Best Quick Access Pistol Safes

Date Updated: December 17th 2022

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13 min read

The best quick access pistol safes on the market, from mechanical to biometric safes. We go over the pros and cons of the best quick access gun safes available.

Our top, hand-picked quick access pistol safes that can meet just about any budget and need. When selecting a quick access gun safe, there are certain criteria we look for including, longevity of the safe, ease of use, and above all reliability and consistency. With so many options out there today, from biometrics, electronic buttons, lock and key and many more, it can be difficult to choose what is right for you. When choosing a quick access safe you have to be aware that they are mostly intended to keep a loaded firearm out of the hands of children while still being effective for home defense. Quick access gun safes may not be completely resistant to theft, but most certainly will add extra challenges which might be all you need. If you are looking for a safe to keep valuables, a heavy duty safe may be more suitable for you. With that said, we will be focusing on quick access gun safes for home defense.

Up first is the V-Line Brute Heavy Duty Safe. V-Line manufactures many safes and best of all, they are made right here in the USA, ensuring quality and longevity. The V-Line is a top choice for many and it's easy to see why. The first thing this safe has going for it is being an extremely simple safe. The safe has no electronic key pads or finger print scan, just a mechanical lock that does not require batteries.

Being mechanical has a huge benefit since there are far fewer things that can prevent you from opening your safe. This might include things like dead batteries, electronic errors, or any other malfunction that can be in an electronic system, either from the manufacturer or simply from dropping the safe. You might be thinking, an electronic automatic safe could be faster, and you might be right in some scenarios. If this is your primary home protection weapon, you need your firearm to be accessible, with no potential road blocks coming in the way, and removing the potential electronic mishaps out of the way can be your deciding factor of life and death.

The V-Line safe is most certainly quick access, and has some noteworthy features built in. This safe is equipped with an extremely durable 10 gauge steel, a helpful handle to quickly open the safe, and a gas strut so it does not slam shut. Inside the safe you have enough room for two full-size firearms or one full-size firearm with a few extra magazines and a compact flashlight. If you don't mind spending a little more for quality, The V-Line Brute is our top choice for a quick access gun safe exceeding our criteria and checks all the boxes when looking for a pistol safe.

This list would not be complete if we did not talk about Fort Knox pistol safes. Fort Knox is another great company that manufactures their safes right here in the USA and makes some of the highest quality quick access safes on the market. The Fort Knox Pistol safe has a very solid construction, and has refined their lock mechanisms over the years. The coating on the pistol case is also one of the most scratch resistant materials we have seen and is equipped with some nice features. Just like the V-Line above, this quick access pistol case has a mechanical lock mechanism and a gas strut to help open the lid, as well as prevent it from slamming shut if let go. The lid is built with a tamper-resistant wraparound door, and enough space to store two full-size pistols and an extra magazine or two.

This Fort Knox safe also has the ability to be bolted down, which make it even harder for someone to remove it from your home. Fort Knox stands by their products and offers a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser, which includes integral units including the lock mechanism and the gas strut. If you are in the market for a strong, American-made, quick access pistol safe with a simple design and reliable mechanism, then Fort Knox should be a huge contender and many, including us, put our trust in this product.

Best Electronic Keypad Entry - ShadowVault

Looking for a reliable electronic handgun safe that provides quick access to your firearm? The Stealth ShadowVault SV1 is a top-of-the-line option that offers maximum security and durability. With a 3/16” thick solid steel wrap around door and a 9/64” solid steel body, this safe door is 300% and safe body is 233% thicker than the industry average safe, respectively. It also features a high security electronic lock, the S&G Spartan Direct Drive, which has nearly one million possible combinations.

To enhance security, the ShadowVault SV1 has a hard plate in-between the lock and the door, as well as in-between the body and lock latch, increasing drill time by 200%. The lock is also protected by punch resistant steel housing on the door side and body side. Additionally, the safe has two 3/8” steel hooks that lock under the hinges, and two steel dead bars that are bolted together to reinforce the piano hinge, making it virtually impenetrable to cutting attacks.

