Killing Time
Gold $$ Contributor
The safe I have has an electronic lock with a backup key if needed.
Mechanical vs. Electronic lock on gun safe?
- Thread starter Jacks Grampa
- Start date
DumpHollow
Silver $$ Contributor
I bought a new safe from a locksmith guy. He set the tumbler to single number, which makes it very convenient and fast. My wife finds it must easier to operate. She wanted the electronic keypad.
I cant even keep the batteries in the lights in my safes alive I cant imagine id survive a "electronic" gun safe
Thanks group. Combo lock it is.
As a former registered and bonded safe technician, I have really hesitated to post.
I will say electronic failures are abrupt, whereas the common s&g 6730 and lagard design movable fly locks more often give a warning ... UNLESS.... You insist on spinning the dial like the bad guys spun revolver cylinders in the old westerns. Break a fly, hard lock out. Unlocked wheel, long maybe painful recovery.
If you want a good 20 hour rated mechanical get a mosler 302r. Even there the second and third numbers drift over time with wear on flys. If you want one that will never be manipulated open get a mas Hamilton xo-7 from a decommissioned GSA drawer head. That lock has been replaced by the x-10 on GSA containers. Thus you can find xo-7 in drawer heads in the surplus market. The x-10 is strictly limited to government sales.
Now, after that long winded answer, the deal is the lock, as far as security goes, is not the weak point in the vast majority of gun 'safes' available at Big box and beyond outlets. The reason we focus on the lock is 1: it is easier to replace than destroying the container. 2: the design is known, unlike bolt work, lock handing, and relocker placement on a myriad of cabinet designs.
And don't ever set a one number combo on a change key lock. A blind squirrel could stumble it open.... As a fact, the very first run of a manipulation sequence would open it in a minute.
I will say electronic failures are abrupt, whereas the common s&g 6730 and lagard design movable fly locks more often give a warning ... UNLESS.... You insist on spinning the dial like the bad guys spun revolver cylinders in the old westerns. Break a fly, hard lock out. Unlocked wheel, long maybe painful recovery.
If you want a good 20 hour rated mechanical get a mosler 302r. Even there the second and third numbers drift over time with wear on flys. If you want one that will never be manipulated open get a mas Hamilton xo-7 from a decommissioned GSA drawer head. That lock has been replaced by the x-10 on GSA containers. Thus you can find xo-7 in drawer heads in the surplus market. The x-10 is strictly limited to government sales.
Now, after that long winded answer, the deal is the lock, as far as security goes, is not the weak point in the vast majority of gun 'safes' available at Big box and beyond outlets. The reason we focus on the lock is 1: it is easier to replace than destroying the container. 2: the design is known, unlike bolt work, lock handing, and relocker placement on a myriad of cabinet designs.
And don't ever set a one number combo on a change key lock. A blind squirrel could stumble it open.... As a fact, the very first run of a manipulation sequence would open it in a minute.
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Mine too.
shoot4fun
Gold $$ Contributor
My first Liberty came home in 2001. I specified that it have the electronic lock but it arrived with the original on the door and the electronic in a box. Over the next five years the electronic lock failed 3 times. Not due to batteries but to cheap plastic parts inside the S&G E-Lock. Except for the last time, I was always able to get the safe open. The warranty had covered the issue until the last failure . The locksmith that came out was super. He changed the lock back to the original manual dial and reset the combinations on all three safes to match for $100.
Christmas 2024 I upgraded the first safe I ever bought from a smaller Tredlock to a very large Liberty. It has an electronic lock only; so far so good.
Christmas 2024 I upgraded the first safe I ever bought from a smaller Tredlock to a very large Liberty. It has an electronic lock only; so far so good.
Hi-NV Shooter
Gold $$ Contributor
Cannon makes a dual lock both electronic and mechanical so if the electronic fails I still have the combination to open it. no need to have a key
I like because of I have the speed of an electronic with peace of mind I can also open it.
Lee
MikeT124
Silver $$ Contributor
We have 4, 2 electronic and 2 manual dial. Never had a bit of trouble with any of them. Had to change the battery in the oldest electronic one. If the electronics have keys they are still in the safes, probably not a great idea. I'll have to check on that. I have forgotten the combo's on the rarely used one once. Finally wrote down all the combos for all the safes and stored a copy in each safe.
Mike
Mike
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