The best grade 1 gun safes, compared.
Top pick: BILLCONCH BG-J11 – Highest score in the set, 67, from 4.7 and 2,525 reviews, with four opening methods named. No EN 1143-1 or BS 7558 line. Best value: movgul movgul-443B – About £96.16 against a score of 54, tied with the dearer TOPMEDA. USB-C and batteries are stated. The fingerprint is called unreliable in reviews. Updated October 2026.
A grade 1 gun safe, in UK trade, is a unit certified to BS EN 1143-1 resistance grade I. Certificate holders must store firearms and ammunition securely so far as reasonably practicable. None states EN 1143-1, BS 7558, Sold Secure, or a cash rating. Judge each row by a printed certificate, whether a shotgun would fit, and whether a key or a remains if the fingerprint fails. The [grade 1 gun safe buying guide](/hub/safes-and-secure-storage/grade-1-gun-safe/sub/grade-1-gun-safe-buying-guide) sets that certificate against a BS 7558 cabinet and a bedside lock box. Scores rank these eight listings against each other. A published table for EN 1143-1:2019 puts Grade I at 30 resistance units for partial access and 50 for complete access. That sits above Grade 0, listed in the same preview at 30 and 30, and below Grade II at 50 and 80. The certificate has to name the model and the lock. Silence in a listing means the grade is not shown. Weight, and the word steel, are not a grade.
A grade 1 gun safe, in UK trade, is a unit certified to BS EN 1143-1 resistance grade I. Certificate holders must store firearms and ammunition securely so far as reasonably practicable.
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Personal buying guide
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What are you comparing it for?
The BILLCONCH BG-J11 is the top pick inside this uncertified set because amazon.co.uk shows 4.7 from 2,525 reviews, the largest count here, at £134.43. It is a tabletop pistol box, 3.8 kg and 8.2 cm high, with fingerprint, PIN, app and a key, and a steel cable rather than anchor bolts. The stored reviews are from the United States. They describe a quick setup and a reader that works, and they also say it is not a heavy safe. One buyer found the black finish was only the front trim. Nothing in the listing is EN 1143-1 Grade I or BS 7558. Choose it for a short firearm you may lawfully keep at the bedside. Skip it for a shotgun certificate.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A nightstand or drawer for a short firearm, where you want fingerprint, PIN, app and a key.
Less suitable: A shotgun or rifle on certificate, or any insurer who asked for EN 1143-1 Grade I.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing name EN 1143-1 Grade I?
No. The listing does not mention EN 1143-1 or BS 7558. US reviews call it a deterrent rather than a heavy safe.
What opens it if the fingerprint fails?
The listing names a PIN, a phone app, and a key, plus a steel cable in the box.
Will a shotgun fit?
No. Outside height is 8.2 cm and the chamber height attribute is 2.99 inches. It is a handgun box.
The movgul movgul-443B is the best value in this set at £96.16, with 4.6 from 537 reviews. It is a flat pistol box, 3.62 kg, with a fingerprint reader, a password, keys, an LCD for temperature and humidity, batteries in the box and a USB-C port. The listing says freestanding, and no bolt kit is listed. One United Kingdom review says it arrived from the USA and kept items away from children. A Germany review calls the fingerprint unusable, and US reviews say it forgets the print after about a week while the other methods still work. The listing says it is sold from abroad and may differ. It is not a stated Grade I safe and it will not take a shotgun.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A lower spend on a flat pistol box if you will keep the key and the PIN as the real way in.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs the fingerprint to be the only control, or a cabinet for a shotgun.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing name a security grade?
No. EN 1143-1 and BS 7558 are not stated. The listing warns that international stock may differ from local products.
What if the fingerprint fails?
The listing also names a password and mechanical keys, and a USB-C port if the batteries are flat.
Are there UK reviews?
One stored review is from the United Kingdom on 11 March 2024 and says it arrived from the USA and worked. Other stored reviews are from Germany, the United States, and Australia, and several say the fingerprint is unreliable.
