Fort Knox(FTK-AUTO) Security Pistol Box for pistols, handgun, California DOJ Certified, Quick-Access Mechanical Lock, Heavy-Duty Steel

I am a huge fan of Fort Knox pistol boxes and Controlled Access Boxes. However, they are all too big for keeping inside my truck or my wifes Honda Element so I decided to try the Auto Pistol Box for use in my truck. There is nowhere to effectively hide it in my truck. Yes, the back seats fold up but that is not exactly a quick access location anymore if I have to get back there starting from the front seat. Eventually, I decided that I could place it directly in front of my chair on the floorboard. However that leaves a few potential problems.One: it is visible from the windows. I drive an F150 so the windows are pretty high and you would have to look directly inside with your face on the glass to see, but it is still visible.Two: it could shift forward and hurt my feet/ankles if I braked suddenly.Three: there is nowhere to bolt it down right in front of the drivers seatSo my solution to this was to use 3/8" steel braided cable and tether the box to the seat. There are lots of places under the seat where you can wind the cable around to use up the length and get a good strong hold on the box. The key is to leave very little slack so the box can not shift on you. To attach the cable and the box, use eye hole bolts through the four predrilled holes in the back of the box (which are already provided). This method is more than enough for snatch and grabs.So far, the box has been great. Ive driven in flip flops a few times and haven't gotten a scratch from the box. It does require that you pay attention to your feet getting in and out of the truck but other than that, its been a non-issue. I really like the box and sturdy it is.My real complaints are that I dont believe it keeps out moisture very well, and being an AUTO pistol box, the designers had better have known these wouldn't be inside nice airtight environments like inside a safe or closet. Being so small it is hard already to get a pistol inside this thing and adding some type of desiccant in there to prevent rust is just asking a lot of the very small size of this little box.I live in California currently and here it isn't legal to keep a loaded pistol in your vehicle. However, you can keep an unloaded pistol in your vehicle as long as it is in a locked container, and there is no law against having a loaded mag ready to go in the same locked container. So with a loaded mag, a pistol and the desiccant all in this little box it gets pretty cramped. Given how fast I can (and Ive practiced, believe me) get my Hi-Point*** out of this thing, I think it is definitely worth the money.After field testing my own box and how I mounted it, I bought another for my wifes vehicle which mounted even easier than mine, though not in the same location. That one has been just as solid as my own.*** BTW, dont hate on my Hi-Point. If Im leaving a gun inside my vehicle when Im not present, theres no way in hell Im going to be leaving a $2000 1911 or even a $600+ (ya thats what they cost in CA) glock.

Update: 1/28/13: I spoke with a rep from the company I purchased the safe from; professional, friendly, informative individual.... he informed me that the loose buttons on that locking mechanism is consistent across that model safe; and is different from the open top model; bigger; Fort Knox safe. He was willing to work with me regarding returning the safe, etc... but again cautioned me that if the feel of the buttons was the major issue, swapping it out was not going to make much of a difference. I would purchase from them again.Short Answer:3 stars because it works OKa couple scratches and dingsLocking mechanism was rebuild; - and the buttons hang; or are not solid&; as they are on my other Fort Knox safes.Long AnswerAs most; I expect products I purchase to be New; not in like New&; condition, this safe has a couple minor scratches, missing one of the pegs covering the mounting holes, and it is obvious the locking mechanism was rebuilt, the black buttons are very loose and hang a bit, which on occasion had made it necessary to reenter the code. This is a gun safe or that is what I want to use it for; and anytime you have to reenter a code to gain access it is not advantageous. I hesitate to return it, but I am considering it... the thought of having one chance to open this in time and having something like that preventing it from occurring is still a issue for me.On that note; I have purchased other Fort Knox pistol safes and the buttons and mechanisms did not appear to be rebuild and the buttons are solid; as one would expect. I did a; what I consider; a good amount of research before purchasing and Fort Knox seemed to be the best, especially considering how easily a lot of these gun safes are broken into.This may get regulated to less critical responsibilities; thinking about mounting it in my truck or just use it for additional valuables...

The box arrived quicker then I expected. The box is as advertised. In comparison to other vehicle vaults it is smaller, cheaper and leaves more room. Know that a pistol as large as a Glock 19 will fit but not anything larger. The safe is also great for wallets, cell phones, jewelry, etc., etc.. The directions for setting the combination and installation can be confusing so take your time. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because there are no detailed instructions on how to install the box in various types of vehicles. Just make sure that you anchor/attach it as solidly as possible. Other than that I will recommend this item to my friends.

The Ft. Knox is a must to secure my pistol in my car when I can't take my firearm with me. It's tough and a well made! All the interior sides (other than the door) are lined with carpet so your pistol doesn't get scratched. The simplex lock eliminates worries about fumbling with keys or worrying about batteries that might die. And it's easy to change the combination (as long as you know that the slot the directions talk about is the round pin / bracket that's sticking out of the side of the lock). Best of all, it's made in the USA! Great job Ft. Knox!One thing of note: Since the safe is relatively small, you may have to mount it in your car as shown in the product photo, and you'll have to place your full-size pistol in the safe diagonally. Make sure to lean it to the side that doesn't have the lock mechanism or else you won't be able to close the door. It takes a couple times to get used to. After that, worry free. :)