26 replies to this topic

[Jason]

I was wanting to get one of those mini handgun safes with the quick combo entry to put mount by the bed for home defense. Any recommendations? There seem to be a couple different options out there.Thanks.JasonAlso the best places to purchase one, average price would be helpful.Thanks.

[Camoghost]

Zombies?? Funny you should ask.. I just got mine yesterday.. I bought it on line @ Wal-Mart.com. It's a pretty awesome little safe.. I got the delux model (20.00 more) because it has a light and a few other little functions.. It's so easy to set up that Obama could even do it.. DOJ Approved. http://www.walmart.c...duct_id=4861130

[Hookum]

Get the bio safe lock. In a night time stress situation you'll may forget the combo. The bio wont forget your fingerprint and only you can open it.

[Jason]

Get the bio safe lock. In a night time stress situation you'll may forget the combo. The bio wont forget your fingerprint and only you can open it.

I like those ones but some people who own them say if your finger isn't in exactly the right place it won't open. Do you have one of these and have you experienced that?Thanks.

[CoyoteHuntress]

We have one that has 4 finger slots, you type out a certain pattern and it opens.. No light, no noise.. If its dead of night and pitch black last thing I would want is light to see by to come on so some burgler knows IM going for a gun..

[Mayhem]

Zombies?? Funny you should ask.. I just got mine yesterday.. I bought it on line @ Wal-Mart.com. It's a pretty awesome little safe.. I got the delux model (20.00 more) because it has a light and a few other little functions.. It's so easy to set up that Obama could even do it.. DOJ Approved. http://www.walmart.c...duct_id=4861130

My friend has one of these and he has nothing but trouble with it. He now uses a lockable cash box.I've seen some good in wall safes (that uses gravity to slide open the door). I'm considering getting one but my wife likes to rearrange the bedroom every couple of years.Another Idea is to use a nightstand and install a lock on the top Drawer or use a locking filing cabinet (there are some nice ones out there) . Leave it locked when your not home or not in your room and at night leave it locked but stick the key in it.DOJ be damned you still have to buy a lock with every gun purchase according to BATFE unless your lucky enough to find an FFL that either doesn't know or is willing to look the other way (Stay the heck away from Ronning arms in Modesto). And there is no law that requires you to secure your firearms. There is however a law that you can get in trouble if a minor gets a hold of your Unsecured firearm and does something stupid with it.If you have a business Buy 1 gun lock for your business. Sell it back to yourself for $.01 Give yourself a receipt and then right it off on your taxes as a loss. Show receipt when you pick up your gun. Sell gun back to your business at full price and repeat as needed.

[wannakillacoyote]

I have the Deluxe Gun-Vault like camoghost listed. I have had it for about a year and it has performed flawlessly. It is nice because it has a bunch of options/backups. It plugs in the wall, but also has a battery backup as well as a keyed backup. The light is nice depending on your setup/preference, but you CAN disable the light if you don't want it. The buttons CAN also beep when you push them, or the beep can be disabled as well.I have mine mounted to the top of my nightstand, though lots of people mount them vertically.In my household we still have little kids running around so mine stays locked at all times. Just a quick punch of some finger buttons and it's opened.Mine gets opened EVERY DAY since my carry weapon is also the one I keep at my bedside.So far I have had 0 problems with it.I also recommend the Deluxe size as the smallest one I think would be too cramped in the middle of the night.

[Mayhem]

The one my Friend has is Battery only. No AC. No light. Working with Computers for a living I tend to Shy away from electronic locks ... to many things can go wrong this is why I have a traditional combo lock on my big gunsafe and not the electronic key pad.Does your's come with a Key as a back to open the safe up (Not just as an additional lockout like on my big gunsafe) incase of total failure like the Battery being dead with the Power out, or the electronics frying out?

[Camoghost]

Yes, they come with a key for back up.. everyone seems to really like this safe from the reviews I have read.. Maybe your buddy got a lemon?

[Mayhem]

I think he did or he locked his key in the safe just before the battery died. I had a heck of a time getting it open. Had to use combined force of the combination with inertia and gravity to get open. Took allot of tries.

[loaders_loft]

Sounds like a risky proposition with a loaded gun inside. Hopefully the gun was certified "Not Unsafe"!!

[Jason]

Yea, if you lock the key in the safe and the batteries go bad, then you will probably have a small problem getting it open. Just a hunch, I'm not 100% on that, probably 99.9% sure but you never know. LOL!!

