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.
When students tell me they don’t have room in the bedroom for a gun safe, I tell them to look at the space they aren’t using: the side of the nightstand, the underside of a desk, the narrow gap between the bed and the wall. A safe doesn’t have to sit on top of something to do its job.
The RPNB RP311F is built for that kind of space. It’s a slim, vertical box that hangs off the side or underside of furniture, with a fingerprint reader, a keypad and a key. My verdict: a fair-priced way to keep one slim handgun out of reach in a spot nothing else fits, as long as you get the inside size and the battery answered before you buy.
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 RP311F – Best Slim Vertical Fingerprint Safe Under $100
HIGHLIGHT:
Fingerprint, code and key in a body only 1.8 inches thick that mounts from the right, left or top.
OUT OF THE BOX:
The RP311F ships in a plain black RPNB box. In the photos you can see it standing next to its carton with a small orange box and a black pouch on the floor beside it.
RPNB’s included-parts line lists one thing: a key. Mounting hardware isn’t itemized in the listing. So before you plan your install, see what screws are actually in the box. If they’re short wood screws, you may want a trip to the hardware store anyway, and I’ll get to why.
TOP PANEL & FINGERPRINT READER:
Everything you touch sits on the top end. The close-up shows four numbered buttons in a square and a round fingerprint reader just below them, with the mounting bracket folded over the top.
RPNB describes a 500 DPI semiconductor sensor and says it matches a print in under a second. That’s the seller’s number, so treat it as what they’re aiming for. Readers like this work best with clean, dry fingers. 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. Half asleep, your hand won’t land the way it did at the kitchen table when you set it up.
If your skin changes with the seasons, the way a farmer’s or a mechanic’s hands do, re-enroll when the reads start getting picky.
KEYPAD & BACKUP KEY:
The spec sheet lists an electronic combination alongside the fingerprint lock. That’s your way in when a finger is wet, cut or gloved. The third way is the physical key, and in the photos you can see a round key lock on the side of the body near the keypad end.
The key works without the electronics, so it’s the one that still opens the box when the batteries are flat. Where it lives matters. A key in the nightstand drawer under the safe defeats the lock. A key in the gun safe across the house defeats the quick access. I tell every class: keep it on your key ring or in a second locked spot, and never where a child can find it.
THE DRAWER & INSIDE ROOM:
In the photos you can see how this design works. The front drops down like a drawer, and the inside glows blue when it’s open. One shot looks down into the open drawer at a pistol grip sitting butt-up, which is the way your hand will meet it.
RPNB lists the outside at 1.8 inches deep, 7.43 inches wide and 13.47 inches tall. It does not list the inside. Take away the walls, the door and the lock hardware, and you’re looking at room for one slim or compact handgun. I wouldn’t count on space for an optic-equipped full-size pistol, a weapon light or a spare magazine beside it.
The listing’s capacity field reads 8 pounds. That reads like a load number, not a gun count, so don’t take it as a promise about what fits. Measure your handgun at its widest point, grip and any light or red dot included, and ask the seller for the inside numbers through the Amazon Q&A before you order.
BUILD & STEEL:
The spec sheet says alloy steel, and the seller describes a black, corrosion-resistant finish. RPNB lists the whole safe at 7.7 pounds. There’s no steel gauge, no bolt count and no pry-resistance rating, so I have nothing to stack up against a box that publishes its 14-gauge steel.
One photo shows the housing opened up with the latch hardware and wiring in view. Another close-up inside the top shows the latch and a small button marked PROGRAM.
A third-party video on this model, going by its title, shows it being opened with a simple tool. I can’t vouch for the method or whether it applies to current units. It’s a good reminder of what a slim box like this is for: keeping a gun away from children, houseguests and a quick smash-and-grab. It isn’t built to beat a man with tools and time.
MOUNTING:
This is where the RP311F earns its place. RPNB calls it an under-counter mount and says it can go up from the right, left or top side. The photos show the steel bracket on the side with its slotted holes, and one shows it hanging at a computer desk with the drawer down.
Pick the side by your strong hand and which side of the bed you sleep on. Then fasten it into something solid: a stud, a thick board or a furniture frame. Particleboard is the weak link in a lot of nightstands and desks. A through-bolt with a backing plate holds better than a short wood screw. A safe that’s only sitting on a shelf can be carried off with the gun inside.
