Electronic or Mechanical Lock?

[flyrobb]

I have narrowed down my safe choices but I'm back and forth on which lock to get. Mechanical or Electronic. Looking for feedback on issues you may have had, or heard about, with either type of lock.

Electronic are much quicker to open but I'm a bit concerned with problems that might occur with the electronic locks. If they fail, how do you get in?

Mechanical locks would be slower entry but would appear to me less prone to failure. Usually a 150-200 bucks cheaper but that's not really a deciding factor.

Thanks All!

 

[2hawk]

I have an Amsec with a mech. lock- no issues. And, while I can't vouch for other setups, with mine I can just spin away from the last number a half-turn or so, and when I spin back it's unlocked. Kinda defeats the purpose, I know, making it a one-number combination, but it does lend itself to convenience.

I am considering another, and I definitely don't want a digital pad- they just seem like potentially more trouble.

 

[shaggist]

Mechanical-you'll never worry about a dead battery. Now if your memory goes away, you are screwed unless you wrote the combination down and put it in a safe place-of you will never remember the location.

 

[Faulkner]

Mechanical all the way. I have a Liberty Safe with mechanical lock and it's simple enough to get it open.

As for electronic ... they may be simpler but I don't want anything electronic separating me from my guns when the EMP is set off.

 

[flyrobb]

Mechanical all the way. I have a Liberty Safe with mechanical lock and it's simple enough to get it open.

As for electronic ... they may be simpler but I don't want anything electronic separating me from my guns when the EMP is set off.

I'm glad you said what I was thinking. Didn't want so sound paranoid with the EMP scenario but...

 

[gman51]

I wanted a mechanical lock but they would have to change the lock out from digital and nobody there to do it so I said the heck with it and took the safe with digital pad which cost $150 more than a combo lock.
Almost 3 years later the pad started to fail and I was lucky to get it open one more time. It cost me $375 to replace the digital with the mechanical combination lock. If I hadn't gotten the safe to open that would have cost another $300 maybe to get it open to replace it.
It really doesn't take much longer time to get the combination lock open than an electronic lock.
I should have stuck to my idea of getting a combination lock in the first place.
I read all the hype about the big box store safes are junk and go to a known brand high quality safe brand. Don't believe all the hype but do check how the safe is fire protected. My big name American Security high dollar safe uses drywall between the steel casing which is exactly what many the big box store safes use at about a third of the cost of my safe. Drywall for fire protection is pretty crappy material. It surprised me when I was bolting down my safe that I saw drywall in the walls.
You can get a pretty good safe with class "A"mechanical lock with about an hour fire protection and good size for under $700. Actually the digital lock safe runs about $150 more than a combination lock.
Here is something to consider also. My American security safe has a lifetime limited warranty. I guess it is limited because the digital lock only has one year warranty on it. So my safe's weakest link, the electronic keypad lock, IMO makes my safe really having only a one year warranty.
What....is the steel case going to fail? Are the rods and levers going to fail when it might only get opened one hundred times a year? I doubt that. Yeah unless I leave it outside it should last a lifetime.
I could have gotten a safe 2-3 times bigger for what I paid for my safe. Live and learn they say.

 

[flyrobb]

gman51- Great post! Yours and the others, so far, are confirming my gut feeling to with the mechanical. Waiting for the electronic fans to chime in though.

The more I think about entry speed with an electronic lock the less that is a concern. I'm going to get a quick entry pistol box for my carry guns anyway.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I've been working with safe locks for over twenty years. And I've replaced more electronic locks that I can remember.

The trend these days is electronic. And that industry is doing their customers a disservice.

Don't settle for an electronic lock because that's all they have in stock. Have them replace it or special order one.

Speed should not be a consideration when opening your safe. Reliability should be considered first. Gun safes are not meant for quick access.

Electronic locks are great for older folks that can't remember the dialing sequence of a mechanical lock. But other than that, they aren't worth it.

 

[gman51]

A call to your local safe repair shop will verify the biggest/main problem with safes is the electronic locks.
The above post beat me to it. He just verified it.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Mine is a key pad lock with 7 numbers.
Check the voltage on the battery every 18 months with a VOM.
Been five years now with no problem.
Also like that if you put in the wrong combination three times, it won't open for about 30 min.
The combo lock on the small safe is a PIA for me.

 

[Huskerguy]

I was at a huge gun show where they had multiple safes manufactures being offered by the vendor. I talked to sales people for a long time and the guy said there are two kinds of electronic locks - those that have failed and those that are about ready to. He had been selling safes for nearly as long as I have been alive. I have been looking at safes for a couple years now and I would not buy one with an electronic lock. I have heard far to many horror stories about them quitting. I have not had one dealer that I have talked to even attempt to sell me on the fact the electronic is better than manual.

