Fingerprint Please! 4 Best Biometric Gun Safes 2024 [Fast Access]

Biometric gun safes are safes that use fingerprints, hand geometry, facial recognition, eye retinal, or a combination of those things in order to identify a person and give them access to the safe. While this may sound like something out of an action spy movie, particularly the eye retinal identification part, the reality is that biometric gun safes have become some of the some of the most popular kinds of gun safes used by ordinary gun owners today. They stand in stark contrast to more old school gun safes, which use either traditional locks or a keypad to permit access inside the safe. Nonetheless, in many ways the best biometric gun safes in 2024 are even more secure than other kinds of safes due to the cutting edge technology that they utilize. If you want to keep your firearms and other valuables protected from your children or burglars, they are a great way to go and at the very least are worth your attention.

Short On Time? Here Is The Bullet List

• Budget: BARSKA BIOMETRIC MODEL AX11224 SAFE
• Mid Priced: SENTRY BIOMETRIC QUICK ACCESS PISTOL SAFE
• Portable: GUNVAULT MICROVAULT XL BIOMETRIC GUN SAFE
• Best Overall: GUNBOX 2.0 BIOMETRIC GUN SAFE

**Below are our more detailed reviews. Click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.

A combination of factors have led to the rise of the quick access biometric gun safe beyond the simple appeal of storing your guns in a more technologically advanced safe. A few states have passed laws that more strictly regulate gun safety and gun safes are also often a primary target of burglars and thieves who have learned all the tricks for breaking into a more traditional model. There are many different models of biometric gun safes available on the market today for both long guns and handguns. Each model varies in quality, in what it is intended for, and how it can be accessed. To help guide you in finding out what the best biometric gun safes are, we’re going to outline and discuss the best biometric gun safes by each category.

Biometric Gun Safe 101

A biometric gun safe is a gun safe that uses a biometric security system. Biometric means that either behavioral or physical characteristics are used in order to identify someone. This is why biometric gun safes can identity a person’s fingerprints, face, hand geometry, or the eye retina. Even though the eye retinal scan is by far the most secure of these methods, the system that is used on most biometric gun safes is a fingerprint system. Unless someone is able to exactly imitate or somehow get your fingerprint, they won’t be able to break into your safe. So maybe get a safe with a backup key. You, on the other hand, can unlock your safe with the simple press of your finger or thumb.

Pros and Cons of Biometric Gun Safes

Since biometric gun safes utilize upper end technology, they naturally tend to be more expensive than other kinds of gun safes. For example, in the case of a fingerprint biometric gun safe, the reason behind its higher price is due to the cost of the electronics that run the fingerprint gun safe sensor. Even though it’s undoubtedly a cool technology, you may question the need to spend the extra money on a biometric safe when you could just as easily buy a safe with a different locking system that’s equally as high quality but offered at a significantly lower price.

Biometric Gun Safe Pros

The pros all comes down to two reasons: biometric gun safes are more secure and easier to access. A fingerprint biometric gun safe is only going to recognize your fingerprint and your fingerprint alone, so anyone else who you do not program into the sensor system will be automatically locked out. In contrast to this, someone who knows what they’re doing would be able to break their way into a safe that’s protected by either a combination lock or a keypad.

Another reason why biometric gun safes are safer is in the event of a home invasion. Assuming that you keep your home defense gun locked in your safe, you want to be able to access those guns as soon as possible, right? Pressing your finger or thumb into the sensor is always faster than having to fumble around with keys or type numbers into a keypad. Since owning a home defense gun is all about safety so you can protect your family from intruders, it’s imperative that you be able to access the gun in your safe as quickly as possible. Knowing full well that your adrenaline will be running and stress will be high in a home defense scenario where you may not remember your combination lock system off the top of your head, scanning your fingerprint will always be faster and safer.

So by way and large, security and ease of access are the two biggest pros to a biometric gun safe. The fingerprint reading is also one hundred percent access, so you don’t have to worry about the sensor not reading your finger print correctly.

