Biometric Lock Box

[Wolverine 10,360]

Do any of you fellow members have a recommendation on a reliable biometric lock box for storing my loaded Browning Hi-Power 9mm?

 

I want something that is durable and will open with a fingerprint every time. No plastic crap.

 

Thanks, I appreciate your help.

 

Wolverine

[medic535 19]

mine is a metal box w/ a plastic sensor, can't remember who made it. it was about$130 and it works every time plus has a key back up. its actually faster than trying to remember a comb at 3am.

[liberty -r- death 1,445]

Most of them are junk. Drop them on the corner to pop them open kinda junk.

[storm6490 2,768]

They all suck. I guess they will work to keep your younger kids out of them sometimes.

 

Here is just one of hundreds of videos on how bad they suck.

 

 

Just hit it with a hammer if you have it mounted to your night stand or floor.

 

A good alternative that is fast to open blind at night is this one.

http://www.amsecusa.com/Gun_Safes/Handgun_Safes/

[medic535 19]

yea they are easy to open and not very secure, but when you have a 3 year old that likes to crawl into your bed at 3am while you're asleep b/c he's scared that gun needs to be inaccessible to him.

 

and yes a smack with a hard rubber mallet has been known to open one.

Edited January 2, 2013 by medic535

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

I put this up awhile ago http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?/topic/82474-speedvault-sv500/

 

I got the combination one over the biometric. The technology for biometric is just not there IMHO.

 

It works well and it's only purpose is to keep my two grandsons from the 1911 in my office. Really depends on what your trying to keep the Browning Hi-Power 9mm away from. A thief would just bust the speed vault off the mount and take it elsewhere, or any box.

 

One note on the speed fault, full size 1911 fits no issues, the Judge does not fit.

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

I'm in the market for a few of these as well. Has anyone tried the foam inserts and lock loops they sell on ebay to turn a .30 cal ammo box into a "gun safe". I was thinking that and a mechanical push button pad lock would do the job and probably be more secure than anything else under $100. Plus I can go down to the store and pick any lock that I like the "feel" of the best.

 

I too am mostly interested in keeping small hands, or meth addeled minds, off of my handguns that are out in the house. Anyone serious could break into any of the small safes I've seen on the market.

 

I'm not afraid of dropping some coin on them, but all of them I've seen are junk regardless of price.

[Wolverine 10,360]

It seems most of these boxes are Chinese junk that fail within a year or less. I'm inclined to buy one with the combination before the biometric as has been suggested. The biometric on my PC notebook works right about 50% of the time. I usually get pissed after several attempts and switch to a manual password method of gaining access.

 

My goal is to keep out little hands and even my twin 18 year old sons. If anyone is going to get shot either I or my wife will do the shooting. Besides, one of the twins is on the autistic spectrum although he is relatively high functioning. He is restricted to airsoft guns and competition.

 

I don't expect any box to keep a burglar from taking the whole thing or prying it open in my home when no one is at home. It's a safeguard for children with the gun being in condition one.

 

Too bad you can't find quality even if you are willing to pay for it. I may have to settle for something less than high end.

[Parf 19]

vLines lockbox is the only way to go these days. No electronics or keys, and you can open it in the dark with one hand. I use one, and have, everyday for 7 years now. Still like new. The simplex locks are tried and true. You see them in use in fire houses and police stations. They just work.

 

http://www.vlineind.com/html/compact.html

 

Edited January 2, 2013 by Parf

[dustindu4 101]

I have the gunvault biometric lock box. It works OK but I have giant banana hands and I find that if I don't put my finger on it just right it won't open. My wife has small hands and it works for her every time. I was considering selling mine on ebay or something and getting the push button combo version. I think I paid like 250 for it and the push buttons are half that.

Edited January 2, 2013 by dustindu4

[Remek 771]

My dad recently expressed a wish to have a biometric gun safe, as he is too old for being able to trustably being able to input the combination while nervous that an intruder is entering the house. So, for Christmas, I purchased him one. I did a bunch of research, and what the others have said above is correct. Its not a "safe" like your gun safe should be. It only provides safety as per access, against those who do wish to damage the safe to get the gun.

 

As per the "biometric", my father has yet to program, but I did quite some research. GunVault appears to have a very good biometric lock, but its not perfect. I.e., while it will recognize you first time, most of the time, it will not always recognize you. In addition, if you do not follow the instructions, to the "T", you will find that it works much worse. At least that is what I garnered from my extensive research of biometric vaults.

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

This thread has me pretty well sold on a simplex style lock if for no other reason I can choose who can enter the safe by sharing the "combo" with them, plus the dead-on reliability.

 

Do the biometric units have the capability of programming multiple people? If so, how repeatable is that (can person A open it immediately before person B tries it)? That situation could become important if I try it, fail, and start becoming a victim while the little lady gives it another go.

[dustindu4 101]

The gunvault has an admin user that can authorize I think 4 or 5 other fingers. Wife has both index fingers as do I set up for it

[gunfun 3,931]

I'd rather have a blind combo model with present tech.

 

If you need that gun, what are the odds your hands won't be sweaty or even bloody?

[Wolverine 10,360]

vLines lockbox is the only way to go these days. No electronics or keys, and you can open it in the dark with one hand. I use one, and have, everyday for 7 years now. Still like new. The simplex locks are tried and true. You see them in use in fire houses and police stations. They just work.

 

http://www.vlineind.com/html/compact.html

 

 

Thanks. I'll check it out at a local retailer. Two local gun stores apparently carry vLines in stock.

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

The gunvault has an admin user that can authorize I think 4 or 5 other fingers. Wife has both index fingers as do I set up for it

 

Have you ever tried to get one of your fingers to intentionally fail and then try a different finger immediately?

 

I'm just curious about how quickly they react.

[Big John! 2,062]

They all suck. I guess they will work to keep your younger kids out of them sometimes.

 

Here is just one of hundreds of videos on how bad they suck.

 

 

Just hit it with a hammer if you have it mounted to your night stand or floor.

 

A good alternative that is fast to open blind at night is this one.

http://www.amsecusa.com/Gun_Safes/Handgun_Safes/

i have an Amsec very similar to the one on the right in the above link. Built sturdy enough to make someone need to take it elsewhere to open it. One handed open, no electronics. Unless you are going to do some kind of in the floor or walls type mounting, I think reliability of opening is more important than brute strength. Most of the time, gun boxes will just be taken elsewhere, or usually whatever it's mounted to can be simply destroyed with a average hammer or pry bar. I look at my gun box as something to keep the kids out or an honest person honest. The safe on the other hand is bolted six ways from Sunday. If they want it, I guess they will still get it, but they are going to earn that one.