PLACEMENT & SIZE CHECK:
At 1.8 inches thick, it tucks into gaps a drawer safe never could. In the photos you can see it mounted in the narrow space beside a piece of furniture and hung at the side of a bed, within arm’s reach of the mattress.
Practice opening it the way I teach a draw: lights off, starting from lying down, five times in a row. If you can’t do it smooth in the dark, the safe is in the wrong spot. If you have children in the house, mounting it 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 listing doesn’t name the battery type, the battery life, or whether there’s an outside power port. That’s a real gap for an electronic lock. Check the manual for the battery, learn how the low-battery warning works, and change batteries on a schedule instead of waiting for it. I put a reminder on my phone for the first of every month. RPNB’s own channel, RPNB SAFE, has a programming video if you want to see setup before you buy.
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY:
Where it earns its keep: The RPNB RP311F is sturdy, compact and well made for a nightstand or under-desk mount, and fingerprint setup is quick. It is built for years of routine use.
Where it falls short: It keeps out children and casual snoopers, but a determined burglar could pry it open with a screwdriver. The door can wobble on its single rubber-bumper hinge, and installation can be fiddly depending on where it is mounted.
Who it’s for: A compact, mountable bedside safe that keeps a pistol away from children and family members. Not the pick if you need protection against a determined break-in.
WHAT TO WATCH:
The long product description on the page mixes in text that seems to come from other RPNB products: fire resistance, a touch screen, an auto-open lid and a state certification. None of that shows up in this model’s spec table. Don’t buy the RP311F expecting a fire rating or a state approval unless the seller confirms it for this exact model. The other gaps are the inside size, the battery details and the steel gauge.
WHO SHOULD BUY IT:
Buy it if your problem is space and you need to lock up one slim handgun beside the bed or under a desk, for under a hundred dollars. Skip it if you want a roomy drawer-style box, a fire rating, or a safe that publishes its steel and battery details. Spend more for that.
SPECS AT A GLANCE:
| Spec | What RPNB lists |
|---|---|
| Outside size | 1.8″ deep x 7.43″ wide x 13.47″ high |
| Inside size | Not listed |
| Weight | 7.7 lb |
| Ways in | Fingerprint (500 DPI semiconductor sensor), electronic combination, key |
| Material | Alloy steel, black corrosion-resistant finish (no gauge listed) |
| Mounting | Under counter; right, left or top side |
| Capacity field | 8 lb |
| Included | Key |
PROS & CONS:
Pros
- Only 1.8 inches thick, so it fits where most safes can’t
- Three ways in: fingerprint, code and key
- Mounts from the right, left or top side
- Under $100 at the time of writing
Cons
- No inside measurements, and room for one slim handgun at most
- No battery type or life listed
- No steel gauge, fire rating or certification confirmed for this model
$79.99 & FREE Returns on Amazon (as of Oct 31, 2026, 12:05 AM EDT – details)
Comparing fingerprint safes? See my best biometric 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 | RPNB RP311F |
| Protocol (plan) | Mount the safe on the side of a nightstand and under a desk and open it by fingerprint, keypad and key in the dark; confirm slim-pistol fit and grip as it comes out; identify the battery type. |
| To measure | Record interior dimensions, open time by method, fingerprint failure rate and battery type. |
| What failed or disappointed | |
| Photos from the tester | Our community |
RPNB RP311F FAQ
Will my handgun fit in the RPNB RP311F?
RPNB lists the outside at 1.8 by 7.43 by 13.47 inches but not the inside. Because the body is so thin, expect room for one compact or slim handgun at most. Measure yours with any light or optic on it, and ask the seller for interior numbers before you order.
What batteries does the RPNB RP311F use?
The listing doesn’t name the battery type or life. Check the manual, change batteries on a schedule instead of waiting for a warning, and keep the key where you can get to it in case the electronics die.
How can I mount the RPNB RP311F?
The spec sheet lists an under-counter mount, and the seller says it can be mounted from the right, left or top side. Hardware isn’t itemized, so check the box, and fasten it into solid wood or a stud instead of thin particleboard.
What if the fingerprint reader won’t read my finger?
Use the keypad code, and if the electronics are dead, the key. Enroll the same finger several times at different angles to cut down on misreads, and practice all three ways in after setup.
Is the RPNB RP311F fireproof?
No fire rating appears in this model’s spec table. Some text in the product description mentions fire resistance and certification, but it isn’t confirmed for the RP311F, so ask the seller before you rely on it.
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.