Quick Answer: The GunVault MicroVault MV500 is the best GunVault gun safe for most single-handgun owners — a No-Eyes keypad with over 12 million possible codes that opens in about a second, all for around $100. Buyers who want a fixed, drop-out mount beside a bed or desk should get the SpeedVault SV500 (about $90-$150), and anyone storing two handguns instead of one should size up to the MicroVault XL MV1000 (about $95-$155). For a single AR-pattern rifle on a tight budget, the AR1000 wall-mount vault runs about $20-$35.
GunVault already shows up across nine other guides on this site as the go-to fast-access pick, but it’s never had its own dedicated rundown. According to Alpha Guardian, the brand’s parent company, GunVault became a sibling brand to Cannon and Stack-On in a 2017 acquisition — both of which already have their own roundups on this site, so GunVault completing that trio closes the last gap in that family. We compared GunVault’s current lineup on access speed, capacity, and price to show where each model actually fits.
GunVault gun safes compared
| Model | Capacity | Access | Best for | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GunVault MicroVault MV500 | 1 handgun + magazine | No-Eyes keypad | Best overall | ~$100 | ★★★★★ |
| GunVault SpeedVault SV500 | 1 handgun | Keypad | Best mounted/drop-out | ~$90-$150 | ★★★★½ |
| GunVault MicroVault XL MV1000 | 2 handguns | No-Eyes keypad | Best for two handguns | ~$95-$155 | ★★★★☆ |
| GunVault AR1000 | 1 rifle (collapsible stock) | Digital keypad | Best budget rifle vault | ~$20-$35 | ★★★★☆ |
GunVault MicroVault MV500
- No-Eyes keypad supports over 12 million user-selectable access codes so you can find it by feel in the dark.
- 20-gauge steel body with a foam-lined interior and an included steel security cable.
- Battery-powered and about 4 lbs — sits on a shelf, nightstand, or vehicle console rather than needing a permanent mount.
The MV500 earns the top spot for the same reason it keeps showing up as the budget-and-speed pick across our other guides: a keypad that reads by feel, real steel instead of a plastic lock box, and a price that undercuts almost everything else on this list.
GunVault SpeedVault SV500
- Built for one specific job: a side- or under-desk mount that drops a pistol grip-down into your hand in one motion.
- Keypad-only access, no biometric option — a deliberate tradeoff for mechanical reliability over fingerprint speed.
- Already the "best mounted" pick in our best bedside gun safe guide, where it competes against the top-opening Vaultek VT20i.
GunVault MicroVault XL MV1000
- Same No-Eyes keypad and 18-gauge steel construction as the MV500, in a wider body sized for a second handgun.
- Flat 12"W x 10.5"D x 3.5"H profile fits a drawer or closet shelf rather than needing dedicated floor space.
- Featured in our best small gun safe guide as the pick for buyers who've outgrown a single-gun vault but don't need a full safe yet.
GunVault AR1000
- 18-gauge steel wall-mount vault sized for a single AR-pattern rifle with a collapsible stock — not a general long-gun safe.
- Digital keypad access with no fire rating; this is a fast-access security box, not fire or flood protection.
- The lowest-priced dedicated rifle storage on this site by a wide margin, already featured as the budget pick in our best AR-15 safe guide.
Where GunVault fits against the bigger names
GunVault isn’t trying to compete with Liberty or Fort Knox on steel gauge or fire protection — none of its current products carry a manufacturer fire rating at all. What it competes on is speed and price: the MV500’s No-Eyes keypad is built to be found and opened by feel in under two seconds, and every product in the current lineup costs less than $155. That makes GunVault a reasonable pick for quick-access handgun or single-rifle storage, not a primary safe for a real collection — pair it with a fire-rated safe like a Stack-On or Cannon model, its Alpha Guardian siblings, if fire protection matters as much as access speed.
For a brand-vs-brand comparison instead of a single-brand rundown, see our best gun safe brands overview, or our best biometric gun safe guide if fingerprint access matters more than a keypad. GunVault is also one of the Cannon-family brands sold at Walmart — see our Walmart gun safe guide for the SpeedVault’s Walmart pricing and how the corporate ownership ties back to Stack-On.
Last verified October 2026: we checked GunVault specifically against the CPSC recall database as part of our standard safety-check practice on this site. No recall exists for any GunVault model — unlike several biometric quick-access safes from other brands (Fortress, Bulldog Cases, Sanctuary/Sports Afield) recalled since 2023, GunVault’s keypad-only lineup has a clean record.
The bottom line
For most single-handgun owners, the MicroVault MV500 is GunVault’s best safe — fast keypad access, real steel, and a sub-$100 price. Choose the SpeedVault SV500 if you want a fixed mounted unit instead of a shelf safe, size up to the MicroVault XL MV1000 for two handguns, or get the AR1000 if all you need to secure is a single AR-pattern rifle on a tight budget.