 

[deadin]

I have one of each. With the mechanical I tend to use the day lock when I'm home. Just lock the dial with a key to keep it from turning. Spin the dial when I leave the house.
With the electronic the key pad can be removed to replace the battery. (The actual lock is on the backside of the door and can't be accessed from the outside. I also have a extra long, double bitted warded key that will reach through the door and release the lock in case of a electronic failure. (Similar to the keys used on safety deposit boxes, only two sided with each side different.)

 

[Marine Corps Air]

+1 for the mechanical lock.

I also have a Liberty safe (sure wish that it were 2 - 3 X larger now). The local Liberty safe dealer installed a Sargent and Greenleaf (S&G) mechanical lock for me that also uses a key to open it. Guess which option I use?

I keep the combination in the old "Man Cave" where I can see it, but I always use that key to access or lock my safe. Can't beat it for an older guy!!

S&G may call it a "mechanical combination" lock.

 

[Rastoff]

A quality electronic lock will be fine. EMP? Are you guys serious? OK, I guess you could be, but understand that an EMP will only affect active electronics. So, you would have to be actuating the lock at the time the EMP went off for it to be a problem.

All the safes I've seen in the Air Force are electronic. I'm pretty sure they are more concerned with security than you are. Heck, we have filing cabinets that are more secure than the best gun safe I've ever seen.

Still, I understand the paranoia over electronic locks. As long as you have that fear in your mind, you'll never be satisfied with an electronic lock. You'll be constantly waiting for it to fail and that's just not worth it. So, get the mechanical lock. It will give you piece of mind. It will work and you won't worry about it.

Regardless of what you do, get a quality name brand safe. This is not one area where you should cut too many corners.

 

[Rastoff]

Oh yeah, one more thing...

I always find it funny that guys want the combo lock because it's more durable and secure. Then they use the 4 pin key to lock it. Um, that key is really easy to pick. Even I can do it.

 

[Kanewpadle]

A quality electronic lock will be fine. EMP? Are you guys serious? OK, I guess you could be, but understand that an EMP will only affect active electronics. So, you would have to be actuating the lock at the time the EMP went off for it to be a problem.

All the safes I've seen in the Air Force are electronic. I'm pretty sure they are more concerned with security than you are. Heck, we have filing cabinets that are more secure than the best gun safe I've ever seen.

Still, I understand the paranoia over electronic locks. As long as you have that fear in your mind, you'll never be satisfied with an electronic lock. You'll be constantly waiting for it to fail and that's just not worth it. So, get the mechanical lock. It will give you piece of mind. It will work and you won't worry about it.

Regardless of what you do, get a quality name brand safe. This is not one area where you should cut too many corners.

I normally agree with you. But in this case, no. Are you overlooking my experience?

The government sub contracts with the lowest bidder. Way back when they used only S&G mechanical locks. But now days they use Mas Hamilton self powered electronic locks. Pure junk.

I really don't care what folks do. It's their money. I'm just trying to help.

Heed my professional opinion or be prepared to pay later.

 

[donoo]

Does your safe have a back up key lock?

Mine is a key pad lock with 7 numbers.
Check the voltage on the battery every 18 months with a VOM.
Been five years now with no problem.
Also like that if you put in the wrong combination three times, it won't open for about 30 min.
The combo lock on the small safe is a PIA for me.

Mine does and it would be hard to lock myself out.

 

[finesse_r]

Any curmudgeon worth his salt would prefer a mechanical lock to an electronic lock any day. Besides, I hate batteries in anything.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Oh yeah, one more thing...

I always find it funny that guys want the combo lock because it's more durable and secure. Then they use the 4 pin key to lock it. Um, that key is really easy to pick. Even I can do it.

I love it when people try to play locksmith when they don't know the first thing about it.

The key locks down the DIAL. The lock contains wafer tumblers. Not pins.

If you dial the combination to the last number, you can then lock the dial with the key. To open the safe all you have to do is unlock the dial with the key and turn it to the right to retract the bolt.

Here endeth the lesson.

 

[TX-Dennis]

I have electronic. I bought it because it was on sale for less than the mechanical lock model (close out, don't ya know). It's a bit over three years old now. No problems so far other than changing the 9v battery once a year or so. If it ever fails, though, I have a really big key that looks like something out of an old movie. You twist and remove the electronic keypad and there is the keyhole. I tried it out when it was new, but I haven't used it since.

The electronic keypad also appears to be easily replaceable on mine. It looks like a simple matter of unplugging the old one and plugging in a new one. Maybe I should order a new one for backup? Everything fails eventually whether it is mechanical or electronic. I do think the mechanical lock (at least a well made one) would last longer, though.