting to a desk. Neither of which is a deal breaker at this price point. I put the two biggest handguns I own in it (XDM 40 5” and full size 1911) and both fit with a spare magazine. I say for the price and you knowing it’s a lockbox and not a safe or vault it’s a good buy!
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
I was looking for something that only used fingerprint biometrics with a backup key and this fit the bill perfectly! It was a great price too although I think it had gotten cheaper since I purchased it. Also I wish the key was not a circle key as those are easily replicated. The interior is perfect and the light on the inside is a great added feature, although if you could control how long the light stays on - that could be a major improvement. This also brings me to my only gripe about this safe. The beep can’t be turned off! If I need to quietly and discreetly open the safe, I feel like I want to throw it right out the window. My daughter actually says it wakes her up in the morning if I open it at 6:30 am which is frequently when I’m opening it to get ready for work. Other than that, it is a beautiful safe with great function." — Carmmond Pyle
Get it from Amazon now: $69.99 & FREE Returns
7. MD MADOATS - Portable Biometric Pistol Safe
Top-rated: 108 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Powered by a 9V alkaline battery.
Helpful review: "This is a nice portable gun safe. It is by no means the smallest or most compact portable safe, but it has ample room to hold a holstered subcompact pistol with several spare magazines in holsters as well. This is the primary use case I ordered the safe for. It is also big enough to hold a bare 5" service pistol with several loose magazines.
The housing is heavy duty plastic. I would compare the material closely to one of the knock off Pelican cases that does not have the fiberglass embedded for additional strength. Don't see that as a knock as this case is plenty strong.
At about 170 pounds, I am able to stand on top of it and the top has just a bit of flex to it.
The manual states that it is IP65 rated, though I would not put that rating to the test. When I was standing on the case and the top was flexing I could hear air escaping out. I could not tell if the air was escaping around the seal or through somewhere else.
The lower part of the safe has the urethane foam gasket and the top of the case has a ridge that sits against the gasket to form the seal. I would reliably say that this case would be best to control humidity from getting to the items inside, and it might be rain tight, but I would not want to trust it to be much more water resistant than that.
The finger print reader works very well. The finger print reader is always "active" and unlocks the safe within a second or two at most. The safe reads your fingerprint in any orientation, so it does not matter what orientation you registered fingerprint on the safe, it is reliably read and opens the safe.
The numbers on the other hand do not operate as reliably for me. Once the safe has been inactive for a while it takes a few taps of the numbers to wake the safe up before the number start reliably entering for me. This might be a deal breaker for some, but I always seem to have issues with capacitive touch surfaces.
I'm not sure if it is calluses on my fingers or something to do with my blood or skin chemistry, but I regularly have issues with touches not registering on all kinds of capacitive touch surfaces, not just this safe.
It’s large enough to carry my Sig 226 and Springfield XD together without sights and lights. You might be able to squeeze in a couple magazines but that’s about it. With one gun, you’ll have plenty of room for all the accessories and magazines you want.
Also, the drawstring bag is nice for concealing case when transporting to and from vehicle. I also like the ABS Polymer shell as it's lighter and doesn't rattle like a metal case does. So overall, this is a great product! I'm happy with this safe and look forward to securing items within it for years to come." — AJ Tissier
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns
8. Younion - Portable Pistol Lock Box
Top-rated: 3,910 ratings | 103 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Re-settable 3-digit combination lock.
Helpful review: "So the mini safe for your auto fits a full size Glock 17 with one more magazine. DO NOT PLACE ANYTHING NEAR THE SWING OF THE LOCK OR IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO LOCK OR UNLOCK IT. I read in a review that someone had locked it and couldn’t unlock it. If this happens, stand the safe up so the lock is at the top then tap it down with some force so that whatever is in there slides downward away from the lock. It comes with two keys as stated, and doesn't come with an address to write for extra keys.
The inside is a black foam cut to shape, nothing special but does its job Nicely and can be replaced later on as it is not glued into the box which is good. Finish is flat, simple black and is nice. Hinges appear to be okay. Lock mechanism seems solid and shows no play. Cable that comes with it is okay and does its job.
MY NEIGHBOR’S REVIEW:
I bought this safe for my Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm. The gun fits securely in the safe and it has room for the additional 8 round magazine that comes with it (I keep the 7 round magazine in the gun). I also have enough room for a couple of pairs of foam earplugs. The cut resistant cable that comes with the safe works well for when you are traveling in a vehicle. I usually lock mine underneath the seat. I don't know if it is actually TSA approved or not as I haven't traveled with it yet, but I'd imagine it is all in the product description. I went for the combination safe so I could open it regardless of a key and the combination is very easy to reset. Overall, it's the best pistol safe for the money in my opinion.
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
As a gun owner, I plead with anyone that carries a handgun in their vehicle to get one of these units NOW! Relatively inexpensive, sturdy secure storage, easy to use and quite portable. I live in Tennessee, and since the State legislature has allowed "permit less carry" the rate of handguns stolen out of vehicles has skyrocketed. I could not live with myself if my carelessness with a deadly weapon caused harm to anyone. THERE ARE NO EXCUSES!! BE A RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNER AND SECURE YOUR WEAPONS!" — Michael Cabot
Get it from Amazon now: $32.99 & FREE Returns
9. Dalmbox - Small Handgun Lock Box
Top-rated: 1,625 ratings | 37 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Includes a Keylock Fixing Device that can be used to lock/unlock the safe.
Helpful review: "Look don’t kid yourself if you think a $20 safe is the end-all be-all in the world of safes. It is not by a long shot. If you understand the limitations, it’s an excellent product. Yes, I could probably pry it open in minutes with a hammer and screwdriver, but I don’t care. It’s a deterrent to keep my property safe, and to keep me from being liable for negligent storage.
It locks up tight and the cable is secure. It's a great deterrent if someone attempts to rob your vehicle, as most burglars will see it and be too intimidated to pursue it any further. There is plenty of room to lock a wallet, keys, cash, and a small pistol.
I have a Glock 21 .45acp and two mags configured. It allows the safe to close and lock, and it can fit most other pistols, I assure you. I could've even carried three mags if I had one in the pistol. I’m very happy with its quality and capabilities for merely 20 bucks. My valuables are much safer now than they were before being locked in a glove box with a plastic latch.
MY NEIGHBOR’S REVIEW:
Great Gun Storage Box. And no it's not a Gun Safe. It is meant as a place to put your gun when you have to leave it for a bit while going in a place you can't take it, not to leave it for an extended period of time. It's also used as a theft deterrent. Can someone get in it? Probably. Can someone cut the cable? Probably. Only if they took time to try, that's why its sole purpose is to make it hard for the "smash and grab" criminals to get at your gun. I plan on upgrading the cable to a much heavier one and drill the slot out a bit to fit it. Also I use white fingernail polish to fill in the numbers, if you have trouble seeing up close you might want to do this, the numbers blend together a bit much. Very easy to set the combination you want. I like it, and will buy another for our 2nd car!
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
Every gun owner needs one of these. It’s perfect for securing your gun in a vehicle, at home, or for flying with a checked gun. No, it’s not going to stop every type of break-in attempt. I had a keyed version similar to this one and forgot my key at home while traveling. Had to stop at a hardware store to buy a pry bar to open it. It took me 30+ minutes to get it open. Ever since then, I buy the combo lock version. These all seem to be the same manufacturer, knock-offs from China, just like a lot of things nowadays. Just pick one and go with it." — Steve Fry
Get it from Amazon now: $22.49 & FREE Returns