The TOPMEDA GS202 costs £133.98, close to the BILLCONCH, with 4.6 from 212 reviews. It adds a silent mode, an interior light, a stated 1800 mAh battery and USB-C, plus a cable and four screws. The title says four pistols. The listing says one large, two standard, or three small, and reviews agree that four full-size pistols do not fit. Fingerprints are reported lost after days or months, with the PIN or key still working. A USB cable is not in the box. One US review mentions a house fire. The listing has no fire standard and no EN 1143-1 or BS 7558 line. The same ASIN also sits in the grade 0 comparison. It remains an uncertified pistol box here.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A bedside box if you believe the listed capacity, not the four-pistol title, and you want a mute mode.
Less suitable: Four full-size pistols, a shotgun, or a buyer who treats a fire story as a rating.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it hold four pistols?
The title says four. The listing says one large handgun, two standard pistols, or three small ones. Reviewers with ordinary pistols say four do not fit.
Is it fire rated?
No fire standard is printed. One US review says a unit survived a house fire. That is an anecdote, not a test.
What is included to fix it?
A security cable and four screws. Mounting is freestanding or tabletop. It is not water resistant.
The HOLEWOR drop-down is the cheapest row at £48.90, with 4.5 from 138 reviews. The listing limits it to one handgun, with exterior 15 by 3 by 7.5 inches, which matches the centimetre attribute stood on end, and a weight of 3.86 kg. Access is fingerprint, a 6-digit code and a key. Stored reviews are from the United States. Fingerprint recognition is praised. The same texts complain about thin screws, a wobbling bracket, a door that does not close, and a beep that cannot be muted. The box contents are not listed. There is no security standard. It is a low spend for one pistol only if you can return it when the latch fails. It is not a grade 1 safe.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first look at a £49 drop-down box for one pistol, with a plan to check the latch before you drill.
Less suitable: A quiet bedroom, a shotgun, or anyone who needs the contents list before ordering.
Specifications
Common questions
How many guns does it claim?
The listing says one standard handgun or a larger pistol. Chamber depth is 3 inches. The capacity attribute copies 3.86 kg, which is the weight.
What do reviews say about the mount?
US reviews praise left, right, or top mounting. They also mention thin bracket screws, wobble, and a door that would not close after the holes were drilled.
Is a grade stated?
No. EN 1143-1 and BS 7558 are absent. Contents of the box are not listed.
This movgul is the drop-down bedside box at £101.14, with 4.5 from 125 reviews, all stored texts from the United States. Outside size is 19 by 7 by 39.6 cm and weight is 4.05 kg. Opening is fingerprint, password or key, with USB-C, an LCD and a silent mode in the listing. Wall mounting is the stated type. A desk install was called sturdy. Another buyer called the top bracket flimsy and added a second bracket. Unlocking took several tries for one reviewer. The model field is a long code rather than a trade name, and the item count is 2 without naming the second piece. The capacity cell repeats 4.08 kg. It is a single-pistol mount, not a grade 1 cabinet.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Under a desk or beside a bed for one pistol, if you check the bracket before you rely on it.
Less suitable: A shotgun, or a buyer who needs a litre capacity rather than a kilogram copied into that field.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it be mounted on a wall?
The mounting type says wall mount. The listing says the bracket can go on the left, the right, or the top. One US review calls the top bracket flimsy.
What is the capacity figure?
The capacity attribute is 4.08 kg, which matches the weight scale, not a volume. Reviews describe one pistol, including a 1911.
Is a grade printed?
No. EN 1143-1 and BS 7558 are not in the listing. It is not water resistant.
The FTOP CTCO1 is the dearest pistol box at £181.90, with 4.4 from 234 reviews, and the stored texts are from the United States. It is sold as a clock-faced drawer with fingerprint, PIN, two keys, a security cable, wireless charging, and a temperature and humidity display. The listing says two handguns or one handgun and magazines, at 12.7 by 9.5 by 3.4 inches. The centimetre attribute is 32.3 by 32.3 by 8.6 cm, which does not convert from those inches. Reviews like the disguise and a fast drawer. They complain about a clock that gains time, a bright display, slow humidity readings, fingerprints that need many tries, and charging that fails with a case on. Country of origin is China. No security grade is stated. Pay the premium only if the disguise is the point, and measure the nightstand against both size lines.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A nightstand where you want the box to look like a clock, and you can check the size before you buy.
Less suitable: A measured cupboard, a shotgun, or a buyer who needs the wireless charger to be reliable.
Specifications
Common questions
Which outside size is right?
