Easy Access and Use Pistol for Protection
Want the quickest access gun safe to protect yourself and your family?
Find out my recommendations for all budgets…then see the safes in action with my actual home defense and CCW pistols.
And finally, learn the top criteria I used in selecting my personal bedside gun safe so you can apply it to your home situation.
And now we have a full YouTube video on our favorite safes that we cover in the article:
If that helped, please subscribe to ourYouTube channel since we're adding new videos every week!
Without further ado, here's our favorite picks.
Summary of Our Top Picks
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Editor's Pick
Fort Knox FTK-PB
Heavy-duty and fully-mechanical Simplex lock system that opens in under 2 seconds.
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Best Mountable Safe
SpeedVault GunVault
Great choice for mounting under a desk or bedside table that fits a full-size handgun.
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Budget Pick
Stack-On PDS-500
Affordable option but be aware of its shortcomings.
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Hi-Tech Option
Vaultek V20i & V10i
Biometric, electronic keypad, or Bluetooth access, this safe has it all.
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Discreet Travel Safe
Vaultek LifePod 2.0
Compact, quick-access, and reliable, this option is great for traveling.
Table of Contents
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Best Bedside Quick Access Gun Safes
1. Fort Knox FTK-PB
Through all my research and asking around, I ended up with the Fort Knox FTK-PB Simplex Handgun Safe after a less than optimal buy or two.
It met and exceeded all the criteria I had set out for myself. I do not regret my decision and I tell all my new gun owner friends to get their own.
And each and every one loves it after install.
Best Overall Handgun Safe
345
at Amazon
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
- 25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Quick Access
"Simplex" means that instead of electronic keys, a rotary dial, or biometrics, it uses mechanical buttons that provide good feedback and allow me to open the safe in around 1.5 seconds.
*2022 Update*: 6 years worth of usage and going strong for my simplex safe.
All I do is put in my 2-stage code and turn the knob clockwise. An example of a 2-stage code would be pressing the 1st and 3rd button simultaneously, followed by pressing the 5th button.
I also like that I can previously input the code and turn the knob clockwise but not actually open the top. This means you can have super fast access to it at night if you open it before you go to bed.
Reliable
I wanted something that, like my self-defense gun, would "always go bang." The Simplex lock is American made (as is the entire safe) and does not need batteries, like so many of the popular safes out there, need for electronic keys or biometrics. Also, no beeps and reading errors that could get you killed. There's a lifetime warranty too.
2 years in of nearly weekly use…it's still going strong with no messups. Plus the foam is still good even after some oil dripped out from my gun.
Adequate Protection
The safe is really heavy (~20 lbs) since it has 3/16″ steel doors and 10 gauge steel bodies. I feel confident if it ever fell off a truck, or got attacked by a crowbar, it would put up a good fight. I also like that the corners and sides are folded in to make prying much harder.
Space
Plenty of space for my full-size Glock 17 and extra mag.
There's also two layers of foam underneath my gun and I feel confident that you could put at least one more full sized pistol in there if you wanted.
Mountable
4 pre-drilled holes on the bottom for easy mounting.
Cons
It's not perfect, but it's pretty close. The first few things I don't like are nit-picky but the last one can be a deal breaker for you.
First is that it's susceptible to water damage. My wife left a cold cup of something in the top left which formed condensation and left a pattern. I'm just glad it's kind of cool looking.
The foam around the hinge gets in the way of closing but is easily addressed by just cutting it off. Here's the finished product.
And the potential deal breaker is that it only has 1081 combinations that any smart child could try in a relatively short amount of time. However, if you don't have kids yet, or plan on concealing the safe, it shouldn't be that big of a deal.
What's your take on the Fort Knox?
2. GunVault SpeedVault & 1000S
What I recommend to people who want pretty good quality but at a lower price point. The GunVault SpeedVault and the GunVault 1000S are top sellers with great reviews for electronic locking safes.
Best Hidden Gun Safe
112
at Amazon
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
- 25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Because of the angle of the SpeedVault, it is the front-runner for mounting under a desk in a home office for example.
AFFORDABLE ELECTRONIC HANDGUN SAFE
75
at Amazon
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
- 25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Quick Access: Quick access in the 2-second range. Video later shows slight speed reduction in taking out a handgun for the side opening models such as the 1000S.
Reliable: Not as reliable in my opinion as mechanical Simplex locks, but tons of people swear by them. I'd be comfortable using them if I were to unlock them before going to sleep. Can turn off the key entry sounds for "stealth" mode.
Adequate Protection:Tight fittings and thick steel meet my requirements for protection against burglars and nosy guests. 12 million combinations so the possibility of someone brute force trying all of them are much less likely. However, it still has a key override so keep it hidden.
Space:If it can fit a full-size 1911 style handgun, it will fit my Glock 17. Other GunVault models are available for smaller or bigger storage needs.
