Handgun safe
Barska AX13092 Desk Safe
2 mm steel · Fingerprint + keypad + key · 8.6 lb
8.8/10Very good$299.99Nov 13, 2026
Best handgun safes for the bedside
5 small safes for one or two handguns, from $170, ranked with the lock at 30%, price at 25% and steel at 20%.
$299.99at Barska, Nov 13, 2026
Check price at Barska
5 results"Handgun" weightsPrices checked Nov 13, 2026
Handgun and bedside: all 5 in order
Handgun safe
Vaultek 20 Series
16-gauge steel · Fingerprint + keypad + key + phone app · 7.2 lb
8.6/10Very good$312.99Nov 13, 2026
Handgun safe
Fort Knox Original Pistol Box
10-gauge steel · Push-button mechanical · 22 lb
8.5/10Very good$299$345Nov 13, 2026
No. 1Best handgun safe
Barska AX13092 Desk Safe
Best for a desk or the side of a nightstand: one handgun stored upright behind a fingerprint lock.
- 2 mm steel per Barska's spec table, thicker than most quick-access handgun safes
- Fingerprint scanner (20 prints), a PIN and 2 backup keys
- "DOJ Approved: Yes", in Barska's spec table
The catch: The warranty is 1 year, the shortest stated term on our list, and Barska's page gave us no return window. The keypad stores a single PIN, where others store several. Barska's own table says "Fireproof: No". It holds one standard-size handgun and nothing else, the 4 AA batteries are not included, and the page gives no interior dimensions, so check that your handgun fits.
- Body steel
- 2 mm steel
- Fire rating
- Not fire rated
- Ways to open
- Fingerprint + Keypad + Key
- Approvals stated
- CA DOJ
- Weight
- 8.6 lb
- Capacity
- 1 handgun
No. 2Best all-rounder
Vaultek 20 Series
Best for a bedside or desk-drawer handgun safe you can open four ways and check from your phone.
- Four ways to open: fingerprint (80 prints), 5-digit backlit keypad, key and app
- WiFi alerts from the ViSN app, per Vaultek
- Anti-pry bars, interior hinges and two anti-impact latches
The catch: Sixteen-gauge steel is about 1.5 mm: fine against hands and a screwdriver's first try, modest against real tools. At 7.2 lb the safe must be cabled or screwed down. The page we read states no California DOJ approval for the 20 Series, the 3 AAA batteries are not included, and the Nano Key fob is sold separately. The cheaper Essential version ($259.99) drops WiFi and stores 20 fingerprints instead of 80.
- Body steel
- 16-gauge steel
- Fire rating
- No rating claimed
- Ways to open
- Fingerprint + Keypad + Key + Phone app
- Approvals stated
- None stated
- Weight
- 7.2 lb
- Capacity
- Handgun size
No. 3Best price
Fort Knox Original Pistol Box
Best for anyone who wants a bedside handgun safe with no batteries, no app and a lot of steel.
- "10-gauge steel body, 3/16 in wrap-around door": the thickest handgun safe we compare
- Simplex mechanical push-button lock: nothing to charge, nothing to fail electronically
- Gas strut lifts the lid; concealed continuous hinge
The catch: There is one way in: the push-button code. Fort Knox quotes "over 1000 possible combinations", far fewer than a digital keypad offers, so pick a code that isn't a child's first guess. There is no key, no light inside and no cable; at 22 lb it should be bolted down. The page gives no return window and no California DOJ statement.
- Body steel
- 10-gauge steel
- Fire rating
- No rating claimed
- Ways to open
- Push-button mechanical
- Approvals stated
- None stated
- Weight
- 22 lb
- Capacity
- Handgun size
No. 4
Vaultek LifePod 20
Best for travel, the car and the range bag: a lockable, weather-sealed case rather than a safe for the home.
- $169.99, the lowest price of the 15 products we score
- 3.3 lb with a carry handle and a 48 in steel cable
- Touch keypad plus 2 backup keys; a 9-volt battery lasts up to a year, per Vaultek
The catch: The body is polymer, held shut by a single anti-impact latch and two side compression latches. That keeps children and casual hands out; it is not meant to stop tools. Vaultek's page states no California DOJ approval for it. The warranty is 1 year (2 if you register), the 9-volt battery is not included, and the fingerprint version costs $40 more on its own page.
- Body steel
- Polymer shell
- Fire rating
- No rating claimed
- Ways to open
- Keypad + Key
- Approvals stated
- None stated
- Weight
- 3.3 lb
- Capacity
- 1 handgun
No. 5
SentrySafe QAP1BLX
Best for a first biometric handgun safe on a budget, from a brand that states California DOJ certification.