The listing says 12.7 by 9.5 by 3.4 inches. The size attribute says 32.3 by 32.3 by 8.6 cm. 9.5 inches is about 24 cm, not 32.3 cm, so the two lines disagree.
Does wireless charging work with a phone case?
The listing claims watch and phone charging. A US review says you must remove the case and that overnight charging was not trusted.
Is it certified Grade I?
No. It is ranked in Cabinet Safes, origin China, with no EN 1143-1 or BS 7558 line. It is a disguised drawer, not a shotgun cabinet.
The ZLJUAN LT-307 is a 2.27 kg portable box at £96.39, with 4.4 from 130 reviews labelled United States or Canada. The listing gives an interior height of 2 inches and claims one pistol and clips or two pistols, up to 20 fingerprints, and a silent mode. The box includes a steel cable, a USB cable and two keys. Reviews mention a car seat and an easy PIN. They also say the fingerprint is forgotten every couple of weeks, the battery compartment is hard to find, and one buyer thought a screwdriver would open the shell. There is no EN 1143-1 or BS 7558 line. Use it as a travelling lock for a short firearm you may possess. Do not use it as certificate storage for a shotgun.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Travel or a car seat for one small pistol, with the cable used and the key kept.
Less suitable: Home certificate storage, two full-size pistols, or a shotgun.
Specifications
Common questions
Does a USB cable come with it?
Yes. The included-components line lists a USB cable, a steel cable, and two backup keys.
How thick is the interior?
The listing says interior height is 2 inches. It also says one pistol and clips, or two pistols.
Is it a certified safe?
No standard is stated. It is not water resistant. One US review says a screwdriver would open it and kept the box as a backup.
The KAER W396 is the only product here sold as a cabinet for 4–5 rifles or shotguns. amazon.co.uk shows £799.96 and 4.2 from 582 reviews. The height attribute is 137.9 cm and the weight is 31 kg. The listing names a fingerprint reader, a 9-digit PIN, two emergency keys, an emergency battery and four anchor bolts. The same listing also says freestanding and table top, and the lock field contains the word Jumpsuit, which is not a lock. The external inch size is cut off. Stored reviews are from the United States. Several praise the space. Others say the fingerprint misses, the steel is thin, or the hinges are weak. It is the long-gun row in this comparison. It is not a stated Grade I safe, and a specialist certified cabinet sits on a different shelf.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Someone comparing a tall uncertified rifle cabinet on amazon.co.uk, who will still ask their firearms enquiry officer.
Less suitable: Anyone whose insurer or force has asked for a named EN 1143-1 Grade I certificate.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing name EN 1143-1 Grade I?
No. There is no EN 1143-1, BS 7558, or Sold Secure line. The price is £799.96 and the weight is 31 kg.
How is it fixed?
The listing includes four anchor bolts. The installation field says freestanding and the mounting field says table top, so the fixing story conflicts.
Will a shotgun fit?
The listing says up to 4–5 rifles, and the height attribute is 137.9 cm. That is the only long-gun claim in this set. The grade is still not stated.
On 16 October 2026 each of the eight amazon.co.uk listings was scored in five parts that add up to 100, then cut by a deduction. Stars are up to 30, review volume up to 25, listing clarity up to 20, the stated job up to 15, and the price in this set up to 10. Every row loses 8 because neither EN 1143-1 nor BS 7558 is named. There was no attack test and no fire test. A badge means top pick or best value inside this uncertified set.
Amazon stars
30%Up to 30, rounded half up: the amazon.co.uk star average divided by 5, times 30. A 4.7 becomes 28. This is not the star line times 20.
Review volume
25%Up to 25 from the amazon.co.uk review count. 1,000 or more scores 25. 200 to 999 scores 16. 100 to 199 scores 10.
Listing clarity
20%Up to 20 when the lock, the fixing, the power method, and the capacity can be followed. A cut-off size, a kilogram copied into capacity, or an unrelated word in the lock field lowers this part.
Stated job
15%Up to 15. A tall cabinet sold for 4–5 rifles scores 14. A consistent one-pistol box scores 6. A title that fights the capacity, or an outside size that fights itself, scores 5.
Price in this set
10%Up to 10 from the shelf price in these extracts. About £49 scores 10. About £96 scores 8. About £101 or £134 scores 7. £181.90 scores 3. £799.96 scores 4.
