Are locked guns less likely to be stolen?

Do locked guns deter theft? (not in a gun safe)

  • Yes

    Votes: 17 21.8%

  • No

    Votes: 61 78.2%
  • Total voters
    78
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G

Gunsmoker

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Joined
Aug 27, 2006
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265
I don't have a gun safe, but have gun locks for all my firearms. I only have 3 firearms and live alone, so I keep my guns stashed away in condition 1 unlocked. If someone were to break-in and snoop around, they would eventually find my guns.

Logic dictates that the theif would see a locked gun and steal it anyway with hopes of breaking the lock in the comfort of their own home.

Maybe someone has evidence to prove or disprove this. So do locked guns (not in a gun safe) deter theft?
 
I doubt it.

Logic dictates that the theif would see a locked gun and steal it anyway with hopes of breaking the lock in the comfort of their own home.
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Yup. A cable lock is no obstacle at all. A trigger lock may be a bit harder to get off, but nothing that a dremel and some determination can't take care of.
 
_confining_ a gun, through some sort of device that binds it to a structure, might deter theft, so long as complication of breaking the chain/safe door/whatever exceeds time available and acceptable level of noise.

Simply locking it and leaving it portable won't prevent it from being stolen.

If anything, internal gun locks prevent the thief from even understanding that it is in fact locked when he steals it.
 
Same as other posters. Even internal locking devices are easy to defeat unless it uses a key more difficult to defeat than a hex key common to all the manufacturer's guns.

Now, if the lock weighed around 200 lbs., kinda like those gas station restroom keys attached to cinderblocks... :D
 
As a former LEO, I can tell you for a fact that a thief given the comfort of
time (and noise level) won't be detered my most means available; to include
a RSC (safe). If its portable, they will find a means to transport it; right out
of your own home~! :(:eek::uhoh:
 
I would think a thief wouldn't think twice about taking a gun with merely a cable or trigger lock on it. If it's portable and easily stolen without making a lot of noise, then one can worry about getting the lock(s) off later.

That's the advantage of a fixed gun safe. Even though with enough time, effort, and the right tools any gun safe can probably be broken into, the time and noise factors would probably deter most burglars or thieves from even trying (unless it's a portable hand-held safe, in which case he/she could then just steal the safe and try to break into it later and elsewhere).
 
No they'll take them anyway. It might prevent them from using it on the way back to their rat hole to cut the lock off but that's about it. They see guns as very portable paydays. A lock is just a minor irritation.
 
All it takes it a hacksaw and a couple crack heads to cut the bolts holding your $1000 safe in the ground and put it in the back of a truck. Happened to a house not to far from me a while back.
 
I'm a big fan of the show It Takes a Thief. For those who don't know, they have a former thief stage breakins at the homes of ordinary (willing) people, to demonstrate how inadequate their security is.

I've seen the guy walk off with a "safe" that wasn't bolted down, presumably to crack it at his leisure in his own garage. One time even he stole the guy's security system, and his dog. Nine times out of ten, the owners either don't lock their safes, or keep the keys/combinations right next to it, rendering it useless.

So, no, gun locks do nothing to prevent theft. The lock doesn't prevent it from walking off, and they can crack the lock in their own time.
 
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A large gun safe will at least "inconvenience" a smash and grab burgler, and make them make some noise and spend some time. Gun locks won't make any more difference than gift wrap.
Marty
 
IMO, gun locks are to keep children and inexperienced persons that would stumble on a gun in the house from loading and shooting it, not to prevent theft, so i voted no.
 
Originally posted by kermit315:
IMO, gun locks are to keep children and inexperienced persons that would stumble on a gun in the house from loading and shooting it, not to prevent theft, so i voted no.
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Originally posted by geekWithA.45:
_confining_ a gun, through some sort of device that binds it to a structure, might deter theft, so long as complication of breaking the chain/safe door/whatever exceeds time available and acceptable level of noise.

Simply locking it and leaving it portable won't prevent it from being stolen.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I voted no.
 
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