BARSKA Biometric Safe

This Biometric Safe features a fingerprint pad that recognizes only approved fingerprints before opening.

Features and Specifications:

• Interior dimensions: 16.25 by 7 by 14.25 inches (W x H x D)
• Exterior dimensions: 16.5 by 7.75 by 14.5 inches
• Fingerprint compatibility: Stores up to 30 unique fingerprints
• Batteries required: 4 AA (not included)
• Mounting hardware included
• Includes two backup keys
• Weight: 31 pounds
• Store important documents, medicine, cash, jewelry, firearms
• Compact design hides nearly anywhere 

What People Are Saying About This Gun Safe

Very nice safe, good price!
Will not withstand sledge hammer test, thin steel, well built, finger pad works well. works at 100% as long as you register the same fingerprint at 4 different angles, I recommend 1 middle finger from each hand in case one finger takes damage. I bolted to concrete slab w/ (4) 1/2" drop in anchors. VERY SOLID. Holes have to be drilled but any metal bit will do it. A Hammer drill is essential if you wish to drill into concrete, and remember to use washers. I am also enjoying noise free operation (no beeping). as another user mentioned the buzzer can be removed easily (however doing this will probably void your warranty and reminders to change battery will not be heard) I prefer noise free operation myself. The buzzer resides in the grey circular unit on front of the safe, unscrew from the back and buzzer should lift off circuit board with a turn and a pull. It is not fire proof or water proof. But is Recommended highly for certain uses and fingerprint operation. Hope this helps some of you! 


Best value at this size
I am honestly blown away at the size of this safe, it is much larger (almost 2/3 bigger) than you generally see at the sporting goods store. I did not really think about the size mentioned in the specifications and was pleasantly surprise with its larger size. This should also serve as a warning to people that need a safe of the smaller size to squeeze into a location.

I believe I could easily fit eight full size handguns with extra magazines and a box of ammunition for each.

The safe is very simple to program and work very well in my initial testing to see if any of my four children could open it (which they could not) without being enrolled. It identifies and provides or denies access very quickly and very loudly so would not be good for silent protection. I imagine you could void your warranty and make it silent very easily.


The Perfect Handgun Safe
After receiving this safe all I can say is... WOW! This safe is excellent for the price. I decided to get a safe for my handgun to keep in my room because I've read too many stories about little kids getting ahold of guns left out and they shoot themselves or a family member by accident. My daughter is almost 2 and is starting to get into everything.

I bought this safe because I wanted a way to keep the gun out of reach for those who aren't trained to use it yet still be able to access it within a few seconds. Some reviewers have a problem with this safe because someone could walk out with it or eventually break into it. If you don't want someone to walk away with your gun keep it in a 300lb safe. My handgun stays in the safe. The rest of my guns stay in the bigger safe that takes a lot longer to open.

I programmed three different fingers in three slightly different positions and have never been rejected by the safe. I can get into this safe as fast as I can get into my handgun case. The total time from pressing a button, getting a print and opening is about three seconds. I can't stop showing all my friends and family. My wife put her prints in as well and she has no problem getting in. The functions are simple. A key is available in case you need it. And if you feel inclined the safe can be secured to a shelf or wall. (On a side note, I guess there is a way to lift prints off fingerprint scanners and use them to open the lock so make sure you wipe the scanner after every use.)

If you have young children but want quick access, I can't think of a better option.

SOLID PRODUCT
This is a very good product for the money. I store my pistol in this safe next to our bed for quick access if needed. Finger print access makes more sense than combination access when you are in a hurry. Also, you can access the safe in the dark. Remembering AND entering a combination code to access a gun safe in a crisis situation in the dark would be more challenging, IMO. I'm not sure why but I had very good success storing and opening the safe using my thumb print but when I tried using my index finger print I did not have good results. Finally, just for piece of mind, I had all three of my kids try to access the safe with their finger prints and they could not open the safe. Can't be too safe with kids....

Great Safe (With a little Modification)
I purchased this safe due to the fact it was a biometric as well as the hardware key backup. It works well and opens fast. I haven't had it not register my fingerprint yet.

I personally felt the buzzer was too loud, and I figured I'd share with other DIYers that the buzzer sound can be removed. It takes about 10 minutes to disassemble, 5 to desolder the buzzer (very easy), and another 10 to reassemble. Requires a Phillips (Number 1 and 2 are nice), and a socket (sorry forgot which size) or maybe a wrench. I'm sure you're voiding your warranty, and I suggest you don't go about this process. I just wanted it to be stealth.

I wouldn't buy this safe to use as a safe for anti-theft if you don't want to bolt it down(more for guns or hiding things), and I'm almost positive it's not fireproof.

Other reviews said the box said safe on the outside, mine was inside 3 boxes. Amazon -> Barska -> Barska. Yes it did say safe on both of the inner boxes, but not the outer most Amazon box. As an additional precaution, I decided to cut out the barska safe text from the box before putting out for curbside recycling.

