Wall Mounted Gun Safe – 4 Picks Sized for a Standard Stud Wall

Our wall mounted gun safe picks

A wall mounted gun safe should fit your stud bay, open by feel in the dark and screw into wood, not just drywall. We picked the four models that independent roundups and best-seller lists recommend and that sell on Amazon US, then checked each against the maker’s specs and manuals and what owners report.

SnapSafe In-Wall Safe Tall 75414: Best for a carbine or shotgun

3.2Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)6/10
• Access (speed and ease)6/10
• Capacity7/10
• Value7/10

No fire claim, so fire is left out. Security 6 for an 8-gauge door and lag-screwed install, held back by the 16-gauge body and no independent burglary rating; access 6 for a keypad with a key backup but no biometric; capacity 7 because a carbine fits standing up in a 4 in deep box; value 7 with the lifetime warranty.

How we score

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What we like

• 8-gauge steel door on a 16-gauge body, lag-screwed to the studs through 8 holes (SnapSafe)
• 44 in tall with 5 removable shelves, so a carbine stands inside with the shelves out (SnapSafe, Safe and Vault Store)
• Keypad tones switch off, and a tone plus LED warn of low batteries (SnapSafe manual)

What we don't like

• Three OpticsPlanet owners added washers to the door pivot so the door closed or opened smoothly
• Studs must sit 14.5 in apart; one owner had to move a stud an inch first

What owners and reviewers say review themes from 9 owner reviews, plus 7 posts and reviews we read

Praised for

• The door is thicker and heavier than owners expected, and installation is simple with precise cut dimensions
• A Reddit owner keeps a Glock 19 and an M&P15 rifle in one and recommends it

Common complaints

• Several owners had to add washers at the door pivot so the door closed or opened smoothly
• One owner received chipped paint; another had to move a stud because the bay was not 16 in on center

Read on: OpticsPlanet: Hornady SnapSafe In Wall Tall Safe owner reviews (6 read) (9 reviews) · Reddit r/GunPorn: In wall safe, Glock 19 and S&W M&P15 (search excerpt only)

Who it's for: For a homeowner who wants a carbine, a short shotgun or several handguns hidden flush in a 16 in on-center stud bay; it needs a 42 in tall drywall cut, it holds a long gun only with the shelves out, and it has no fire rating.

Choose this one when the gun is long. SnapSafe lists it at 44 x 16.25 x 4 in and 66 lb, with a 16-gauge body and an 8-gauge steel door (a lower steel gauge number means thicker steel). Five shelves come out so an AR-15 carbine can stand on its stock, and eight lag screws go through the sides into the studs. A Reddit owner keeps a Glock 19 and an M&P15 rifle in one and recommends it.

The OpticsPlanet owner reviews are the most useful we found. Owners say the door is heavier than they expected and the cut dimensions are precise. Three of them also had to add washers at the door pivot so the door closed or opened smoothly, and one received chipped paint. Another owner’s studs weren’t 16 in on center, so the owner moved one an inch before the SnapSafe In-Wall Safe Tall 75414 slid in.

SnapSafe In-Wall Safe 75413: Best for handguns and papers

3.1Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)6/10
• Access (speed and ease)6/10
• Capacity5/10
• Value8/10

No fire claim, so fire is left out. Security 6 for an 8-gauge door and lag-screwed install with a 16-gauge body and no independent burglary rating; access 6 for keypad plus key without biometric; capacity 5 for handguns and papers only; value 8 for the smallest install and a lifetime warranty.

How we score

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What we like

• Same 8-gauge door and 16-gauge body as the Tall, at 35 lb (SnapSafe)
• Smallest drywall cut here (20 in tall between studs) and a reversible door for left or right swing (SnapSafe)
• Picture-frame hook included to hang up to 8 lb in front of the safe (SnapSafe manual)

What we don't like

• Pro Tool Reviews found a small gap between the safe and the studs and pushed it against one stud before driving the lag screws
• Keypad only, no fingerprint reader; 4 in deep limits bulky optics

What owners and reviewers say from 1 review and posts we read

Praised for

• Pro Tool Reviews calls the install simple for anyone who can hang a TV, with pre-drilled side holes for the lags

Common complaints

• A small gap between safe and studs during install, and the frame does not sit exactly flush with the wall

Read on: Pro Tool Reviews: SnapSafe In-Wall Safe, Convenient, Concealed Storage (75413 install, read in full)

Who it's for: For a homeowner who wants a handgun, magazines, passports and cash hidden behind a picture in a closet or hallway; it needs only a 20 in tall cut but takes no long gun, and it is not fire rated.

The 22 in version sits recessed between the studs with the same door, body and lock in half the height, which is why it’s our top pick for most readers. It weighs 35 lb, needs a 20 in tall cut, and takes a handgun, a spare magazine and papers on two shelves, plus magnetic key hooks and a document holder. The door can be set to swing left or right.

