The GunBox Biometric Hand Gun Safe

So far I think this is an outstanding product. It PERFORMS. The CCW newsletter I subscribe to has it as the best digital gun safe. I'll get to pros and cons below, and if you like, just jump there. In the meantime, I have some responses to some negative posts I want to get on record to demolish these idiots:1. Some clever hackers posted a YouTube video where they used clear tape and pencil lead to create a spoof finger print that unlocked the Gunbox. Well, duh. First, they had to copy a fingerprint that was a fingerprint registered on that particular Gunbox. Wow, guys! real James Bond action there.2. Some idiot complained that when he couldn't open his Gunbox, User support told him how to access the lock mechanism using an allen wrench. So, he is all incensed that you can override the lock with an allen wrench. Well, again duh. It's in the user manual, read it, dummy. Any locked device must have a lock override, or you could lock up your grandmother's dentures forever. And, the Gunbox users manual also tells you how to make this particular override impossible, so you can lock up your grandmother's dentures for ever, if you want. Read the users manual, dummy.Now:Pros: The Gunbox works as described. You can buy a security cable to tie it down or you can mount it permanently to any surface using sheet metal screws. It has pre-located holes for permanent mounting. It has lots of space -- I put my Glock 19 with a 19 round mag installed, two spare 19 round mags and a 38 round mag in the box easily. According to the ads, this box meets requirements for interstate transport. (Check/verify state requirements first.) With the RFID ring, labels, or bracelet, it opens quickly. It opens quickly for some fingerprints, but not all.Cons: The Gunbox is not like other gun safes in that it requires a power supply. Turned off the battery lasts for three days, but the box won't open when turned off. Turned on, the battery lasts only eight hours. (Actually, my experience has been better than that, but that's what the manufacturer says.) Depending on the model, unlocking can use RFID devices only or RFID devices plus "bio-metric" fingerprint scanner. The fingerprint scanner is hit-and-miss. If you set up your Gunbox to rely on the fingerprint scanner, access to your weapon can be slow or "iffy" at best. It is a machine, machines fail. Prepare for fail-safe, you may need a crowbar, but that's still better than your grandchild getting to the gun.

The good: It feels solid. Definitely has some weight to it. While I haven't tried personally, it does seem like it would be difficult to break into and could definitely handle a drop or three. The pneumatic arms inside responsible for the smooth, automatic opening do not look cheap at all. I've had a few issues with the fingerprint reader, but its still burgeoning technology- reposition your finger, try again, and it works. The RFID band and sticker works without issue so if reliability is a concern of yours, these are no-fault ways to get in quickly. The USB ports in the back are nice for recharging your phone at night if this is on your nightstand so you don't have another wall wart to plug in or block an outlet. It does have a lot of room inside- more than I thought. It will fit two full-size Glocks in it but that's it (with magazines loaded). There is no room for additional magazines if you have two full-size pistols in it. Hopefully this gives some indication of the space. I do like the inclusion of a Kensington lock port on the back. I've definitely taken advantage of that and its a small detail that means a lot, especially for portability.The bad: It is noisy when opening. The unlocking mechanism and the subsequent opening of the lid does make a surprising amount of noise. I feel that in the event of a burglary while, say...sleeping, you would want a quiet device so as not to give away your position/location and draw attention to it. The battery life is also fairly poor. I relocated the GunBox from my bedroom to another area of the house. I turned it off using the switch and it sat in my office for about a day turned off (unplugged). It would not open or turn back on (there is an indicator light when it is switched on). I was surprised that it had such poor battery life while turned off. I can imagine it losing a charge if left on or if I was opening it repeatedly using the battery but I never even opened it once it was unplugged and in under 24 hours, it was drained. So if you think the battery powered part of this is reason enough to buy it, you may want to reconsider. My other comment regards the interior padding. It does have a rubberized pad on the bottom, but that's it. I stored an unloaded handgun in there while moving and once I got to my destination and opened it, I noticed that the gun did do some moving around inside and actually developed a small scratch on the slide, most likely from hitting the "bolt" inside during transit (the bolt is responsible for securing the lid shut). It would be nice if there was a way to secure a firearm inside. Imagine a child picking it up and shaking it: your gun is definitely going to have some signs of wear on it, which may not be an issue for some, but I like things to look like they're well maintained and cared for. I mentioned the indicator light on the outside. As a bedside safe, it stays on while on my nightstand. I like sleeping in a dark room and the light is bright. I've found that taping a few sheets of paper over the light helps, but this is definitely an annoyance. I agree that the case should have some type of indicator light, but think it should be more hidden or less noticeable.I feel this is a great product and has a lot of features I like, but the execution needs a little work. It is clear that this was intended as a way to combine the functionality of a gun safe with more design aesthetic. It feels secure but has some annoyances that could be easily remedied in a future generation of the device. I will admit that I'm curious how this would fare for airline travel in checked baggage. I don't fly much and rarely bring firearms with me but I'm curious if this would be TSA-approved as it is fairly svelte compared to typical Pelican-brand hard cases.