How long does it take to break into a GunVault with hand tools?

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Years ago I got a “Gun Tests” magazine that did a review on pistol safes and how secure they actually were. This was in the early 90’s. I was surprised how easy it was to open some of the top selling handgun safes at the time with the proper application of basic hand tools. One popular safe that sold lots of units at gun shows and stores could be opened by dropping it or kicking it.

The one safe they couldn’t get open short of taking a big saw you it or a torch was the American Security pistol safe with the mechanical Simplex lock. I bought one. It still works after 30 years. My daughter has it now.
 
Theres a few videos floating around on You Tube showing people opening some of the personal security safes you see at Lowes, etc, with just a magnet.

Pays to do your homework with whatever it is youre looking at, and also to be realistic in your expectations.
 
Here is an issue that I have not seen other people mention in these discussions of safes. My home was burgled several years ago. The thief took the time to seach my garage and found a large sledgehammer and a large crowbar, which he then used to break two small safes loose from where they were bolted to the floor. The safes where then carried away to be opened later.

I now keep some of my large tools stored elsewhere.
 
Most gun cabinets, boxes, and safes have simple lock mechanisms. It's almost scary how little effort it takes for a skilled person with the right tools to pick the locks open. If there is a key, there is a pick - and picks aren't expensive clandestine tools sold in dark alleys these days. You can get a decent set of standard lock picks and practice locks for under $30. Add in a $25 set of tubular impressioning tools. It's a fun hobby to tinker with and helps out with all the miscellaneous junk I keep accumulating (people sell stuff awful cheap when the keys are lost).
 
I have had 2 electronic safes fail on me. Thankfully both had key or some sort of manual backup entry. The first one was an eVault and the failure was the spinning spindle that released the door latch. The other, not sure where that one failed. I have switched to a Simplex lock. Unfortunately that does not have a backup method so hopefully the lock makes up for the redundancy loss.
 
I've had an Amsec with Simplex lock for many years and it has worked great. It's .105" thick, so I'd guess 12 gauge steel. Solid construction, no battery issues, and quick access. I think it'd be pretty resistant to a hammer or hand attack (it has 2 large lag bolts going into a stud), but a sawzall or a sledge would make pretty quick work of it. As a compromise between speed of access and security/safety, I think it has its place - particularly if you have kids around or a spouse that won't accept a loaded firearm out.
 
Depends on the construction. For seven years (on and off ; seven total) I was a locksmith with companies that sold safes as well as locks and stuff. A real safe cannot be pried open without hydraulic equipment. Many gun 'cabinets' or storage devices are really reinforced wall lockers (with louvers not set) with a dial combination lock. They are useful for the smash and grab type thief, but no match if the thief has recon on the job. The 'safe' shown looks to have heat insulation, and is likely to be better at protecting from a fire than burglary.

A real safe will have walls and doors at least .375" thick, fire insulation and 'relockers' which make punching the lock mechanism pointless. Quick way to tell, if you and a buddy can put the safe in the pickup and take it home, it's a cabinet. A proper safe requires a fork lift and a 3/4 to one ton pickup or the equivalent.

I quit being a locksmith some thirty plus years ago now. I bought a gun safe about twelve years ago. Improvements to mechanisms, material and perhaps voodoo may have been made since then.
 
A safe broke at a place I used to work at. They hired a couple guys that specialize in opening safes to get it open. They brought large power tools made for opening safes. It took them 3 full days to get that safe open. The safe was destroyed in the process.
 
I have two of the small GunVault storage boxes. I keep the emergency key for each in the other GunVault so unless both fail at the same time I can always get into it to get my guns. Each is bolted from the inside into a sturdy piece of furniture. Obviously it will not stop a determined thief willing to spend some time, but that is not what these small "safes" are really for. They are keep curious kids from getting to my loaded handguns that I keep at the ready for home defense. I never felt that I could justify the cost of a "real" gun safe for my very small number of firearms.
 
Most quick access handgun safes are made with pretty thin steel. 14-16GA is common on electronic ones from China. Then again a lot of people say they aren't concerned with theft and they only need something to keep their kids out. My concern is that when the electronic ones fail, even if it's a battery, it will lock you out too and maybe right when you need access. In the dark and in the middle of the night the backup key is useless in an emergency.