Biometric Gun Safe Cons

Biometric gun safes don’t come without their own set of disadvantages. One of these we have already mentioned: the price. Biometric gun safes will always cost you more money. Smaller and portable versions biometric gun safes can cost you just under a $100 if not all over, while larger stationary models designed to hold long guns will also cost you hundreds.

Another con to biometric gun safes is that they require electricity. Most biometric gun safe models derive electricity from a battery, so once that battery runs out you will be locked out of the safe. So battery life is an important aspect to look at. Of course, you can always just recharge the batteries or replace them regularly but then again if the power goes out for an extended period of time or if you don’t have any replacements then you won’t have that ability. It’s definitely something to think about. Another con that exists, at least with fingerprint biometric gun safes, is that they are coded only to your fingerprint. This means that if anything changes in your fingerprint it could be difficult for the sensor to verify you. Examples of what we mean by this include blisters, burns, and cuts. Each of these things changes the biology on your finger and it could be to the point that your sensor is unable to recognize you.

Finally, something else that some people consider a con with biometric gun safes is how biometric technology is still young meaning that new standards are continuously in development. In other words, the technology on the biometric safe you buy today won’t be the same technology as the gun safe you buy next year. This stands in stark contrast to other kinds of safe where the technology has stayed the same for years. What this means is that the next models of biometric gun safes that come after the ones that are available now will be even more advanced. In the space of just a year or less, your safe could become outdated. That doesn’t mean that it’s unusable by any means. On the contrary, it should function just fine for as long as you live, but it won’t be the updated versions.

As you can tell, both pros and cons exist with biometric gun safes. However, the fact that they are so secure and so easily accessible alone makes them very worthy of your attention. Next, we’ll go over what the best biometric gun safes are on the market so you can see what makes a good biometric gun safe as well as that your best options are at the present time.

Best Biometric Gun Safe in 2024

BEST LOW COST BIOMETRIC GUN SAFE:

BARSKA BIOMETRIC MODEL AX11224 SAFE

Barska makes a number of quality fingerprint recognition biometric gun safes at relatively low costs and their model AX11224 is certainly no exception. Note that when we say ‘low cost,’ we don’t mean low cost for safes as a whole. We mean low cost for biometric safes in particular, since this type of safe tends to cost more. 

If you’re looking for a relatively lightweight gun safe that can hold multiple handguns and other valuables as well as one that comes equipped with a fingerprint recognition system, the Barska AX11224 is a great option. First and foremost, there are two ways that you can access the AX11224: the fingerprint pad and the hidden keys. The Barska comes with four AA batteries that power the fingerprint pad and will last you for multiple months.

In the event that you forget to replace your batteries and you don’t have any spares, all hope is not lost. You can still access the AX11224 via a key lock. The safe will ship with two separate keys that can each open this lock. One of the pros that we discussed with biometric safes as a whole is that the fingerprint scanners are what make them secure. While there is a hidden key lock, it is hidden behind the Barska company logo on the front that an intruder will not see. It’s essentially hidden in plain sight, if you will. It’s heavily unlikely that any intruder is going to be aware of the fact that there is a lock hidden behind the company logo on an AX11224 safe. It’s even more unlikely that they’d be able to identify the model of the safe in the first place. In other words, it’s still secure.

The actual fingerprint sensor on the AX11224 is worth more discussion. It’s extremely user friendly to set up. What’s more is that it can store up to 30 different fingerprints. Setting up each fingerprint only takes a number of seconds as well. Total dimensions of the AX11224 are 16.25 x 12 x 7 inches. That’s plenty of space to store several handguns in addition to jewelry, money, personal documents, medications, and other valuable. The entire safe is constructed out of a heavy duty steel while two steel deadbolts will secure your weapons inside the safe. The AX11224 also only weighs 25 pounds, so transporting it around your house to where you see fit should not be an issue.

