I'll add my experiences.
First safe, small AmSec w/firelining. Me and the guy I bought it from moved it into my bed room. We had to carry it up a flight of stars... no problem it only weighed like 400 or so pounds. That night while loading it I notice that the door doesn't completely shut... there is some movement when it is locked. WELLLL wanting a secure fit I try adjusting the little stopbolt. After about 15 attempts I can't get it exactly right... it is either too tight or too loose.
I call my wife and tell her to lock me in the safe. (ALRIGHT... no comments on my mental capasity! I thought it was a good idea at the time!). So I crawl in the safe with a flash light and allen wrench. I just bearly fit in, I'm crotched, feet against the left side, knees against the right, arse on the left, head bent (I'm 6'... the safe was something like 5'). She locked me in.
I adjust the bolt so that the door closes snug without no play. I tell my wife to unlock the safe. This is where the problem began! As most of you know Sergent & Greenleaf combination locks are very precise. You have to clear the lock properly then hit the number right on after the correct number of revolutions.
So after my wife missed the combination the first few times she started to get worried.
This caused her to get jittery and start missing numbers by one or two, which is enought for the lock not to open. After about 6 attemps at this she starts to get frantic... thereby causeing more reason on not getting the combination correct.
I'm
cramped in this small safe, it has firelineing. I'm here to tell ya that firelineing keep the heat from a fire out... it also
retains any inside heat build up! My body heat, coupled with my breathing (the only vent is a .75" hole at the top for mounting and a 1" hole on the bottom for a power cord) brought the temp up in the safe to I KNOW at least 98 degrees.
Well, after about 30 miniutes inside the safe it is getting, shall I say,
uncomfortable. My wife is frantic by now, wanting to call the fire department to come cut open the safe. I'm having no part of that seeing what I paid for the safe and it only being a couple hours old.
Like a Police Negotiator I try talking my wife into a calm emotional state. I have her sit down and have a smoke. Then, I walk her
by the numbers... "Clear it
left 5
complet rotations! Stop
on 34. Turn it
right passing 34
two times. Stop
on 65. etc"
She finally get the combination right. I'm released from my safe after about 45 minutes. Even though it was something like 85 degrees in the house it felt very cold when I got out.
I have since sold that safe and purchased a much larger AmSec (1400 lbs worth). When I got it I though I'd make a joke and said to my wife "Well, I have to adjust the door, you going to lock me in in?" It only took a day or so for the hand print on the side of my face to disappear.
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Schmit, GySgt, USMC(Ret)
NRA Life, Lodge 1201-UOSSS
"Si vis Pacem Para Bellum"