Gun safe regrets.....what are yours ???

Dub

Senior Member
Specifically....do you have any regrets on the type of lock you have ?

Essentially....would a keypad lock deter you from buying one model over another without the keypad ????






Oldschool dial owner here....sometimes wish I had the convenience of the keypad access.


Admittedly I'm somewhat ignorant to the type of keypads available......I assume there are some that are more secure than others.


Are they solely battery powered....or are they dual-powered with AC/DC juice (like many home alarm systems ) ??



My current gunsafe is a standard dial model. Getting into it requires me to leave a pair of reading glasses on top of my safe....and a flashlight. Not complaining...but sometimes I do wish for the ease of access that the keypad seems to offer. Current safe will stay right where it is. It's a perfect size for what it does. Just thinking of adding one in another location inside the house.



I know the gun safe topic has been kicked around a pile of times on here.....but technology being what it is....figured I'd ask for current thoughts on keypads.




Disclaimer: I'm under no illusion that any "safe" in my budget will protect my guns & documents from a full blown house total fire.....nor will it stop a couple of determined & experienced thieves. Just kicking the tires on some models available that fit within the size & budget scope and valued opinions specifically on experience with the lock types.
 

Nimrod71

Senior Member
I guess I am just showing my age, but I am still a dial man. I know the key pads are faster and easier to use but the dial has stood the test of time. The vault door I used for 45 years was built in 1935 and it is still working today.

Several of my friends have padded safes and are very happy with them. The pad safes seem to operate fine, you just have to change the battery from time to time and they do have safeties to allow for opening when the battery doesn't work. That was always my question.

I know what you are talking about with the glasses and flashlight, I too have to use those as well. I would add another thing to the dial problems, as we get older I hands don't work as well and a simple shake can mean you have to start over with the combo, this can lead to frustration and anger and a mental boil over.

I think one is just as safe as the other. The pad is faster and easier to use. The dial is time consuming and more pronoun to errors in numbers thereby taking more time to open.

The answer: What ever floats your boat. Good question Dub.
 

Geezer Ray

Senior Member
You said,
My current gunsafe is a standard dial model. Getting into it requires me to leave a pair of reading glasses on top of my safe....and a flashlight. Not complaining...but sometimes I do wish for the ease of access that the keypad seems to offer. Current safe will stay right where it is. It's a perfect size for what it does. Just thinking of adding one in another location inside the house.

If you had a key pad could you see it with out your glasses? Both mine are old school dials, and, just happy to have them because I sure can't afford one now. (retired)
 

Rich M

Senior Member
I have trouble with the combination gym lock style locks so have always had a key pad.

What we did was buy the key pad versions that had a spare key.

Had a key pad go once and the manufacturer sold us a $25 key that went behind the key pad to open it. I had already been funkying in there and it didn't work. We bought a new safe with key option and then did something to gain access into the old safe - took a bit of effort but it worked.

I wouldn't buy one without a backup key. YMMV
 
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Jester896

Senior Clown
Getting into it requires me to leave a pair of reading glasses on top of my safe....and a flashlight. Not complaining...but sometimes I do wish for the ease of access that the keypad seems to offer.

AMSEC makes a lower cost single user electronic lock that is backlit when you press a digit. Sounds like it would take care of both of your issues. I meets the same UL Group II requirements that your dial lock does I do believe.

if the batteries are under the keypad there shouldn't ever be a battery issue.
 

Skeeter XRi

Senior Member
My regret is that mine are to big to move without hiring a moving company. One is still at X's house.
What Big7 said. I don’t have an X, but after moving the big safe to the new place a year and a half ago, 2-3 “normal” sized safes make more sense if you ever relocate.

jim
 

Nimrod71

Senior Member
If renting buy small easily moved models, if buying a home just figure to big as you can get model into the cost of the home.
 
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marlin

Senior Member
I have one with a key pad. I think I have replaced the battery two or three times in the 7 or 8 years I’ve had it. It may malfunction tomorrow but I have been satisfied with mine so far. I too would have to have reading glasses to use the dial type.
 

SC Hunter

Senior Member
I have an 80 gun Cannon with the keypad. I know I could get into it if I were a burglar with some tools and a little time. But between dogs, security system and a retired neighbor who's nosey I feel secure. When we move I'm going to take the safe with me or put it at my parents until we build in a few years.

I've got guns filling 1 side and the other side slap full of ammo. I really like the safe we have now but I'd like to have an 8x8 room with racks on the walls and a reloading bench. I know the older I get the more guns I'll accumulate.?
 

HughW2

Senior Member
As noted biggest regret is not having a bigger safe.
Dial man too! Don’t have to worry about power or battery backup with a digital keypad.
 

bullgator

Senior Member
I have both. The pros/cons are a wash with me, I don’t have a preference. I do wish my first safe had fire protection.
 
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sleepr71

Senior Member
For those of you with the bigger safes…are they on Concrete slabs? Or,did you go under the house & reinforce the floor? I can’t imagine a 500-1,000lb Safe sitting stationary wouldn’t cause the floor to sag/fail ?
 
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