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Choosing a trigger lock that fits your unloaded firearm

By the Plain Prepper editors. Updated 2026-10-17.

We research products from makers' specs, manuals and safety agencies; we do not run hands-on tests. Links to Amazon may earn us a commission at no cost to you. How this works.

Quick answer

Compare the Master Lock 90DSPT for keyed entry, the Master Lock 94DSPT for a resettable combination, and the Lockdown 1118826 for another combination option. Choose by documented firearm compatibility before choosing keys or dials. Project ChildSafe says no single lock fits every firearm and a gun lock is an extra precaution alongside secure storage. Never fit a lock to a loaded firearm.

Compare the entry methods

Model	Entry	Check first
90DSPT	Key	Key control
94DSPT	Combination	Dial access
1118826	Combination	Firearm fit

These are accessory locks for an unloaded firearm, not containers that conceal or anchor the whole firearm. We compared maker documentation and current listings; we have not used these products. None earns a universal fit or theft prevention promise here.

Fit comes before the key or combination

Write down the firearm maker and exact model before shopping. Ask its maker which locking device it recommends, then compare that answer with the lock instructions. Project ChildSafe specifically warns that no single lock fits all firearms. A category label such as handgun, rifle or shotgun is not a compatibility list.

A lock that appears to close is not enough evidence to improvise around the trigger guard. If the instructions do not establish a suitable fit, stop and ask the firearm maker or a qualified firearms professional. Do not alter the firearm or modify the lock to make it work. This guide deliberately leaves installation to those exact instructions.

Keys and combinations create different household tasks

A keyed lock gives you a physical item to manage. The 90DSPT is the keyed different version; check that the listing uses that code if you do not want the keyed alike version. Decide where the key will be secured before ordering. A key stored beside the firearm defeats the point of controlling access.

A combination lock removes that key management task but adds another: keeping the code private and available to the responsible adult who needs it. Choose the 94DSPT if its three dial format suits you, or compare the Lockdown combination model. There is no basis in the opened sources to rank their resistance to forced attack. We do not do so.

What the pads and body specifications tell you

Master Lock lists steel and zinc bodies and protective rubber pads on its trigger locks. Lockdown describes rubberized pads at the contact points. These are maker descriptions of construction and finish protection, not our durability measurements. They do not establish a fit for an unusual trigger guard.

Do not choose by the biggest list of reassuring adjectives. Decide whether you want keyed or combination entry, verify the model and instructions, and check what arrives before use. If the packaging names another model, ask the seller for clarification rather than relying on photographs that look similar.

A lock belongs inside a secure storage plan

Project ChildSafe recommends unloaded firearms in a locked cabinet, safe, vault or storage case, with ammunition locked separately. It describes a gun lock as an additional precaution, not a substitute for secure storage. ATF likewise advises keeping firearms inaccessible to children and ammunition secured away from them.

Use the handgun safe guide to compare compact lock boxes if you also need an enclosure. A pistol case serves a different buying decision; check its own locking provisions. A trigger lock by itself does not secure the whole firearm to a fixed structure or establish compliance with every local requirement.

Before ordering and when to skip these options

Check the exact code, entry method and pack quantity in the current listing. Single locks, keyed alike sets and combination multipacks can sit beside each other in search results. Order the format you can manage consistently, rather than extra units you do not need. Keep the lock instructions with your firearm paperwork.

Skip these picks if you cannot establish compatibility, if you need an enclosure or anchoring solution instead, or if no responsible adult can manage the key or combination securely. Follow applicable storage requirements and the firearm manual. This is a buying comparison, not a lock installation procedure or a guarantee that unauthorized access is impossible.

What to look for when you buy

Questions people ask

Can I put a trigger lock on a loaded gun?

No. Project ChildSafe says to make sure a firearm is completely unloaded before installing any gun lock. Follow your firearm and lock instructions.

Does one trigger lock fit every firearm?

No. Project ChildSafe says no single lock fits all firearms. Ask the firearm maker for the recommended device when fit is uncertain.

Is a combination lock better than a keyed lock?

Choose according to the access method you can manage securely. The opened maker pages do not establish an attack resistance comparison between these picks.

Does a trigger lock replace a safe?

No. Project ChildSafe describes it as an extra precaution alongside secure storage. Keep firearms unloaded and ammunition locked separately.

Sources

• 90DSPT keyed trigger lock (masterlock.com), Master Lock
• 94DSPT combination trigger lock (masterlock.com), Master Lock
• Combination trigger lock 1118826 (lockdown.com), Lockdown
• Ten tips for firearm safety in your home (projectchildsafe.org), Project ChildSafe
• Safety kit brochure, locking device warnings (projectchildsafe.org), Project ChildSafe
• Firearms handling and storage (atf.gov), ATF

Sources checked 2026-10-17.