Gun Safe Locking Mechanisms Explained
Nobody should touch your firearms without your permission, no matter whether they are curious children, less-than-responsible teenagers, or malicious thieves. When you own a firearm, one of the most important aspects is knowing how to store it safely.
The most durable gun safe is made of the thickest steel and comes with one of the strongest locks available. A secure safe or gun locker at home is one of the first steps to ensure firearm safety.
During transit, you may also have locks or secure cases on your firearms. Your money will go to waste if the locking mechanism is substandard. When your lock is damaged, the locking mechanism on your safe should stop a thief from opening the door.
However, how do gun safes and cabinets stay closed? To begin, we’re going to examine how a safe is made “safe,” how burglars can get into them, and how some locking mechanisms are better than others.
What Job Does A Locking Mechanism Do?
It is the lock that controls the safe’s locking mechanism. A safe’s locking mechanism retracts the locking bolts/bars through the mechanism, whether it is in the form of a mechanical lock in which you dial a code or a keypad that you punch a code into.
In the event that you enter a wrong code into the safe’s lock, it will not be able to lock. Therefore, it is a key component of the safe’s security features.
How Do Gun Safes Stay Closed?
I believe that the locking mechanism in your safe is too important to be skimped on. To prevent this from happening, you should always use the best locking mechanisms in your gun safes.
Military-Style Locking Bars
A number of engineers have re-evaluated the safety of latches and bolts, especially weak connection points, and have come up with high-tech solutions. As a result, we have military-style locking bars.
Unlike locking bolts, which can sometimes be pried open by thieves, these bad boys are constructed from a solid piece of steel.
This will increase the surface area of contact with the door frame. By combining these powers, you create a security system that surpasses the rest and is virtually impossible to get through.
Locking Bolts
Locking bolts (also known as long pins) have been widespread for more than a century and can be found on anything from tiny hotel safes to massive commercial safes.In order to implement these security measures, steel angle bars are attached to round pins, and those steel angle bars are then attached to the locking mechanism.
The lock on the outside of the safe is activated by operating the lock on the outside, which moves the angle bar, which then moves the pins in and out.
A locking bolt’s drawback is that it offers a high level of security. There is a potential weak point in the attachment that holds the angle bar to the pins. The door is bent or broken at this point because it takes most of the pressure during pry attacks.
Gun Cabinet Latches
A gun cabinet can be made in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles. Steel and wood are both used in making gun cabinets.Most of them use similar mechanisms to lock: a basic latch that is operated with a key.
The gun cabinet latch is all self-contained, just like the lock you might find on a file cabinet or desk drawer. With the key, the lock is engaged or withdrawn, and the tumblers provide security.
As far as the lock itself is concerned, it is very simple. A small metal bar separates your firearms from anyone who might gain unauthorized access. The majority of minors will be kept out. However, some determined individuals can sneak in fairly easily with some simple tools.
Understanding Gun Safe Locking Mechanisms
Locks on safes are almost just as important as steel when shopping for a safe, even if they tend to be overlooked. It is possible to have trouble accessing a safe if the lock is defective, or if the quality is low.
Using a gun safe requires different locking mechanisms. Let’s look at some of them quickly. Steelwater, Dakota, and Edison are some safes offered with just one type of lock, while others, like Fort Knox, Browning, Liberty, and VaultPro gun safes come with different locking mechanisms.
Biometric Locks
The number of biometric pistol safes locks is gradually increasing, and as technology becomes more advanced, so will these locks. There is no guarantee of its reliability, but if you research thoroughly and shop around, it may be a quality biometric gun safe.
Redundant Locks
Despite being a little less well known to the community, redundant locks are definitely worth mentioning. As these locks feature both a mechanical and electronic lock, they are often referred to as EMP locks.
As a result, you get speed from one but also reliability from the other. This is an option I recommend (and it also looks cool) even though it is a bit more expensive.
This lock is available in a variety of styles. Some other manufacturers have this lock as two completely separate mechanisms that both attach to the same internal locking mechanism, such as Fort Knox, Edison Safes, Sun Welding, and some others.
It doesn’t seem that either of these options is necessarily better than the other since both essentially accomplish the same thing. Personally, I believe the aesthetics should dictate the choice. While the Xtreme has a more modern look, the separate mechanisms give the product an older style refined look.
Mechanical Locks
Mechanical (dial) locks are renowned for their reliability and durability since they lack electronic components. Locks such as these are generally the type that you would see in old movies from back in the day. The lock is similar to the one you used back in high school.
When choosing a mechanical lock, it is recommended to purchase one that has a name brand on it; however, knockoffs are few and far between and don’t pose much of a problem.
The process requires some practice, but after a few attempts, it becomes instinctive. Because of this process, it takes a long time (45 seconds or more) to receive access to your safe contents.
In a dire situation, it might even have to be lengthened out more, as mistakes are possible. Locks like this are best for people who do not need access quickly, or who rely heavily on their safe for storage.
Rather than different versions of a mechanical lock, there are only the manipulation-proof versions that do not allow for much forgiveness when a number is slightly off.
Electronic Locks
Over the years, electronic locks have gotten a bad reputation for being unreliable, which is why many people avoid them. These locks, however, have become increasingly reliable in recent years, as long as you pay attention to what you buy.
If you are buying a lock, make sure the name of the manufacturer is clearly displayed on it, so you know exactly what you are getting. S&G (Sergeant and Greenleaf) is an iconic lock company that makes great locks.
Electronic (Digital) locks are essentially plastic/metal pads that are used to enter a code. The handle may be turned in order to retract the bolts and unlock the internal lock once the latch has been triggered.
You can easily change this code to any other code you want. The quick accessibility of an electronic lock makes it ideal for people who keep their self-defense weapons in a safe or are frequently accessing a safe.
They can range from simple keypads with nine keys that have no memory, to keypads that can store thousands of combinations, export data to USBs, and show when and how people accessed them. Depending on the price, a gun safe can be as cheap as $100 or as expensive as $1000.
How Do Gun Locks Work?
Here is a list of a few firearm security systems most commonly used across the country.
Cable Locks
The cable is designed like a padlock and has one end which is inserted through the chamber, out the mag well, and locked at the base. By doing so, you prevent the firearm from entering the battery, which prevents you from pulling the trigger. A cable lock can be unlocked either with a key or by a combination.
Trigger Locks
A gun trigger lock is a two-piece locking mechanism that fits over the trigger guard. The firearm cannot be fired because a cylinder is installed behind the trigger. Typically, trigger locks are openable with a combination, keypad, or push-button.
Batteries are available for some of these locks as well as anti-tamper alarms for additional safety. The pistols can be accessed relatively quickly if needed because they are widely available and inexpensive.
Final Words
If you use individual locks and cables, it can be difficult to secure multiple firearms of different sizes. Your expanding inventory of firearms remains safe and accessible with the purchase of a gun safe or vault.
It is possible to find both small and large safes, depending on the person’s needs. Regardless of the type of weapon, there are many storage options available, including bedside tables and vehicle vaults.
As well as combinations and keys, you can also open vaults with fingerprint recognition or Bluetooth technology.
Due to their ability to hide the firearms out of sight and be difficult to steal, they are popular with responsible gun owners. I hope you learned something new about gun safe locking mechanisms from this article.
