Quick access pistol storage

[Dobber]

Since I have a very young son who is rapidly becoming a young lad, my strategy of storing my handguns out of his reach will soon be invalid.  I normally store most of them in a safe, but generally have one out as a 'just in case' defense piece, stored high on a shelf where I can get at it quickly.

Since keeping them all locked in the safe renders them less useful in a pinch, I have been looking for a quick access storage location.  In my quest I have come across a thing called the Secure Logic Wall Vault.  This little jobbie mounts in the wall between studs and uses a biometric fingerprint access that instantly drops the door open.  It is easily hidden behind a picture and certainly easy enough for the wife to figure out, unlike many finger press combination boxes at night. Being skeptical of new technology, I was curious if anyone has any experience with this nifty little box, and can share how nifty or not so nifty it really is.  More info can be found at www(dot)wall-vault(dot)com.  I have found a source well below list price.  Comment please...

[bigyimmy]

I have a “safe” fetish and continue to buy safes and read about them.  I check them out often when I am out.  The fingerprint technology on the safe you are talking about uses a basic finger print to open the safe.  What I mean by that is it only picks up a few points of your fingerprint.  It is good technology and works well.  I do however recommend you buy a safe that also has a digital entry keypad for back up.  Most of these finger print safes do.  One more tip is program so it will open using both your left and right index finger.  The reason for that is if you cut your finger it can throw off the safe recognizing your finger print and could fail to open.  My little ones are bigger now, but I have always felt if you buy a gun then buy a lockable storage device.  You can buy quick access handgun safes very reasonably and have guns stored safely in multiple parts of your home and instant access to each of them.  No kid will ever die because they were able to get to my gun and kill themselves.  Best of luck with your safe choice and your new family.


-Also check out Costco for floor safes that use fingerprints to open.

-I am on my fourth house.  I left wallsafes that I installed in two of them.  It may be more practical for one to buy the quick access type portable gun safe.

[sslater]

I'm with bigyimmy on the "safe" fetish.
1. Between-the-studs unit w/digital keypad in my home office.
(I saved the hunk of drywall and replaced it when I moved.  My wife says I'm cheap.  Hey - that thing cost a bunch & the buyer got a good deal even without the safe!  )
2. Beautiful cherry wood-covered bedside unit with clock radio and digital keypad.
3. Console mounted unit w/Simplex lock in my vehicle.
4. Gunsafe for long guns.

All have been trouble free, which is a good thing because the companies that made 1.) & 2.) have gone out of business.

I learned my lesson and bought 3.) & 4.) from a local safe company that has been in business for many years.  The owner is a shooter and even sells high end shotguns at his safe business.  (Can you believe there are $100,000+ shotguns!)

Steve

[sslater]

Dobber,
One other thing - if your son is more than a year old, buy that rapid-entry safe NOW!!  Little kids are unbelieveable in their ability to get into impossible places.  I was climbing before I could walk very well.  The top shelf in a kitchen cabinet was no challenge - especially if there was candy in there.  Poor Mom couldn't believe the stuff my twin brother & I got into.
In modern times, my grandson could unlock cabinets and work combination locks before he was three.  At seven, he's computer self-sufficient.  Unreal.

[Newt]

Try www.handgunsafe.com !

[Dobber]

Thanks Newt but I already have one of these.  Not to diss on my wife or anything, but I doubt anything would be coming out of that box under panic at night while I am away; lefty with bad eyesight, etc..  If the keys were lighted maybe, but I need something quicker and easier.  Besides they cost about as much as the non-fingerprint, lighted keypad version of the wall-vault.  My handgunsafe has moved to the car trunk a while back.

Anyone aware of any such box perhaps with a lighted keypad? I am fine with a permanent mount, but need security and ease of entry as high priorities.  There was a company years ago called Ranger Gun Safes, but I cannot seem to find any trace of them now.  Similar lighted keypad and stud mount, but with swinging door.  Anyone familiar with any of these?

[Newt]

I have a Mossburg lighted key pad safe that uses 9volt(2) batteries. I use the mechanical lock boxes in my vehicles for quick access. The lighted key pad safe needs a battery change every 2-3 mos. ,it is a quality product but I would rather have the mechanical lock. I would sell the lighted key pad safe if you are interested.

[Aglifter]

By no means do I think you shouldn't keep your guns locked up from your kids, but -- my father didn't, nor did my grandfather -- but there were drawers in their bedrooms that children were NOT allowed in.  I was also introduced to guns at about 3 -- nothing complex, etc, but just basic rules -- I also wasn't allowed to ever point a toy gun at a person, unless it was one of those Nerf, things.  

I don't mean to say that you shouldn't have a safe -- but as an earlier post alluded to -- kids can get into almost anything -- and it's also very important to have them familiar w. guns, and know that they are NEVER to go near them/touch them without an adult around.

[bigyimmy]

I taught my kids the same thing.  I used the NRA's Eddie Eagle.  I doubt if many of their friends that come to visit them have been taught.  One must be careful with unlocked guns.  Civil and criminal penalties not to mention the mental burden of having an innocent child or a careless adult injured with your weapon could be detrimental.  I always said if you can not afford the tip do not go to the restaurant.  If you can not afford the fence for you pool do not install the pool and if you can not afford to secure your weapon don't buy it.  I feel for me it is just prudent.  Maybe it is just the old Eagle Scout in me that wants to “be prepared”.  I do realize some folks may have situations where it is not needed for them to secure a weapon.  They may live alone and never have youngsters around.
Respectfully,
Jim

[Richard S]

My mother gave me my late father's .22 rifle when I was nine years old, taught me the rules of gun safety, and taught me how to shoot it.  She then turned me loose to hunt rabbits and frogs along the river bank, the idea being that I might supplement our menu now and then.  At first, she allowed me to load only .22 shorts.  When I complained that I was losing too many frogs, she allowed me to move up to .22 long-rifle cartridges, which can effectively nail a frog to the bank.

