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)This guide draws on my own research and what my students bring into the Concealed Handgun Carry class every week. The method line at the end of the article says exactly how this guide was built.
Plenty of folks in my class keep a shotgun for the house and never think of it as part of the storage question. The handgun goes in a box, and the 12-gauge leans in the corner behind the bedroom door. When I ask about that corner, I usually get a sheepish look.
The V-Line Quick Access Long Gun Safe is built for that corner. It’s a 42-inch, 16-gauge steel case with a mechanical Simplex five-button lock, so there’s no battery to die, and V-Line says you can mount it on a wall or the floor, upright or flat.
My verdict: a sound, no-electronics case for one long gun, made in the USA, for somebody who will bolt it down and guard the combination. Don’t buy it for fire protection.
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
V-Line Quick Access Long Gun Safe – Best Battery-Free Quick-Access Rifle Case
HIGHLIGHT:
A mechanical Simplex five-button lock with no batteries to fail, on a case you can mount upright or flat.
THE SIMPLEX LOCK:
The main lock is what V-Line calls an authentic KABA Simplex five-button mechanical lock. The seller says there are no batteries that can fail and no keys that can end up in the wrong hands, and that the combination is easy to set and change. You press the sequence and the case releases.
The photo shows the case closed and lying flat, with the push-button lock on the lid. I like a mechanical lock on a case that may sit in a closet for months without anybody checking on it. Nothing in there runs down.
COMBINATION & EXTRA KEYS:
V-Line lists 1081 possible codes. That’s a modest number next to a long digital PIN, so your habits matter more here. Skip repeated or sequential patterns, keep the code to the people who need it, and change it if somebody who knew it moves out.
The listing doesn’t describe a backup key for the push-button lock. Write the combination down, keep it somewhere safe and separate from the case, and ask V-Line about their reset process before you rely on it.
V-Line also lists two additional keyed locks for extra layers. Those let you lock the case down tighter when you don’t need quick access. They also mean more keys to keep track of, and I tell every class the same thing: the key never lives with the case, and never where a child can find it.
BUILD & STEEL:
V-Line lists the case as 16-gauge steel, constructed and assembled in the USA. Lower gauge numbers mean thicker steel, so 16 gauge sits in the middle for a quick-access case: thinner than 12 gauge, but common at this size.
The listing doesn’t mention pry-resistant doors, hinge design or any fire rating, and it doesn’t give a weight. So I’d treat this as storage that keeps children and casual hands out, not a vault that stops a man with a pry bar and time to use it. Papers you can’t replace belong in a separate fire-rated box. And like any case this size, it’s only as strong as what it’s bolted to.
INSIDE ROOM:
The seller says it’s designed for AR-15 type rifles and is large enough for most ARs with accessories. At 42 inches long, it’s sized for a standard-length rifle, and a compact rifle or a short shotgun may fit with room to spare. V-Line doesn’t list the inside width or depth.
In the photos you can see a tape measure stretched along the inside of the open case, and another run across it, with a shotgun laid in. Before you buy, measure your own gun the same way, with the optic, light, bipod and sling on, because those are what decide the fit. If your numbers are close, ask the seller before you order.
One photo shows the case standing upright with foam inside cut to hold a rifle and handguns. The listing doesn’t say whether padding comes with it, so check. If it doesn’t, add a soft lining so the finish and optics don’t get scuffed, and don’t let the gun rest on its muzzle or lean on the scope.
UPRIGHT ON A WALL:
V-Line says the case opens from the front and top, so you can mount it upright on a wall, a door or inside a closet, using the pre-punched holes. In the photos you can see it fastened upright between open wall studs, and hung on a wall with the door swung open and a long gun standing inside.
Another shot shows a wooden shelf set across the top of an upright case, with a handgun on it and a rifle below. The listing doesn’t mention a shelf, so treat that as an idea, not a part that comes in the box.
Fasten it into studs or solid framing with the right hardware, not into drywall alone. Keep it where an adult can reach it easily and a child can’t.