Pro Tool Reviews installed one with an oscillating multi-tool and an impact driver and called it easy for anyone comfortable hanging a TV. It found a small gap between the safe and the studs, so the reviewer pushed the body against one stud before driving the lags. The SnapSafe In-Wall Safe 75413 ships with a picture hook rated for 8 lb to hang art over the door.

Barska Biometric Wall Safe AX12038: Best fingerprint entry

2.7Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)5/10
• Access (speed and ease)7/10
• Capacity4/10
• Value5/10

No fire claim, so fire is left out. Security 5 for a 4 mm door and two deadbolts on a 2 mm body with no independent burglary rating; access 7 for fingerprint entry with key backup; capacity 4 for a 3.5 in deep interior that the lock box cuts into; value 5 given the short warranty and a build-quality complaint.

How we score

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What we like

• Fingerprint reader with a 120-print memory plus two backup keys (Barska)
• Two motorized deadbolts and a 4 mm steel door; right-opening AX12038 or left-opening AX13034 (Barska)
• Barska lists the right-opening AX12038 as California DOJ approved

What we don't like

• An OpticsPlanet owner says the battery box and lock mechanism eat into the shallow interior, and the door has little to grip
• A Home Depot reviewer got one out of square with gaps at the welds; only a 1 year limited warranty (Barska)

What owners and reviewers say review themes from 3 owner reviews, plus 2 posts and reviews we read

Praised for

• Easy to install and program, and it recognizes fingerprints well, per an OpticsPlanet owner

Common complaints

• The battery compartment and lock mechanism limit the shallow interior, and the door is hard to grip
• One Home Depot reviewer's safe arrived out of square with gaps at the welds

Read on: OpticsPlanet: Shemp's review of the Barska Biometric Wall Safe · Home Depot: BARSKA Biometric Wall Safe Left Opening reviews (search excerpt only) (3 reviews)

Who it's for: For someone who wants fingerprint entry on a handgun hidden in the wall; the 3.5 in deep interior loses more room to the lock and battery box, Barska lists 2 mm body steel, and there is no fire rating.

This is the pick for a fingerprint scanner set into the wall. Barska’s optical reader stores 120 prints, two motorized deadbolts lock a 4 mm steel door on a 2 mm body, and two backup keys handle a dead battery. It’s 20.75 x 15.43 x 3.73 in outside with 0.52 cu ft inside, and Barska lists the right-opening AX12038 as California DOJ approved (the left-opening twin is the AX13034).

An OpticsPlanet owner says it installs and programs easily and reads fingerprints well. The same owner found that the battery box and lock mechanism eat into the already shallow interior, and the door has little to grip. One Home Depot reviewer’s safe arrived out of square with gaps at the welds, and Barska’s warranty is one year. Read the Barska Biometric Wall Safe AX12038 as a quick-access box, not a vault.

Protex PWS-1814E Wall Safe: Best backup power option

2.6Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)5/10
• Access (speed and ease)6/10
• Capacity4/10
• Value6/10

No fire claim, so fire is left out. Security 5 for two 3/4 in live bolts but no published steel gauge or burglary rating; access 6 for a keypad with a self-opening door and power plus key backup; capacity 4 for a 3 in deep interior; value 6 for a simple safe with a long owner track record.

How we score

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What we like

• Two 3/4 in live bolts, motorized so the door opens itself on the right code (Protex)
• Power override plus two keys; a Garage Journal owner says it has worked for six years
• 16 x 20 in flange covers the drywall cut, six anchor holes (Protex)

What we don't like

• Only 3 in deep inside; the same owner says it holds about four medium-frame pistols but is not very deep
• Protex says heavy duty gauge steel but gives no gauge number

What owners and reviewers say from 1 review and posts we read

Praised for

• Working fine for six years, with an external battery plug and a key as backups, per a Garage Journal owner

Common complaints

• The interior is not very deep; about four medium-frame pistols fit

Read on: Garage Journal: Small in wall safe, who has one? (Protex owner post, read in full)

Who it's for: For a handgun or two plus cash behind a picture, where a dead battery is the worry; the interior is only 3 in deep, Protex publishes no steel gauge, and it has no fire rating.

The Protex suits buyers whose main fear is a dead battery. Protex lists two 3/4 in motorized live bolts, a spring-loaded door that opens itself on the right code, two override keys and a power override. It’s 18.25 x 14.125 x 3.875 in outside with about 0.44 cubic feet inside, and a 16 x 20 in flange hides the drywall cut.

A Garage Journal owner says his has worked fine for six years: “It has an external battery back plug in and a key for backup entry options should the internal batteries die.” His complaint is the depth, which fits about four medium-frame pistols. Protex calls the steel heavy duty but publishes no gauge, so we score the Protex PWS-1814E Wall Safe below the SnapSafe on security.

