Pistol Safe... Biometric?

What are your opinions on safes?

  • Biometric safes are worth the cost for security and fast access

    Votes: 4 36.4%

  • Biometric safes are a scam, just get a fast access digital combo lock

    Votes: 5 45.5%

  • Listen to my wisdom, you are off base, read my comments below :D

    Votes: 2 18.2%
  • Total voters
    11
  • Poll closed .
R

rpseraph

New member
So I am in the market for a bedside pistol safe. I am open to most configurations: Drawer, mounted on side of bedside table, out in the open... The more I look there seem to be a lot of options, and major price variance, from a combination safe not specifically designed for firearms, to biometric fast opening safes for a couple hundred bucks...

My motivation is that I need to have a pistol close at hand, VERY secure (I have two boys, 1 and 4) and readily accessible (no key necessary)

What are your experiences with these? Is biometric worth the cost? Are non-gun safes at a big disadvantage (they tend to be cheaper)?

(We can skip the "teach your kids better and leave the gun loaded on the night stand" discussion... not happening.)
 
I just had this debate in my head, and in my house as my son (first child) started walking a couple weeks ago.

In my mind the advantage of the biometric safes was the added layer of security in knowing that only mine and my wife's fingerprints would open it. Anything my son, his future friends, or anyone else in my home could to (short of taking a crow bar and breaking it) would not allow access.

With the digital combo handgun boxes, all it takes is for him to see the code entered one time, and he now has access to the guns if he remembered the code (we bought two, one for each bedside table, my EDC goes in one and my wife's EDC in the other).

For me, the extra couple hundred bucks was worth this extra peace of mind.
 
It's like you're in my head Jay :D ... May I ask what brand/model you guys went with? I want to be able to fit an XDM, mag, maybe a flashlight.
 
We went with the Liberty HDX-250 for both. My LGS had the liberty line as well as the GunVault line in stock so we got to play with both before deciding. I am sure there are other options, but these two were the ones I always heard recommended. I liked both, but we went with the Liberty because it popped open faster.

In the two weeks we have had them, they have been great. Open every time, on the first try. They were easy to program, and took all of our fingerprints easily. I also like that it has duel power sources, DC plug-in as well as battery back up.

It has plenty of room as well, and will easily fit what you want in it. Mine has a Sigp250 Compact stored in a basic, leather slide holster, an extra mag, as well as a small flashlight in it. My wife's has her Ruger LCP stored in the pocket holster it gets carried in, along with 2 extra mags and a flashlight.
 
If you buy biometric, get a good one.
A friend got an inexpensive one which was a lot less reliable than the gun he wanted to put in it. He exchanged it for a digital, which is adequate for his use.
 
OK I'll take the opposition view. There are some variables to look at when considering biometrics. First you have to be comfortable trusting electronics in that scenario. I don't. Would you buy a smart gun? Murphy's Law scares me a little with electronics for home defense.
Some people just have prints that are not easy to read. Do you work with your hands?
From my experience biometrics are not any faster than pushbuttons whether electronic or manual as most have to wake up before it will process the scan. One benefit of biometrics is you don't need to remember your code. I haven't had any issues remembering my code.
 
have you looked at one of these. I find it interesting it allows you to have different types of access. a wrist band, a credit card. it would allow someone else access if that is important. this is just for consideration as I have now first hand knowledge of its performance.
 
I dont trust biometric safes. They can be picked using a tape method, which takes about 1 second to do (watch youtube) and you are trusting your life on electronic technology. Im sure its fine but I personally do not trust it. Get a combo safe that will always work.

Now can kids pick the combo safes? My son is 5 and there is no way he could pick my safe. Probably around 8-10yrs old and they could figure out how to go through the combos. However, I got a combo safe that also can require a key (its optional) so when I feel he is getting old enough to pick I will require a key entry.

Now the ultimate solution would be a combo safe with like several rows of numbers making possible combinations impossible to pick. Why this isnt out is beyond me.

Whatever you do, do not go with a junky safe.
 
Now the ultimate solution would be a combo safe with like several rows of numbers making possible combinations impossible to pick. Why this isnt out is beyond me.
Click to expand...

I haven't looked for the last year, but the simple answer is there is not a lock available to buy like you describe. I looked at all the mechanical push button locks and none offer any more security than the Simplex style lock.

All the 10 to 12 button ones will work as long as the correct numbers are entered. Sequence or multiple buttons pushed at the same time doesn't matter so while there are more buttons they don't really offer more (or much more) possible combinations.
 
What are your opinions on safes?

Just this past week, we had a locksmith re-doing door locks at our place. I asked him about those battery-powered biometrics.

His response:

"I'd never use them, myself. But they sure are great for my business."

I like this for my pistols:

http://www.ftknox.com/product/original-pistol-box/

No batteries, electrical components, or wires to break, wear out or otherwise foul up.
 
I was playing with a VelocityVault (made by GunVault) this weekend and I like the quick access, and you can actually push MULTIPLE BUTTONS as a "digit" for the combo, up to I think 6 "digits" meaning your combo could be:

1, 1&3, 2&4, 1&2&3, 4, 2...

Certainly gives more options, and really offers security from the kiddos. It is still an electronic lock, with a key override, with all the drawbacks, but Costco is also selling this for $100.

350-947664-847__1.jpg


350-947664-847__2.jpg
 
Last edited:
I was thinking about them and read the poor reliability reviews available online. I went to a store and they let me try what they had on display. They didn't work well for me. They are supposed to work better with some peoples prints than others due to amount of oil. I have heard they work better if you press your thumb/finger against your forehead before using.
 
FAS1,
I should have given the reason. I was told if you have no oil on your fingers many of the readers do not function well. I wash my hands hourly and sometimes more at work, so I have very little oil on them at work or immediately after leaving. That is apparently why the scanner would not function when I tried it on my way home from work. Very few people wash their forehead during the day. I was given that advice from someone with similar hand-washing practices who uses biometric scanners for access control at work.
I haven't tried it out personally though.
 
I know John. I just couldn't resist the photo. :D

Some people don't have any problem for the most part with the print scan itself, but there are lots of variables that can effect their operation that people just need to consider.

I am still one that prefers to rely on myself rather than any type of electronics for my HD guns.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top