Securing Your Guns at Home - A Lesson

[ZigZagZeke]

I'll admit I'm highly biased on this subject. Spending most of my adult life either as an electrician or tinkering with electronics I just don't trust them with my life.

I'd take a pointy stick over a "smart gun" and go analog safes over digital for the same reason.

I am also a journeyman electrician, and a journeyman control technician, journeyman instrument technician, and journeyman metering technician (30 years in power plants), and I agree about trusting electronics with your life. But in some cases you take your chances because the alternatives aren't workable, or are too expensive, or are just overkill. What I've got is way better than nothing, and as long as its limitations are recognized it's pretty good. What I don't like are manufacturers that sell you the illusion of security or quick access. I've seen videos of toddlers opening some of those low end pistol safes by banging them on the floor in just the right direction. I examined the mechanism in the one I've got and I'm pretty well satisfied that it's toddler proof. Some I looked at hold the locking bar in place with just a spring, which can be overcome with a hard bump on a solid object. Those should not be legal to sell, IMHO.

 

[pdxcode]

I write software for a living and have a lot of faith in simple electronics, and batteries. That said, I bought a safe with a dial combination lock because I didn't want the kids to "borrow" my keys in the future or something.

I am also in the market for an easy-access handgun safe and have been flipping coins on biometric or push-button combination. I want it to be quiet and easy to open in the dark so this thread certainly interests me.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

well lets take it a step further. I have been looking for a good hand gun vault and haven't found one that I really like. Does anyone have any suggestions maybe ones that they are really happy with? Because having the fire arm in a safe in my shop does me NO good if the need should arise.

Well, not a direct answer, because I don't like the small, portable, handgun safes. Steal the safe, you've stolen the gun!
These days, I use my carry pistol on my night stand and I carry at home!
The exception, of course, is if the safe is securely bolted down. I keep a 12ga in my closet in a ShotLock that is bolted to the wall. Could it be ripped off the wall, sure, but they'd better bring they're lunch! Could kids do it, no chance.

 

[pdxcode]

I also don't like the idea of a small safe that can wander off.

My plan is to bolt the little safe to the top of my big safe. Maybe I'm overthinking things lol!

 

[11Charlie]

Well, not a direct answer, because I don't like the small, portable, handgun safes. Steal the safe, you've stolen the gun!
These days, I use my carry pistol on my night stand and I carry at home!
The exception, of course, is if the safe is securely bolted down. I keep a 12ga in my closet in a ShotLoc that is bolted to the wall. Could it be ripped off the wall, sure, but they'd better bring they're lunch! Could kids do it, no chance.

a safe walking off was my thought exactly! That's why I wanted to find something that could be mounted to the wall but still have quick easy access. Of course if I left town I would either bring it with me or put it in my big safe depending on my travels.

 

[UserNameInUse]

I really like the idea of a small cabinet for a few carry and home defense pistols and magazines that get taken out often. I haven't found the perfect one yet.

I think that safes in the videos were much improved a couple years ago. None of the videos I've seen have the newer lock style with the black faceplate. There are lots of videos of kids turning the older keylocks with paper clips and the new one has a better key lock. Of course, it could be they just haven't been out long enough for people to figure them out and make videos.

The inertia method of opening them doesn't work so well if it is bolted to something solid. I think the issue is the stronger the spring in the solenoid is, the faster the batteries will die so they are pretty light. I agree that if you don't bolt these down they are useless.

Stack-On | Products | PERSONAL SAFE – ELECTRONIC LOCK

I am sure I am going to get beaten up because of the brand name, but I think this time they came up with a pretty decent product for the price. It is not a safe, but does serve a purpose.

One feature it has that is lacking in most other safes is you can turn off the keypad beeps. Other things I wish it had are a lighted keypad and an interior light, but I haven't been able to find one with all those features.

BiMart has these for, I think, $59, maybe $69.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I forgot to mention that, ShotLock makes a wide variety of bolt down handgun safes. Good luck on your solution!

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

I have a locked method of storing one of my guns for ready access, and I unlock it each night at bedtime. I'd rather use a more dedicated storage solution in the bedroom. My brother uses this GunVault model and really likes it - it's at the top of my list. I believe @PlayboyPenguin uses the same one if I'm not mistaken.

SVB500 SpeedVault | GunVault | GunVault

View attachment 316822

Yup

 

[U8395279]

Sorry, but if an intruder has already got into your home, then you have not done your job right in securing your home, in my opinion. Home security systems are not that expensive anymore. You can get yourself a super easy to install wireless system from simplisafe for the cost of a nice handgun.

SimpliSafe: Home Security Systems

An intruder would actually have to work hard just to get to the point of tripping my alarm system. I've got a nice tall fence with a padlocked gate denying access to the sides of my house and the backyard, which is where most prowlers enter a home. All of my doors and most of my windows have enhanced locks installed. My front door has an additional security door installed on the outside, so I can actually answer my front door, without someone being able to then force their way in.

And if someone does break through all of that, my burglar alarm has two sensors that can detect the sound of breaking glass. Every door and window has a sensor that will alarm if they are opened. And then there are 3 motion detector sensors to detect movement inside the house. And on top of all of that, I have not one, not two, but three sirens that then go off if the alarm is tripped. Two on the inside of the house, and another one up on the roof. It is quite deafening, and has really upset my neighbors the two times that I accidentally tripped it myself. That has been the only downside of having it.

.

