V-Line Compact Handgun Safe Review

V-Line industries is based out of Simi Valley, California. They make all of their handgun safes right here in the USA. Overall, the quality is excellent and the Brute XD is the best mechanical handgun safe in the industry. Unfortunately, they didn’t apply the same protective housing to the V-Line Compact Handgun Safe. In this review, I’ll explain why you definitely want to upgrade to one of their better safes.

Lock – V-Line Compact Handgun Safe

First and always most important is the lock. V-Line uses the genuine Simplex mechanical push button lock with 1,081 different possible combinations. When installed and used correctly, this is a very reliable lock designed to last forever.

Punch Attack Problem

A few years ago, it was exposed that anyone could easily break into this style of handgun safe with a screwdriver and a hammer. V-Line responded and added a Steel bracket underneath the lock that renders this attack useless on the Top Draw XD and Brute XD but not on this model. I highly recommend upgrading to one of the above models to get this security features.

Security – V-Line Compact Handgun Safe

The security on the V-Line Compact Handgun Safe features an 18 gauge steel body and wrap around door that overlaps the body. The main difference between the Fort Knox Handgun Safes and V-Line, is that the V-line safes overlap covers the entire body and not just an inch creating more pry resistance. This safe is CA DOJ approved as a firearm safety device, which means it passed basic security testing and is authorized for the purpose of storing firearms in California.

However, 18 gauge steel is extremely thin and the entire safe weighs only 5 lbs. For reference, 16 gauge steel is the thickness of a penny and this is thinner.

There are also four bolt down holes on the bottom of the safe but the mounting hardware is not included. There is no steel dead bar or hooks on the hinge side and only a simple piano hinge.

Style and Function

The finish on the V-Line Compact Handgun Safe is a powder-coated black that is not the most attractive finish. It’s really the same as every low end imported gun safe from China. They include a foam backing on the door side which does not even cover the Simplex lock and egg crate foam on the bottom to protect your handguns. The sides are not foamed but when the door is closed it compresses the handgun into the foam so that it does not slide around.

Warranty

All V-Line safes come with a 1 year limited warranty. They will repair or replace the safe and gaurantee that it will be free from defects in material and workmanship. The lock also carries a one year warranty from the manufacturer. In my experience, V-Line is an easy and reliable company to work with. They stand behind their products with honesty and integrity.

The Bottom Line

For the price, the V-Line Compact Handgun Safe is a decent option but overall not something I would recommend due to its thin gauge steel, unprotected lock and lack of storage capacity.

With that said, the V-Line Top Draw XD and V-Line Brute XD handgun safes have heavier gauge steel with a protected lock. Finally, the V-Line Brute XD is my top recommendation for a mechanical handgun safe.