If you’re looking for a real hands-on review of the RFID RPNB gun safe designed to store 2 pistols, you’ve come to the right place!
We’re the only blog that publishes in-depth reviews and extensive testing on gun safes we purchased with our own money to provide our readers with product recommendations they can trust.
Continue reading to see if the RPNB is a 2-gun storage solution worth buying in 2024 or are there better options in this price range?
Our Video Review
We uploaded our video review of the RPNB RFID pistol safe that you should check out. See what came with our RPNB Quick-Access RFiD Pistol Safe when it arrived.
To learn all of the criteria we use to rank gun safes, see: How We Test Gun Safes
RPNB RFID Pistol Safe Review
The RPNB RFID Pistol Safe is a compact and secure storage solution designed specifically for handguns.
With its advanced RFID technology and durable construction, this safe offers gun owners a reliable way to keep their pistols secure and easily accessible when needed.
Rapid RFID Access
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In this review, we will explore the features, contents, and reasons why the RPNB RFID Pistol Safe stands out as a decent value for the money.
Key Features:
- RFID Technology: The RPNB RFID Pistol Safe utilizes advanced RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, allowing for quick and convenient access to your handguns. Simply place the included RFID key card or key fob near the sensor, and the safe will unlock instantly. This feature ensures fast access in emergencies while keeping unauthorized individuals at bay.
- Durable Construction: This pistol safe is constructed with solid steel and a pry-resistant door, providing excellent durability and protection against tampering or forced entry attempts. The robust build of the safe ensures that your handguns remain secure at all times.
- Multiple Access Options: In addition to the RFID technology, the safe also offers alternative access methods. It includes a manual key override and a numeric keypad for entering a passcode, ensuring that you can always access your pistols even if the RFID technology is not available or malfunctions.
- Interior Design and Portability: The interior of the safe is lined with foam padding to protect your handguns from scratches and damage. The compact size and lightweight design make it easily portable, allowing you to securely store and transport your pistols wherever you go.
- Battery Powered and Low Battery Warning: The safe operates on four AA batteries (not included), making it convenient and accessible even in locations without power outlets. It also features a low battery warning, alerting you when it’s time to replace the batteries to ensure uninterrupted operation.
Unboxing Experience
We purchased this popular RPNB 2-Gun safe from Amazon and it arrived to us undamaged in a n unassuming black package with the brand name printed on the package.
This safe is packaged very well with thick foam blocks securing both sides and a foam piece on top with an accessories envelope resting securely in the cutout.
We give the packaging an A+ in terms of protecting the contents inside.
The user manual is written well and is very easy to understand. We give the user manual an A+
Everything we show you today on how to set up and program this safe we learned using the instructions included in the manual (which is a plus).
The RPNB RFID Pistol Safe comes with the following:
- The pistol safe itself is constructed with solid steel and a pry-resistant door.
- 2 RFID key cards and 1 key fob for quick and convenient access.
- Manual keys for backup access in case of RFID technology failure.
- Foam padding to protect your handguns from scratches.
- User manual and instructions for easy setup and operation.
First Impressions
This RPNB rapid access gun safe looks very well made for the price and sports a rugged finish that looks well polished. Though the electronic access panel is plastic, the buttons have a decent feel and work how you’d expect them to.
The sides of the safe are covered in plastic “bumpers” to make it more resistant to damage if kept in a trunk or behind the seat of a truck.
The RFID chip reader works extremely well too and gave us plenty of confidence that it would not fail to register the Keycard or Key Fob in the blink of an eye.
We also appreciate the excellent manual that is well written, easy to understand, and showed us everything we needed to know to get up and running fast.
Setup & Programming
This safe is a breeze to set up and this quick tutorial will show you how to get it programmed and ready for use.
FYI: You can check out our quick video setup guide we posted on our YouTube channel for an easy-to-follow visual reference.
This safe’s bolt mechanism is electronic and will require 4 AA batteries (not included) for you to use the electronic keypad and RFID chip reader features.
Since the battery box is located inside this safe, you must remove the rubber key cover on the front to gain access to the keyhole.
Insert and turn the key clockwise to disengage the bolt and the spring-loaded lid flies open with relative ease and pretty fast!
