Pistol safes

Pistol safes vary in size, strength, and lock type.

Most pistol safes are relatively small in size. They are made to carry one handgun or possibly two. The safe’s small size allows you to easily conceal it in your car or under the bed. Remember that this size also is a detriment as these small (and lightweight) safes can be easily carried away by a thief for opening in his shop at his leisure. Make sure to either bolt the pistol safe down to a secure surface or at least cable or chain it to an immovable object to slow down a thief.

Strength is not an absolute number. Any safe can be compromised given enough time and tools. Most safes are designed to slow down the less determined thief. Some of the lightest weight safes such as the Secure-it brand are fantastic for use in your car and can conceal easily, but they are made out of very thin metal material. I suspect a good throw against the pavement would open the device or create an easy weak point to then compromise.

Most safes have one or more of the following locking mechanisms: electronic, combination, or biometric.

Combination locks have been around for over 100 years. They are reliable and easy to use, but in a panic situation it is said that you will lose 80% or more of your fine motor skills. Remembering the combination or being able to turn the dial will be compromised in a crisis.
Electronic safes are easier to use as you simply remember a 4-8 digit pin to open the door. These are much quicker to open and require less fine motor skills in a panic situation. They do require a battery and some have an additional security measure like a key on the front.
A biometric gun safe uses your fingerprint (typically) to identify who is authorized to open the safe. They are the simplest to open and require no memorization of codes. Most will scan your fingerprint and open in less than 5 seconds. They can also store 5-20 fingerprints for other members of the family.

Choosing a pistol safe is not a difficult process, but is an important one to protect your gun from being stolen or being found by a child.