If you’ve been reading Primer Peak for the last year, you’ve probably noticed a fair bit of content regarding firearms and parenthood. We’ve welcomed two children into our home in the last two years, and that’s driven some change in how we store our firearms. Our first child is old enough now to pull themselves up onto shelves, dressers and more, grabbing at anything they can find. This means that leaving a pistol on the nightstand is not an option for us when it comes to making a home defense plan. We needed something secure from our children, but also quick to access in an emergency. This led us to Steelhead Outdoors and their Fast Access Pistol Box.
Seemingly checking all the boxes for us, I reached out to Steelhead to request a loaner for review. They offered up a blemished sample which was in perfect mechanical condition, but didn’t meet their standards for the consumer. A few days later I had my safe in hand, and started the review process.
Design of the Steelhead Outdoors Fast Access Pistol Box
The Steelhead Outdoors Fast Access Pistol Box is exactly what it sounds like; a box to secure your pistol, which provides fast access when needed. Made from 12ga steel, this safe weighs in at roughly 14 pounds on my scale, measuring 8.5×12-1/4×3 inches. This is about the biggest option from Steelhead, with smaller models also available for those needing to save space. Per the manufacturer, each safe is made locally in Minnesota, with locks sourced directly from Simplex on this model.
A large lip overhangs the front of the safe, which is our grasping point for opening the lid. Depending on the day, sometimes I wish this lip was deeper, but never any smaller. It is possible to fumble, causing the lid to close accidentally, however this will not lock the safe inadvertently. Be deliberate when opening, and you should have no issues.
Internal Storage Space
There’s a lot of room inside the Steelhead Fast Access Pistol Box, allowing you to store quite a bit inside to suit your needs. I can store up to four J-Frame revolvers inside, with room left over for speed strips. Alternatively, it also fits my Glock 34 with Aimpoint ACRO P1 and Surefire X300U mounted, along with a S&W 1917 revolver.
For those needing a little more depth, there are two removable pieces of foam lining the bottom of the safe. So long as you’re not Agent Smith, or Barry Burton, you’ll likely be just fine sticking your pistol in here.
Locking Mechanism on the Steelhead Outdoors Fast Access Pistol Box
When it comes to fast-access safes, I’m not particularly enthusiastic about electronic locks. I want something that doesn’t rely on batteries, provides a tactile indication of what I’m doing, and that is extremely simple and absolutely reliable. For me, this means a Simplex style locking mechanism. The Steelhead Fast Access Pistol Box checks this box with a genuine Simplex lock.
We have five circular buttons arranged in a line, with a rotating dial for our lock. Simply punch in your code, rotate the dial clockwise, and the safe unlocks. Any mistakes can be cleared by rotating the dial counterclockwise, providing a distinct “click” and a stop in travel. The box stays unlocked until you rotate the dial back into the locked position, resetting the pins. These buttons are both tactile and audible when pressing them, allowing for easy use in low light.
Steelhead ships these safes with a default code, though I suggest owners change this before storing anything of value inside. The code is easy to change, with no need for a locksmith for help. Steelhead provides the necessary tool, along with clear, printed instructions to perform this task. It took me fewer than five minutes to complete, and I’d never done anything of the sort previously.
Securing the Safe
Despite its relatively heavy weight, this is still a portable gun box. That means a bad guy could easily walk away with it in the event of a burglary. Luckily, Steelhead has provided us with some ways of mitigating that issue. Four pre-drilled holes adorn the bottom of the safe, allowing it to be bolted to walls, floors, cabinets, or other surfaces for safe keeping.
For a less permanent solution, Steelhead offers security cables, which fit into a small slot in the side of the safe. These are a 1/4-inch, braided steel cable, in both 3 and 6 foot varieties. These can be wrapped around something solid like a support beam or solid headboard to help prevent theft.
Real World Use
I’ve been using the Steelhead Outdoors Fast Access Pistol Box since early September 2025. While I haven’t had to use the safe in an emergency, it does see daily use as my wife and I store and remove our carry guns throughout the day. We’ve experienced no failures of the locking mechanism, nor the hinges, or any other part of the safe. At worst, we sometimes slam the lid by losing our grip, or pushing it too far backwards, as it will lay flat open.
Additionally, I wouldn’t recommend propping the safe open by leaning the lid against your wall. Since most of the weight lives in the lid, that’s a surefire way to cause the safe to shift, dragging the lid down your wall. Ask me how I know. These are far from issues, more so fumbling with our own handling.
This isn’t a torture test, nor am I the LockPicking Lawyer, but the Fast Access Pistol Box seems to perfectly suit our needs. It holds the guns we need regular access to, with plenty of room for other valuables. It’s easy to access when we need, but still prevents unauthorized access when properly secured.
Final Thoughts on the Steelhead Outdoors Fast Access Pistol Box
Overall I’ve been very pleased with the Steelhead Outdoors Fast Access Pistol Box. While it’s quite a bit larger than I what most people will likely need, I think it’s a great representation of the features I desired in a quick access safe. If you’re looking for something strong, and easy to use, I have no issues recommending this safe to you.
MSRP is $300 on the Steelhead Outdoors Fast Access Pistol Box as of this writing. You can get yours directly from Steelhead >>HERE<<.
Author’s Note: Steelhead sent this product to me for purposes of a written review. N0 expectations of positive coverage was provided by either party.
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