Once inside, locate the battery box just to the right below the keypad. Place 4 fresh AA batteries making sure to get the polarity right (*or else the safe won’t function) and put the battery cover back on.
The default code is 1234. To change it, all you have to do is choose a new code between 4-8 digits.
When you’ve picked your code right it down and keep it for future reference. To program the new code follow these simple steps:
Program Button ^ Battery Cover ^
- Short-press the small program button that’s inside the left-hand side of the safe
- Input the code on the keypad and press the program button again to set it in memory (if you chose an 8-digit code, you do not have to press the program button to set it in memory)
Now that your code has been saved into memory, close the safe and input the code to test that it’s working. If you do it correctly, the safe will spring open. If not, repeat steps 1 & 2.
The next step is to program the RFID Keycard and Key Fob by doing the following:
^RFID Reader
- Short-press the program key and place the Keycard above the RFID reader (to the right of the #4 Key)
- Repeat these steps for the Key Fob and now you’re ready to use either one for the quickest access to open the safe
That’s it! A super simple process that’s very quick to perform and easy to remember.
The safe will perform a series of beeps during the setup process and any time you input your code or use the RFID to open the safe but these sounds can be disabled very quickly as well if you’d prefer not to hear any sounds.
To do this, simply press the number 1 button for a few seconds until you hear a beep. The sound can be turned back on by repeating the same process.
Storage Capacity
This is sold as a two-gun safe and while it can hold 2 micro-9s and a 3rd full-sized handgun, it’s a very tight fit and you have to be careful that the lid has enough clearance to open and close.
Although we did manage to get all 3 guns in there, the fit is tight and that could cause an issue if they were to shift around enough to impede the opening of the door.
This is especially problematic if the safe is not secured and is being moved around or transported in a car.
For that reason, we’d only recommend a maximum of 2 pistols being stored or 1 pistol with accessories mounted, a spare mag, and a box of ammo.
Pros & Cons
The pros greatly outnumber the cons with this particular gun safe, which is what we like to see before giving any safe our recommendation. Here is our list of pros and cons:
What We Like:
- Nice Fit and Finish
- Reasonably-Priced
- Responsive RFID Reader
- Reliable Electronic Entry
- Backup Key Lock
- Great User Manual
- Well-Packaged
What We Don’t Like:
- Plastic End Caps
- Plastic Keypad Housing Looks Cheap
- No Padding Under the Lid
- Not very pry-resistant
Who This Safe Is For
Who It’s For:
- The RPNB Quick-Access 2-Gun Safe is ideal for those looking for a safe that can comfortably hold most handgun sizes with some spare mags and a box of ammo.
- It can be utilized for home defense or as a secure place to store your firearms at home and out of the hands of children. It is not fire or water rated so don’t buy this safe if that’s what you’re needing it for.
Who It’s Not For:
- It may not be quite as ideal for home defense as a biometric safe, but we found the keypad entry and RFID access to be very responsive and fast in our tests (so long as you keep the keycard or fob close at hand, or feel confident in your ability to enter a code quickly and accurately under duress).
- Do not buy this thinking it will resist any serious pry attack (it won’t… we tested it). There are much better options for higher security.
Key Takeaways
We like this safe with its hefty 12lb steel construction when empty. The price strikes a nice balance between cost, features, and performance which makes it an easy recommendation for us for temporary storage of firearms.
The RPNB can fill a variety of roles depending on how you plan to use it. Its automatic door springs open with authority and it stays out of your way while retrieving your firearm- which is a big plus in our book.
FYI: For $10 more (occasionally the same price), you can opt for the biometric version of this safe, if you want the ease of use a thumbprint scanner brings to the table.
Where To Buy
The best place to buy the RPNB RFID quick-access pistol safe is on RPNB’s website.
Final Thoughts
RPNB made some security compromises to sell at this price point that we didn’t find very confidence-inspiring. Yes, the functionality, reliability, fit, and finish are all pretty darn solid for the money
Of main concern is the weak locking latch design that grants quick access (with the aid of a screwdriver) in a matter of seconds. Still, that is most likely going to be sufficient for keeping small kids out while keeping honest people honest.
If that’s not a deal-breaker to you, it may be worth using in certain situations where top security is not a priority such as when you need temporary storage while you’re home or traveling to the range.
