Massad Ayoob — Founder, Massad Ayoob Group · Retired Police Captain · Expert Witness on use of force · Review date: October 31, 2026
Chris Raper — Retired North Carolina law enforcement (40+ years) · U.S. Air Force Security Police · NRA-certified Pistol, Rifle & Shotgun Instructor · NC DOJ-certified Concealed Carry Instructor · Founder, Concealed Handgun Carry, Inc. (Elm City, NC, 2006)In addition to my own research and what my students bring into the Concealed Handgun Carry class every week, this guide was reviewed by Massad Ayoob of Massad Ayoob Group, whose opinion appears below. [Keep only if true — Chris: I handled the product(s) on this page myself. Details are in the test record at the end.] The method line at the end of the article says exactly how this guide was built.
As an old lawman, I can tell you where a burglar heads first: the master bedroom closet, the nightstand and under the mattress. When a student asks me how to hide a gun from that kind of visitor, I tell them the best safe is the one he never sees. A steel box set into the wall between two studs is about as close as you’ll get.
That’s the pitch on the Langger In-Wall Biometric Long Gun Safe. It sits recessed in a stud bay with a fingerprint reader, a PIN code and emergency keys.
My verdict: a good hidden cabinet for slim long guns and handguns if you own the wall and you’re willing to cut it right, but get the exact size from the seller first, because the listing doesn’t agree with itself.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
Specs from the manufacturer listing · owner feedback summarized and labelled · hands-on test notes being added · How we review
Langger In-Wall Biometric Long Gun Safe – Best Hidden In-Wall Rifle Safe Under $300
HIGHLIGHT:
A long-gun cabinet made to fit between wall studs, so only the door and trim show, with fingerprint, PIN and key entry.
FRONT PANEL & FINGERPRINT READER:
From the room, all you see is a flat door with a trim edge, the Langger badge up in the corner and one round control that holds the fingerprint reader and the keypad. In the top photo the black door is plain enough to pass for an access panel. The close-up of a white version shows the same round control sitting on the door.
Langger’s listing doesn’t say how many fingerprints the reader stores, so look in the manual. I teach the same trick for every biometric safe: enroll the same finger several times at different angles, flat, tipped up and rolled a little to each side. Sweaty, wet or cut fingers cause misreads, and that’s the shape your hands are in when something has gone wrong.
PIN CODE & BACKUP KEYS:
When a finger won’t read, you go to the 4-digit PIN. Four digits is a short code, so don’t use a birthday, a house number or 1-2-3-4. Langger also lists a beep-off option for silent use at night. That’s good in a bedroom, but you lose the beep that tells you the code went in, so practice with the lights off.
The emergency keys are your way in when the electronics or the batteries quit. I tell every class the same thing: the key does not live in the room where the safe is, and it surely doesn’t hang on a nail in the same closet. Put it on your key ring or in a second locked spot, and try it once right after the install.
BUILD, DOOR & BOLTS:
Langger lists heavy-duty carbon steel, a thick door and two motorized deadbolts, and the description mentions 7/8-inch steel locking deadbolts. It also says the safe resists attack from hand or power tools. That’s the maker’s claim. No steel gauge, no third-party security rating and no fire rating appears in the listing.
The listing says the door opens to the right. Stand where the safe will go and picture that swing: is a closet door, a dresser or a hallway corner in the way? The close-up shows the seam where a white door meets its frame along the bottom edge. Make sure yours closes flush and the bolts throw clean before anything goes inside.
The close-ups of the white version also show a lightly textured finish, down to a tight shot of a small round opening in the face. Now the plain fact about wall safes: the steel box is strong, but the wall around it is thin drywall. Most of what protects it is that nobody knows it’s there, plus the bolts holding it to the studs. So keep quiet about it. Your kids’ friends don’t need to know, and neither does the fellow who cleans your carpets.
