The best lockable pistol cases for a new gun owner

A lockable pistol case does two jobs for a new owner. It protects the pistol on the way to the range, and it locks so the case can't be casually opened. Ranges care about the first job: Shoot Indoors in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, says "It is required that you bring any outside firearms into the range cased and unloaded" (Shoot Indoors). How much the second job matters depends on where you live and how you travel. This page ranks six cases and lock boxes by how they lock, what fits inside and what each maker publishes, and it quotes each maker's TSA wording exactly instead of guessing what it means. Building a whole kit from scratch? Start with our first range kit.

How we picked these lockable pistol cases

We haven't tried to pry these open or dropped them off a tailgate, and we won't claim we have. We read each maker's product page and scored every case on our published rubric for bags and cases: capacity (25%), organization (25%), lockability (20%), materials and build as published (15%) and carry options (15%). The weights are on how we pick our gear. A figure the maker doesn't publish scores lower, because you can't check a pistol against a size nobody gives you.

The rank is the fit for a first-time owner, and it doesn't follow the score exactly. The two lock boxes score well on lockability, since the lock comes built in, but the Vaultek fits handguns only up to 7.75 in long and 1.75 in tall, so the larger Pelican ranks above them. The Savior is the only soft case here, so it ranks last even though it scores in the middle: it's a good case, just a different kind of case.

Three ways a pistol case locks

"Lockable" covers three quite different designs, and a beginner should know which one they're buying.

1. Padlock holes or tabs (you supply the lock)

The three hard cases here lock with a padlock you buy separately. Plano calls the All Weather 2 "Padlock compatible" (Plano), and the Protector has "heavy-duty latches and padlock tabs for secure closure" (Plano). Pelican goes a step further and publishes the V100's padlock hole diameter, 0.46 in, so you can check that a padlock's shackle will fit before you buy one. Pelican also sells a separate "1506TSA TSA Lock" accessory for the V100 (Pelican).

2. A lock built into the box

The two lock boxes come with their own locks and a steel cable to tether them to something solid. The Vaultek LifePod 10 has a Smart Sense keypad plus backup keys and a 48 in steel security cable (Vaultek). The SnapSafe Lock Box LG comes in a key version (75200) or a combination version (75230), with a "Thick 16 gauge steel housing" and a "1500 lb. rated 4 ft. steel security cable" (SnapSafe). No separate padlock needed, and nothing to lose on the drive.

3. Lockable zippers on a soft case

The Savior Specialist Double Pistol Case is a soft case with "Lockable zippers, a Savior standard" (Savior Equipment). A small padlock through the zipper pulls keeps it closed. It doesn't make the case hard-sided, and for some rules that difference is the whole point.

Hard case, lock box or soft case?

A hard case (the Plano and Pelican cases) protects the pistol from knocks and, depending on the seal, from weather, and it takes a padlock. A lock box (Vaultek, SnapSafe) is built around its lock and cable, and its inside is sized for smaller handguns. A soft case (Savior) is lighter padding with lockable zippers, and it's the only one here that holds two pistols.

Air travel shows why the difference matters. TSA says "Firearms must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container and transported as checked baggage only", and that "Locked cases that can be easily opened are not permitted" (TSA, transporting firearms and ammunition). A soft case with locked zippers isn't a hard-sided container. For the drive to the range, the rules depend on your state. The full trade-off, including protection and weight, is in hard vs soft pistol cases.

Will your pistol fit?

This is where beginners get caught. Measure your pistol's overall length, height and width, with any light or optic you'll leave attached, or look up its published dimensions on its maker's site. Then compare them with what each case maker publishes:

The two lock boxes are the ones to measure most carefully. Both work to 1.75 in: that's the tallest handgun Vaultek says fits, and it's the SnapSafe's published depth. If your pistol is taller than that, a hard case such as the Pelican, with 4.50 in of interior depth, is the easier match.

What each maker says about TSA, in their own words

"TSA" shows up on a lot of case listings, and it rarely means the same thing twice. Here is exactly what each maker says, and nothing more:

A maker's wording isn't a TSA ruling, so read TSA's own page before you fly. It says to "Declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking your bag at the ticket counter", that "The container must completely secure the firearm from being accessed", and that "the container the firearm was in when purchased may not adequately secure the firearm". On locks, TSA says "You may use any brand or type of lock to secure your firearm case, including TSA-recognized locks." Airlines add their own rules too, so TSA also says to "Ask your airline about limitations or fees that may apply."

Driving to the range: the rules vary by state

We don't summarize state law here, because we'd need an official source for every state to do it honestly. Our guide on how to transport a gun to the range covers the federal baseline in more detail and how to find your state's official guidance. What we can say is practical: a case that locks, with the pistol unloaded inside, gives you more options under more sets of rules than a case that doesn't.

The six cases side by side

Every value below links to the maker's page it came from. "Not published" means the maker's page doesn't state it.

