Ultimate List of the Best Gun Safes for Big and Small Guns

Looking for the best gun safes to house your firearms?

Whether you have a single gun or a massive gun collection, you want to keep your firearms safe from dangers like burglars, fires, and more. But it can be stressful to try to get a gun safe that protects your safe from as much as possible while still staying within budget.

It doesn’t have to be stressful though. If you know what features you need to look for to keep your firearms safe in your particular situation, buying a gun safe can be a breeze. And it’s even easier if you can start your search by looking at some of the top gun safes on the market.

And luckily for you, this guide has the info you need to help you figure out what you should look for in a gun safe, plus several recommendations for each long gun and handgun safes. By the time we’re finished, you should have no problems choosing the right gun safe for you. 

What Are Gun Safes?

At the most basic level, gun safes act as secure gun storage. However, they vary widely in the degree of protection that they offer. 

Some are basically just a lockbox with a mechanical lock, while others offer more high-end security features like water and fire protection, electronic locking systems, Bluetooth connectivity, and more. Of course, there are also plenty that fall somewhere in between.

Gun safes also come in a huge variety of sizes, from little tiny guys that hold a single compact handgun to massive boys that will hold dozens of long guns. 

How Do You Choose the Best Gun Safes?

When it comes to choosing a gun safe, you have to think about your individual needs. 

One of the most obvious considerations is size. How many guns do you need to store and of what size? Do you want to be able to store ammo and other accessories in the safe as well? Do you want to be able to store other valuable or important items in your gun safe as well, such as jewelry, cash, and documents?

It’s generally better to go with a safe that’s a bit larger than necessary to give your collection room to grow. However, consider the space you have available to put the safe in as well. You don’t want to get a safe then find out it won’t actually fit where you want to put it. 

And don’t forget about weight either. Trying to move a 1,000+ pound safe into an upstairs master bedroom is not the greatest idea, so before you buy a super heavy safe, consider where you’re putting it. You may need to choose a lighter safe or a different place to keep the safe.

The type of locking mechanism is also an important consideration. Safes can have mechanical or electronic locks. Either can be a combination lock, but electronic locks can also be biometric locks, meaning that they use a fingerprint scanner. Electronic locks should have a backup key that allows you to access the safe in case of a loss of power or other electrical malfunction.

Most gun safes have solid steel construction, but with different thicknesses. Thicker steel prevents a determined thief from just cutting through the side of the safe, but it also adds a lot of weight. 

Best Gun Safes for Big and Small Guns Reviewed

Finally, you’ll want to consider the miscellaneous extra features available in safes, including both security and convenience features. Think about what other features you’d like, such as water and fire protection, a pry resistant door, removable shelving, or an interior light.

Best Long Gun Safes

Let’s start our list of gun safe reviews with a few long gun safes. 

1. Barska Quick Access Biometric Rifle Safe

It has a fingerprint scanner that reads prints in just 2.5 seconds and is capable of storing up to 120 fingerprints. The safe uses 4 AA batteries, which should keep the safe powered for about a year. It has programmable silent mode for stealth during a home invasion.

The safe comes with an emergency battery pack that you can use to power the safe if the batteries run low, as well as a set of backup keys that allow you to override the electronic lock.

The fact that it uses batteries makes finding a convenient spot for the safe easier since you don’t need access to a power outlet. The safe’s compact size is great for closets and other tight areas. The safe is just 7.63 inches wide and 9.75 inches deep. 

The 1.83 cubic foot interior, however, has space for up to 4 rifles with rifle rests to keep them in place. There’s also a removable top shelf for storing ammo, handguns, accessories, or other valuables.

The lock uses 3 pry bar resistant deadbolts and the steel frame has protective edges. This DOJ approved safe weighs just 62 pounds, making it the lightest and most mobile long gun safe on our list, but it has pre-drilled holes and comes with hardware for mounting.

All in all, the Barska Quick Access Biometric Rifle Safe is a high quality, moderately priced gun safe for gun owners with just a few rifles to store. The Barska Quick Access Biometric Rifle Safe is a reliable gun safe under $1000, providing secure storage and quick access.

