Quick Access Gun Safe

[okiephlyer]

I have used a GunVault model that has the tactile keypad for quick entry. Unfortunately, the cable that pulls the latch to open the vault broke. 2 friends had the same issue. The backup key still works, but I no longer have the easy access. So far, all the small safes/vaults that I have looked at use the same mechanism, which has a built in failure mode. Small cable being wrapped around a small shaft over and over again is going to break sometime, the only question is when.
Do any of you out there have something that works that doesn't use this kind of mechanism? I want a small safe, one or two pistol model, with tactile keypad or biometric entry.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[OC for ME]

I have used a GunVault model that has the tactile keypad for quick entry. Unfortunately, the cable that pulls the latch to open the vault broke. 2 friends had the same issue. The backup key still works, but I no longer have the easy access. So far, all the small safes/vaults that I have looked at use the same mechanism, which has a built in failure mode. Small cable being wrapped around a small shaft over and over again is going to break sometime, the only question is when.
Do any of you out there have something that works that doesn't use this kind of mechanism? I want a small safe, one or two pistol model, with tactile keypad or biometric entry.

Thanks in advance for your help.

I use the top drawer of my nightstand.

 

[okiephlyer]

I use the top drawer of my nightstand.

Which doesn't help in my situation at all.

 

[OC for ME]

Which doesn't help in my situation at all.

I know. Just providing a different perspective on firearms security in the home that may be an option to complicated mechanisms that could fail at the most inconvenient time.

 

[WalkingWolf]

I keep my handgun on my hip, safest place for it. No children at home so we keep a gun handy while we sleep. We raised five children and never had one of them touch the guns at home. I did keep them in a locked gun case though, except for the one on my hip.

 

[Chap]

I have a large stand alone gun safe. It has a spin dial with three numbers.

Just a suggestion, maybe you or others haven't thought of this before. Just enter all the numbers and stop right before the last number.

Example. - if your combo is -
Clear to left allot stop on 12
Right 3 times stop on 9
Left 2 times stop on 84
Turn right until dial stops then open

Just stop on 80 and leave it. If in a hurry turn left to 84 then right until dial stops and open retrieve gun.

A dial safe is easy to open this way. If someone messes with lock you will know. If your worried about light, I have a magnetic battery operated light an inch above the dial.

I know this isn't what your looking for. I don't trust battery locks. My truck safe is battery operated, I use my key rather thank punching in combo.

 

[WalkingWolf]

I have a large stand alone gun safe. It has a spin dial with three numbers.

Just a suggestion, maybe you or others haven't thought of this before. Just enter all the numbers and stop right before the last number.

Example. - if your combo is -
Clear to left allot stop on 12
Right 3 times stop on 9
Left 2 times stop on 84
Turn right until dial stops then open

Just stop on 80 and leave it. If in a hurry turn left to 84 then right until dial stops and open retrieve gun.

A dial safe is easy to open this way. If someone messes with lock you will know. If your worried about light, I have a magnetic battery operated light an inch above the dial.

I know this isn't what your looking for. I don't trust battery locks. My truck safe is battery operated, I use my key rather thank punching in combo.

UNLESS the person is under stress in low light conditions. I always like a key on a lanyard around the neck. Worked for years with my home key, and locker key. I also used it for the key to my gun case, and even now have a key to my gun safe around my neck. I think I started doing this because my mother would say "If you lose it, I am going to put a string around your neck with it".

 

[okiephlyer]

1. I have an upright gun safe with all but one of my guns in it. Due to the dynamics of the situation, it is in a different room from where I sleep.
2. There are children in the house, one of which wakes at night and walks in to our bedroom. I don't think she would pick up a gun laying on the nightstand, but the spouse isn't as trusting as I am. In the interest of marital harmony, a small gun safe by the bed is a compromise.
3. Any mechanical device, including a gun, is prone to breakage when you need it most. Granted, most guns used for self defense have been proven to be very reliable, but there is not a single one out there that every unit in all makes and all models have not had a failure at some point. ( I would love to be proven wrong on this last point )

So, back to the original question?

 

[thebigsd]

Mind posting a picture of what broke? I have a decent safe and it sounds like it opens differently but I'm not 100% sure what you're talking about...

 

[okiephlyer]

No picture available, but here goes. There is a small electric motor with a shaft that is about 1/16th of an inch diameter. The cable is swaged on to the shaft, so that as the shaft turns, the cable is wrapped around the shaft and pulls on the locking tab on the inside of the latch, opening the safe. With such a small diameter shaft, the cable gets tightly flexed each time the safe opens. After enough times flexing, the cable snaps at the shaft, so no pull on the latch. It is possible to re-attach the cable, but the same thing happens over again. At some point in time, the cable breaks again.
Every small, bedside type safe that I have looked at in the past couple of years has the same mechanism to actually unlatch the safe. There are many different versions of what you have to do to get the motor to turn, but is is always a small motor with a cable wrapped around the shaft that does the actual work.
What I want is something that has a different mechanism. Would prefer something that has tactile or biometrics, but would also look at a pure mechanical touchpad. Anyone know of such a thing?

