Best Simplex Lock Pistol Safe – 5 No-Battery Picks Sorted by Steel

Simplex lock pistol safe comparison by steel, lock guard and size

A Simplex lock pistol safe is only as strong as the steel and the guard around its lock, because the lock is the same on all five. This table puts the deciding specs side by side:

A lower gauge number means thicker steel: 10-gauge is nearly three times as thick as 18-gauge. The genuine Simplex lock has 1,081 possible combinations, per V-Line, on every box here.

Simplex lock pistol safe picks I recommend

Each Simplex lock pistol safe below suits one place and one load, from a bolted nightstand box to a 5 lb travel case. Scores follow our how we score rubric.

Fort Knox Original Pistol Box PB1: Best Simplex lock pistol safe overall

4.0Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)9/10
• Access (speed and ease)8/10
• Capacity8/10
• Value6/10

I gave security a 9 for 10-gauge steel, a 3/16 in door and a lock plate; access is 8 for a code you can run by feel plus a gas strut, and fire is left out because Fort Knox makes no fire claim.

How we score

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What we like

• 10-gauge body, 3/16 in wrap-around door and a lock-reinforcing back plate
• Gas strut holds the lid open; four 3/8 in anchor holes
• Made in the USA with a limited lifetime warranty (Fort Knox)

What we don't like

• No key override and no hole big enough for a cable (Lucky Gunner)
• At 22 lb it is the box you bolt down, not the one you carry

What owners and reviewers say from 5 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Years of flawless use, with nothing to charge or replace
• Holds two full-size pistols, a spare magazine each and a small light

Common complaints

• Heavy, with no cable hole and no key override
• A Northwest Firearms shopper relayed reviews calling the buttons sloppy; an owner replied his were fine

Read on: Northwest Firearms, small Simplex pistol safe for a shelf · The High Road, handgun safes with Simplex locks · Defensive Carry, Ft. Knox, V-Line and AMSEC pistol safes · Lucky Gunner Lounge, quick access pistol safes · Pew Pew Tactical, best bedside handgun safes

Who it's for: An owner who wants one or two pistols at the bed and can bolt the box to a floor or solid furniture; it weighs 22 lb, has no cable hole and no key override, so the code is the only way in.

The Fort Knox Original Pistol Box PB1 is a 10-gauge steel Simplex pistol safe from Fort Knox, made in the USA. I rank it first because it puts the most steel around the lock: a 3/16 in wrap-around door, a lock-reinforcing back plate and a concealed continuous hinge. Fort Knox lists it at 22 lb, with a 9.75 x 11.75 x 3.5 in interior, four 3/8 in mounting holes and a limited lifetime warranty. A gas strut holds the lid up while you reach in.

An owner on Northwest Firearms fits two full-size pistols, a spare magazine for each and a small flashlight. A High Road owner with two of them reports flawless use for years, and a Defensive Carry owner calls it built like a tank. The limits are real: Lucky Gunner found no key override and no hole big enough for a cable. I’d skip it if you can’t bolt it down.

Steelhead Outdoors Fast Access Pistol Box: Best Simplex pistol safe for home and car

3.7Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)8/10
• Access (speed and ease)8/10
• Capacity7/10
• Value6/10

I scored security 8 for 12-gauge steel and guarded hinge pins, access 8 for a no-battery code by feel minus a manual lid, and left fire out because Steelhead makes no fire claim.

How we score

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What we like

• 12-gauge steel throughout, TIG welded in Shakopee, Minnesota
• Four base holes plus an optional 6,000 lb rated, 1/4 in cable
• California DOJ approved FSD and TSA compliant (Steelhead)

What we don't like

• No gas strut, so the lid is lifted by hand (Pew Pew Tactical)
• Just under 15 lb, heavy for a travel box

What owners and reviewers say from 5 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• The Simplex lock opens about as fast as a fingerprint reader
• Owners call it insanely well made and durable

Common complaints

• No piston to hold the lid open
• Simplex has only 1,081 codes, and the box weighs about 15 lb

Read on: Reddit r/liberalgunowners, bedside quick access safe (search excerpt) · Reddit r/handguns, good bedside pistol safe (search excerpt) · Reddit r/pistolcalibercarbine, fast access storage (search excerpt) · Pew Pew Tactical, best bedside handgun safes · Shoot On, Steelhead Fast Access Pistol Box review

Who it's for: An owner who needs one box for home and travel and wants a cable option; it is just under 15 lb and has no gas strut, so you lift the lid yourself.

The Steelhead Outdoors Fast Access Pistol Box is a 12-gauge steel Simplex lock box from Steelhead Outdoors, welded in Shakopee, Minnesota. I picked it for owners who want one box for the nightstand, the car and a hotel room. It has four base holes, and Steelhead sells an optional 6,000 lb rated, 1/4 in galvanized cable, so it can be cabled under a car seat with no drilling.