Mountable: Easy to mount and the SpeedVault defines what it means to be a bedside or desk side safe with its ingenious opening mechanism.
3. Stack-On PDS-500
What I first chose as my gun safe due to its immense popularity on Amazon and its great reviews. The Stack-On PDS-500 is a great budget safe but just be aware of its shortcomings.
Best Budget Safe
40
at Amazon
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
- 25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Quick Access:Pretty quick access in the 2-3 second mark depending on your code. However, I found the top opening door is smaller than the base, you can have occasional hangups of your gun.
Reliable: Not super reliable in my opinion. I tested myself with late-night wake-up drills to try and open the safe and I found myself forgetting to hit the "*" key after my code. The knob also sometimes does not work if you immediately turn clockwise…I found I had to turn counter-clockwise until it reset and then turn it clockwise for 100% reliability. I'd only be comfortable unlocking it before I slept.
Adequate Protection:Decently heavy (~10 lbs) and seems pry-resistant. Includes backup key access when you pry off the "Stack-On" nameplate on top to keep it hidden. Older models seem to be easily picked with just a paper clip. You can protect against this by getting a new lock or just super-gluing the plate.
Space:Fits my full-size Glock easily with extra space for a mag or two.
Mountable: Has bottom mounts.
4. Vaultek V20i & V10i
Want a reliable fingerprint and Bluetooth accessible safe that looks sweet? Check out the Vaultek VT20i and VT10i.
High-Tech Option
289
at Vaultek Store
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
- 25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
We conducted a full review, but here's the gist:
Quick Access: 4 easy ways to access your firearm: key, number code, fingerprint, or Bluetooth app.
Reliable: Fingerprint scanner was a little iffy when our fingers were wet. But the other options were 100%. If using this for your bedside gun safe…I'd stick with the number code.
Adequate Protection: Very robust feeling that resists drops and hits. Plus pry-resistant.
Space: The smaller VT10i will hold most handguns with a mag or two to spare while the larger VT20i will accommodate 4″ revolvers and full-sized handguns with 3+ mags.
Mountable: Comes with two pre-drilled holes and screws. Plus cable attachment.
We've also reviewed their newest and biggest version…the MXi Handgun Safe.
Best Multi-Handgun Safe
599
at Vaultek Store
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
- 25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Want more fingerprint-activated gun safes? We have our roundup of the Best Biometric Gun Safes.
5. Vaultek LifePod & LifePod 2.0
A relatively newcomer from Vaultek…the LifePod.
It's what I use when I travel by car since it's portable, discreet with its slingbag, and still able to be tethered down when you're staying put at a hotel or Airbnb.
I leave it unlocked if it's just me where I'm staying, but otherwise I unlock the latches and leave it still requiring a code to open.
Here it is in action!
It's pretty compact but holds enough for my needs…a compact pistol with light and a mag on the side.
Quick Access: Have a little more protection with the latches, or leave it with just the key option.
Reliable: No problems with very wet fingers since the keys are capacitive and there's no fingerprint option. Note you'll have to
Adequate Protection: Heavy but not too heavy. Slingbag also offers some cushioning. Has survived quite a few falls. Older generations had a physical exploit but Vaultek quickly remedied it and sent owners retrofit kits. Fastest company response I've seen!
I highly recommend the Vaultek Lifepod for a traveling quick access case.
109
at Vaultek
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
- 25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
There's also the larger LifePod 2.0 now that can hold two handguns.
Or some other goodies if you use their tray instead of foam.
I use mine to hold my holstered CCW gun when not in use. The main purpose is to keep it away from the little ones or wandering eyes.
I had to go with the special edition camo version plus a regular black version…
Check em out here:
159
at Vaultek
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
- 25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Safe Selection Criteria
Selecting a gun safe might be actually harder than what you went through selecting your handgun.
There's so much stuff out there across so many price ranges. I'll try to make it easier by going through my top criteria when selecting my actual bedside gun safe.
- Quick Access: My home defense pistol will be going in this safe and in a defensive situation, I want to be able to access it in around 1-2 seconds.
- Reliable: I'll likely be groggy and fumbling around in the dark. Is the safe 100% reliable and easy to use in that state?
- Adequate Protection:Expensive and less used guns go into my larger and more secure safe. This bedside version is just to deter smash & grab burglars or to stop a nosy guest. I'm not looking for extreme child or fire protection here.
- Space:Enough of it to hold a full sized handgun like my Glock 17.
- Mountable: I make sure that the safe is small enough to be mounted high the closet or nightstand drawer so it's harder to access for small children and won't just walk away with someone.
Conclusion
Hopefully, I helped you out a little in choosing the right bedside gun safe for your purpose.
Source: https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-bedside-gun-safe-quick-access/
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