This portable handgun safe from First Alert promises to make life easier for anyone who has a handgun or pistol that they want to look after.
This is a great value option for someone who wants to have their firearm in a place that is easy to access but that keeps other people from getting their hands on it.
The following gun safe review details will help you to decide whether it is the right model for your needs.
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Contents
The Size and Weight
The size and weight of any safe is vital, especially when it is classed as being a portable handgun safe like this one.
The First Alert 5200DF has external dimensions of 9.2″L x 11.1″W x 3.5″H and an interior space of 9.0″L x 10.9″W x 3.3″H. It is certainly big enough to fit in the most commonly used handguns and pistols, but you might want to check whether your model fits in before you buy it.
It is big enough to fit ammunition too in some cases, although it is probably too small for you to get two handguns in here.
In terms of the weight, it comes in at 6.3 pounds. It is made of heavy duty 18-gauge steel and is a bit heavier than you might expect such a small safe to be, which is generally a good thing for a safe, although you might find that it is a bit heavy to put in your bedside drawer.
This weight gives it a nice feeling of sturdiness and security. If you want to make it even more secure then you can mount it to the wall or use the steel cable supplied to fix it to the trunk of your car.
What The First Alert 5200DF Portable Handgun Safe Looks Like
This is a no-nonsense sort of safe that looks fairly basic, with a black powder coat finish and an unobtrusive electronic keypad. It isn’t the sort of thing that you will want to put in a prominent place in your home, but then that is kind of the point of it.
The interior is similarly stark and basic, although it does have a nicely padded interior to keep the gun well protected. Overall, it is a safe that looks durable and tough rather than attractive.
It is most likely that you put the safe in a hidden spot where no-one gets to see it anyway. However, it certainly isn’t ugly or something to be embarrassed about other people seeing.
How to Access Your Guns
The spring-loaded door locking mechanism can be opened quickly and smoothly by typing in a code on the digital keypad. You can change the code to anything between 3 and 8 digits to make it easy to remember anytime that suits you.
The idea is that you can keep the safe next to your bed and open it very quickly in case of a night-time emergency, which means that it is essential you can open it rapidly and in darkness. In general terms, the access works well, although a few customers have complained about it being more difficult to open than they had expected it to be.
While some gun safes beep loudly when opened, this model just makes a low clicking noise when you press the buttons on the keypad. This makes it a good choice for someone who prefers virtually silent access to their firearm.
Value for Money
The First Alert 5200DF is one of the most affordable gun safes around these days It’s a great price for something that should give you great peace of mind. Of course, you won’t get the same quality of construction for this price that you would get from a more expensive safe.
However, as a low cost option that keeps a handgun or pistol free from harm this is a good value choice.
Pros
- Easy to carry around or store near to your bed
- Quick and easy to access
- Looks and feels solid
- Can be mounted just about anywhere
- 5 year warranty
Cons
- Very limited battery life with the 2AA batteries
- Not everyone appears to find it easy to type in the access code successfully every single time
Customer Reviews
The comments are similarly varied, with the majority of reviewers seemingly satisfied with this safe after having bought it. The most common opinion appears to be that it is a decent and reliable safe that does what it is supposed to do.
The sturdiness and practicality of the design are mentioned by several people, while the good value aspect is presumably something that customers are also happy with.
On the negative side, the short battery life is given as one of the major issues. There are also complaints of being unable to open it as smoothly as expected, although this is countered by those people who claim that it is easy to open.
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Summary
If you want a small handgun safe for a low price then the First Alert 5200DF model is definitely worth taking a look at. It is a reliable and sturdy model, if a little on the basic side perhaps.
For those firearm owners wanting to keep their guns away from children and free from damage then this is a sound choice. You can access it easily and will feel a good deal more secure once you have this in your home or your car.