Steelhead lists it at just under 15 lb and 8.5 x 12.25 x 3 in, as a California DOJ approved FSD and TSA compliant. Shoot On points out guard tabs that cover both ends of the hinge pin. An r/liberalgunowners owner says the Simplex lock is just as fast as biometric, and an r/pistolcalibercarbine owner calls it insanely well made. Pew Pew Tactical notes there’s no gas strut, so you lift the lid by hand.

V-Line Top Draw XD: Best Simplex pistol safe for two handguns

3.7Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)7/10
• Access (speed and ease)8/10
• Capacity8/10
• Value7/10

I gave capacity 8 for two pistols in a 2.34 in tall case and security 7 for 16-gauge steel offset by the welded lock cover; fire is left out because V-Line makes no fire claim.

How we score

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What we like

• Holds up to two handguns of different sizes (V-Line)
• Internal heavy-duty steel lock cover, unlike the older Top Draw
• Made in the USA; California-approved firearm safety device

What we don't like

• 16-gauge steel, thinner than the 10- and 12-gauge boxes here
• The quick-release mounting bracket is sold separately

What owners and reviewers say from 3 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Heavy as an anchor, and the mechanism works well
• Fits a full-size pistol with a spare magazine and a light, or two full-size pistols

Common complaints

• A Northwest Firearms owner of an older Top Draw found no steel bar guarding the lock; the XD adds a lock cover

Read on: Defensive Carry, Ft. Knox, V-Line and AMSEC pistol safes · Northwest Firearms, secure pistol box recommendations

Who it's for: An owner who keeps two handguns and wants a slim case that mounts under a shelf or desk with V-Line's bracket; the 16-gauge steel is thinner than the Fort Knox, so bolt it down.

The V-Line Top Draw XD is a 16-gauge steel, top-opening Simplex handgun safe from V-Line. I like it for two pistols on a shelf or under a desk: V-Line says it holds up to two handguns in a 12.25 x 9.5 x 2.34 in case weighing 12 lb, and an optional quick-release bracket mounts it under a surface.

The XD matters. A Northwest Firearms owner bought an older Top Draw, pulled back the foam and found no steel bar guarding the lock. The XD adds an internal heavy-duty lock cover. On Defensive Carry, a Top Draw owner calls it heavy as an anchor with a mechanism that works well, and another fits a full-size pistol with a spare magazine and a light. The steel is thinner than the Fort Knox, so I’d bolt it down.

V-Line Brute XD 1394-S: Best large Simplex pistol safe

4.1Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)9/10
• Access (speed and ease)8/10
• Capacity9/10
• Value6/10

I scored security 9 for 10-gauge steel and a welded lock cover, capacity 9 for the biggest interior here, and left fire out because V-Line makes no fire claim.

How we score

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What we like

• 10-gauge steel, overlapping lid and a welded heavy-duty lock cover
• Largest interior here at 11.75 x 8.625 x 3.4 in
• Gas strut, continuous hinge and four 1/4 in mounting holes

What we don't like

• At 23 lb, the heaviest pick
• 1/4 in mounting holes are smaller than the Fort Knox 3/8 in holes

What owners and reviewers say from 3 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Called the beefiest top-of-the-line model, and fits any size handgun
• Easily holds two or more pistols, posters say

Common complaints

• No repeated fault in the threads we read; owners treat it as a bolt-down box because of its weight

Read on: Reddit r/handguns, bedside safe options (search excerpt) · Reddit r/CCW, V-Line Brute XD vs Fort Knox PB-1 (search excerpt) · Reddit r/CCW, handgun safe recommendations (search excerpt)

Who it's for: An owner with full-size pistols, lights and red dots who can bolt a 23 lb box down; it is too heavy to be a travel case.

The V-Line Brute XD 1394-S is a 10-gauge steel Simplex handgun safe from V-Line with the largest interior here, 11.75 x 8.625 x 3.4 in. I chose it for full-size pistols with lights or red dots. An overlapping lid, a welded heavy-duty lock cover, an oversized steel lock block and a gas strut back up the steel, and four 1/4 in holes bolt it down.

At 23 lb it is the heaviest pick. An r/handguns poster calls it the beefiest top-of-the-line model and says it fits any size handgun; an r/CCW poster says it easily holds two or more. Another r/CCW owner keeps both a Brute XD and a Fort Knox PB1 and calls both very secure. I found no repeated fault in the threads I read; the trade-off is weight.

V-Line Compact Pistol Safe 279-S: Best small Simplex pistol safe for travel

3.1Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)5/10
• Access (speed and ease)8/10
• Capacity4/10
• Value8/10

I gave access 8 for the same quick Simplex code and value 8 for the lowest weight, but security sits at 5 for 18-gauge steel and capacity at 4 for one small pistol; fire is left out.