- $189.99: the cheapest steel fingerprint safe on our list
- Three ways in: fingerprint, backlit keypad with no beeps, override key
- "California DOJ Certified for firearm storage and protection", per SentrySafe
The catch: "Solid steel" is all the page says about the body: no gauge, so our steel criterion scores as unstated. The warranty term was not on the pages we read. The store accepts returns only with an authorization number and offers no exchanges, and shipping takes 7 to 10 business days. The interior is small: 2.2 inches high, 0.08 cubic feet.
- Body steel
- Not stated
- Fire rating
- No rating claimed
- Ways to open
- Fingerprint + Keypad + Key
- Approvals stated
- CA DOJ
- Weight
- 11.9 lb
- Capacity
- 1 handgun
5 safes in this table: scroll sideways to see them all
| Safe | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1 handgun | Handgun size | Handgun size | 1 handgun | 1 handgun |
| Body steel | 2 mm steel | 16-gauge steel | 10-gauge steel | Polymer shell | Not stated |
| Fire rating | Not fire rated | No rating claimed | No rating claimed | No rating claimed | No rating claimed |
| Ways to open | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key + Phone app | Push-button mechanical | Keypad + Key | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key |
| Approvals stated | CA DOJ | None stated | None stated | None stated | CA DOJ |
| Weight | 8.6 lb | 7.2 lb | 22 lb | 3.3 lb | 11.9 lb |
| Warranty | 1-year | 2-year | Lifetime | 1-year | Not stated |
| Sold by | Barska | Vaultek | Fort Knox | Vaultek | SentrySafe |
| Where to buy | Check price at Barska | Check price at Vaultek | Check price at Fort Knox | Check price at Vaultek | Check price at SentrySafe |
✓ marks the best figure of the row. "Not stated" means the seller's page doesn't publish it. Fire ratings and capacities are the brands' own claims. Each safe keeps its one overall score; this page only changes the order. Prices checked November 13, 2026.
What to know before you choose
A handgun safe is a small box with one purpose: the adult opens it in seconds, the child never does. The American Academy of Pediatrics asks that every gun in a home be locked up and unloaded, with keys and combinations out of children's reach, and a bedside safe is how most households make that practical. We rank five of them, from $169.99 to $312.99, with the lock counting for 30%, price for 25% and steel for 20%.
They are five different ideas. The Barska AX13092 stands upright beside a desk and wins on paper: 2 mm steel, three ways in, DOJ approval stated. The Vaultek 20 Series is the connected one. The Fort Knox Original Pistol Box is thick steel and a mechanical lock, with no batteries at all. The SentrySafe QAP1BLX is the cheap fingerprint option, and the Vaultek LifePod 20 is a travel case. Whichever you choose, fix it down: a 10 lb box that isn't anchored is easy to carry out of the house.
How this ranking is weighted
Every safe keeps its overall score from the public formula. For this page we re-order the eligible safes with the "Handgun" weights: lock and ways to open it 30%, price 25%, body steel thickness 20%, warranty 15%, and the rest for the other 1 criteria. The full table is on the methodology page.
Head-to-heads between safes of this list: Vaultek 20 Series vs Fort Knox Original Pistol Box, Vaultek LifePod 20 vs SentrySafe QAP1BLX, Barska AX13092 Desk Safe vs Vaultek 20 Series.
Other rankings: best gun safe, biometric gun safe, fireproof gun safe, best rifle safe, budget gun safe, american made gun safes, gun safe for apartment.
By Grant Holloway, editor, gun safes · updated November 13, 2026
Handgun and bedside: questions buyers ask
More answers in our guidesWhat is the best handgun safe?
On our formula, the Barska AX13092 (8.8/10) at $299.99. If you want no batteries, the Fort Knox Original Pistol Box (8.5/10); for phone alerts, the Vaultek 20 Series (8.6/10).
What is the best bedside gun safe?
One you can open by touch in the dark. The Barska mounts upright beside the bed, the Vaultek 20 Series has a backlit keypad, and the Fort Knox Pistol Box opens with a push-button code you learn by feel.
Are small gun safes secure?
Against children and casual access, yes, if they are bolted down or tethered. Against tools, steel thickness decides: the Fort Knox is 10-gauge, the Vaultek 16-gauge, the LifePod polymer.
Can I keep a handgun safe in the car?
A tethered, locked case is the minimum; the Vaultek LifePod 20 comes with a 48-inch steel cable for that. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against keeping loaded, unlocked guns in a car. State laws on vehicle storage differ.
Which handgun safes are California DOJ approved?
Barska and SentrySafe state it for the models here. Check the exact model on the California DOJ roster, which also lists recalls.