Top 5 best gun safes of 2024

A firearm safe limits access, safeguards your family from tragic accidents, and prevents your weapons from falling into the wrong hands. We’ve done the research to ensure your antiques, valuables, and personal weapons are kept secure under lock, key, or biometric fingerprint. The Barska Biometric tops our list of the best gun safes thanks to its tamper resistance.

Its design is approved by the Department of Justice, so you can trust that it’s tamper-resistant. It's easy to mount to the wall, to your floor, or to leave on a shelf for storing your firearms safely.

The only downside to the Barska Biometric is that it's a handgun safe with limited capacity. It stores just one pistol or handgun.

This pistol safe can be mounted to a wall, to the side of a bed, or below a storage shelf with multiple mounting configurations, and the durable construction ensures years of use.

This biometric safe can store up to 120 fingerprints, more than enough for the average family, but perfect for small police stations or businesses that need a gun safe handy.

The biometric scanner reads your fingerprint and opens in under 3 seconds (2.5 to be exact) and allows you to hold your finger at multiple angles for easy access.

The only bad reviews we saw of this safe were complaints from users who have rifles with scopes. You may not be able to fit the full four slots if you have the extra gear on your firearms, but you can still fit multiple guns in this heavy-duty safe.

Its door is tamper resistant and made out of 11-gauge steel, so anyone who doesn’t belong inside will have a hard time getting in (if they can even find the safe in the first place).

But its most unique feature is the optional RFID card and fob that come with the safe. If you prefer this method of locking your gun safe, all you need to do is tap the card or fob to the case to unlock it.

As long as you have the card, you can get to your firearms quickly without recalling any codes or fumbling for easy-to-lose keys.

And though the RPNB Gun Safe is portable, it comes with pre-drilled holes and mounting gear, making it easy to bolt to the floor. So it may be easy to carry, but it won’t be easy to steal.

Factors like the size of the safe, type of lock, and type of steel gauge can impact a safe's security level. You’ll also want to consider what kind of firearms you're storing and how quickly you’ll need access to them. As you weigh which security safe is best suited for you, consider your current gun collection and what you may purchase in the future.

There are different types of safes for different kinds of guns—long gun safes, pistol safes, and gun safes for long guns and handguns—so take stock of what guns you currently own and then assess for size.

If you’re at all considering getting more guns in the future, you should buy a gun safe that’s larger than your current collection. If you’re looking for a safe to travel with, you’ll want something that’s relatively small and nondescript.

You can purchase stack-on safes, but security experts recommend having a single large safe with a dependable locking mechanism.

The thicker the steel, the better protected your firearms will be. Per expert opinion, 10-gauge steel is best suited for home security safes, but anywhere between 9 and 14 gauges will be dependably durable too. Oftentimes, the vault door of a safe will have a thicker steel gauge than the sides or back.

There are three different kinds of locking mechanisms: biometric, electronic, and dial. A biometric fingerprint scanner will provide quick access to a firearm—whereas electronic and dial locks offer slower access.

Both biometric and electronic locks will require batteries or an electronic power source, but a dial lock does not.

Most gun safes are made from steel, which has a melting point of 2,500°F. And while most house fires have an average temperature of 1,200°F, that doesn’t mean you should skimp on fire protection. If you’re looking into buying a safe for your home, make sure it has a fire rating that lasts between 30 and 120 minutes.

If you purchase a large safe, check to see what storage capabilities it has. Most multi-gun safes are equipped with door storage and shelving to keep your small and large weapons organized.

Gun ownership can be complicated—but gun safe ownership doesn’t have to be. We asked experienced gun owners and safety experts about the dos and don’ts of owning a gun safe.

• Get homeowners insurance for your gun safe
  Get protection for your protection measures—whether you own a small gun safe or a large one, a safe is an investment in and of itself, so make sure you notify your insurance providers that you’ve purchased a gun safe.
• Consider a dehumidifier for your gun safe
  Humidity can wreck a firearm, so look into purchasing a dehumidifier to ensure your guns stay in mint condition.
• Keep your gun safe organized
  Disorganized firearm safes are ultimately unsafe and can be a security hazard. Use the storage space provided—keep your safe well organized to prevent any confusion or accidents.
• Don’t leave your safe in plain sight
  Rather than storing a firearm safe in the living or dining room, install it in an office, spare bedroom, or basement. This ensures that your safe isn’t on display and limits other people’s access to it.
• Don’t leave the safe’s door open
  Leaving the safe unattended and the door open can cause a serious accident. For the sake of security, be sure to close and lock the door.
• Don’t leave tools near the safe
  Leaving tools nearby can give someone the means to gain access to your guns. Take the extra safety precaution and keep tools far away.
• Don’t store powder or ammunition in the same safe as your guns
  Never store powder in a safe—doing so can create a ticking time bomb. Other gun owners and rifle experts recommend buying a smaller safe specifically for storing ammunition.

We looked for gun safes with solid steel construction, biometric locks to keep kids out, fast-acting lock mechanisms for quick access during an emergency, and tamper-proof designs. Because guns come in many sizes, we selected some long gun safes and handgun safes for our final list. We considered not only technical specifications during our research, but also customer complaints and praise. 

Learn more about SafeWise's methodology.

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