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, my first question about any bedside safe is how many moves it takes to get the gun in your hand. With the RPNB Large Bedside Biometric Safe, the seller’s answer is one: a registered finger or the right code, and the drawer slides out on its own.
I tell students a quick-access box has two jobs. Keep the gun away from the wrong hands, and put it in yours without fumbling. This slim, upright steel box goes after both, with one catch the seller spells out himself: a full-size handgun up to 8.5 inches, with no light and no optic.
My verdict: for one bare full-size pistol and a spare magazine beside the bed, it’s worth a look. Hang a light on that pistol and it’s the wrong box.
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
RPNB Large Bedside Biometric Safe – Best Slide-Out Bedside Biometric Safe Under $200
HIGHLIGHT:
Fingerprint, backlit keypad and two backup keys, and a drawer that slides out by itself once the lock releases.
OUT OF THE BOX:
In the photos you can see everything laid out on a rug: the safe, its black retail box, the mounting bracket, a small tray of hardware and the backup keys in a bag. RPNB lists the bracket, a hardware mounting kit, a thumb screw and the backup keys as included.
Another shot shows the safe just out of its orange-lined box with the drawer partway open. Look the whole kit over before you throw any packaging away. The thumb screw is small, and it’s the kind of part that ends up in the vacuum.
KEYPAD & FINGERPRINT READER:
The controls run along the top edge: four buttons in a row and a round fingerprint reader at the end. The seller lists a 500 DPI sensor with an instant access mode and a 4-digit backlit keypad. In the photos you can see the buttons lit blue with a finger on the reader, the box standing beside a shelf.
Same advice I give every class about a fingerprint safe: register the finger several times from different angles, and register a second finger too. Cold, wet or cut fingertips cause misreads on a lot of sensors. Your hand doesn’t land at 3 a.m. the way it did when you set the thing up in daylight.
The listing also mentions a silence mode, so the beeps and the motion don’t wake the whole house once it’s set up. In a bedroom, that matters.
SLIDE-OUT DOOR & INSIDE ROOM:
This is the headline feature. After a good read or the right code, the seller says the safe slides out on its own. That means one motion from lying in bed, with no lid to lift and nothing to turn. In the photos you can see a finger on the reader and the drawer out below it, lit blue inside.
Because the door slides, check the clearance on the side where it comes out before you drill a single hole. Think about which hand you’ll reach with in the dark when you choose left or right mounting.
Now the fit. The seller says it holds a full-size handgun up to 8.5 inches long, with no light or optics of any kind, plus a spare magazine. Take that literally. A pistol with a mounted light, an optic or tall sights may not fit or may keep the door from closing. Measure your gun exactly the way you plan to store it.
The box is only 2.8 inches wide on the outside, so the cavity is slim, and thick grips or oversized baseplates may be tight. The seller lists interior lighting that comes on when it unlocks, which helps you find the grip in a dark room. There’s room for one gun and one spare magazine, not jewelry or papers. If you need more space, see my best gun safes under $200 list.
BACKUP KEYS:
RPNB includes two backup keys, and the photo shows them on a ring. Hide one well away from the bedroom. Keep the other where only trusted adults can get to it.
I tell every class the same thing about backup keys: a safe with the key sitting next to it is just a box with a drawer. And if children live in the house, keep the code out of their reach too. The listing also names emergency unlocking and an alarm system as features but doesn’t say how either one works, so read the manual and learn what sets the alarm off.
BUILD & STEEL:
The seller describes sturdy steel construction with an anti-corrosion black finish, and the spec table lists alloy steel. No gauge or door thickness is given, so the pry resistance is unknown. In the photos you can see the safe closed and mounted upright, with the brand’s shield logo on the face.
RPNB lists the weight at 10.6 pounds. The capacity line on the listing reads 10.6 pounds as well, which is just the weight again, not a measure of space, so go by the fit statement. A box this size is built to stop curious hands and a quick grab, not a man with a pry bar and twenty minutes. No fire rating, water rating or third-party certification is listed.
POWER:
In two of the photos you can see a row of batteries seated in a compartment at the top end, with the cover off in one of them. RPNB’s listing still doesn’t name the battery type, the count or how long a set should last, so check the manual before you order spares.
With a motor-driven door, a sensor and a light, the batteries do more work here than in a plain keyed box. Change them on a schedule, not when the thing starts acting up, and test the keypad and both keys after every change. RPNB’s listing doesn’t mention a USB emergency power port for this model, so the keys and the emergency unlocking feature are your fallbacks. Learn to use them before you need them.