INSIDE ROOM & SHELVES:
Langger lists three removable shelves and gives no interior measurements. In the photos you can see a white unit standing open with gray-lined shelves and handguns sitting on them, and the lock housing mounted on the inside of the door.
Here’s the catch with any safe that lives inside a wall. The outside is only 4 inches deep, and the steel walls, door and lock take some of that. A scoped rifle, a magazine hanging out the bottom or a wide stock may be thicker than what’s left. With the shelves in, this is a handgun, magazine and paperwork cabinet. Pull them out and you’ve got room for slim long guns. Measure your longest gun with the optic on and compare it to 43.3 inches, not the 45 in the title. Then measure the thickest point. If the seller can’t give you an inside number, assume there’s less room than the outside suggests.
The photos also show a black strap hanging against the gray lining, and a close-up of a thumb pulling the felt back from the steel at one spot. The listing doesn’t mention a lining or a strap at all, so go by what’s in your box when it arrives.
SIZE CHECK:
The listing doesn’t agree with itself. The title says 15 inches wide by 45 inches tall. The spec table and bullets say 13.75 by 43.3, and that’s also the wall opening Langger gives. There’s a 58.5-pound figure sitting in the capacity field that looks like the weight, not storage space; elsewhere the safe is listed at about 58 pounds.
One photo shows a white door set into a paneled wall that looks a good deal shorter than a 43-inch cabinet. Before you order, confirm the size and color you’re actually buying, and get the exact outside numbers from the seller before you cut anything. A hole in the wall is hard to take back.
CUTTING THE WALL:
This is what separates an in-wall safe from everything else. Langger says it comes with pre-drilled holes and bolts and fits a wall opening of 43.3 by 13.75 by 4 inches. Standard stud bays are often about 14.5 inches wide at 16-inch spacing, so the width can work, but measure your own wall.
Before you cut, check for wiring, plumbing and ductwork. Stay out of load-bearing framing and fire-blocking. Outside walls with insulation and a vapor barrier add trouble. If you aren’t sure, hire a contractor. If you rent, ask the landlord first, because this is a permanent change to the house.
The close-up shows a corner of the trim flange against the wall, with a hairline crack running out from it in the drywall above. Cut slow and cut square, and the trim will have a clean edge to cover.
PLACEMENT:
In the photos you can see the black version set into a closet wall beside hanging shirts, another beside a red garment, and one in the wall right next to a door frame. A closet wall or a spot behind a door keeps it out of sight. You still need a clear path to it in the dark, and room for that right-hand door swing.
If you have children in the house, this part isn’t optional. North Carolina’s safe-storage law (G.S. 14-315.1) can put you in court if a child gets hold of a loaded gun you left within reach and something happens with it. Other states have their own versions.
POWER:
The fingerprint reader, keypad and motorized deadbolts are all electronic. The listing doesn’t give the battery type, the count or any outside power option. With the safe sitting inside a wall, make sure you can reach the battery compartment without pulling it out. Keep spares and a key somewhere else in the house, and put a reminder on your phone to check it on the first of every month.
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY:
Where it earns its keep: The Langger In-Wall Biometric Long Gun Safe installs easily between wall studs, blends inconspicuously into the wall, and the fingerprint, code and key access all work well once set up correctly.
Where it falls short: Some units have weak spot welds that can snap during installation, the lock mechanism occasionally fails even after replacement, and units sometimes arrive with cosmetic damage or looking refurbished.
Who it’s for: A hidden in-wall safe for rifles, shotguns and valuables for someone prepared to do a careful install and inspect welds and the lock on arrival.
WHAT TO WATCH:
Three things. The dimensions don’t match across the listing, there’s no interior size, and there’s no fire rating. Get the numbers from the seller, measure the wall and your longest gun, and don’t stash papers in it expecting them to come through a fire.