[Mayhem]

Yea, if you lock the key in the safe and the batteries go bad, then you will probably have a small problem getting it open. Just a hunch, I'm not 100% on that, probably 99.9% sure but you never know. LOL!!

I'm not sure what he did or if his even had a key or it came with a key. His batteries die really fast and he has had to make 3 or 4 tries to get it to open with fresh batteries and You have to open his to change the batteries. his is the same style but that doesn't mean its the same brand or type. his coulda been "MAD IN CHINA" (Yes I used MAD instead of Made)

[ShooterJohn]

If a key can open the safe it isn't safe. Even I can pick a pretty mean lock.

[wannakillacoyote]

Yep, the key is meant as a backup if the batteries or AC fails. I keep my key (it's one of those barrel keys) locked up inside my large rifle safe. These are more for preventing kids or someone else from quickly getting at the firearm while still allowing quick in the dark access.I'm not as worried about theft as I am the kids getting ahold of it. If a burglar had enough time, he could just tear apart my nightstand and walk out with the whole gun-vault (then open later at his convenience).It's a pretty good system with a couple backups.

[Hookum]

Personally I don't use one, never have and never will. (specifically one handgun) My kids have been brought up around guns and I never saw a reason not to have a handgun at the ready when and if I ever needed one. Actually I did once, burgler in my house, and was I sure glad it was there when I needed it. People ask me all the time and I tell them the law and the truth. It's no good to you locked up anywhere. Thats why politicians want them locked up. It's only in the kook states that it is an issue and here in the not so great state of Ca the kooks just don't want you to have the right to defend yourself or your family and use the law punitively to scare you into complince. I've been to many homes after a gun was used in the house. I have never seen someone prosecuted for a violation. The DAs that I've talked too usually just grin. However when the cameras are running , well that can cause him to stop the grinning. And yes I am a hypocrite, so what. I believe in the 2nd amendment not crooked politicians. And more LEOs than you know feel exactly the same way.

[wannakillacoyote]

I don't think you should change your beliefs or what you have and continue to do.I think it's a personal choice.It is ONLY IF an accident happens involving a minor that you COULD get in trouble.My worries are three fold:1. My kids have NOT been around firearms enough, my wife just recently saw the light and I have only had firearms back in the house for approx 6 years. So, my kids are NOT familiar with firearms enough (especially my little one).2. My kids have friends. My relatives and friends have kids. If ANY ONE of them were to get into my room and get ahold of a firearm, the results COULD be tragic. It doesn't matter how familiar those that live in your house are with firearms, kids are curious. It only takes one uneducated kid to ruin the rest of your or there life.3. Theft....Unless you ALWAYS transfer your bedside firearm to another safe or to your person, there is a handgun waiting to be taken by some smash and grab burglar. That's my thoughts and feelings on it. I look at as a compromise I am willing to live with. Hopefully my system is fast enough if the need should ever arise.

[Braz]

I currently have three handguns in various rooms of my house. They are all loaded and ready to go and each is very easy to get to. All three are on my CCW permit. Admittedly,I don't have kids running around the house, but when I did, I still had the handgun ready and available. Up a bit higher than now, but still available.

[grunt]

Cocked locked and ready to rock in every room of the house, but I also dont worry about kids where I live.

[Mayhem]

The only thing I see as wrong with a bunch of guns around the house is if you can get to them without a Combination or Key so can an intruder or anyone else. My friend that had the problem with his Mini Safe did that. I asked him Why? You can CCW on your own property without a Permit. Having multiple SECURE places to keep one gun is better then multiple Unsecure Guns about the house. I only use 1 or 2 handguns for self defense(would like to pick up a sig p239 .40)I've been thinking of putting in multible handgun safes around the house. Garage Near the man door, inwall near the front door and back sliding doors. one under my desk and one in on/under/or next to my bed.

[Hookum]

I agree with you WKC it's a personal choice and a tough one. The lock box sounds right for you and your family. That said, I feel you start teaching your children and wife the moment they are big enough to hold one. Notice I didn't say control one. I started my kids shooting M1 carbines and pistols at age 4. Always with me controlling the firearm. The reason is three fold. Not to fear them. How they function. And the damage they can do. Emphasis on the damage. With you in control it becomes fun for them because they feel secure. Then when they are big enough to shoot one by themselves it's a lot less work. Then you lay down the law to them and the wife. No horse play. No not paying attention. No exceptions!! Teach them the meaning of safety and enforce it without exceptions. The last two concerns, strange kids and theft. Gun storage books or picture boxes in walls are good choices. Alarms are for burglers (when your gone) guns are for dealing with the drug crazed ones looking for your wife or your life. I do struggle with the strange kid thing, but because I know my kids, and that I can trust them to do what they are told. No strange kid is ever allowed in my bedroom or gun room unless I or my wife is with them. No exceptions, ever. Hopefully you'll never need to use one in your home.