2. Stack-On 18-Gun Security Cabinet

Need a larger safe that’s also budget-friendly? 

The Stack-On 18-Gun Cabinet is the most affordable long gun safe under $500 on our list, but still provides ample storage space.

One of its best features is the convertible shelving system that gives you tons of storage options. The safe comes with 5 removable steel shelves, 4 half width and 1 full width. The half width shelves can be placed on either the right or left side of the safe with a divider in the middle to keep the shelves in place.

You can mix and match the shelves to get different combinations of shelf heights for storage of smaller items. You can also mix and match which side of the divider to place the shelves on.

This safe fits up to 18 long guns without the shelves, 9 long guns with shelves reserved to one side, or 3 long guns with shelves on both sides.

The shelves, bottom, and divider are all foam padded and the safe has molded barrel rests to keep your guns protected and in place.

As for the outside of the safe, it boasts welded steel construction for durability. It’s a California-approved Firearm Safety Device and has a 3-point locking system with a double-bitted key lock. 

It’s certainly not as compact as the Barska, but considering it fits more than 4 times as many rifles, that just makes sense. The safe is 21 inches wide, 18 inches deep, and 55 inches tall. It’s mountable, with pre-drilled holes and mounting hardware included. 

It weighs 96 pounds, which is pretty lightweight for a gun safe. You may be able to put it in place by yourself, but it’s bulky enough that you’ll probably want someone to help and you’ll definitely want to enlist help if you plan on taking it up a set of stairs. 

One significant downside is that it’s not as secure as most of the other safes on this list. The walls aren’t tool proof and the lock wouldn’t be too hard to pick for someone who knows what they’re doing. 

With that said, it’s definitely enough to deter young kids and the average burglar, who’s looking for expensive, easily accessible, and easily movable stuff so he can get in and out as quickly as possible with as much value as possible.

It’s also not fireproof or waterproof. If you have important documents or other small items you want to protect, you may want to also invest in a fireproof and waterproof box (or just a fireproof box if you’re not worried about flooding) to keep them inside within the safe. If you want to protect your long guns from these, one of the other safes is a better option.

Still, the Stack-On 18-Gun Security Cabinet is great for gun owners looking for a more affordable option, as well as those who have a lot of items that they want to keep safe.

3. Steelwater Heavy Duty 20 Long Gun Safe

The Steelwater Heavy Duty 20 Long Gun Safe is a high-end safe with top of the line security features. 

It has a similar capacity to the Stack-On, with room for up to 20 long guns, though it fits about 12 to 16 more comfortably. It’s quite a bit larger on the outside though: 28 inches wide, 18 inches deep, and 59 inches tall. At 453 pounds, it’s also a lot heavier.

That extra space and weight allows for those extra security features.

The Steelwater Heavy Duty 20 Long Gun Safe offers 12-gauge steel construction, a drill resistant hard plate, and a 4¾-inch thick steel door. 

The double layer fireboard in the floor, ceiling, walls, and door jams provides a  60 minute fire rating in temperatures up to 1875 degrees. The door seal expands when exposed to heat, up to 8 times its size, to seal out smoke.

The locking system features an EMP protected lock with an digital keypad and 10 1.5-inch diameter chrome plated locking bolts. The spring loaded re-locking system is a great anti-theft feature that automatically locks the safe if the lock is removed.

As you can probably guess from all of these features, this safe is California DOJ approved. It also comes with a lifetime fire and burglary warranty from Steelwater.

As hefty as this safe is, it’s unlikely that it would walk off, but it does feature 4 reinforced bolt down holes to secure the safe to prevent tipping. 

The interior features grey upholstery, a two section gun rack, four removable and adjustable shelves, and an LED light.

4. 7550 Paragon Safes 8 Gun And Rifle Safe

Our next safe balances security and affordability.