When my own son came along, my rifles, shotguns, and pistols were stored in an unlocked gun cabinet in my study.  He knew that they were there but he also knew that he was forbidden to touch them unless given permission.  When he was nine years old, I taught him to shoot a 20-guage shotgun and took him duck hunting -- over the strenuous objection of his mother (my ex-wife).  The little guy made his old man proud by dropping a duck on his first shot in the blind.  (The only problem was that it was a mallard hen, thereby using all of the points on his permit.)  

I think things began to change sometime around 1978.  It wasn't my son who was the problem.  It was some of his friends.  One day I walked into my study, which was supposed to be off limits to all uninvited guests, and found two of my son's friends staring with rapt attention at my gun collection.  

The next day I purchased and installed a Browning gun safe and gave the gun cabinet to a friend with no children.

To quote the late Peter Sellers in one of his parodies, "It is not everything I fear which has changed for the better."  

[Rocnerd]

Growing up, my friend's father had quite the gun collection in a room upstairs.  They were not locked.  I was always bugging him, my friend, to show them to me.  The first time he let me hold the black powder single action and I pretended to shoot some outlaws with it he grabbed it back, smacked me upside the head, and gave me a lecture.  I was all of 9 or 10 years old.  I respected that and never forgot it.  I have taught my wife's sons to shoot, but don't think for one instant that they would do the same to one of their friend's as mine did to me.  So, all guns are in one of two safes in the house.  

And just so I am not completely off topic here, I don't trust those electronic locks on the newer gun safes.  I want something that won't fail because it wasn't plugged in or battery failure or a lightning strike fried the electronics.  Call me paranoid but give me a mechanical lock made out of quality steel that will last a lifetime of punching the buttons.  

[Michigunner]

Rocnerd, I also feel more comfortable when the safe has a mechanical lock, either primary or secondary.

I use a Sentry safe, slightly larger than most of their models, even though they said not to store firearms.  Not sure why, but maybe it is because of possible moisture damage, or perhaps they just don't want to get into firearms lawsuits.

For quick storage, I sometimes use the Life Jacket case for the always loaded pistol.  Certainly a thief could walk away with it, but guests and kids would be protected from themselves.  Normally, children are never here, except my two grandkids, in which case the pistol is in the large safe.

When I was a very young boy, my cousin and I were playing in the closet with my Dad's "unloaded" .22 rifle.  I did some dangerous pointing which could have caused a fatal discharge.

At the last second, I remembered my father saying to always  check a gun.  It was loaded, and a disaster was averted.  Even after all these years, I still shudder to think about it.

It was a distant time and place where safes were uncommon.  A previous warning from my Dad , plus pure blind luck, saved the day for an immature boy.
  

[bigyimmy]

Dobber,
All of the electronic safe locks I have seen use batteries and would not be at risk of a lightening strike failure and do not use AC electricity.  I have had safes with mechanical locks previously.  It is true they should outlast a couple lifetimes if they are quality made.  Several manufactures of quality safes make models with these battery powered digital entry systems.  Allot of commercial safes use digital entry.  Will a digital entry safe last a couple of lifetimes?  I don’t think so.  However it should last decades.  The main advantage with digital access is speed and simplicity.  When using the mechanical lock it is very easy to go a half a number past the correct number or turn the dial an incorrect number of turns past the proceeding number.  It is not the same as opening a padlock.  For this reason I have seen several owners of mechanical locking safes leave the safe unlocked which defeats the purpose of the safe to begin with.  I have found if a safe is easy to use and placed in a convenient location folks are more apt to use it regularly.  If a safe is behind a bunch of stuff and the operator is struggling with the mechanical lock combination they are less apt to use the safe.  Several manufacture’s safes can be converted from mechanic to digital and vice versa.  What one ends up with is a choice of convenience and speed or more hassle but longevity of the device.  Most likely as we go forward in time a majority of safes will be digital or fingerprint technology.  It is getting closer every day.  Your individual requirements will mandate what you need.  I keep some guns in mine that I need quick access to.
Respectfully,
Jim
      

[Rocnerd]

This is the safe I have (4814-S).
http://www.handgunsafe.com/safes.htm

It has buttons, no dial, so no need to worry about passing the number or turning three times to the left or anything like that.  Just set the combo to your liking (you can use two buttons at once if you like) and that is that.  If you screw up just turn the release latch and it resets.  It has a spring loaded door that pops open upon turning the release lever.

With the electronic ones that I have seen they normally lock themselves for several minutes if you hit the wrong combination three times in a row.  They do normally have a back up battery if the main batteries fail, but what is the shelf life of that back up battery?  As long as you change the main battery every couple months there shouldn't be any worry, but I'm lucky if I get my oil changed before 5,000 miles, so I know I would push the limits of battery life span.  That is me though.  The electronic ones are quick to access and if you keep the batteries fresh it shouldn't really be a problem.  

[Dobber]

Thanks Rocnerd.  I am really hoping for something that can go in the wall. As an update, I finally saw one of these securelogic wall-vault fingerprint jobbies in real life.  Quite well thought out.  I also raised the question of the battery, and they informed me that there is an option that allows for continuous trickle charge, then drain, automatically using a small transformer you can mount in the wall and wire directly into a nearby outlet. This would cycle the battery continuously as I see it and eliminate the need to fuss with charging or replacing.  Seems almost too good to be the real deal.  Still looking for some real experience from someone out there with this or a similar fingerprint safe.