What Type of SAFE do You Prefer?

What Type of Gun Safe do you Prefer??

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I have tried some but most seem to be VERY picky about where you stop which I think would cause problems whe in a hurry.
 
The dial. I'd be too worried about any electronic means failing, and keys are easily found/stolen.

I have tried some but most seem to be VERY picky about where you stop which I think would cause problems whe in a hurry.
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That's why you don't keep anything in it that you need access to quickly.

If the reason for the safe is because you have kids around, then keep your pistol on you (assuming you have a pistol) and store the rest in the safe. That way the pistol is always under your control, and the kids don't have access to the others.
 
Both my safes have the key pad. Neither has ever given me any trouble whatsoever. And I like the speed with which I can open my safe.
 
All right..

Pull over....

before the safe police show up... you must know that these are not safes. they are Residential Security Containers. If you call them Safes, there are people who will puff out their chests and turn blue and explain that anything without 20 ft of solid steel and weighs more than the space shuttle, just isn't a safe.

So, I insist you go back and edit all of your content and remove that word from your posts. You must use the persnickity approved term, like RSC.

Because, we must be precise.

:evil:
 
before the safe police show up... you must know that these are not safes. they are Residential Security Containers.
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Not all safes are residential security containers, and not all residential security containers are safes. Residential Security Container is a feel good rating issued by UL and means little. Some gun safes have the rating, other don't. I wouldn't base my buying decision on that sticker.

If you call them Safes, there are people who will puff out their chests and turn blue and explain that anything without 20 ft of solid steel and weighs more than the space shuttle, just isn't a safe.
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I call them safes...even though they aren't. And they don't have to have more than 20 ft of steel....just a little more than a commercial countertop or shovel. Essentially, anything that doesn't say "gauge" after the number.

As far as the locks:

Mechanical (Dial Locks) are slower to use, and require a little precision. They must be periodically maintained by a locksmith, and require a locksmith to perform a warranty authorized combination change. They also tend to last for a long time. UL listed locks are your best bet.

Electronic (Key Pad Locks) are faster and easier to use. They can not be maintained, as you replace the entire unit when something goes bad. Customers can change their own combination, but the service life is much shorter than the mechanical versions. UL listed locks are your best bet.

Key locks are very simple to use, and can be quite secure. You don't see good key locks on many gun safes, and keys can often be misplaced. UL listed locks are your best bet.

Key locking dials do little to add any security to the safe. Key locks are designed for dual custody or day locking features. Usually the locks are built into the outer portion of the dial, which is often knocked entirely off during an attempted burglary.

I use mechanical locks on almost every safe I have. My girlfriend likes the electronic locks on her safes. I have never had to drill any of our safes open.
 
Key pad.

I no longer have any feeling in My fingers. Neurological problems. It works for Me.......Essex
 
What does that mean, a1abdj?
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Lock servicing would include inspection of the lock, proper lubrication, and inspection of the inner workings of the safe.

It's not something the owner can do him/her self?
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Not really. Most of the do it yourself maintenance can cause a lock out, resulting in much higher costs in having a locksmith open the safe.

How often should it be done?
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The locks have moving parts, and like any other machine with moving parts, requires inspection, lubrication, and adjustment.

If the safe is in commercial use I suggest at least once a year. If it's in a home and you open it once a week, every couple of years is fine.

Shouldn't cost more than $100.
 
I prefer the keypad.

My safe is used for the secure (as secure as a Cannon C23 can be) storage of my guns. Emphasis on "storage". It's not a quick-access safe, nor should it be. I have no intention of accessing it during a time-critical emergency like a break-in (I live in a studio apartment with the safe in the closet). If I have a few minutes to prepare, such as if there's a zombie attack in the city, then I'd open the safe and get the long guns.

My pistol is kept on my person, or in a quick-access lockbox mounted to my bed frame. It goes in the big safe when I go on vacation or otherwise won't be around for a while.

I like the keypad, as I sometimes need to access the safe numerous times throughout the day, and it beats dialing in the combination. It's a lot faster than the dial.

I keep a spare 9V battery nearby, so if the battery in the keypad goes flat I can change it quickly. The keypad has a low-battery alarm that will sound before the battery gets too low to operate the mechanism. I've considered getting one of those lithium 9V batteries made by Ultralife that are used in smoke detectors and whatnot, as the keypad is a pretty low-draw device. Even if it only lasts 5 years, that's still pretty good.

In the event that there's some huge catastrophe and the keypad is rendered inoperable, I could cut or pry open the safe in a few hours with a saw and a crowbar. It won't be easy, but it could be done. Hardly the end of the world.

Conclusion: Either one is perfectly suitable and reliable with proper maintenance (change batteries when they get low, just like smoke detectors). Get whichever one meets your needs.
 
Just for the record, and not that it matters in the cosmic scheme of things...

But I don't ever, and I mean EVER... respond to any poll here that shows who voted for what.

I personally prefer the anonymous ones.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go adjust my tinfoil hat.

I just hate the way it messes up my hair, though.

:cool:
 
I have found that a dial is quite fast if you know the combo and how to work the lock.

It's also much faster than waiting on a locksmith to drill your safe because a keypad has fried and locked you out.
 
I could cut or pry open the safe in a few hours with a saw and a crowbar. It won't be easy, but it could be done. Hardly the end of the world.
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Only if you took multiple 15 minute breaks in between working :D

It's also much faster than waiting on a locksmith to drill your safe because a keypad has fried and locked you out.
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Although it decreases the security, mechanical locks can be set to 1 or 2 numbers instead of 3 or 4. This also decreases the effort and time required to open the safe.
 
Although my own full size gun safe has a mechanical combination dial on it, my "go-to" handgun (when things go bump in the night) resides in a small bedroom safe with a quick access digital key pad.

One thing I don't like about the small safe is the fact that the buttons beep when you push them and there is no way to turn that feature off.
 
I just bought a SentrySafe fire/security safe today that has a big dial on it. Putting in the combo is easy enough, but what kind of annoys me is the ticking of the dial. I'm going to hold onto it for a few days and then decide if I'm going to keep it. As other threads discuss, no safe is completely safe, so maybe I'll return this one for a cheaper (non-fire safe) one.
 
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