Comments on: Gun Safe Great Debate — Electronic Vs. Dial Locks

By: ELR Researcher

ELR Researcher — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 18:39:38 +0000

Yes, electronic locks do fail, happened to me recently (the keypad failed – no LED activity, no chirps). I used my mechanical lock until I ordered, received, and installed a replacement unit. Saved a lot on buying the lock and no locksmith’s labor and on-site service charge to swap out the unit (likely multiples of the cost of a new keypad off the Internet). Only issue in doing it yourself is it needs to be a lock (keypad) that you can identify (brand and model) and purchase…and be sure to keep the door open until you triple confirm that the swap-out went well. [On my (all?) mid-priced safes there is a mechanical disconnect on the hinge “edge” of the door – to use to get the handle to turn as you are during your testing.] Having a replacement keypad on your shelf also makes the down time very tolerable – and gives you at least one more cycle in case the model you have is discontinued. Note closely that I’m NOT talking about swapping the unit that is inside the door, only the keypad, which “fails” from continued use – never had the internal unit fail. BTW, the combo code is in the mechanism inside the safe door, not in the keypad, so there is no issue about you needing to re-establish the combo. Finally, having fresh (alkaline) batteries available, makes the battery-failed problem a quick fix.

By: ELR Researcher

ELR Researcher — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 18:02:51 +0000

If you are concerned about the “quality” of the batteries you use in your safe (whether they will work when you need them to), invest in a multimeter and check them before you install them. I keep a To-Do calendar/list for battery replacement where I note when batteries were last replaced, what the old battery’s voltage was upon removal, and what the new battery’s voltage is at installation. Old ones typically come out at about 8.3-8.7 and the new ones go in at 9.5-9.6.

Also, I suggest you stay away from rechargeable batteries. In my experience, rechargeables start out at lower voltage than the non-rechargeables that I throw out (recycle) at swap-out time.

By: Affe

Affe — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 16:34:38 +0000

My manual lock went on the fritz last year and replaced with an electronic one. Locksmith who did the work said that his experience was the opposite of what this article said – he has many more safe calls with manual lock issues than e-lock issues. YMMV, obvs.

By: Corey Naylor

Corey Naylor — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 01:13:17 +0000

I have an opinion on both:
Mechanical lock is so useful when it comes to emergency cases and quick access.
while the Dial Lock has use too as the mechanical lock but it’s hard to bypass the password when someone is trying to break into your gun safe. For me , I give my vote to Mechanical lock because I want quick access to my gun safe, especially in the emergency situation.

By: Jesse Ford

Jesse Ford — Wed, 06 May 2020 20:06:43 +0000

I like how you mentioned that both electronic and mechanical locks are beneficial for a safe to store your firearms in. My wife and I are considering looking at gun safes because we’re considering getting a shotgun for home defense. I think it’s a good idea for us to consider all of our options when choosing a reputable safe to properly secure our gun if we decide to get one.

By: JOSEPH STAKUN

JOSEPH STAKUN — Sun, 22 Dec 2019 22:04:51 +0000

I bought a cheap Chinese made safe from Rural King with an electronic lock. It came with two manual keys in case the electronic system fails. All you have to do is remove the dial face and there’s a keys slot where you can insert the key and open the safe. I keep one key in my safe deposit box and the other stashed away.

By: DesertLefty

DesertLefty — Mon, 13 May 2019 05:46:38 +0000

Ten years ago I followed the advice in this article (yes, it’s that old) and got a new safe with a top-quality manual lock.

Since then, I’ve mostly regretted that decision. If you use your safe even once a day you’ll find an electronic lock to be MUCH faster and more convenient.

On the other hand, my batteries and electronics have never failed…

By: ELR Researcher

ELR Researcher — Sun, 12 May 2019 20:06:32 +0000

I’ve been locked out before, so I replace batteries every 6 months. I was VERY fortunate to reach a tech at that safe company that had the depth of experience to walk me thru several scenarios and I got my safe open. I suspect he has now retired – and that company may no longer have the depth needed to deal with my older safe. [Now I NEVER put my wallet or car keys in a safe, any safe.]

A few years ago I upgraded that older, single-electrical-lock safe, to an all-in-one, combo electric/manual by SecuRam (https://www.securamsys.com/safelogic-xtreme-c1vk0). Works great!

My other safe (the very heavy, expensive one) has had a “combo” from day one (Kaba electric unit and a separate LeGard manual). On the new safe I practice the manual combination EVERY week – the combinations are different between the two locks and the only time I use the manual is during my weekly practice runs.