Posted: 3/11/2010 7:28:49 AM EDT
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Who is using what? I am looking at the HOMAK 10" vault or a GunVault Mini
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ya that is my main concern. I have a 5 and 6 year old.... I want my pistol readily available but not to my kids. When i was 6 years old my dad kept his pistol in his night stand that the drawer locked.I knew where he kept the key. When the folks were gone i would often go get it out and play with it and he never knew.Fortunately he had taught me gun safetyy and i had shot them with him many times so i did not shoot myself.A combo lock is probably best but you have to really watch your kids they can be really sneaky sometimes. 
edit add...I had two older sisters so was not home alone... |
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I use the gun vault mini. works great.
I have it secured via bicycle cable lock to the bed frame and under as far as it will go. Love that you can set the combo to anything you want- a single button if you choose. granted its only opened maybe twice a month, the batteries last forever. I just replace them annually to be safe. |
| I've used the Gun Vault before and even tho I think it's well made, it ended up failing on me. I would enter my code, you can hear the locking mechanism release, but the door doesn't flip down. The only way I can open it now is with the key, which defeats the purpose of getting one in the first place. I didn't want to go looking for a key in an emergency. I tried getting a hold of their customer service with no luck. I ended up going with this from LA Police Gear and it does what it's supposed to. You can even wait for LAPG to have a sale which they do quite often. |
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Another satisfied Gun Vault owner here. I've opened mine twice daily for several months without a failure. I hope to purchase one of their bigger safe models soon.
I got one of those Sportsmans Guide picture frames. I searched high and low for night stand vaults and other storage options. There is nothing to break and keep me out of it when needed, and is placed on a wall so my kids cannon physically get to it.
Depending on how old your children are it would be a good idea to rethink this. I use to use a key locked hatch on my bedroom closet door with the key hanging high above it until I caught my 5 year old trying to reach the key with a toy broom  Good thing I kept my weapons on the highest shelf and caught her in the act. Even though they cannot physically reach it they will find a way!
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Homak in wall safe.
Mount behind a picture, curtain, in closet. Amazon $30 shipped 
BTW - had a gun vault...started to become a battery eater (8x AAA) and needed to be replaced every 3/4 months...then I lost the key...screwdriver and 3 seconds to open... |
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I have one and recommend opening each night before going to bed. They can be finicky and I wouldn't want to have to rely on it under duress... YMMV True...I since have switched to unlocking the cabinet at night and the key is attached to my primary truck ring...so it gets lock when I go. Also I added this on Tuesday...not much of a handgun lock but... 
Mossberg Loc-Box direct from Mossberg ($40 shipped). Very secure. 
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Homak in wall safe. Mount behind a picture, curtain, in closet. Amazon $30 shipped http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k50/outdoorgb/Firearm%20Sports/IMG_4614.jpg http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k50/outdoorgb/Firearm%20Sports/IMG_4612.jpg BTW - had a gun vault...started to become a battery eater (8x AAA) and needed to be replaced every 3/4 months...then I lost the key...screwdriver and 3 seconds to open... That is slick right there! I looked at it but was like eh... but painted to match the wall is cool! |
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Quoted:
Homak in wall safe. Mount behind a picture, curtain, in closet. Amazon $30 shipped http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k50/outdoorgb/Firearm%20Sports/IMG_4614.jpg http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k50/outdoorgb/Firearm%20Sports/IMG_4612.jpg BTW - had a gun vault...started to become a battery eater (8x AAA) and needed to be replaced every 3/4 months...then I lost the key...screwdriver and 3 seconds to open... That is slick right there! I looked at it but was like eh... but painted to match the wall is cool! In hind site I could have put it on the wall (next to where I mounted that shotty) and made it even closer to the bed...If you go this route take some time thinking where it really could work for you...once the hole is in the wall...Maybe I'll buy another? |
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BTW - had a gun vault...started to become a battery eater (8x AAA) and needed to be replaced every 3/4 months...then I lost the key...screwdriver and 3 seconds to open... I've got the same problem. The thing devours batteries. And at 8 batteries the consumables cost really starts to add up. As pointed out, a screwdriver and some elbow grease would open it, not a really secure locking mechanism That plus the fact that you never know when it's going to be dead................ I'm not a fan. Depending on what you want to spend, the V-Line stuff with the simplex locks look nice and no batteries to die. V Line I've also got a Stack on drawer safe - 60 bucks and 2 AA batteries. First set is pushing a year with no signs of crapping out. Heavier guage steel w/ two locking live bolts Stack-On |
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Which brand of batteries are you guys using in your Gun Vaults? The manual states to use Duracell. That's what I use and i've had the same batteries in it for about a year or more. Rmember, all batteries are not created equally.
The deluxe model lets you know when battery life is low, plus you can use the AC adapter if you have a outlet handy.. I considered a V-line myself but went with a Gun Vault. |
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Which brand of batteries are you guys using in your Gun Vaults? The manual states to use Duracell. That's what I use and i've had the same batteries in it for about a year or more. Rmember, all batteries are not created equally. The deluxe model lets you know when battery life is low, plus you can use the AC adapter if you have a outlet handy.. I considered a V-line myself but went with a Gun Vault. I used Duracells exclusively. I had the vault for about 3 to 4 years and started acting up the past year (going through batteries...going dead to find out!!!). I did some search on the interwebs and the problem is out there and not on every unit. I liked the quick access of the gun vault but not the "are my batteries any good" feeling.... |
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Quoted:
Which brand of batteries are you guys using in your Gun Vaults? The manual states to use Duracell. That's what I use and i've had the same batteries in it for about a year or more. Rmember, all batteries are not created equally. The deluxe model lets you know when battery life is low, plus you can use the AC adapter if you have a outlet handy.. I considered a V-line myself but went with a Gun Vault. I used Duracells exclusively. I had the vault for about 3 to 4 years and started acting up the past year (going through batteries...going dead to find out!!!). I did some search on the interwebs and the problem is out there and not on every unit. I liked the quick access of the gun vault but not the "are my batteries any good" feeling.... Ditto. Durracell coppertops, with the exception of one time when I used lithiums.............. those croaked in less than a month. |
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Don't buy a Gun Vault. I had two, both developed problems with the electronics after a set of batteries went dead in them. Thats a bit extreme. I've heard from people who've used them for years without a problem. Even if it went kaput it's still a keyed lock box with a bonus in that it actually flips the door open. |
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Quoted:
Don't buy a Gun Vault. I had two, both developed problems with the electronics after a set of batteries went dead in them. Thats a bit extreme. I've heard from people who've used them for years without a problem. Even if it went kaput it's still a keyed lock box with a bonus in that it actually flips the door open. For the money, I'd rather have a mechanical cipher lock box. |