[wannakillacoyote]

ALL very good points Hookum. I grew up with firearms in the house as well as ALL my uncles and cousins had them. My wife on the other hand was the EXACT opposite. I spent my early married years in the Air Force with no kids and a handgun in the bedside drawer (ALWAYS). Once my son came along several years later, the idea of having a firearm around our son just freaked her out. So, for several years we were without firearms, yet still in the Air Force. Once I got out and back into the civilian population I finally convinced her that they weren't the evil things she thought they were. Her one rule was they were to be secured. We moved back here to Cali and wouldn't you know they have a law that pretty much say's the same thing.My collection has grown, but they are still all locked up (though I carry MOST of the time). It's only at bed time that my carry piece gets put to bed in the gun-vault.

[grunt]

The only thing I see as wrong with a bunch of guns around the house is if you can get to them without a Combination or Key so can an intruder or anyone else. My friend that had the problem with his Mini Safe did that. I asked him Why? You can CCW on your own property without a Permit. Having multiple SECURE places to keep one gun is better then multiple Unsecure Guns about the house.

You assume too much! I respectfully disagree with your statement. There are many clever ways of hiding a weapon in relitevly plain sight which stand a much better chance of going unnoticed than any of those handgunsafes mentioned earlier. If a perp breaks into your home while you not there you handgun will be gone along with you safe. Most of my weapons are kept in my Large rifle safe which would be next to impossible to remove from my home without a crane. Others are in hiden location throughout. WKC why would you put your handgun in a safe next to your be when you sleep at night. Are you worried about the kids entering unnoticed while you sleep to retreve your weapon? I sure wouldnt want to fumble with any safe while trying to awake from a slumber in a hurry.

[Hookum]

WKC, I guess I lucked out in the wife department. She came from a family of tree hugging, anti-guns, anti-hunting, anti-everything thats right or good in life. In a short time she started fishing then shooting then hunting. Now I have a cold blooded killer on my hands. Has her OWN dead head collection. And gun collection. Competes in skeet and IDPA pistol. Her family thinks shes gone over to the dark side and is totally nuts. But of course they never turn down a salmon, deer or elk meat. Go figure.

[Jason]

Well in my case I feel it is prudent to lock them up. I have little children and my wife watches my little nieces nearly every day. My kids also have their friends in and out of the house nearly every day. If I was there all the time to watch and we didn't have the little kids all over all the time then perhaps I wouldn't feel the need. Knowing my small children, the climb and get into everything. They would find it no matter where I hid it.

[wannakillacoyote]

WKC why would you put your handgun in a safe next to your be when you sleep at night. Are you worried about the kids entering unnoticed while you sleep to retreve your weapon? I sure wouldnt want to fumble with any safe while trying to awake from a slumber in a hurry.

Bingo!! That is exactly what I'm worried about. OR, what if I just had it in my drawer and then FORGOT it in my drawer for whatever reason. Then, get a call that afternoon that my son or his friend was in a gun related accident at my house.I understand what you guys are saying in that you have trained your kids. BUT, kids WILL be kids. Peer pressure isn't a made up thing. I KNOW that kids who have been properly trained on how to handle a firearm have either shot themselves or there friends etc. You hear about well educated ADULTS having ACCIDENTS where they thought the firearm was unloaded.I agree that it would be FASTER to have access to my handgun without a safe, BUT this is the next best thing.As for theft, YES, a burglar could and probably would take my gun-vault with my handgun in it. That's a risk I am willing to take for the convenience of the gunvault. My Large safe though, I doubt they would have the time as it is bolted down etc.

[jawbreaker]

It all boils down to the chances you are willing to take with your kids safety or like WKC said there friends, peer preasure from the friends etc. I personaly will keep my weapons locked up, the chances of your kids playing with your weapons and having an accident is much greater than having a home invasion and if not maybe you should move. Every gun related accident is just more ammo for the anti's and none of us want that. Ron.