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BEST MID PRICED BIOMETRIC GUN SAFE:

SENTRY BIOMETRIC QUICK ACCESS PISTOL SAFE

Sentry is another big name in the gun safe world, and they’ve become a major player in the realm of biometrics. The Sentry Biometric Quick Access Pistol Safe is designed, as the name suggests, for you to be able to access your handgun quickly with only one hand. All you have to do is press your finger into the scanner to unlock the safe, open it, and grab the pistol. Sentry permits you to program up to two different fingerprints, making this a perfectly biometric safe for couples. Sentry has also installed the quick access safe with both an override key and a programmable keypad, but the fingerprint scan is still easily the fastest way to access the content inside.

Something you will notice about the Sentry Biometric Quick Access Pistol Safe is how smooth and sleek it is. All of the buttons light up at the same time, which not only gives you the ability to see the buttons at night, but also decreases your chances of accidentally pressing the wrong button. Perhaps the neatest aspect of the Sentry safe is how the biometric entry makes virtually no sound. There will be no sound of the lock clicking or the levers swinging open. This will be a huge advantage in a home intruder situation where late at night you may believe that someone has broken into your house, but you don’t want to alert them to the fact that you can hear them while also being able to grab your gun.

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BEST PORTABLE BIOMETRIC GUN SAFE:

GUNVAULT MICROVAULT XL BIOMETRIC GUN SAFE

Who says you can’t take your biometric safe with you in the car while you travel? The GunVault MicroVault XL MVB1000 is a very compact and lightweight safe that can hold a pistol and a couple of extra magazines and documents. Since it has a fingerprint scanner on the outside, it can easily be opened to access the pistol in the event of a carjacking. However, the fingerprint scanner on the MicroVault is definitely not your typical fingerprint scanner. Instead of actually placing your finger directly on top of the reader and pressing it there for a second, you simply swipe your finger across the scanner and the safe will click open. This is actually a faster way of opening the safe, which again make this gun safe very handy to have in a car for immediate defense.

Powered by a 9V battery, rather than four AA batteries like most other biometric gun safes, the fingerprint scanner is also capable of holding one hundred and 20 unique prints, which easily gives it one of the best memory capabilities not only of portable biometric gun safes but just biometric gun safes in general. Programming a new fingerprint is also extremely easy. After pressing a button on the side, the safe will flash a green led light followed by a beep. This is the signal that it is ready to read and then store a new fingerprint.

You may think that this is actually a disadvantage if anybody can just program their fingerprint into the scanner, but the reality is that a person can only do so with your permission The first two fingerprints that are programmed into the safe are considered to be administrative prints. In order to add more fingerprints after pressing the button on the side, one of the administrators has to scan their fingerprint first. There are many neat features of the GunVault beyond its advanced finger scanning and programming system as well.  For one thing, it has a very sturdy build with an 18 gauge steel despite its compact and lightweight construction. This safe is designed to be kept in a vehicle and transported from place to place, so naturally it’s going to have to endure some nicks and dings. That’s why a durable build is important.

A foam pad is installed inside of the save so that no scratches will be inflicted on your gun while traveling. More straps and pockets are also installed to carry additional items such as spare magazines or documents. The GunVault is tightly fit together with the hinges and doors held together very precisely and securely. Prying this safe open is virtually impossible. All in all, this is the ideal portable biometric safe. Total weight is only eight pounds with dimensions of 3.5 x 10.25 x 12 inches. It will fit very snug underneath the seat of your car or even in your glove compartment. GunVault sells it with one of the highest rated warranties in the safe industry.

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BEST OVERALL BIOMETRIC GUN SAFE:

GUNBOX 2.0 BIOMETRIC GUN SAFE

While it’s a tough call, the best overall biometric gun safe is the GunBox. It offers the best combination of durability, toughness, and sleekness while also coming equipped with a wide number of different unique and solid features that set it yet another bar above the rest. For one thing, there are many ways the GunBox Biometric Gun Safe can be opened. Of course, there’s the fingerprint scanner, which as with the other biometric gun safes on this list is extremely simple to use. All you have to do to program a new fingerprint is to place your finger or thumb on the reader for a few seconds while it scans you. The scanner may need to scan multiple different angles of your finger in order to accurately read it. Over 100 different fingerprints can be scanned onto the GunBox.

