The lock on your gun cabinet can be picked in seconds

[rickysays]

I found a free gun cabinet on Facebook Marketplace yesterday. Solid metal unit from Cabela's with a standard lock but no key (the seller's renters had left it along with a bunch of other junk when they were evicted). Brought it home, drilled out the lock and replaced it with a new lock for which I had a key.



Drilling out the lock took a couple of minutes and made a lot of noise... but it was pretty easy to do.

I also received a lock picking set yesterday that I bought from Amazon. It came with a couple of locks to practice with, and after an hour or so I was able to consistently open those locks within a few seconds. I also went back to the lock I had just installed on my gun cabinet and was able to pick it in under 10 seconds.

So basically as a complete amateur I was able to quietly pick my own lock in less time than it would take for my garage door to fully open.

I wanted to share this to pop any false security bubbles you might be relying on if you think your guns are safe in a standard key locked gun cabinet. If that gun cabinet is in your garage, and your garage door hasn't been secured (see my other thread about how thieves can open your garage door in 6 seconds: https://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/ammo-storage-cabinet.365048/#post-2895343), then it will only take thieves a couple of minutes to get in and out with your guns.

I also wanted to ask you to share what type of gun cabinet lock you use and/or recommend... that hopefully is more secure than what I am using

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[Stomper]

Yeahbutt, you're assuming that typical low-brow thieves can actually read.....

 

[arrowshooter]

Thanks for the tip, but your next step up is a real safe. I have four of StackOn versions of your cabinet that I use for items other than guns, but the first couple that I bought I installed a couple of latches with keyed padlocks on each. This addition will not stop a properly equipped thief, but will slow them down.

 

[BigDog67]

Both of my cabinets have tube/barrel keys. Still just steel cabinets, but there are OTHER deterrents.

 

[Gbirk]

Pretty much all locks can be picked in seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/c/lockpickinglawyer/videos

A few minutes of watching this guys videos will provide some insight into how ineffective a lock is against a skilled picker.
Locks are similar to gun laws. They keep honest people honest and do nothing to stop criminals.

That said, unless you bolted that safe down a hand cart will be faster.

 

[rickysays]

Thanks for the tip, but your next step up is a real safe. I have four of StackOn versions of your cabinet that I use for items other than guns, but the first couple that I bought I installed a couple of latches with keyed padlocks on each. This addition will not stop a properly equipped thief, but will slow them down.

Would you mind posting a photo of your latches? I've been looking for something more secure... and I do have a Master padlock that is much harder to pick.

 

[Stomper]

Both of my cabinets have tube/barrel keys. Still just steel cabinets, but there are OTHER deterrents.

View attachment 849092

YUP!!

 

[arrowshooter]

Main goal was to make a crowbar less effective.

 

[Camelfilter]

Main goal was to make a crowbar less effective.

View attachment 849113

Yup.

Anything to deter simple grab & go crime is a win!

Even better with layered security, watchful "good" neighbors etc etc

Targeted, skilled thievery is a completely different realm. However, do its rarity, a realm remarkably less likely for most folks to have to consider countering.

IMO

 

[wollzy]

Pretty much all locks can be picked in seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/c/lockpickinglawyer/videos

A few minutes of watching this guys videos will provide some insight into how ineffective a lock is against a skilled picker.
Locks are similar to gun laws. They keep honest people honest and do nothing to stop criminals.

That said, unless you bolted that safe down a hand cart will be faster.

The LockPickingLawyer isn't human though...it's not fair when he busts out "The pick that bosnian bill and I made"

 

[Alexx1401]

<SIGH>
This gets beat up on the net on a fairly regular basis. Many seem to live in a cave as it's "new to them"
Unless someone wants to have a vault like many banks have, no the safe is not going to stop all thieves. That is not what a gun safe is for. What they (gun safes) are for?
1. They can and do slow down the average dope head who does a smash and grab looking for anything they can pack off.
2. They give the gun owner a lot of protection from the slip and fall ambulance chasers. One famous case for this, which is only one, was one of the early "school shootings". Really demented "kid" used a cutting torch to get his Grandfathers safe open to get the guns used. He (Grandfather) was of course sued. Case was promptly tossed as the guns were "secured" .
3. So being as many either can not, or will not, spend the kind of cash that would get you a decent car to buy a "safe", ANY "safe" beats having nothing because they read on the net the gun safes do not work.

 

[rickysays]

We are in the middle of a home remodeling project and I'm seriously thinking of which wall I can build in a hidden gun and ammo storage unit.

Wife doesn't want guns in the house though, so it might have to be something I hide in my downstairs crawlspace (almost basement height, and I rigged an hvac vent down there and fully inslated it, so it's somewhat the same temp as the house at all times).

 

[User 1234]

I would explain to your wife that the most secure storage for guns is likely to be inside the house. Storing them in a crawl space that is accessible from outside the home is less secure and could lead to rust.

 

[41mag]

Wife doesn't want guns in the house though,

so they're not 'in' the house, they're 'in' the safe.......

 

[Nosferatu]

This just in: Windows don't keep your car secure!

 

[rickysays]

so they're not 'in' the house, they're 'in' the safe.......

Combined with a promise to keep ammo separate from the guns... might just do the trick...

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Gun locks, gun cabinets and even gun safes are quite acessible if the thieves have the time and tools. Its more to prevent smash and grabs. An angle grinder, crow bar and time can allow thieves into most safes.

 

[P7M13]

YUP!!

View attachment 849108

Angry that he was born with a big head, but not the one that counts when it matters....

 

[CRBMoA]

If your gun cabinet is not in your actual domicile, it is not a gun safe - it is a Busy Box for a thief.

 

[cigars]

[QUOTE="rickysays, post: 2900373, member: 66412"
Wife doesn't want guns in the house though,
[/QUOTE]
Yeah I had that same problem. Wife 2.0 fixed that.