Start with the certificate, not the category name. BS EN 1143-1 Grade I is a tested resistance grade. A bedside lock box that never prints the standard is a different product, even when the title says gun safe. Then match the internal size to the firearm, and check a second way in when the fingerprint fails. Prices in this set run from about £48.90 to about £799.96 on amazon.co.uk.
A grade 1 gun safe, in UK trade, is a unit certified to BS EN 1143-1 resistance grade I. A published table for EN 1143-1:2019 puts Grade I at 30 resistance units for partial access and 50 for complete access. That sits above Grade 0, listed in the same preview at 30 and 30, and below Grade II at 50 and 80. The certificate has to name the model and the lock. Silence in a listing means the grade is not shown. Weight, and the word steel, are not a grade.
Grade I means BS EN 1143-1 resistance grade I on a certificate for that model and lock. None of these eight listings states it. Weight and the word steel do not fill the gap, and a review that says police approved is not your force’s decision.
Seven rows are flat or drop-down boxes under about 5 kg. Only the KAER W396 is sold for 4–5 rifles, at 137.9 cm, and even that listing has no BS 7558 or EN 1143-1 line. Measure the firearm before you treat a title as capacity.
Reviews in this set describe prints that are forgotten after days or weeks, and sensors that need several tries. Keep a PIN or a key as the way in. A house-fire story on the TOPMEDA is an anecdote. The listing has no fire standard.
Look for BS EN 1143-1 Grade I on a certificate for that model and lock. The 2019 table preview puts Grade I at 30 resistance units for partial access and 50 for complete access, above Grade 0 and below Grade II. The Home Office handbook points a new domestic cabinet at BS 7558:1992, fixed to the building, and names EN 1143-1 Grades 1, 2 or 3 for a higher-risk case rather than as the default. De Raat’s indicative Grade 1 line is £10,000 cash and £100,000 valuables.
Seven kept listings are pistol boxes. HOLEWOR and one movgul drop down for a single pistol. BILLCONCH is a flat box with an app as well as a PIN and a key. FTOP is a clock-faced drawer whose two outside-size lines do not convert. KAER W396 is the 31 kg cabinet sold for 4–5 rifles, with anchor bolts named and freestanding and table-top fields that clash. Fingerprint-only access fails in reviews when the sensor forgets a print or the battery dies.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a flat pistol box with more than one way in, and you will treat the review count as the tie-break inside this uncertified set. The BILLCONCH BG-J11 is about £134.43, with 4.7 from 2,525 reviews, a steel cable, and no stated grade.
You want a flat pistol box under about £100 and you will use the password and the key if the fingerprint fails. The movgul movgul-443B is about £96.16, with 4.6 from 537 reviews, batteries and a USB-C port, and no bolts listed.
You are comparing a tall cabinet sold for 4–5 rifles and you will still ask the firearms enquiry officer. The KAER W396 is about £799.96, 137.9 cm high and 31 kg. The listing does not name EN 1143-1 or BS 7558.
The top pick in this uncertified set is the BILLCONCH BG-J11 at about £134.43. It has the highest editorial score, 67, on 4.7 from 2,525 amazon.co.uk reviews, with fingerprint, PIN, app and a key. The stored reviews are from the United States, and they describe a deterrent rather than a heavy safe. The best value is the movgul movgul-443B at about £96.16. It ties the TOPMEDA GS202 at 54 and costs less, with a password and keys beside the fingerprint. None of the eight listings names EN 1143-1 Grade I. A shotgun on a certificate needs a cabinet your firearms enquiry officer accepts, which this set does not demonstrate.
BILLCONCH BG-J11
Highest score in the set, 67, from 4.7 and 2,525 reviews, with four opening methods named. No EN 1143-1 or BS 7558 line.
movgul movgul-443B
About £96.16 against a score of 54, tied with the dearer TOPMEDA. USB-C and batteries are stated. The fingerprint is called unreliable in reviews.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources on firearms storage, BS 7558 and EN 1143-1. Listing prices and star counts are from the amazon.co.uk extracts kept for this comparison. Prices move. Last checked 16 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Scores follow the published method for these eight listings. They are not a laboratory attack test or a fire test.