The 7550 Paragon Safes 8 Gun And Rifle Safe has a mechanical key lock and comes with two sets of keys. The body and door feature solid steel construction from powder coated 18 gauge steel to stand up to tools. The hinges are concealed to protect from theft.  

This safe has a smaller capacity, with an interior rack that fits 8 rifles. However, there’s additional storage space in a smaller interior locking cabinet with its own set of keys. That cabinet is great for storing small items like documents or jewelry, and also allows you to store ammo conveniently yet separate from your firearms.

The spacious interior of the safe has a 5.4 cubic foot volume and contains an 8 gun rack. The bottom features padding and gray carpet. 

The exterior of the safe is 55 inches tall, 19 ¾ inches wide, and 12 ½ inches deep. The safe weighs 102 pounds and comes with anchor bolts for mounting.

5. Winchester Big Daddy XLT

Our last long gun safe is only for those willing and able to shell out a lot of money to safely house their gun collection. 

The Winchester Big Daddy XLT is a large, high end gun safe with a 56 long gun capacity. Obviously to fit that many guns, this safe is pretty hefty.

The exterior is 72 inches tall, 42 inches wide, and 27 inches deep. The interior has a 47.2 cubic feet volume and the safe weighs a whopping 1080 pounds.

The large size obviously contributes to the cost of this safe, but so do all the security and convenience features.

The Big Daddy XLT is made from 12 gauge steel and has an S&G EMP Electronic lock with 1.25 inch bolts (6 dead locking and 12 active locking) along the side, top, and bottom of the door.

The auxiliary re-locker keeps the door locked even when burglars try to damage the lock. The recessed door and reinforced jambs prevent the use of a pry bar. The external steel strap hinges avoid vulnerability to fire or burglars.

The walls, door, and ceiling have fireboard layers to give the safe a 75 minute fire resistant rating at 1400 degrees. Like the Steelwater, this high-security safe has an expanding door seal to block smoke and heat. 

Winchester also offers a Lifetime Free Replacement Guarantee if the safe is ever in a fire or attacked by burglars, as well as a lifetime limited warranty.

The interior has adjustable shelves for storing other items. The door’s built-in organizer with various pockets provides even more storage space and the zipper pockets have a thermal-protective lining for extra fire protection for your most important items. 

There’s also a motion sensing interior LED light. The power docking system gives you internal access to two 110v outlets and two USB pass-throughs.

This massive safe is pre-drilled for floor mounting to ensure that the safe can’t be tipped or removed.

Obviously, this gun safe more than meets California’s DOJ requirements.

Best Handgun Safes

Now that we’ve got the big guys covered, let’s move on to their younger siblings: handgun safes. 

6. GunVault SV500 SpeedVault Handgun Safe

First up is one of the most widely recommended handgun safes, the GunVault SV500 SpeedVault.

The SpeedVault, as the name suggests, is designed to give you access to your handgun as quickly as possible.

The “No-Eyes” keypad is designed to allow you to put in the combination by touch, without having to look at the keypad. Once the combination has been put in, a spring-loaded drawer tilts open. Your gun is stored in that drawer positioned upright for easy access and an immediate positive grip. 

An interior light helps you see your gun, even in the dark and a lockout mode kicks in after repeated incorrect combinations to prevent someone from just guessing your combo. A foam interior protects your handgun’s finish.

The SpeedVault boasts 18-gauge steel construction. It’s designed to be mounted under a desk or table and has holes pre-drilled to give you multiple mounting options.

This California DOJ approved safe measures a compact 13 by 3.5 by 6.5 inches and weighs 6.61 pounds, so it works with a variety of mounting locations.

Since the safe has an electronic lock, it obviously needs a power source. The SV500 takes a 9V battery, preferably alkaline. The safe provides audio and LED warnings when the safe’s battery is low, and it comes with an override key that allows you access to your handgun even if there’s no power. 

7. Vaultek VT20i

Our next pick is another quick-access handgun safe, though not as quick as the SpeedVault.

The Vaultek VT20i has a high resolution biometric fingerprint scanner for immediate access. However, once opened, your gun is on its side, so it will take more time to get ready to take aim. The lid automatically lifts open for quicker, single-handed access, though, and an interior LED light makes it easy to see inside the safe. 

