Retrofit your GunVault with a better lock!

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Matt Payne said:
Some of you who have paid over $100 for this thing would rather give up on it or leave it vulnerable if it cost more than $10?
Click to expand...

Some of us can't afford to buy a $700-$1000 safe, so we have to make a compromise between price, need, and desired level of accessibility. I chose this because it wasn't too expensive, won't allow my son easy access, and held my handgun. Someday, I plan on upgrading to a nice, large safe that will hold much more, but I don't really need it and can't afford it at this time.

I live paycheck to paycheck, so if it's a difference between paying my bills or spending a few extra bucks to replace a flawed lock, I'm probably going to go with the bills. If someone breaks into my house, they're probably going to walk away with the safe and break into it elsewhere whether I change the lock or not.

This is not to say that I'm not interested, but a little hesitant to overpay for such a product.

Flashodad
 
Just so y'all know, I'm working on the replacement method and parts right now. I hope to have something ready for February 1.
 
Re:

Matt, first off thanks for attempting to do something that GunVault should be doing...I'd be in for a DIY solution for 20 bucks.....thanks....mack
 
gunvault lock

i have the sentinels that stack on made for wally world. it took about 3 months but they sent me replacement double cut flat key locks for my cabinets. 4 lock kits for free. do you have any way to compare the 2 cabinets? maybe the stack on locks will work in the gunvault cabinets. just an idea.
 
Update:

I've spent hours, and half a dozen pens, and I can't pick the danged lock.

I can -- and have -- picked standard keyway locks, so I know I'm not a total idiot -- at least about locks. :)

I also can't get in touch with anyone who has breached the GunVault.

I am beginning to suspect that the GunVault's rather tight return spring may deter the Bic pen approach.

If you (or anyone you knows) manages to open the safe without the key or code, I'd love to talk technique.

The way I see it, if I can't make a video showing the vulnerability, I can't sell the retrofit kit.

Thanks to everyone who has followed this issue. If I get further info, I'll let y'all know.
 
I did it at a gun show over a year ago where there was a guy selling them as pick proof. I opened six in about 5 minutes. I did have to use both ends of two pens since about the end are easily distorted and won't work more than once or twice.

As I recall I used a Bic Stic pen. I had to tap on the opposite end in order to get it to seat against the pins. And that a similar off-brand clone pen wouldn't do it. A different formula of plastic I think.

The only local store that carried them closed when the owner retired about a year ago. If I knew someone who owned one I'd try it again.

Sorry I can't be of any more help.
 
I wouldn't mind enhancing mine with a better lock if it's not too expensive, however I stopped using mine because it simply wouldn't hold the code properly. It NEVER worked for more than a couple of days.....regardless of new batteries. Sort of a problem to have a quick access that won't let you in :confused:
 
How did I miss this thread the first time around???

Matt, I'd be interested in an upgrade as well. Not an urgent thing for me. I only place my pistol in there when I'm at home and my daughter is about (14 month olds get into EVERYTHING!!!), but it would be nice if the need arose for longer term storage. I can see why people wouldn't want to pay much more than $10.00 though, especially if they're in my type situation. More to keep out curious hands as opposed to hard core storage and theft prevention. I would pay up to $20.00 though, that toddler is only going to get more curious and more creative as the years pass.

When the story first broke about that style lock, I was tempted to try it out on the Gunvault, but it's bolted to the bed (it's a heavy wooden frame) and I didn't feel like trying it upside down with just a few inches of space to work. Don't know if it's susceptible to the pen trick or not.

Thanks for working on this,

Chris

p.s. I saw a few mentions of the durability of the Gunvault. I've had mine 5 years, same batteries and still works great. Only problem I had was the rubber palm pad falling off twice the first year I owned it. Company sent a replacement pad the next day. Never needed to contact them again.
 
As I recall I used a Bic Stic pen. I had to tap on the opposite end in order to get it to seat against the pins. And that a similar off-brand clone pen wouldn't do it. A different formula of plastic I think.
Click to expand...

BluesBear, can you tell me anything else about your techniques? One good crank or a constant twisting? Press as you turn? Did you have to scrape or stretch the inside of the Bic to widen it?
 
I did this just a few days before I broke my back and that part of my life is still a little bit fuzzy.
As I recall I used the standard white Bic brand Stic model pen. The blue Bic pens are too small. And the off brand had a slightly different inside diameter.

I pulled off the ends and then I tapped the opposite end with my closed Leatherman to get it to seat in the lock. Then with light downward pressure you slowly turn and jiggle the pen at the same time. Once you start the lock turning you have it made.

I have also heard that your can hold the pen above flame just long enough to barely soften the plastic, it will conform to the "pins" better. But I have never tried it.


I'll start looking for a similar type of lock and see if I can do it again.
There's a lock shop close to one of the local gunshops. I'll try to drop in there and see if he's got any of these locks.

As so as I do I'll let you know.
 
Matt,
Thanks for doing this. I started the original thread, but had missed this one until today.

I might be willing to buy a DIY kit, even for $30.

I had been planning on taking my gun vault in to a lock smith and having a Medco lock fitted to it. I was figuring I might as well fix it right, once and for all. However those locks are expensive (I was expecting it to cost around $100), so I don't think many, if any, others would want to go that way. The only thing that had been holding me up was that the locksmith was only open week days, and I'd have to unbolt the gunvault from the floor.

At this point I guess I'll wait a while longer to see what you might come up with.
 
Shortly after this information about picking the circular locks with a bic pen came out, I tried to pick the ones on my old Homak gun locker and had no luck at all. I called a local locksmith and he told me to bring one of them in for him to look at. I took one of the locks, a 10 pack of the white bic stic pens and the printed instructions from the internet on how to pick the lock. He and I spent 15 minutes and ruined all 10 bic pens trying to open it and couldn't. The locks are too big to force a pen into without splitting it, and once the pen is forced in it's wedged so tight that it can't be turned. Using two halves or heating the pen produces the same results, it's too tight and the pen is too flimsy to twist the lock even if you do get it in.

After that I didn't know what to think, are my circular locks different than the ones that can be picked, or were we just doing it wrong?
 
I don't have the link to the site. However, I've seen the video where the vault was picked with a regular Bic pen.
 
i did it with the Kryptonite bike lock when the story first broke.
I just jammed then back of a ball point pen into the cyclinder lock thing. it as a little big, so the tube that makes up the body of the pen was stretched. I pushed down as I turned the plastic tube. 30 seconds later I had 1 unlocked Kryptonite U lock. I also had an unusable bike locking, because things misaligned and I couldn't couldn't get the key back into the lock to get re lock the thing
 
Matt,
OK, here's my final data point. I got sick of having a largely useless gunvault, so I bit the bullet (so to speak) and took it to a locksmith and had the original lock replaced with a Medeco. It cost $72 (or $78, I forget which and don't have my reciept with me), which is slightly more than half of what the Gunvault cost originally :fire:

I don't expect many others to follow my lead, just setting the bar, now you know worst case costs.

I used Floyd Security, 90th and Stevens, Bloomington MN, (952) 887-1199
 
Thanks for the info. Medeco locks are the gold standard.

Unlike most regular key locks are trivial to pick, once you have technique and tools. I've done it myself.

Apparently, with the Bic trick, you've got both technique and tools all sewn up.

So here's my question: Would anything less than a Medeco be an improvement?
 
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