A gun safe is a place for firearm owners to store their firearms responsibly and securely. There are various types of gun safes to choose from, and biometric gun safes are becoming a popular choice for firearm owners. Tractor Supply is America’s largest rural lifestyle retailer, providing customers with products to make their lives easier, like gun safes. Here, we discuss everything you need to know about biometric gun safes so you can decide if one is right for your needs.
What Is a Biometric Gun Safe?
A biometric gun safe uses a unique type of locking mechanism and access system. It has to be set up by the owner using one of their measurable physical characteristics, or biometrics. The biometric lock only allows access to the safe when the approved owner’s unique biometric is scanned. There are four main types of biometric locks, including:
Fingerprint Biometric Locks
Fingerprint biometric locks are the most common type of biometric lock found on gun safes for home use. Similar to the way your fingerprint can unlock your cell phone, fingerprints can also be used to unlock your gun safe. To set up the lock, you have to press your fingerprint against the pad to register it. When you go to unlock the safe, the digital fingerprint scanner will read your print and unlock if it matches the stored fingerprint.
Facial Feature Biometric Lock
This type of biometric lock uses a scan of the user’s facial features to become unlocked. These locks aren’t very common for home use but are more often used in high-security facilities. They work by scanning the user’s face and features and saving their specific traits into a digital template. When the user goes to access the safe, the user’s face is scanned and their features are compared to the saved template. If they match, access is granted.
Eye Retina Biometric Lock
Another type of biometric lock is an eye retina scan, although these types are also less common for household use. They use low-intensity light to map out the unique patterns of the user’s retina. When the user approaches the safe, a delicate sensor scans their eye and determines if their retina pattern matches the stored one. If it does, then the lock is opened.
Voice Biometric Lock
A newer type of biometric lock is a voice-activated biometric lock. They work by voice recognition— analyzing the user’s vocal patterns and determining if they match the saved ones. These locks are less common compared to other types of biometric locks.
Biometric locking mechanisms can be used on many types of gun safes, from pistol safes to long gun safes. There are also safe options that offer two lock options, like dual biometric and keyed locks that provide a backup in case the biometric option is not working.
Benefits of Biometric Gun Safes
Many gun safes are made with combination locks that use a sequence of numbers, or electronic keypad locks that use a passcode or key locks. Today, more and more gun safes are being made with biometric locks because of the benefits they offer. These include:
Easy Use
One benefit of biometric gun safes is that they are easy to use. All that the user has to do is present their biometric characteristic (i.e. fingerprint, face, etc.) to see if it matches what is stored in the lock. Users don’t have to remember passcodes, find a key or try multiple times to unlock a combination. These locks also don’t have automatic lockouts like electronic keypads do. Many users can try to open the safe, but only the approved user will be able to.
Immediate Access
Biometric gun safes offer the benefit of immediate access. When compared to traditional dial locks, key locks or electronic keypads, biometric locks open more immediately because all that’s required is a quick scan. Users don’t have to think of their password, locate their key or scramble to unlock a combination in an emergency. They simply have to scan their fingerprint or other biometric marker to gain access to the safe. In situations where seconds matter, biometric gun safes are preferred.
High Security
Another benefit of biometric safes is the high level of security they offer. Since they only open with the approved user’s biometric, nobody else is able to access their belongings. This is different than electronic keypads and combination locks where someone can guess or observe the passcode or key locks where the key can be found. Criminals, children and other unauthorized users may be able to gain access to other types of safes, but it’s nearly impossible with a biometric lock.
These are some of the main benefits offered by biometric gun safes. However, biometric safes need batteries to run and are often more costly than other types of safes. There have also been reports of some biometric safes having issues with false or mistaken scans. Therefore, it’s important to invest in a high-quality biometric gun safe to ensure your firearms and other belongings will be secure. Tractor Supply offers biometric safes from top brands like Sports Afield that are reliable and ready to protect your belongings.
Get a Biometric Gun Safe at Tractor Supply
If you’re looking for a highly secure gun safe, consider an option with a biometric lock. Biometric gun safes are a great investment for gun owners who are looking to open their safes quickly and easily, while also having peace of mind that their belongings are secure. At Tractor Supply, we have over 85 years of experience as America’s largest rural lifestyle retailer. We support those living Life Out Here by providing quality products and trustworthy advice on a variety of topics, including gun safes. For help finding the ideal biometric gun safe, visit your local Tractor Supply store today or look through our online inventory.