Gifts for new gun owners: starter storage that keeps a first gun locked up

What a first-time gun owner needs most

A new gun owner needs a place to keep the gun that is locked, quick for them to open and hard for anyone else to open. That's especially true in a home with children or visitors. A RAND review of storage research notes that multiple stakeholder groups recommend firearms be stored locked and unloaded, with ammunition stored separately. The same review concludes that, among efforts to change how owners store their guns, distributing storage devices might be most effective. In other words, a storage gift is a useful one.

You don't need to know anything about guns to buy well here. You need the answers to a few questions about the gun and the home, covered below, and a sense of what each type of storage does.

What they may already have

Before you buy a basic lock, know that the new owner may already have one. Federal law makes it unlawful for a licensed dealer to sell or transfer a handgun to a non-licensee unless the buyer is provided with a secure gun storage or safety device for it (18 U.S.C. 922(z), with limited exceptions). The law's definition covers both locks and locked containers such as lock boxes and safes. That rule covers handguns, not rifles or shotguns.

California goes further. Its DOJ says every firearm purchased in the state must be accompanied by a firearm safety device listed on the DOJ roster, unless the buyer shows they own a gun safe that meets the state's standard. And Project ChildSafe, a program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, says it has handed out more than 42 million free gun locks since 1998; its site lists law-enforcement partners by state and city where you can get a free safety kit.

The practical upshot: someone who bought a handgun from a dealer should already have received a lock or other device, so a gift that goes a step further, a real quick-access safe, is the better present. A new rifle or shotgun owner outside California may have nothing at all.

Lock, lock box or quick-access safe: the basics

• Cable or trigger lock. Disables the gun itself. It doesn't stop someone carrying the gun away. Project ChildSafe's brochure, quoted by RAND, says a gun lock should be used as an additional safety precaution and not as a substitute for secure storage.
• Lock box. A small keyed or keypad box, often tethered by a steel cable. It keeps children and casual hands out and travels well. It won't stop someone with tools.
• Quick-access safe. A heavier steel box made to be bolted to furniture, a shelf or the floor, with a lock the owner can open fast. It's still an access-control container, not a burglary-rated safe.
• Gun safe. A large safe, ideally with an independent burglary listing. That's usually a purchase the owner makes for themselves later, once they know how many guns they'll keep.

Our comparison of a trigger lock vs a gun safe goes further into what each one prevents.

How we chose and ordered these

Every pick comes from our evidence-checked product list. We haven't bought or tested any of them; scores come from published specs, California roster listings and dated CPSC recall searches, explained on how we rate. We ordered the list for someone buying a first storage device as a gift: the more flexible the fit, the higher it sits. That's why the V-Line Top Draw XD leads the higher-scoring Fort Knox box, which has to be bolted down, and why the cable lock comes last despite its score.

For a handgun: the Top Draw XD and the Fort Knox box both use mechanical Simplex push-button locks, so there's no battery to die. The GunVault MV500 is the keypad option, with a low-battery light that flashes while you enter the code, per GunVault. For more choices, see our best handgun safes.

The Top Draw XD is a 16-gauge, top-opening box with an internal cover over the lock and a limited lifetime warranty on V-Line's mechanical-lock boxes. The Fort Knox box is heavier in every published respect: a 10-gauge body, a 3/16 in. plate door and 22 lb, with a limited lifetime warranty. The MV500 adds a warranty feature worth knowing: GunVault covers damage from fire, burglary or attempted burglary for 5 years.

For a rifle or shotgun: the SecureIt Fast Box 47 holds one long gun up to 46.5 in. lying flat, or two firearms with optics standing upright, per SecureIt.

For travel or a car: the Hornady Lock Box XL and the Vaultek LifePod 10 are portable and cable-tethered. The Hornady is steel with a key lock; the Vaultek is polymer with a keypad.

Which pick for which new owner

Mechanical or electronic lock?

This is the choice a new owner is least likely to have thought about. A mechanical push-button lock, like the Simplex locks on the V-Line and Fort Knox boxes, needs no batteries at all. A keypad needs its batteries kept fresh: GunVault suggests changing the MV500's at least every 6 months. Our explainer on electronic vs mechanical safe locks covers the trade-offs in full.

Four questions to answer before you buy

1. Handgun or long gun? Everything on this list except the SecureIt box is for handguns.
2. How big is the gun? Ask for the make and model, then compare it with the maker's fit. The CA DOJ roster lists the GunVault MV500 for firearms up to 10.5 in. long, 6 in. wide and 2 in. high. Vaultek sizes the LifePod 10 for handguns up to 7.75 in. long. Hornady says the Lock Box XL fits 1911-size pistols and 4-inch revolvers.
3. Where will it live? A box that will be bolted into a closet or under a shelf can be heavier. A renter, or someone who moves often, is better served by a box with a cable or bracket option.
4. Are there children in the home? Then fast access for the owner has to come with a lock a child can't work out. Keys and codes need the same care as the gun. Our guide to storing guns safely with kids covers the whole routine.

A few gifting tips

• Include a gift receipt. Fit depends on the gun, which you may not have seen.
• Mention the mounting. The Fort Knox box has four pre-drilled 3/8 in. anchor holes and no cable. The Top Draw XD's bracket and cable are sold separately, per V-Line.
• Batteries. The LifePod 10 takes a 9V battery that isn't included, so tuck one in the box. The mechanical boxes need none.

What they'll need later

A first storage device is a starting point. As a collection grows, most of it belongs in a larger safe with an independent burglary listing, and our best gun safes ranking starts there. If you're shopping for someone who already owns guns and a safe, see our gifts for gun owners instead.