The GunBox safe also utilizes a Radio Frequency Identification technology (RFID), which is the same kind of technology that is used with credit cards for tracking inventory or for opening doors. The RFID receiver is keyed with either a wristband or a sticker that is placed directly on the card. You can still bypass the receiver if you’re afraid that a child or someone else will get a hold of either the card or the sticker. When the RFID is turned off, the only other primary method of opening the gun safe will be with the fingerprint scanner.

Both the fingerprint scanner and the RFID is powered by a powerful lithium polymer battery that can be charged with either of two ports that are built into the safe. The USB cords can then either be plugged into a computer or into a wall socket with the aid of a USB converter. However, if both electronic methods of accessing the safe fail, the GunBox still has an emergency backup access method. In the back of the safe, there is a small screw that can be removed, albeit only with a tool that is provided with the safe for extra security. If the screw is removed from the box, the safe will automatically open.

Even if you aren’t fully comfortable with the idea of your safe being opened only with a screw, you can disable this opening feature by taking the screw from the back and inserting it into a slot in the inside of the box. If both electronic opening methods and the screw method fail, then the only other recourse you will have for opening the safe will be to drill it open. The GunBox is undeniably a very secure safe and it’s part of the reason why it’s catapulted to the top of the best biometric gun safes list. But there are other reasons why it has earned this coveted spot. For one thing, the GunBox is extremely durable. It’s constructed out of an aircraft strength rated alloy, in contrast to many other biometric boxes that are instead made out of a much thinner steel and could be busted open with an axe.

Meanwhile, the inside of the GunBox is filled with neoprene to hold your weapon securely and prevent scratching. The neoprene also provides an extra cushioning for the gun so that if the alloy is hit with hard force, the gun still won’t slide around to be damaged. Another neat aspect of the GunBox is how versatile it is: it can be either transported and used as a portable safe or it can be kept mounted at home. With a small handful of #10 screws, you will be able to mount the GunBox underneath a desk or on the side of a wall in a closet. On the other hand, it’s small enough for you to fit in your car and carry with you as well.

Total dimensions on the GunBox are 8.9 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches. That’s plenty of room for a pistol, an extra magazine, and some jewelry or personal documents. It’s even possible to carry two small pistols in this case if you want to. Taken as a whole, the GunBox earns the position as best overall biometric gun safe due to its multitude of security options, virtually indestructible build, and amazing versatility.

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Best Biometric Gun Safe Conclusion

Biometric gun safes represent the most advanced and revolutionary form of gun safes today. Not only do they provide you with a multitude of ways to secure your firearm so that only an authorized user can access it, but they also easily offer you the fastest method for accessing your gun in a hurry. Gone are the days where you have to manually dial in a number on a keypad or turn a number dial. Instead, you just press or wipe your finger or thumb across the scanner and it will open the safe. This will save you precious seconds that could prove critical in either a home defense situation or a carjacking.

In fairness, biometric gun safes are not without their own set of flaws. They are expensive and if anything happens to your finger it could be difficult for the scanner to read it. This is why you have to be careful that you don’t scratch, blister, or burn your finger or anything else that could cause the reading to be messed up. Nonetheless, biometric safes are still a relatively young invention and are rapidly evolving, meaning that many of these faults could potentially become solved in the near future. In this article, we have shown you what the best biometric safes on the market currently are by category and our reasons for why they are the best. Just because biometric safes are a leap beyond more traditional gun safes does not mean that all biometric safes are created equally. Some are better than others and that’s why we’ve pointed out that the best of the best.  

Thank you for visiting Reloadingpresso.com. If our article has helped you make a decision about the best gun safe for you, please click through to Amazon using one of our buy buttons. We are an Amazon Affiliate website and how we keep our website running is through the small commission we receive when you purchase a gun safe from Amazon after visiting our site. There is no extra expense for you – the price is the same as if you went to Amazon directly. If you did not find the gun safe that you were looking for please check out our overall best gun safe buyers guide where you will find links to each individual type of gun safe.