Best lockbox/safe for home?

[smokindog]

If I understood your post, your only goal is to keep your kids away from it at night. Why not just put a child-proof clasp they make for cabinet drawers/doors on your nightstand and then lock the weapon up in a real safe during the day (if you're not carrying that is ). Any attempt to fumble with it at night ought to wake you.

I looked at most every "lockbox" on the market about 3 years ago and decided none of them we're worth the money as a true safe.

Like certain muscles, we all have opinions

 

[Cbollo]

Love this forum, and love the opinions. I like to hear every side. And I couldn't agree more about teaching gun safety to children. My daughter(8yrs old) wouldn't touch it if you paid her to, but my 3 year old son has no real grasp on the danger of firearms. His only experience with 'pow pows' are as toys. I think once he actually sees one being fired, and hears the sound, he won't be too keen on messing with it. I'm not taking any chances with this, and I've been teaching him as much as I can right now. Problem with that though is I'm new to handguns myself and need to learn as well. Most of my shooting experience is with rifles and shotguns up until now. I will be practicing with this thing alot, whether that be field stripping it, drawing it quickly without fingering the trigger, swapping mags, safe retrieval, and even drawing and firing when my snap caps get here. Unfortunately, I'll have to pay for time down at the range, so I won't get as much time actually firing as I'd like(Every day!).
I'm leaning towards a simplex locked safe at this point, but they're pretty expensive so I may have to settle for putting the gun in the top of the closet and a magazine in a dresser drawer or somewhere hidden for now. Ugh. At any rate, I'm learning alot fast, and I appreciate everyone's input.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Love this forum, and love the opinions. I like to hear every side. And I couldn't agree more about teaching gun safety to children. My daughter(8yrs old) wouldn't touch it if you paid her to, but my 3 year old son has no real grasp on the danger of firearms. His only experience with 'pow pows' are as toys. I think once he actually sees one being fired, and hears the sound, he won't be too keen on messing with it. I'm not taking any chances with this, and I've been teaching him as much as I can right now. Problem with that though is I'm new to handguns myself and need to learn as well. Most of my shooting experience is with rifles and shotguns up until now. I will be practicing with this thing alot, whether that be field stripping it, drawing it quickly without fingering the trigger, swapping mags, safe retrieval, and even drawing and firing when my snap caps get here. Unfortunately, I'll have to pay for time down at the range, so I won't get as much time actually firing as I'd like(Every day!).
I'm leaning towards a simplex locked safe at this point, but they're pretty expensive so I may have to settle for putting the gun in the top of the closet and a magazine in a dresser drawer or somewhere hidden for now. Ugh. At any rate, I'm learning alot fast, and I appreciate everyone's input.

We don't know your situation and it's none of our business as to how you raise your children. You do what you feel is best.

The mechanical type lock WILL outlast any electronic lock currently used on pistol boxes.

I have two Gunvaults. One ten years old and the other two years old. They have both stopped working forcing me to use the override key. I also have a V-Line that is 20 years old and a Palmer Security (no longer made) which is 8 years old. Both have Simplex mechanical locks. I have no problems with either. They are easy to use.

Do the mechanical locks go bad? Yes. Under high use they can. The same mechanical locks are used on commercial push button locks. I've replaced too many to count. But again, they get used much much more than a gun box will.

If you search, V-line doesn't cost too much more. And it will still be working when your kids are grown and gone. It's an investment.

 

[Mister X]

When my son was little, I used a small keyed stack-on pistol box bolted to a bedside table. It was about $20. I kept the key on a hook out of sight and reach during the day and would put it in the box overnight. I had read about too many failures and just didn't trust biometric or keypad models. I will also echo the need to teach children about safety and the dangers of firearms at an early age. Massad Ayoob has a book out called "gun proof your children". Most of it's just reason common sense.

 

[KSDeputy]

I have two Fort Knox vaults. One is larger and has room for 16 long guns, a top shelf for handguns, and shelves down the right side. The other is a bit smaller and is all shelves. Both have electronic locks. We have no children, so I have no need for a pistol locker. The Fort Knox Gun Vaults are the finest in my estimation.

 

[RSanch111]

I had a pistol box with an electronic lock. Eventually the lock failed and I couldn't get it open without the key. I still use it but just use the key. As far as big safes anything you get between 1-2k is probably going to be about the same as far as security. Anything to keep a real-live safe cracker out is going to cost over 10k, I'm sure. I have a Cannon safe that holds all of my 70 or so pistols that has USB hookups in case you want to store your home network computer in there. I thought about putting my security camera DVR in there but chose to hide it in the rafters of the basement instead. Safe is 6' tall by about 3' deep and at least 4' wide. I got it on clearance at Tractor Supply for $800.00. Same safe was 1300.00 at Dunhams.

 

[hoc9sw]

Unfortunately, I'll have to pay for time down at the range, so I won't get as much time actually firing as I'd like(Every day!).

Ask around at ranges to see if they have a military / public service membership that would give you a free or reduced rate. Several in my area offer plans that give weekday access at free or very reduced rates for an annual fee. My actual cost runs about $2 a day if I compare the annual fee and weekend costs vs number of annual visits.