When Hornady visited NRA HQ a while back, the RAPiD Safe AR Gunlocker was one of the products they mentioned as being on the horizon. You could see the entire Shooting Illustrated staff perk up immediately, because secure storage of an AR-style rifle that allows fast access is of intense interest to the group. Typically, secured access for long arms either involves heavy, fireproof safes that, by necessity because of the weight involved, need be located in basements or garages. Storage that prevents unauthorized access and some measure of theft-prevention is typically of the not-quick–to-access variety, such as a locked case, steel cabinet or actual gun safe.
With the RAPiD Safe AR Gunlocker, you get the convenience of the RAPiD Safe line (like the 2600 we reviewed previously) with the ability to store rifles and shotguns. Capable of holding two longarms (we can attest the safe will hold an AR-15, a Mossberg 590 and two handguns in holsters), the RAPiD Safe AR Gunlocker fits under a bed, can be bolted down or cable-locked to a stationary item and has three different mechanisms for opening: RFID-enabled devices include a key fob, a wristband and stickers that can be placed on a phone case or keychain, a six-digit push-button combination or a manual key. Worried about the battery dying? Fear not—the safe can be plugged into a wall outlet, and the reverse is true in a power outage.
Versatility is an excellent feature in a secure-storage device, and the RAPiD Safe AR Gunlocker has that feature in abundance. Of course, there are the myriad ways in which the safe can be opened, but the safe can be accessed horizontally (under a bed), vertically (like in a closet) or even in a car’s trunk (it fits perfectly in the cargo area of my RAV4). The safe has handles for transport, and can be bolted down or cable-locked for extra security.
Programming the RFID components or the touchpad is simple, just follow the directions (I know, I know; who actually does that?). Extra key fobs, wristbands and stickers are available; however the device is only capable of recognizing a set number of devices, so plan accordingly. Personally, the key fob and one sticker were sufficient for our needs, but having options is always good. The touchpad option works great (just remember that you need to push the “H” for “Hornady” when done if you want to actually unlock the safe…), and there are two barrel-style keys should all other options fail or become unavailable (or, for when you first receive the safe…)
When using the RFID tags, there is one consideration: the device (wristband, key fob or sticker) needs to be right up against the reader. Placing one of the stickers in a covered location, like under a smartphone protective cover, may interfere with the RFID reader, so test before you apply the stickers. Also, the programming is very particular and may require a second (or third) take before the device is ready to use. Or it could just be that I messed it up.
MSRP is $353.33, and extra RFID devices are available for a range of prices (see Hornady website for details). For safe, secure storage you can take anywhere and access quickly, this is hard to beat.
