Easily defeated gun safes?

J

Jackie

Inactive
Researching small gun safes and found this link. The article describes researcher's attempts to disable or break into several brands of popular safes, and the videos make it look frighteningly easy.

I was leaning towards getting the bulldog model shown in the last video, and now I'm not sure what to get. I am wondering if anything short of a big, bulky, expensive, bolted down, non-electronic safe is going to be secure.

Any thoughts on this article? I'm not suggesting anyone damage their safe but if anyone out there has one of these and wants to try one of the non-destructive methods demonstrated, I'd be interested in the results. If you can easily reproduce their methods, it would give credence to the rest of their findings.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/07/gun-safes/
 
At about 2 minutes, 30 seconds into this video......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBhOjWHbD6M

....they show how easy it is to break into even a high dollar (for a homeowner) safe.

Who exactly are you wanting to keep out?

I can break into any home safe with a circular saw and masonry blades, assuming I have enough time and can access the safe's sides.
 
I was told that lock and safes keep honest people honest. If someone wants into your home or gun safe they will find away given the right amount of time. That's one reason I have a rider on my homeowners insurance for my guns. The safe is also for the insurance company and if the break in occurs when I am away for home.
 
I've been looking to upgrade since my recent breakin. All those safecracking videos on youtube are an eye opener. I'm further convinced an alarm system is a necessary second step to prevent thief from having too many minutes alone with the safe.
 
FoghornLeghorn, I realize anyone determined enough and with enough time and the right tools can break into pretty much any safe. And I figure that any thief looking for a quick score would probably not know how, or not take the time to try and defeat one of these, so they would be adequate.

What I am concerned about is kids. I don't have any kids but friends do, and sometimes they'll bring them over. I remember being a generally well-behaved kid but I did sometimes do things I shouldn't, like fool around with locks and paper clips. So when I saw the video of the researchers basically opening some of the safes the same way a bored kid might, I start double guessing the assumptions I made for a purchase I was about to make.
 
Thanks, Foghorn, watched the video, read the comments, agreed with some. I feel better about my good quality safe. You can BARELY access one side if you stretch, and there is no way to get any leverage like demonstrated in this video, when hoodie-boy jumped with all his weight to get the door to pop. Also, security is layered - never depend on one single item.:cool:
I also agree, to get REAL security costs money, and that's for a TL rated safe. BIG bucks to get anything above an RSC, which is what most gun safes really are. My Cannon gun locker with two barrel key locks is rated the same, but I have a sneaking suspicion the larger model will probably hold out longer. ;)
When I win the lottery, the gun safe will be a custom built vault.:cool:
 
What I am concerned about is kids. I don't have any kids but friends do, and sometimes they'll bring them over. I remember being a generally well-behaved kid but I did sometimes do things I shouldn't, like fool around with locks and paper clips. So when I saw the video of the researchers basically opening some of the safes the same way a bored kid might, I start double guessing the assumptions I made for a purchase I was about to make.
Click to expand...

Exactly - it's one thing to realize that *no* lockbox is impregnable, given a thief with enough time and appropriate tools. But when the "tool" is a soda straw and ten seconds is "enough time", then I'm going to look at a different storage container.
 
As far as children are concerned, a high dollar (read, not Stackon) safe is suitable.

But the absolute best protection is to not let anybody know you've got guns and/or a safe. The vast majority of gun thefts are committed by friends, or friends of friends, of gun owners.
 
I realized yesterday the many youtube videos on the weaknesses of gun safes have been view by many hundreds of thousands others..... that many well informed folks can't be good thing. I'm aiming higher for my next purchase.
 
I would stick with a heavier constructed box to begin with and one that uses a mechanical pushbutton lock. There are several brands and styles available depending on what you are looking for. The one that started the investigation to begin with cost that department $36.00 ea. How secure do you think it could be?
 
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