Which case fits which owner

• One pistol, a padlock, and weather on the way: the Plano All Weather 2. Pluck foam, a Dri-Loc seal Plano calls watertight and dust-proof, and a pressure release valve.
• One pistol and you want exact inside dimensions: the Pelican Vault V100, at 11.00 x 8.00 x 4.50 in inside, with a published padlock hole size.
• You don't want to carry a padlock or a key: the Vaultek LifePod 10, with a keypad, backup keys and a 48 in cable, if your handgun is within 7.75 in long and 1.75 in tall.
• A slim steel box with a key or a dial: the SnapSafe Lock Box LG, in 16 gauge steel with a 4 ft cable.
• The simplest padlockable hard case: the Plano Protector, with padlock tabs and two layers of high-density foam.
• Two pistols to the range in one case: the Savior Specialist Double Pistol Case, as long as a soft case with lockable zippers meets the rules for your trip.

Most people carry the case inside a range bag along with ear and eye pro, targets and ammo. Our best range bags page covers that half, including bags whose inside dimensions are published so you can check the case fits.

Where the case fits in a range day

A case earns its keep in the short stretches between home, the car and the firing line. Here's how it fits a typical first visit. Your range's rules come first at every step.

1. At home. The pistol goes into the case unloaded, following your firearm's manual, with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction the whole time. Close the case and lock it. Ammo goes in its own box, not loose in the case.
2. In the car. Where the case rides depends on the rules for your trip (see the section above). Lock boxes with a cable, like the Vaultek and SnapSafe, can be tethered to something solid.
3. At check-in. Carry the case in closed. Ranges set their own procedures, and some inspect firearms before you shoot. The NSSF's advice for new shooters: "If you're new to shooting, let them know so they can guide you through the appropriate safety orientation" (NSSF Let's Go Shooting).
4. At your lane. Open the case only where the range tells you to, with the muzzle pointed downrange.
5. Heading home. Unload following the range's procedure, case it, lock it, and wash your hands before you eat or drive. Our guide to your first time at a shooting range walks through the whole visit.

If you'd like the case and the rest of the pistol kit in one box, MTM's Pistol Range Kit is worth a look: an O-ring sealed box with a "Padded handgun tray", a "5-magazine storage case" and a "Padlock-tabbed lid" that MTM says "Holds everything, including your handgun" (MTM Case-Gard). It's a range box rather than a hard pistol case, so it isn't ranked here, and MTM publishes no Z87 or NRR rating for the eye and ear protection that comes in it. What to pack around the case is in what to put in a range bag.

What to look for in a lockable pistol case

1. A lock method you'll actually use. A padlock you supply (Plano, Pelican), a keypad with backup keys (Vaultek), a key or a combination (SnapSafe), or lockable zippers (Savior). If you know you'll lose keys, a keypad or combination saves the hunt.
2. A published padlock hole size, if it takes a padlock. Pelican gives 0.46 in for the V100. Pick a padlock whose shackle is thinner than the hole.
3. Inside dimensions that beat your pistol's. Measure with any light or optic attached. For lock boxes, the maker's maximum handgun size is the number to check.
4. Hard-sided if you'll ever fly. TSA requires a locked hard-sided container for checked firearms. A soft case can be perfectly good for the drive to the range; it just isn't that.
5. Maker claims read word for word. Plano's TSA wording is about its latches. SnapSafe's page also says the LG is "Approved by the California Department of Justice for firearms storage"; that's SnapSafe's claim about one state's program and says nothing about any other state.
6. Seals, if weather matters. Plano describes the All Weather 2's Dri-Loc seal as watertight and dust-proof. Vaultek describes the LifePod 10 as "Water resistant, airtight, dust proof, and floats in water". Neither is a claim we can verify, but both are in writing.
7. A cable, if the case will sit in a car. The Vaultek (48 in) and SnapSafe (4 ft) include one. The padlock-style hard cases here don't list one.

Beginner mistakes with a first pistol case

• Reading "TSA" on a listing as a promise. Each maker means something specific. The rules that count are TSA's own, plus your airline's.
• Treating lockable zippers as a hard case. A padlock on a soft case keeps it closed. It doesn't make it hard-sided.
• Buying a lock box that's too small. Check your pistol's height against the Vaultek's 1.75 in limit or the SnapSafe's 1.75 in depth before you order.
• Forgetting the padlock. The Plano and Pelican listings we read don't mention a padlock in the box (Pelican sells its 1506TSA lock separately), so buy one at the same time.
• Loading, or handling the pistol in the parking lot. Keep it unloaded in the case, follow your firearm's manual, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction whenever you case or uncase it, and uncase it only where your range says you may. The Range 702 notes that "The range officer will likely want to inspect your weapon before allowing you to take it on their range" (The Range 702).
• Assuming one state's rules apply everywhere. They don't. Check the official sources for every state you'll drive through.