Great Product, Drawbacks are Very Minor
This safe works great. Took me less than 5 mins to program all my fingers and there's no way to get in without a key or one of my fingers (except the mythbusters trick, which can be prevented by wiping the lens off).

The beep is not so bad, but I agree that a silent mode would be a welcome improvement.

The trick to the expanding bolts is to drill a hole the sane diameter as the shank through a piece of material as thick as the distance between the shoulder and the edge of the castellations. Then put the bolt through and tighten it. Do not bolt it to drywall as that can be pulled out. It would have been nice if they would have included a template.

The packaging issue is that the box says "fingerprint safe on the outside, but that's really only a concern if you live in apartments and aren't there to sign for your package.

Bottom line is that this safe does what it says it does, and does it well. I can't see why my local gun store doesn't carry this brand, it is awesome.

My next step is to build this into my nightstand.  

Techno Savvy Teens CAN Open This Safe!   
I recently received this biometric safe from Amazon. I ordered it on 8/15/10 and received it on 8/21/10 via fed-ex ground. The outer box was crushed on top but the safe was in perfect condition thanks to some very good packaging. Any past packaging/shipping problems have been fixed.

I ordered this safe because I wanted quick access to a weapon in a part of my home that is far removed from my gun collection. I decided I can open a biometric safe when my heart is racing much faster than I can a combination lock. I have two teenage children who I do want to have access to the weapon. Shortly after installing the safe and registering my fingerprints and my wife's fingerprints (We did several angles of our right index fingers per others suggestions), my 15 year old son WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE SAFE in 10 seconds using a trick he learned on the "Myth Busters" television show. I quickly learned that you MUST wipe the glass clean after each use or techno savvy teens CAN open this safe. (The instructions do not tell you to do this). With the glass cleaned my son was NOT able to open the safe. We now keep a wash cloth next to the safe for this purpose.

My children have grown up with firearms and I take them to the shooting range MONTHLY. Firearms are not taboo or a mystery to them and they are safer around firearms than most adults I know. The purpose of the safe is really to keep their friends out and prevent any temptation to show the weapon. However, after watching my 15 year old open the safe (even knowing he could not repeat it with the glass clean), if my children were younger or were at all inexperienced with firearms, I would invest in a more expensive biometric safe to insure they could not gain access.

This safe would be easy to carry off if you don't bolt it to the wall or floor. Also it is relatively thin metal (about the same thickness as a typical high school locker but a far more substantial locking mechanism) and would probably only keep out a thief looking for a quick in and out. In my opinion a determined thief would open this safe with a heavy crowbar in just a few minutes. I have a 2 cu.ft. combination lock fire/flood safe from Sentry which I paid about $400 for. It is far, far more substantial and that is the type of safe I recommend for digital media and real valuables.

Very satisfied considering price paid...
I bought this safe for two specific purposes: 1. As a rapid-entry gun safe to keep near the bed. 2. To keep my children safe/unable to access the loaded handgun in which it is stored.

I knew when buying it that it was not fire-proof, nor was it impenitable to forces such as sledge hammers, blow torches, etc. If a thief breaks into your home and finds this safe, it is likely they could find a way to open it, if given enough time.

I was skeptical of the reliability of the fingerprint scanner to read accurately, given the price of the safe, but based on the reviews, I thought I'd go for it. Once I read the instructions, and programmed in the first print ID, the door opened quickly and on the first try.

I followed the advise of some of the other reviews, and stored multiple fingerprint codes (5) on the same finger, using slightly different angles. I also did this on a second finger, different hand, just in case I happen to have a band-aid on one of them. The safe allows for 30 different scan recognition prints, which is great because you can use 10 scans per person, and feel very comfortable knowing it will open quickly/reliably for 2-3 different people if you choose to set it up this way.

From the time you push the scan button, and scan your print, it takes about 3.5 seconds for the safe to open.

My wife and I have opened it two-dozen times without a single failed scan so far.

Overall I'm very happy with this product and would recommend it to anyone looking to use it for a rapid-entry gun safe, or other rapid-entry safe designed for "light weight" protection.    

Great safe!
I have a Sentry key lock safe (H2300) that is a real pain. Although it offers some protection it is heavy, awkward to move, hard to open, and so on. Then I was watching Criminal Minds and I liked the handgun safe used by one of the characters and how it opened by the touch of his fingers. I don't have any guns to store, but there are things I need from day to day where easy and speed of access is important. I decided to spend the extra money for a biometric safe to improve ease of access by me and provide a formidable obstacle by others. I wanted something fairly spacious but not huge. Something that if I could not find the key would open just fine.

I agree with the complaints that the beeps cannot be modulated or taken off completely, however in a bind I could see this working both ways as the beep tells you that you have done that step correctly where you might fumble and try again and get confused, especially if in a panic and consequently lose time.