 

[RogueWarrior]

I have used a GunVault model that has the tactile keypad for quick entry. Unfortunately, the cable that pulls the latch to open the vault broke. 2 friends had the same issue. The backup key still works, but I no longer have the easy access. So far, all the small safes/vaults that I have looked at use the same mechanism, which has a built in failure mode. Small cable being wrapped around a small shaft over and over again is going to break sometime, the only question is when.
Do any of you out there have something that works that doesn't use this kind of mechanism? I want a small safe, one or two pistol model, with tactile keypad or biometric entry.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Have a look at this site I have heard that they are a very good handgun safe ( and I have no afilliation with them )

https://www.ftknox.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=59

 

[CT WHIT]

http://www.fas1safe.com/main.sc

I have this safe between my bed and nightstand...gun is presented in a natural position. The safe is solid and has a simplex lock too.

CT WHIT good to be here

 

[okiephlyer]

http://www.fas1safe.com/main.sc

I have this safe between my bed and nightstand...gun is presented in a natural position. The safe is solid and has a simplex lock too.

CT WHIT good to be here

Welcome to the forum. This looks real promising.
Thanks to all that have given me something to work with. Your time and comments are appreciated.

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.]

http://www.fas1safe.com/main.sc

I have this safe between my bed and nightstand...gun is presented in a natural position. The safe is solid and has a simplex lock too.

CT WHIT good to be here

Welcome to the board!

I use something very similar to the above: http://www.titangunvault.com/

The safe comes with a couple mounting brackets (I have one installed using Loctite on my bed frame and one mounted in the car). You can also buy a separate box which will hold 1 magazine which can be permanently affixed to the side of the safe. I think it's a little pricey for what it is, but it works...

 

[davidmcbeth]

May as well just get a paper bag with scribble on it saying "don't touch" or "no gun in here" lol

GunVault has a fingerprint model ... FYI ~$125 - $150

Or just glue the key into the broken one ...

I can open any of these posted ones in about 2 seconds without the "key"

These are OK to keep toddlers out of them but so does a shelf about 5' high ...

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.]

May as well just get a paper bag with scribble on it saying "don't touch" or "no gun in here" lol

GunVault has a fingerprint model ... FYI ~$125 - $150

Or just glue the key into the broken one ...

I can open any of these posted ones in about 2 seconds without the "key"

These are OK to keep toddlers out of them but so does a shelf about 5' high ...

David,

I completely agree. A lot of these mini-safes are fairly easy to crack, so no one should expect them to stop an average criminal / older child from breaking into them when given a little time. Just for the sake of posterity, a Simplex lock has roughly between 1,000 - 2,000 combinations depending how you use them. You can run through all possible combinations in well under 30 minutes. For slightly increased security, I have a stand up dial combination safe which is bolted / cemented to the house foundation which is where I keep most of my firearms (even this can be defeated fairly easily with a little time and maybe some thermite).

The quick access safe is convenient to keep my "nightstand gun" a little bit more inaccessible to my kids during the night who occasionally wander in due do to various reasons. You're right, a high shelf would serve the same purpose, but the safe is, shall we say, common ground between my wife and I. Once I'm done getting ready in the morning, I take the firearm out of the quick-safe, holster it and then I'm off to work. It's not a safe I would want to keep a firearm in all day long to be sure....

I've seen a handful of videos online in regards to the GunVault line & many others showing how easy it is to defeat them. Anyone looking at these safes should definitely do a little research to see what the pros/cons are of each one and make an informed decision based upon capabilities and requirements.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Children are not the same as your common burglar, they have all the time they need, depending how determined they are. Safest place for a gun is in your immediate control. For sleeping I only used the system we were trained to use by the department, a very good padlock behind the trigger, and keep the handgun still in close proximity. I kept the key around my neck, it only took a split second to free the lock from behind the trigger. The rest of the firearms were kept in a locked gun case, with a alarm on the case that the children did not know about. That alarm never went off because they were taught not to touch the guns without adult supervision.

 

[Snoplop]

Have two of these http://www.fas1safe.com/main.sc ( I highly recommend them - built like a tank)

And (can't have too much storage) pondering one of these http://www.consolevault.com/secret-safe.html & maybe a console setup in one of the rigs.

Now we are contemplating a more secure set up like this. http://www.truckvault.com/ Spendy but secure storage if done right and due to the recent break in's at matches down south think its time to step up.

Which ever you choose - look for 'storage' with a simplex lock. Best value for fast access and no dead batteries.

For home in...an undisclosed location... have a vault door leading to a walk in safe - which I highly recommend

 

[WalkingWolf]

Have two of these http://www.fas1safe.com/main.sc ( I highly recommend them - built like a tank)

And (can't have too much storage) pondering one of these http://www.consolevault.com/secret-safe.html & maybe a console setup in one of the rigs.

Now we are contemplating a more secure set up like this. http://www.truckvault.com/ Spendy but secure storage if done right and due to the recent break in's at matches down south think its time to step up.

Which ever you choose - look for 'storage' with a simplex lock. Best value for fast access and no dead batteries.

For home in...an undisclosed location... have a vault door leading to a walk in safe - which I highly recommend

Decades back we put a deadbolt on the two older girls closet because the youngest daughter would snoop through their stuff. She was a determined little bugger but it stopped her from at least snooping their things.

 

[XD40sc]

Have one of these on each side of the bed. No battery to worry about, open it quickly, and by feel only, and holstered gun is presented to draw. Mine holds my XD40 4" with tactical light, and I can still store my EDC (XD40sc) in the bottom.

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