Wall mounted gun safe comparison

The SnapSafes have the thickest published door steel, the Barska is the only fingerprint pick, and the Protex has the extra power backup. This table compares outside size, depth, steel, entry and what fits; how we score safes explains the scores.

From our notes: When we lined up the four spec sheets, the number that mattered most wasn’t steel or lock type. It was depth: 4 in outside on both SnapSafes, 3.5 in inside on the Barska and 3 in on the Protex. A stud wall sets that limit for every brand. So before choosing a lock, we’d lay the pistol on the table with its light attached, or the carbine with its optic, and measure its thickest point against those numbers.

Will your gun fit a wall mounted gun safe?

Measure the gun’s thickest point and your stud bay before you buy, because an in-wall safe can’t be deeper than the wall. SnapSafe’s install steps say to confirm 14.5 in between the studs, then cut a 20 or 42 in tall opening. The Garage Journal Protex owner sums up the trade-off: “I can fit about 4 medium framed pistols in there but it’s not very deep.”

Check these four things first:

1. Stud spacing. All four picks are sized for 16 in on-center studs. With wider spacing, add framing so both sides screw into wood.
2. Depth. Lay the handgun flat with its light, or the carbine with its optic, and measure against 4 in.
3. What’s in the bay. Use a stud finder and check for wiring, pipes and ducts before the drywall saw comes out.
4. Door swing. The SnapSafe door reverses; Barska sells right- and left-opening versions.

The Pro Tool Reviews video below shows the whole SnapSafe install, from marking the studs to driving the lags.

Can a burglar pry it out of the wall?

A wall safe resists a quick pry, but its real defense is staying hidden, because thin bodies and lag screws only go so far. On Garage Journal, one member wrote: “My Dad’s house was burglarized and they just pulled the safe right out of the wall and took it with them.” Another called a budget model’s door “Thin, weak door on that one. Easily pried open.”

That’s why door steel and anchoring matter. The SnapSafe’s 8-gauge door is much thicker than its 16-gauge sides, and each lag screw (five or eight) runs into a wall stud. Barska and Protex use motorized bolts on thinner bodies. Concealment does the rest: we’d hang art over the safe, keep it out of the master closet, and tell as few people as possible where it is. For a gun collection or valuables you can’t lose, a heavy floor safe bolted down per our guide to bolting down a safe protects far more.

Fast access in the dark, and keeping kids out

Pick the entry you can work half asleep, then keep a backup that doesn’t share the same battery. An r/CAguns poster asked for “recommendations for wall-mounted safes that allow quicker, one-handed access” (thread), and on Sniper’s Hide a parent wanted the home-defense gun reachable for his wife but out of his young children’s hands. Here’s how each pick handles that:

• SnapSafe: a 4-6 digit keypad on four AA batteries. Holding the 1 key for three seconds turns the tones off, and a tone plus LED warn of low batteries.
• Barska: a fingerprint opens it with one hand; we’d enroll at least two fingers in case one is wet or cut.
• Protex: the door swings open on the code, and the power override and keys cover a dead battery.

Some owners skip electronics entirely. A Sniper’s Hide member who owned a V-Line wall safe said “It had the simplex lock which was super quick and always worked.” Whichever you choose, keep the override keys outside the safe and away from children. Change the default code (SnapSafe ships with 1-2-3-4) before the gun goes in.

Where a wall mounted gun safe should go

Use an interior wall with nothing in the bay, and skip exterior walls where a cold surface invites condensation. A Sniper’s Hide installer put it simply: “I suggest doing the installation on an interior wall to help mitigate condensation issues.” A shallow steel box can still trap damp air, so a rechargeable gun safe dehumidifier or desiccant helps.

Renters have a harder time. An in-wall safe means cutting drywall, which most leases forbid, so get the landlord’s OK in writing or choose a surface-anchored safe instead. Our gun safe for an apartment picks cover lease-friendly anchoring.

What a wall safe won’t do

None of these four carries a fire rating, so treat each as theft and child-access storage, not document protection. Safe and Vault Store notes that fire-rated wall safes run 12 to 15 in deep with a UL-listed 1-hour rating, far deeper than a 2x4 wall. If papers need an independent UL 72 or Intertek rating, our fire rated gun safe picks name who certified each rating.

Storage laws differ by state and city, so check your state and local firearm storage rules. California publishes a roster of approved firearm safety devices. This is general information, not legal advice.

Our verdict

For that 2 a.m. pistol, we’d choose the SnapSafe 75413 behind a picture in an interior wall, with the override key kept elsewhere. Choose the Tall 75414 if the home-defense gun is a carbine or shotgun, the Barska if a fingerprint suits you better than a code, and the Protex if dead batteries worry you most. Run through our safe buying checklist before you cut drywall. If you can’t cut a wall at all, a handgun safe for the nightstand is the next stop.