The ShadowVault SV1 is also convenient to use, with features like a shock piston door assist and multiple layers of foam padding to protect your handgun. It also has a matte black carry handle for easy transport, and four pre-drilled mounting holes with concrete bolt anchors included for secure mounting. With its solid steel construction, high security lock, and multiple layers of protection, the Stealth ShadowVault SV1 is the perfect choice for anyone looking to keep their handgun safe and secure.

SentrySafes is a well-known company that makes quality products, including this pistol safe here. The first biometric pistol safe on the list, and one of the most reliable. The SentrySafe quick access biometric safe is CA Department of Justice (DOJ) approved, comes with a biometric finger scanner, keypad, and as a last resort, a key to open the safe. There is something to be said for opening a safe with a slide of your thumb. The safe can be programmed with a total of four different fingerprints, allowing other adults in the house to access the gun with ease.

The safe is a good size and can fit one full-size handgun and an extra magazine (larger versions of this safe are available). Not only does the pistol case have reliable internals, the externals are note worthy also. The safe is lined with soft material, a gas strut to pop the lid open, and a mounting kit to bolt the safe down. This quick access pistol safe runs on batteries (four AA batteries, not included), so it may be wise to get name brand batteries and replace them every so often. If your wanting a biometric safe with the plan to keep your handgun out of the hands of children but still allowing quick access for home protection, this SentrySafe safe is a solid contender. Due to the reputation and quality of this SentrySafe, we think its one of the best biometric quick access gun safes for the money.

As said before V-Line makes great products, and they make many different variations of there safes. This one in particular is a hideaway safe that can be mounted on the underside of a desk, nightstand, shelf and just about every other surface. Just like the other V-Line products this one comes with a mechanical simplex lock that has been battle tested and proven to be very reliable. The safe has a drawer that you can slide out once the safe is open, which is also lined with felt and offers enough space for a full size handgun, an extra magazine and some small extras. This safe is made in the USA, constructed of high quality steel, has a gloss black finish, 3/8" thick steel lock block for added security and quality rails for the drawer to smoothly open and close. This quick access gun safe is an extremely high-quality safe and would be perfect for anyone wanting a safe that can be concealed a little more than the traditional pistol safes and don't mind spending a little more for higher quality. This safe definitely takes the win for the best pistol safe for your desk, or any scenario you want your safe mounted on the underside.

Best Quick Access Pistol Safe Companies

V-Line

V-Line has been making quality USA made safes since 1995 and is a top contender when we look for the best quick access gun safes. Since their products are such high quality, you tend to only have to buy it once and don't have to worry about replacing parts after excessive use. V-Line makes a plethora of products ranging from different quick access handgun variations to gun cabinets of every size that can meet just about every application. V-Line products are great for home defense but can also be used for your motor home, boat, office etc. If you care about quality and want a wide variety of pistol safes then the V-Line product line is where you should be looking.

Fort Knox

Fort Knox is another great American company that prides itself with American made safes and pistol boxes. Fort Knox offers a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser for their products, which covers integral parts such as the locking mechanism. Fort Knox makes a variety of products from full-size safes to compact pistol safes. Each product they manufacture is created with an abundance of steel, and high quality locking mechanisms. Fort Knox has made adjustments to there products over the years, refining the locking mechanisms making the products they produce top tier. If you are looking for a simple no frills, reliable pistol safe then Fort Knox is a solid contender.

Liberty Safes

Liberty safes are one of the top selling companies for full-size safes but they do offer a variety of products. Liberty safes, arguably make one of the highest quality safes, built right here in the USA, this Utah based company even sources its steel from the USA. Liberty started there company in 1988 and ever since then, they have been manufacturing high quality products. Liberty safes make a great quality pistol safe, but tend to lack on some of the high tech things like biometrics. If you are looking for a simple pistol case with a key or dial combination lock then Liberty Safes could be a contender. We did not add any Liberty Safes to our list, but since they have a great reputation we had to mention them.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to purchasing a quick access gun safe, it is always a good idea to spend a little more on quality, just like the firearm you have. It does not matter if you have the most reliable firearm, if you cannot open the safe, or there is a malfunction then it has no value. The safes we listed above, will not have to be replaced (particularly the mechanical ones), and should last many years. Just like anything, practice makes perfect. Opening the safe regularly so it becomes second nature would be a good idea, and when the time comes you will be prepared. Leave a comment below on your thoughts and any noteworthy safes you use.