How we score

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What we like

• Only 5 lb and 9.5 x 7.25 x 2 in (V-Line)
• Genuine Simplex lock and a 3/8 in thick steel lock block
• California-approved firearm safety device (V-Line)

What we don't like

• 18-gauge steel, the thinnest here
• Owners say the lock takes up a lot of the small interior

What owners and reviewers say review themes from 104 owner reviews, plus 2 posts and reviews we read

Praised for

• Owners on V-Line's site praise the quality and the easy combination

Common complaints

• An r/Glocks owner says it is really small and the lock takes up a lot of room, so fitting a spare magazine takes trial and error

Read on: Reddit r/Glocks, V-Line Compact Pistol Safe (search excerpt) · V-Line, Compact Pistol Safe customer reviews (104 reviews)

Who it's for: Someone who stores one compact pistol away from home; 18-gauge steel and a 1.5 in tall interior mean it is a lockable case, not a bedside safe for a full-size gun.

The V-Line Compact Pistol Safe 279-S is an 18-gauge steel Simplex pistol case from V-Line, and the lightest pick at 5 lb. I picked it for a suitcase, glovebox or desk drawer. It keeps the genuine Simplex lock and adds a 3/8 in thick steel lock block, in a case 9.5 x 7.25 x 2 in plus the knob.

The catch is space: the interior is 8.5 x 6.5 x 1.5 in. An r/Glocks owner wrote, “It’s really small. The lock mechanism under the lid takes up a lot of room,” and fitting a spare magazine took trial and error. Owner reviews on V-Line’s site praise the build and the easy code. Treat it as a lockable case for one compact pistol, not a bedside safe.

Which Simplex lock pistol safe should you get

• Bolted to a nightstand or floor, most steel: Fort Knox Original Pistol Box PB1.
• One box for home, car and hotel on a cable: Steelhead Fast Access Pistol Box.
• Two pistols on a shelf or under a desk: V-Line Top Draw XD.
• Full-size pistols with lights or optics: V-Line Brute XD 1394-S.
• A suitcase, glovebox or drawer: V-Line Compact Pistol Safe 279-S.

How to set a new Simplex lock combination without locking yourself out

Change the default code with the lid open, then check it several times before you close the box. V-Line’s combination change video in this section shows the steps on its cases; for the other boxes, follow the maker’s instructions.

1. Open the box with the factory code and leave the lid open.
2. Follow the maker’s change steps to set your new code.
3. Pick a code you can feel in the dark, as a Defensive Carry owner advises.
4. Run the new code five times with the lid open; turn the knob back to reset between tries.
5. Close the lid only when every try opens it, and store the code where another trusted adult can find it.
6. Bolt or cable the box to solid furniture or the floor.

Simplex lock pistol safe problems owners run into, and the fix

Most Simplex lock pistol safe problems come from setup, size and the box around the lock, not from the lock itself.

Locked out right after changing the code

Glenn of FAS1, who builds Simplex handgun safes, wrote on The High Road: “From my experience when someone cannot access their handgun safe it is usually just after they purchase it and go to change the default combination.” None of my picks lists a key override, so the open-lid test above is the fix.

Only 1,081 combinations

Lucky Gunner’s Chris Baker puts it plainly: “There is a downside to the Simplex lock: it only gives you about 1000 possible combinations.” The fix is time and place. Bolt the box down and keep it out of sight, so nobody gets hours alone with it.

A lock with no steel guard behind it

The Northwest Firearms owner of the older Top Draw was disappointed: “I had assumed they had updated all their safes, but that appears to be a manufacture date of a couple years back.” Buy a current model with a welded lock cover (V-Line XD) or a back plate (Fort Knox), and look under the foam when it arrives.

Dead batteries and failed readers in electronic safes

An r/CAguns owner tossed a nightstand safe after “the battery runs out or the finger print doesn’t work.” That is the reason to buy a Simplex box at all: there is nothing to charge.

Too small inside for the gun and a magazine

The lock housing sits inside the lid and eats space, which is why the Compact holds only one small pistol. Measure your pistol with its magazine and light against the interior sizes in the table, and pick the Brute XD or Fort Knox for full-size guns.

How we picked these Simplex lock pistol safes

We picked Simplex lock pistol safes that at least two top-ranking pages for this search recommend and that Amazon US had in stock on November 3, 2026. I have not handled these safes; specs come from Fort Knox, Steelhead and V-Line, and owner praise and complaints come from 18 owner and reviewer reports on forums, Reddit and maker sites.

Pew Pew Tactical, Lucky Gunner and The High Road name the Fort Knox PB1; Pew Pew and an r/CAguns thread name Steelhead. The Safe Keeper lists all three V-Line models; Defensive Carry owners back the Top Draw, r/handguns the Brute XD, and Lucky Gunner the Compact. We left out the Viking VS-12LSX: only a brand mention on r/CAguns backed it.

Simplex lock pistol safe limits: fire, burglary and storage rules

These five boxes keep children, visitors and quick grabs away from a handgun; they are not fire safes or burglary-rated safes. None has a UL 72 fire class, an Intertek (ETL) fire test or a UL burglary rating, and no maker claims one. Keep papers in a fire-rated safe, and use our buying checklist for safes to match the safe to what you store.

Anchoring matters more than steel against a thief who grabs the whole box, so follow our guide to bolting down a safe. For a pistol that lives in a vehicle, see our gun safe for car picks. Storage rules vary by state and city, so check your official state and local firearm storage laws; this is not legal advice.