BRACKET & MOUNTING:
The bracket is the strongest anti-theft part of this setup, because it ties the box to something solid. The listing gives left mount and right mount. In the photos you can see the bracket plate with the RPNB name molded in, a small tray of screws and washers, and a piece of the hardware resting on the bracket.
Anchor it into a stud, a solid desk frame or something just as stout, not a thin panel. If you’re drilling into furniture, make sure the screw actually bites, and never drill into a wall that might be hiding wiring or plumbing.
WHERE IT GOES:
The seller suggests under a desk or nightstand, on a bookshelf, or in a vehicle. In the photos you can see it beside a desk, on a wall next to a staircase with the drawer out, and on a panel in the bed of a truck.
Pick the spot with kids in mind. A box mounted on a high bedside shelf may suit two adults and not be the safest choice in a house with children. 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. If it’s going in a vehicle, check your state’s rules on carrying a gun in a car before you rely on it.
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY:
Where it earns its keep: The RPNB Large Bedside is CA DOJ certified and heavy-duty, with a solid mounting bracket. The biometric reader and keypad perform well, and the sliding tray presents the handgun grip-first for a fast draw.
Where it falls short: The fingerprint sensor can struggle with oily or damp fingers and may need reprogramming, the spring that pops the tray open can feel weak or inconsistent between units, and reliability can decline after a year or more.
Who it’s for: A mounted bedside pistol safe with quick fingerprint access, including in CA DOJ-compliant states. Skip it if you need assured reliability beyond a year or two.
WHAT TO WATCH:
The fit limit is the big one: 8.5 inches, no light, no optic. After that, the battery type isn’t listed, the steel gauge isn’t listed, and there’s no fire rating. And the door slides, so leave clearance on the opening side.
WHO SHOULD BUY IT:
Buy it if you keep one bare full-size handgun and a spare magazine by the bed and want three ways in plus a door that comes to you. Skip it if your pistol wears a light or an optic, if you want to store more than one gun, or if you need a stated fire rating. If you’d rather not depend on batteries at all, the StopBox USA is a mechanical box that skips the electronics.
SPECS AT A GLANCE:
| Spec | What RPNB lists |
|---|---|
| Outside size | 9.29″ deep x 2.8″ wide x 11.5″ high |
| Weight | 10.6 lb |
| Gun fit | One full-size handgun up to 8.5″ long, no light or optics, plus a spare magazine |
| Ways in | 500 DPI fingerprint, 4-digit backlit keypad, 2 backup keys |
| Body | Alloy steel, anti-corrosion black finish (no gauge listed) |
| Mounting | Left or right; bracket, hardware kit and thumb screw included |
| Extras | Slide-out door, silence mode, interior lighting, alarm, emergency unlocking |
PROS & CONS:
Pros
- Door slides out on its own after a read or code
- Fingerprint, backlit keypad and two backup keys
- Left or right mounting with a bracket and hardware kit
- Silence mode and interior lighting
Cons
- No room for a pistol with a light or optic, and 8.5 inches max
- Room for one gun and a spare magazine only
- Battery type, steel gauge and fire rating aren’t listed
$139.00 & FREE Returns on Amazon (as of Oct 31, 2026, 12:05 AM EDT – details)
Comparing fingerprint boxes? See my best biometric gun safes 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 | RPNB Large Bedside Biometric Safe |
| Protocol (plan) | Mount the safe beside the bed and open it by fingerprint, keypad and key from a lying position in the dark; check full-size pistol fit up to 8.5 inches; confirm the drawer self-ejects every time. |
| To measure | Record open time by method, failed reads per attempts and whether the drawer fully extends on each open. |
| What failed or disappointed | |
| Photos from the tester | Our community |
RPNB Large Bedside Biometric Safe FAQ
What handgun fits the RPNB Large Bedside Biometric Safe?
The seller says a full-size handgun up to 8.5 inches long, with no light or optics of any kind, plus a spare magazine. Measure your pistol exactly as you’ll store it, because accessories can keep the door from closing.
What batteries does it use?
The listing doesn’t name the battery type or life. Check the manual before ordering spares, and test the keypad and keys after every battery change.
What if the fingerprint sensor doesn’t read?
Use the backlit keypad or one of the two backup keys. The listing also mentions emergency unlocking. Register more than one finger per user, and keep one key stored securely outside the bedroom.
Can I mount it on the left or right side?
Yes. The listing gives left mount and right mount, and it comes with a bracket, a hardware mounting kit and a thumb screw. Anchor it to solid material and leave clearance for the sliding door.
Does it have a silent mode?
The seller describes a silence mode you can set so the safe runs quietly. Check the manual for the steps.
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.