In addition to the fingerprint scanner, you can also open the VT20i using the backlit five digit electronic keypad, manual keys, or smartphone app that connects to the safe with Bluetooth. 

The fingerprint scanner is capable of storing 20 unique fingerprints and you can program your combination to be anywhere from 4 to 8 digits. This allows for the possibility of 40,000 different combinations, making it difficult to guess. The keypad also has a proximity sensor for the lighting to save battery power.

On top of letting you unlock the safe remotely, the Vaultek Smart App allows you to edit the stored fingerprints, receive notifications about the safe’s use and power level, view usage history, and adjust various settings. It has pattern locked entry to ensure that only you can use the app to interact with your safe.

This safe has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with an approximately 6 month battery life. 

The safe is made from 16 gauge steel and is 11.5 inches long, 9 inches, wide, and 2.65 inches tall. It weighs 7.2 pounds. It has anti-pry bars to prevent the safe from being forced open. The latches are impact resistant. A powder coated finish protects from corrosion and extends the longevity of the safe. 

It’s pre-drilled for mounting and comes with the necessary hardware, but it also comes with a security cable to allow you to tie the safe down without having to mount it.

8. SentrySafe QAP1E Pistol Safe

This SentrySafe QAP1E Pistol Safe is a similar option that’s more budget-friendly.

It has a four digit keypad that allows you to program your own combination that’s between 1 and 8 digits long. The keypad is backlit.

Like the Vaultek, a compression gas strut allows the SentrySafe QAP1E Pistol Safe’s lid to automatically open when the correct combination is entered for quick, single-handed access. 

The safe is constructed from solid steel but has a soft lining to protect your gun’s finish. It’s also California DOJ certified with a heavy-duty lock and pry-resistant door. It comes with the necessary hardware to bolt the safe down. 

The exterior of the SentrySafe QAP1E Pistol Safe is 3.2 inches tall, 12.1 inches wide, and 9.9 inches deep. It weighs 11.9 pounds. 

This model fits a single handgun, but the larger SentrySafe QAP2E fits a pair. The SentrySafe QAP2EL is the same as the QAP2E but with an interior light. And also you can attach this case in your car and use it as a quick access gun safe for car.

9. Fort Knox FTK-PB Original Pistol Box

Finally, the Fort Knox FTK-PB Original Pistol Box is a more traditional alternative.

It doesn’t rely on digital and electrical components to keep your firearm safe. Instead it uses good old fashioned durable materials and quality construction. In fact, Fort Knox advertises it as “the strongest handgun safe on the market.” And they back it with a lifetime warranty, so I think they feel pretty confident about it. 

The FTK-PB has a 5 button mechanical combination lock that allows for 1081 combination options. This simple style of lock, along with the gas strut that assists with opening the lid, allows for quick access without reliance on electricity. 

It has a 10 gauge steel body with a 3/16-inch plate door for top of the line security. The exterior has a durable powder coat finish with an antique silver texture. The interior is foam lined to protect your firearm. 

As you may have observed while reading this list, when it comes to safes, weight is often linked to security, so it may not come as a surprise that this safe weighs a whopping 22 pounds. 

Yes, at 12.5 inches wide, 4.5 inches tall, and 10.5 inches deep, this safe is a bit larger than the other handgun safes we’ve talked about, but not large enough to account for that kind of difference. It will fit most pistols with space for an extra mag or two.

Since it’s not one of the more portable options, you’ll likely want to take advantage of the four pre-drilled holes in the safe’s body for mounting.

Of course, this safe exceeds California DOJ requirements. And as an added bonus, it’s made in the United States. 

Parting Shots

As gun owners, we have a responsibility to practice gun safety, and part of that is safe gun storage. Gun safes are an easy way to accomplish that and often have the added bonus of granting us peace of mind by protecting our guns from damage from fire or water as well.

Let us know your thoughts on these or other gun safes in the comments below.