If you go with a handgun safe with the very quick, reliable, and durable Simplex lock they are usually made of thicker steel as well. Thicker steel buys you more time, so if theft is a concern buy as much as possible and bolt it down to the slab next to your bed or at least something heavy. The thickest steel available on handgun safes is the FAS1 safes at 7GA on all sides and the door.

Just like full size safes and RSC's, all handgun safes are not created equal. You can decide what features are important to you and then buy accordingly.


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It's .105" thick, so I'd guess 12 gauge steel.

You guessed right. The actual measurment is .1046" but since it's rolled plate the measurement is going to vary. I wish I had ten bucks for every sheet of this stuff I've cut up and turned into various useful items like belt guards, etc. Throw in 14 and 10 guage and I could buy a nice gun.

If I were going to be a thief today I would add a battery powered angle grinder with a spare battery and a few cut-off wheels to my burglary tools.
 
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Most of my guns reside in a "real" safe which no one is taking unless they bring a crane. The GunVault pretty much was my "keep the gun away from curious kids" safe, and also traveled with us in the RV. The thing always did worry me, as I am the sort of codger who figures batteries will usually be dead when you most need them. And hey, how about that.

I think that I now am in the market for this sort of thing except with an analog "Simplex" push button lock. Anybody know of one?

I believe the FAS-1 is your answer (http://www.fas1safe.com/). Sturdily constricted in the U.S. with a mechanical Simplex lock. And the owner is a member here. They're going to be a little more expensive than some of the cheaply made ones, but they're a good value for the money. I've owned one for years, opened it at least once a day, and have had no issues.
 
No Chinese-made battery-powered "biometric" locks for me. How much insight does it take to see that it WILL eventually fail? Just a matter of time. And who will be locked out when it fails? The owner. Then he can cut the safe open with some type of grinder and blast metal filings everywhere into cracks, crevices, carpet, etc. so they can later rust and deface an area of his house. :)

For a simple, reliable, and somewhat inexpensive locking device on a box that is intended to keep kids and honest people out, it's Simplex for me.
 
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Many years ago I learned that hiding things works better than locking them up in a lightweight safe that just challenges many thieves, especially if the safe is small enough to pick up and carry away. I have built hiding places in empty furnace cabinets, air conditioners and freezers and in walls behind a false cold air return grille or a fake circuit breaker panel. Thieves see these things and move right along because they don't look like they contain anything worth stealing. Look around your house and see how many places you can build a hidey hole. They're everywhere if you have a little imagination. Look at the wall inside your closets above the closet door. Thieves will look in and rifle through your stuff but they never step inside and look up and back. I used to cut an opening in the drywall and put shelves in the wall cavity and lay handguns inside the wall until I could afford a real safe and now even that is out of view. If they can't see it they can't steal it. Most thieves will break in and tear through your house for only a few minutes and then get out. A chest or a drawer with a thin false bottom can hold handguns and cash.
 
As others have said, I like a Simplex lock now. Yes, someone can sit there and do all the possible combos of a Simplex if they have the time and are that person.

Not on all Simplex safes. ;)

The key lock (In&Out Lock) is an option for those that want it and only available on FAS1 safes.

In the "Neutral" position as pictured it does nothing and the Simplex lock works as normal.
In the "In" position it works as a backup entry by key only. This can easily be disabled by the user if they don't want key access.
In the "Out" position it works to deadbolt the Simplex lock so even if the correct code is entered it will not open until the key is back in the neutral position.

The lock is a Camlock T8 and has some great security features. It's not the typical backup lock used on electronic handgun safes.

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Sadly looks like these FAS safes are out of stock like every other peripheral gun item I want......

Yea, it's been tough for about a year now with Covid related supplier issues, but the worse is now past, I hope. The last vendor is almost caught up on our backorders and I will have all models in stock in the next few weeks. That will be the first time in over a year!

Currently in stock is the FAS1-Magnum, Magnum S, Magnum TL, MAX, and MAX XL safes.
 
I like it! As long as the theif doesn't realize I don't have a cat.... Nothing to see here guys!
Cat lives in my bedroom with me. Litter box, kitty litter and puppy training pads in plain sight. Now if he looks in the bedside stand, after getting past three good sized dogs, and my wife, he might find something.
 
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