Masterlock and no key?

[S&W 25-2]

I have a handgun with a Masterlock #90 4-pin triggerlock on it. Locked. And the keys have been lost.

I went to Masterlock's website to see if I could order a replacement key, but instead it directs you to go to local stores (Home Depot, etc) that will use the serial number on the lock to make a new key... which is a great idea, except that with the lock in the locked mode NO SERIAL NUMBERS ARE VISIBLE on the outside of the lock anywhere.

Can a locksmith just drill this badboy? Has anyone ever drilled one themselves? I'm leery of drilling for fear of damaging the trigger or finish on gun (it's a family heirloom, which also leads to the problem that I don't have a 4473 showing ownership in my name, so I don't even know if a locksmith would give me a hardtime over that too, thinking it's maybe stolen?).

Any suggestions? What other options are out there that I'm overlooking?

 

[Duke of Doubt]

I owned two Masterlock trigger locks years ago, purchased years apart, and discovered by accident that the same key opened both. That might be what they are getting at by "serial number."

Not much of a safety or theft prevention device -- your teen just has to go to the store and buy a trigger lock, and he can open yours.

 

[psyopspec]

I had a friend that went through a situation similar to yours. He lined of the rim of the lock on the corner of a work bench and brought it down. Didn't take much force to pop the lock off, and no damage to the gun. Watched him do it, and it looked a lot easier than one might imagine.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Of course, you could always pick the lock. It's easier when there is no stress, no time crunch, no fear of being caught. Less fun, though. Sort of like sex.

And try lifting up the little rubber skirts on the inner surfaces of the locking halves. See if there are any serial numbers there.

Oh, and you could always try to find the keys. I guarantee they will be in the last place you look.

 

[deadin]

also leads to the problem that I don't have a 4473 showing ownership in my name

Nobody has a 4473 showing ownership in their possession. 4473's are kept at by the FFL that sold the gun. If you didn't buy it from a FFL, there is no 4473 in your name anywhere.

 

[Bozo]

Yes, I have drilled a masterlock open before. It was not on a gun though. Just be careful and don't slip.

 

[xsquidgator]

Pick the lock. I had the same problem, bought a rifle from a guy who put a (Masterlock) triggerlock on it and lost the key. I'd never picked a lock before, but I was able to do it in less than an hour.

Go to youtube and watch some of the lockpicking videos. You do need two tools that you may not have, a torque wrench and a "tickler" to move the tumblers. File down a small allen wrench flat on opposite sides to make the torque wrench, the videos will show you what it's supposed to look like. Use the straight portion of a bent paperclip to "tickle" the tumblers.

After I did it once and learned the trick to it, I was able to repeat it easily and after that it only takes a few seconds to pick. Watch the videos, it isn't difficult to reproduce what you see other people doing there.

 

[S&W 25-2]

Psyopspec-

Word up. I took a flatpoint 3/8 punch and put the point into the inside of the lock (small exposed part in front of the triggerguard), took a hammer, and two whacks drove the two parts of the lock apart. Took all of about 2 minutes.

Thanks for the suggestion.

PS- a little disturbing the "security" that Masterlock offered.

 

[psyopspec]

PS- a little disturbing the "security" that Masterlock offered.

My friend and I thought the same thing. His was an old single shot 12 gauge he'd inherited but didn't fire much. When a neighbor across the street got out of jail and started getting loud, threatening and drunk on his (said rabble rousing neighbor's) front lawn he called me and asked if I could loan him a long gun. While this guy was a shooting buddy, I hadn't known him that long so I settled for offering to help remove the lock and giving him a box of #4 buck. He didn't have a punch, so the first thing we tried was the tabletop idea. One or two whacks and the lock was defeated.

Neighbor ended up attracting the attention of the local constabulary and was back in the clink after being out for less than 5 hours.

 

[S&W 25-2]

Deadin-

4473 might not have been the term I was looking for. When you buy a handgun, you complete two forms; one of theose forms is in duplicate, which you get to keep a copy of. That was the one I was referring to. Not sure of the name.

And since the gun was passed down in the family, I don't have that, whatever it is called.

Regardless, I'm good to go now. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

 

[jakemccoy]

EDIT: Nevermind below. Yes, I need some sleep.

======

Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Is there are reason why nobody mentioned a bolt cutter yet?

 

[mp510]

I owned two Masterlock trigger locks years ago, purchased years apart, and discovered by accident that the same key opened both. That might be what they are getting at by "serial number."

I don't have any Master trigger locks, but I have one of their keyed bike locks. There is a numeric code stamped on the key. The instructions that came with the lock instructed the buyer to record that number in case they lost both keys, to obtain a replacement. I'm pretty there was a space for that code on the mail-in registration form too (Master used to insure their bike locks against theft).

 

[S&W 25-2]

Ha! No, a bolt cutter wouldn't have worked. It wasn't a cable-lock, it was a triggerguard lock (two oval shaped metal pieces with a bolt through the center, completely covers up the triggerguard). Wouldn't have been anything to cut.

 

[Hoppy590]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Is there are reason why nobody mentioned a bolt cutter yet?

seems to be a trigger lock. bolt cutters would only work by cutting your trigger guard off .

i believe its this style of lock

as for Masterlock's, and all locks in general, i learned locks only keep honest people honest. if you want to you can get a lock open easily.

a friend of mine could open the masterlock dial padlocks on our gym lockers with a shoe and a door stop wedge. i can do it with the thin aluminum from a soda can

 

[jakemccoy]

I imagine the trigger locks are more for legal reasons than anything else. In Cali with a Cali certified trigger lock, a kid will become the criminal if the kid goes through the trouble of breaking the lock and shooting someone. Otherwise, the gun owner would bear the brunt of the liability for a kid that hurts someone with an unlocked gun.

 

[GlowinPontiac]

I had one of these locks once. Left it on a .22 for a few months then went to take it off only to find out the lock seized up and would not allow me to even turn the key. (yes it was the correct key)

I put it in a drill press and drilled the stupid thing off in a minute with no damage to the rifle.

 

[Unistat]

Word up. I took a flatpoint 3/8 punch and put the point into the inside of the lock (small exposed part in front of the triggerguard), took a hammer, and two whacks drove the two parts of the lock apart. Took all of about 2 minutes.

Yeah, but picking locks is more fun, I'm glad my dad taught me how.

 

[ThomasT]

There was an article in "Guns" magazine that stated some of the US troops were getting Ruger P-89 pistols to use. They were giving the factory locks to the Iraqi citizens to lock up their bicycles with.

The soldier who reported this thought it was funny because all the locks used the same key.

 

[230RN]

Ten bucks says you find the keys this week.

 

[starboard]

Many problems in life are solved with abrasives. This sort of a lock would be more painful than a padlock, but in general even a wee little Dremel and a handful of cutoff wheels will cut just about anything (to a certain depth, of course) safely and effectively.

 

[230RN]

^
Between Dremel tools, duct tape, and WD-40, I estimate I have saved 4,894.7 Terry-Hours over my lifetime.

Terry, 230RN

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