One of the most important things we thought you ought to know is that the SVB500 is NOT designed to protect against theft. Although it's constructed with 18-gauge steel, it’s designed to keep the guns away from children and the curious minds of others we mentioned earlier. With that said, don’t expect it to stop a burglar/thief from prying it open with some tools and some “free” time.
There’s a very small chance of ANY malfunction since the safe relies on gravity to open the doors. For us, we think it’s imperative that you store it in a vertical position so that there’s room for the built-in drawer to drop open. We love the spring system as we feel it’s much more reliable since there are less moving components.
The SVB500 is a biometric pistol safe with the capacity to hold up to 20 individual fingerprints. It’s best you scan as many prints as you can in order to avoid any potential issues. As always, we recommend you scan your finger by applying different pressure at all angles.
As you may know by looking at it, there are pretty much no fireproof or waterproof capabilities on this pistol safe. It will definitely not put up much of a fight against flooding as there are holes line throughout the entire product. As with all steel, we think it would put up a small fight against a short fire but most likely wouldn’t last through a long fire.
We always recommend putting safes in a dry place, so avoid keeping it in your garage or basement as they tend to be more humid. No reason to believe any corrosion would happen here.
The interior measures 2.25 x 5.75 x 8.5’’ in total so it can only fit 1 gun. The interior drawer can also store .45 and 9mm guns so anything larger than that would require a different safe.
Also, we wouldn’t say you can store much of anything else in there. A gun that’s 8 inches long is a snug fit which is why you shouldn’t expect to store any extra magazines or other valuables. More so, we don't recommend you keep any valuable items in this safe due to the thickness of its walls.
Again, it’s designed to keep your guns away from casual view, not to protect your jewelry or important documents.
We think the GunVault SVB500 comes at an affordable price but it could be lower. You could opt for a more secured, fully-enclosed safe at the same pricepoint, like the QAP1BE! Backed by a 17 year 'Limited Repair or Replace’ warranty, you can’t go wrong.
A lot of SVB500 owners enjoyed the ease of use and affordability. It uses no strings, but “gravity”, so the chances of a malfunction are minimal. Plus, we like that there’s a backup key as an alternative access in case the batteries die in critical situations.
One thing people have complained about is the level of security it provides. We’ve mentioned that this vault won’t put up much fight against a determined thief. If a burglar has time and tools, it’s most likely the SVB500 won’t endure the attack. However, it’s just a matter of knowing what you're buying since the brand claims the safe is only for keeping the firearm away from children and curious guests, not thieves and burglars.
If you’re looking for an affordable and reliable safe, the GunVault SVB500 is a solid choice. It’s a great way of keeping your firearm away from your children and visitors, and it’s simple to use.
Though it doesn’t provide any additional space for items other than your gun, its biometric lock offers simple and quick access.
One thing you should remember is that this one won’t protect the guns from thieves. Still, if you’re only looking for a way to keep the firearm far from children’s reach, this might be one of the most accessible and affordable options.