FLAT UNDER THE BED:
The listing also says you can mount it on the floor, horizontal or vertical, using pre-drilled quarter-inch holes in the bottom. In the photos you can see the case lying flat on a wooden board with handles, slid all the way under a bed so only the edge shows.
That’s a decent hiding spot, but hidden is not the same as secured. A case sitting loose on a board can be dragged out and carried off. If it lives on the floor, I’d bolt it through those bottom holes into the structure underneath. The quick grab-and-go is the theft I saw most in my years wearing a badge, and a bolted case beats it.
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:
There’s no battery. The main lock is mechanical, and V-Line makes a point of that. For a case you might not open for months, that’s a real advantage: nothing can run flat. Your only upkeep is remembering the combination and keeping track of the keys for the two extra locks.
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY:
Where it earns its keep: The Simplex mechanical lock opens quickly in the dark with no batteries, and the sleek, low-profile cabinet mounts securely to a wall stud without looking bulky or conspicuous.
Where it falls short: The listed dimensions are exterior measurements, so the usable interior is noticeably smaller. The door locks at a single point and can flex, and a rifle with an optic or other accessories attached may not fit.
Who it’s for: Anyone wanting quick, quiet, battery-free access to a single long gun in a low-profile wall cabinet. Measure carefully first if your rifle wears an optic or add-ons.
WHAT TO WATCH:
V-Line doesn’t list the interior size, the weight or a fire rating, so measure your gun and plan around those gaps. The code pool is 1081 combinations, so guard yours. And no backup key is described for the push-button lock, so a forgotten code is a real problem. Write it down and lock that paper up somewhere else.
WHO SHOULD BUY IT:
Buy it if you want one long gun reachable fast, behind a door, in a closet or flat on the floor, with no batteries to babysit, and you’ll bolt it to something solid. Skip it if you need fire protection, room for several long guns, or electronic features. If you only need to lock up a handgun, V-Line’s own Slide-Away is the drawer-style option, with 12-gauge steel.
SPECS AT A GLANCE:
| Spec | What V-Line lists |
|---|---|
| Model | 31242-SA Quick Access Keyless Long Gun Safe, black |
| Length | 42″ |
| Steel | 16-gauge |
| Main lock | KABA Simplex five-button mechanical, 1081 possible codes |
| Extra locks | Two keyed locks |
| Opening | Front and top |
| Mounting | Pre-punched holes, pre-drilled 1/4″ holes in the bottom; wall or floor, horizontal or vertical |
| Made | Constructed and assembled in the USA |
| Interior size, weight, fire rating | Not listed |
PROS & CONS:
Pros
- Mechanical Simplex lock with no batteries to fail
- Two extra keyed locks for another layer
- Mounts on a wall or the floor, upright or flat
- 16-gauge steel, made and assembled in the USA
Cons
- Interior size, weight and fire rating not listed
- Only 1081 possible codes, so the combination has to be guarded
- No backup key described for the main lock
$410.00 on Amazon (as of Oct 31, 2026, 12:05 AM EDT – details)
Need room for more than one long gun? See my best rifle safe picks.
V-Line Quick Access Long Gun Safe FAQ
What size rifle fits in the V-Line Quick Access Long Gun Safe?
The case is 42 inches long, and the seller says it’s made for AR-15 type rifles, including most with accessories. Interior width and depth aren’t listed, so measure your rifle with its optic, light and sling before buying, and ask the seller if you’re unsure.
Does it need batteries?
No. The main lock is a KABA Simplex five-button mechanical lock with no electronics. The only things to manage are your combination and the keys for the two extra keyed locks.
Can I mount it in an SUV?
V-Line’s description lists the back of an SUV as one place to mount it. Bolt it to something fixed to the body, think about heat in a parked car, and check your state’s rules for guns in vehicles before you rely on it.
What is the backup if I forget the code?
The listing doesn’t describe a backup key for the push-button lock, though it mentions two extra keyed locks. Write the combination down, keep it somewhere secure and separate, and ask V-Line about their reset process.
Is it fireproof?
No fire rating is listed. Keep irreplaceable papers in a separate fire-rated container.
All product photos on this page were taken by our team.
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.