I have never been a person who is into safes, but I can see how a person could easily employ three or four throughout their home. One for your wife, for example, where she can keep important and sacred things that are valuable which she likes to keep handy; another for a gun, and if the house is large maybe a couple of them for guns in different parts of the home. I think we need to face it, criminality is on the rise and self-protection is an ever increasing need.

There needs to be something where you can safely store the things you take with you, like a wallet, keys, cash, etc and not leave them out in the open. The days when we left our front doors unlocked are over and so are the days where we leave valuables in our homes unsecured.

If you have guns they need to be in a stronger safe, which also can store other important things, so they can have multi-use, but I am coming to believe that any home in order to be secure needs to have places in the home that provide security and easy access to say extra cash in a hurry, extra keys, and perhaps guns and ammo.

Since I have had this safe my life has changed in that there are certain items that are now very secure. They were secured before, but not like this. This safe is not a two ton thick walled box, but if anchored down it would take some time for a thief to even begin to get into it and it would not be worth it unless they planned to spend a lot of time.

I am going to get a couple more safes, but ones that do a better job of storing valuables, which are fire and water safe, and reserve this one for other things. Getting this safe and the ease of use it has plus its flexibility with respect to how many finger prints it will accept has opened my mind to a different standard of personal safety. Some things we simply need to know are safe all the time. Certainly anything can be stolen or broken into, but it is our duty to offer protection to our family and loved ones that their things will not simply be picked out of a drawer or off a shelf and that self-defense is not an obstacle in and of itself.

This is a great safe. I'm sure as this type of safe becomes more popular the price will come down, the steel will thicken and harden, etc, but there is a lot to be said about a biometric safe in the now, especially one as nicely made and with the ease of features this one has.

A BARGAIN
I agree with most reviews previously given.

The print reader is picky. At first I only programmed one print. Recognition of this print was hit and miss. Programmed a 2nd print, same finger. Recognition is now probably 95%. With 3 or 4 prints programmed, recognition would be flawless. It has NEVER opened for an unauthorized print. I tried, I bought it 3 months before my handgun and tested it often. I can reliably get into it within 3-5 seconds.

It is very loud, particularly the long beep it emits when unlocking. I'm not concerned about it alerting a criminal. If they come to me, I already have my handgun out. If they leave, Fantastic, no blood stains on my carpet or conscience. 2nd, if my child or someone else starts messing with it or actually makes their way into it, I'll hear the beep from anywhere in the house. Also, if left unlocked after opening, it will start beeping at about 5 second intervals. There is around a 2-3 minute delay before this starts. A surprise feature that I appreciate.

Great amount of room inside. My subcompact, 4 boxes of ammo, 2 magazines, and personal documents fit just fine with room for a couple more handguns or other miscellaneous items. It is large and heavy which would prohibit it from being placed on all but the stoutest closet shelves.

Bio Safe is good to go
I purchased the Barska Biometric safe because I needed a safe with easier access. My original safe was based on a key. It was a challenge to find a location for the key that would allow easy access quickly. In addition, how does one open the safe in the dark. This safe is much better. The safe is large enough to fit several weapons, ammo and magazines. The safe is sturdy and well built. The only drawback is the actual size. It's to big to fit into a standard size night stand. The door swings out to your right. It might have been better if the door swung down or up. Access would be easier. You either have to put it in a closet, mount it in a wall or under a bed.

In terms of registering of fingers, you can register several sets of fingers to get into the safe. There is also a back up key system behind the logo. The biometric system is easy to setup and easy to use. The instructions are on a sturdy cardboard which can be stored for later use. Once the fingers are registered, you can test to see how quickly access can be provided. I was very impressed with the access. The finger portal lights up where you put your finger. Especially good for the dark. It takes approximately 3 to 5 seconds to gain access to the box. The count is from the point of pushing the button to placing finger on the biometric scanner to accessing the weapon. Very impressive.

Great safe with a back-up key
After a lot of research I decided to buy this safe for my handguns located in my bedroom. There are cheaper biometric safes out there but the reviews on them were shaky compared to what I read about the Barska.

After several months of ownership, I cannot be happier with this safe! This controls are simple to use. It allows you to program in a fairly large number of fingerprints (always smart to capture prints of a couple of fingers on both hands...just in case you have an injury to one hand). The directions are clearly written. The safe has worked as expected every time. No problems.

Yes, this safe does have a key backup system. I write this because at my time of purchase none of the Amazon literature or reviews mentioned this. Barska does describe this on their own website. I like the key system; it is not a quick release system for emergencies, but more designed in case you let the batteries die and need access for that reason. The key back is located behind the silver plate on the front of the safe. First you have to remove one of the screws on the front with a hex-wrench (provided with the safe) and then you have access to the key cylinder. This should also be a deterrent to kids.

The safe is large enough to hold important paperwork and some boxes of ammunition in addition to a couple of firearms.