 

[U8395279]

Here is the booking photo of the home intruder in this incident:

 

[U8395279]

I Google-mapped the address of this home that was broken into, and sure enough, their backyard was not protected. Burglars always go for the homes that are easy to break into. All they have for a fence is a short wire fence to keep their small dogs inside the backyard. Any prowler could easily hop over such a low fence. And once inside the backyard, this intruder was then able to work on breaking open the home's backdoor, hidden from view from the street.

Anyone with a home should really invest in a good fence. I've only had two incidents at my own home that I know of. Twice real late at night after midnight, I've heard violent attempts to force open the side gate to access my backyard. However, I keep the gate padlocked, and the combination of the high fence and the locked gate immediately stopped the prowlers in their tracks both times.

Here is a photo of the home in this incident:




I've done this before for burglaries reported locally. And the homes that are hit invariably have poorly protected backyards, just like this house did. And once inside your backyard, a burglar can then work on breaking in, out of sight from the street.

Burglars are rather lazy criminals. If you make things tough on them, they are going to pass your home and victimize someone else instead.

 

[Joe13]

I am also a journeyman electrician, and a journeyman control technician, journeyman instrument technician, and journeyman metering technician (30 years in power plants), and I agree about trusting electronics with your life. But in some cases you take your chances because the alternatives aren't workable, or are too expensive, or are just overkill. What I've got is way better than nothing, and as long as its limitations are recognized it's pretty good. What I don't like are manufacturers that sell you the illusion of security or quick access. I've seen videos of toddlers opening some of those low end pistol safes by banging them on the floor in just the right direction. I examined the mechanism in the one I've got and I'm pretty well satisfied that it's toddler proof. Some I looked at hold the locking bar in place with just a spring, which can be overcome with a hard bump on a solid object. Those should not be legal to sell, IMHO.

Agreed, I'm just saying if you have a choice between an analog lock vs something with electronics then the electrical one is uncountably more likely to fail when you need it...

No one needs to explain financial crunches to me after making 6 figures for most of 2 decades I'm now broke as can be, in some debt and looking at barely more then minimum wage jobs to get by right now. (My training and degrees are very specific and I don't want to travel the states fixing other people's problems while not being home...)

So obviously if all you can afford is a basic electrical safe then that's what you should get.

I only have the one I do because someone spent $200 on an analog safe and then never used and I got it from him on CL for $60 (about what the electric safes cost).

I don't need to open and close mine everyday and have the combo burned into my head so absolutely your personal situation is going to come into play.

I was just stating my distaste for the electric safes and my recommendation will always be to go with a mechanical lock.

 

[Joe13]

Well, not a direct answer, because I don't like the small, portable, handgun safes. Steal the safe, you've stolen the gun!
These days, I use my carry pistol on my night stand and I carry at home!
The exception, of course, is if the safe is securely bolted down. I keep a 12ga in my closet in a ShotLock that is bolted to the wall. Could it be ripped off the wall, sure, but they'd better bring they're lunch! Could kids do it, no chance.

View attachment 316850

Mines bolted to a real wood dresser and I can barely slide the thing so even a couple large healthy dudes will have some issues getting it out of my house - even with the drawers out.

Although battery powered chop saws with a $20 metal blade will take out most small safes pretty fast if you know what your doing.

 

[Joe13]

I also don't like the idea of a small safe that can wander off.

My plan is to bolt the little safe to the top of my big safe. Maybe I'm overthinking things lol!

JB weld in the corners and it will never come off.

Been meaning to do that myself.

 

[scott_see]

In my opinion, the best safe is IWB. A distant second best is the bedside table with me within reach. The only time I leave my gun at risk of being found by another person is when I pee at night. I'm a quick pee'er, so I'm willing to take that risk. No kids in the house, by the way. Just a wife who doesn't pry.

 

[Camelfilter]

Lots if great info here (as usual). Thanks!

My pistol safe is one of those small ones (forget the brand now) with a round type key. The nifty feature of it, it has a looped cable. At home I loop it around metal shelving. In whichever vehicle (if I need it) I loop it around a seat post.

- for lighting in the big safe & ammo cabinet, I picked up a six pack of AA powered mini puck lights from Costco. They're push on / off OR remote control. $20 for the pack, with batteries.

 

[clearconscience]

I need to figure out something soon too.
I like the trigger locks but it doesn't fit on my glock with the light on it.

I've been keeping it on my upper shelf of the closet, but my daughter is almost 4 and I know they will always find a way to get whaever you don't want them to. She's always been really good at common sense and listening, but I don't want to find out the hard way.

I keep a couple guns around the house for this type of thing. Intruder upstairs, I have a gun in the kitchen, and vise versa.
But I do want to get the security system and camera system along with a couple gun safes, that will be bolted down. I also want to get a AR shotlock for the bedroom closet.

But nothing beats a gun in the hand. With these crazy times and things only getting worse. You almost have to carry even when home in your tighty whities.

When I'm at home I usually wear just a Tshirt and workout shorts so carrying isn't that easy

 

[scott_see]

But nothing beats a gun in the hand. With these crazy times and things only getting worse. You almost have to carry even when home in your tighty whities.
When I'm at home I usually wear just a Tshirt and workout shorts so carrying isn't that easy

A belly band or kangaroo holster would definitely work for this. Unless you're buck naked, there's always a way.

 

[clearconscience]

True thats a good idea.

 

[scott_see]

Now when I'm buck naked I don't have to worry about it. It's not a pretty picture, and that in and of itself would scare anyone away.