WHO SHOULD BUY IT:
Buy it if you own your home, you’ve got a stud bay in a closet or behind a door, and you want hidden storage for a slim long gun or two plus handguns. At the time of writing it sat in the $200 to $300 range. Skip it if you rent, you can’t open a wall, you need a fire rating, or you run scoped rifles with bipods. A freestanding cabinet bolted to the floor fits that job better.
SPECS AT A GLANCE:
| Spec | What Langger lists |
|---|---|
| Outside size | 4″ deep x 13.75″ wide x 43.3″ high (title says 15″ x 45″) |
| Wall opening | 43.3″ high x 13.75″ wide x 4″ deep |
| Ways in | Fingerprint, 4-digit PIN keypad, emergency keys |
| Locking | Two motorized deadbolts (7/8″ per the description) |
| Body | Carbon steel (no gauge listed) |
| Weight | About 58 lb |
| Interior | Three removable shelves; door opens to the right |
| Mounting | Pre-drilled holes, bolts included |
| Not listed | Interior size, print capacity, battery type, fire rating |
PROS & CONS:
Pros
- Hides between wall studs with only the door and trim showing
- Three ways in: fingerprint, PIN and emergency keys
- Two motorized deadbolts
- Three removable shelves, bolts and a silent mode
Cons
- Needs a precise, permanent wall cut
- Listing dimensions don’t match, and no interior size is given
- No fire rating or battery details listed
$219.99 on Amazon (as of Oct 31, 2026, 12:05 AM EDT – details)
Weighing other wall units? See my best in-wall gun safe picks.
Hands-on test record
Protocol prepared for Chris. Replace the yellow fields with what actually happened; delete this section — and the word “Tested” from the title and intro — if these products were not handled.
| Who tested | Chris Raper, NRA-certified instructor |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 31, 2026 |
| Products on this page | Langger In-Wall Biometric Long Gun Safe |
| Protocol (plan) | Measure the stud bay and the actual unit before cutting, install it into the framing as the manual directs, then open it repeatedly by fingerprint, PIN and key, including in a dark room. Test which long guns and handguns fit through the door and come out cleanly. |
| To measure | Record the real cut-out size versus the listing, dark-room open time per method, failed fingerprint reads, and which of your guns fit. |
| What failed or disappointed | |
| Photos from the tester | Our community |
Langger In-Wall Biometric Long Gun Safe FAQ
What size wall opening does the Langger in-wall safe need?
The seller gives the opening as 43.3 inches high, 13.75 inches wide and 4 inches deep. The title shows bigger numbers, so confirm the exact size with the seller and measure your stud bay before you cut.
How does the Langger safe open if the fingerprint reader fails?
Use the 4-digit PIN keypad, and if the electronics are dead, the emergency keys. Keep one key away from the safe and from children, and try every method after setup.
Will a scoped rifle fit in the Langger in-wall safe?
The listing doesn’t say. It gives outside dimensions of 4 by 13.75 by 43.3 inches and no interior size. Measure your rifle with the optic on and ask the seller for the inside numbers.
How is the Langger in-wall safe mounted?
It’s made to sit between wall studs, with pre-drilled holes and bolts included. Check the wall for wiring and plumbing, stay out of load-bearing framing, and call a contractor if you’re unsure.
Does the Langger in-wall safe use batteries?
The reader, keypad and motorized deadbolts are electronic, but the listing doesn’t name the battery type. Check the manual for how to change them, and keep spares and a key somewhere else.
Chris Raper
Chris Raper is the founder and lead reviewer of Conceal & Carry Network. A retired North Carolina law-enforcement officer with more than 40 years of service and a U.S. Air Force Security Police veteran, he founded Concealed Handgun Carry, Inc. in Elm City, NC in 2006 and has taught the state-approved NC Concealed Handgun Carry class there ever since. He is an NC Department of Justice certified Firearms Safety Instructor, an NRA Pistol, Rifle and Shotgun Instructor, an NRA Range Safety Officer and a graduate of Massad Ayoob's Lethal Force Institute. He reviews the carry guns, holsters, safes and sight tools his students ask about every week.