Top Handgun Safes: Portable, Multi Gun & Quick Access Picks

Storing handguns in a pistol safe is a best practice for any gun owner who owns a handgun, and gun owners have a universal responsibility to prevent our firearms from causing injury or harm. A critical piece of this puzzle is ensuring our guns are safely stored when not in use.

The meaning of “safely stored” can be a challenge to define universally, as there’s a natural tension between quick access and preventing unwanted access to the firearm. Guns locked away in 400 lb combination safes will keep your firearm safe from the wrong hands, but you will not be able to gain access particularly quickly in an emergency.

Likewise, a Glock sitting on your nightstand will be available almost instantly, but for kids or visitors it’s far too easy to access to be considered safe.

There’s a lot to consider before you even get to the thousands of products on the market. Where do you even start? Which handgun safe should you choose? What are the best criteria with which to make a choice?

You have to make the best decision for you, but we’ve broken down the key features you’ll want in a good pistol safe, with 6 excellent examples to suit almost anyone.

By Michael Crites

Michael Crites has served as executive editor of AmericanFirearms.org since 2016 and previously held positions as associate editor and range correspondent dating back to 2000. He discovered his passion for precision shooting at age 12 during his first visit to his grandfather's shooting range, eventually earning an Expert classification in three different shooting disciplines before age 18. During his studies at University of Wyoming, he earned four varsity letters on the collegiate rifle and pistol teams, serving as team captain for three consecutive years. He became the first UW student to complete the NRA Range Safety Officer certification while maintaining full-time student status. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Communications. His diverse career has included roles as Range Safety Coordinator for the National Rifle Championships in Camp Perry 2001; editor-in-chief, Precision Shooter Quarterly; series editor, Modern Firearms Handbook collection; managing editor, National Shooting Sports Foundation Newsletter; editor, Competitive Shooter Magazine; operations director for Western Arms & Ammunition Co.; senior editor for the Shooter's Reference Annual (Cheyenne); content director for The Firearms Report, published by the American Shooting Coalition in Billings, MT; firearms correspondent for Hunting & Shooting, produced by Outdoor Sports Media Group in Jackson, WY; and publisher for Wyoming Shooting Sports Journal in Casper. He has contributed as a regular columnist for American Rifleman (NRA Publications), technical editor for Precision, a publication of the National Bench Rest Shooters Association (Phoenix, AZ); and as firearms specialist for the Gun Owner's Annual. As a digital content creator, he has written more than 400 articles on AmericanFirearms.org, developed shooting technique coverage for the Brownells Shooting Blog (Montezuma, IA) and Federal Premium "Range Notes" platform (Anoka, MN), and served as lead content strategist for International Defensive Pistol Association (Berryville, AR). Beyond Tactical Firearms, his current endeavors include content development for the Wyoming State Rifle Association (Cheyenne, WY) and technical manual production for High Plains Publishing of Laramie, WY. He has contributed to the 12th, 13th, and 14th editions of Modern Sporting Rifles Guide and edited The Complete Guide to Tactical Shooting and Competitive Shooter's Reference Manual (Gun Digest Books).

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