Mini-Vault Electronic Gun Safe Suggestions

[Erich_870]

The IP Camera thread got me thinking about a project idea that's been on the back burner.

With my kiddo's getting older and more mobile/inquisitive, I've had to put my home protection gun in the safe and not close to my bed. I'd like to move it back within reach at night and I'm looking into mini-vaults with electronic key pads for easy midnight access.

I'd like to incorporate it into a nearby piece of furniture to keep it out of sight of my kids and intruders (out of site, out of mind) so size is important. The more compact the better.

What would you guys suggest? Just a heads up, my current protection piece is a .357 revolver, so the safe needs to have enough internal room to fit the extra width of the cylinder.

Erich

[04 Rocko Taco]

For what you are looking at, I would look at one of the little "bio identifier" safes with the handprint on top, you can program most of them to accept 2 or 3 different hands, so you or your wife could open it. FRom the ones I have seen, they are relatively easy, reliable, and pretty unbeatable (by your kids)

[4x4mike]

Erich, I am in the same position as you. My large safe is on the other side of the house and houses all of my goodies. Once I get home I'll try to link up what I've been looking at as I'm at work. If you want/have $200 the choice is real easy. I don't want to spend that much and actually don't need a lot of storage room.

I almost bought a small safe that opens from the top but passed because this will probably go under the bed and not in furniture. I don't want it in furniture because I don't want someone breaking the safe out. Plan is to mount it to the floor or build something that mounts to the bed frame and the floor and the safe mounts to it.

This is not so much to hide from the kids but make it accessible to me when I need it. Young kids find most anything you try to hide so I'd rather educate them as to what it is and the dangers instead of leaving them curious and wanting to get in (me as a kid).

I've found a few cheap ideas on Midway and eBay. Backlit key pad with key back up.

[Erich_870]

For what you are looking at, I would look at one of the little "bio identifier" safes with the handprint on top, you can program most of them to accept 2 or 3 different hands, so you or your wife could open it. FRom the ones I have seen, they are relatively easy, reliable, and pretty unbeatable (by your kids)


A bio identifier would be cool. No groggy code remembering issues.



Erich, I am in the same position as you. My large safe is on the other side of the house and houses all of my goodies. Once I get home I'll try to link up what I've been looking at as I'm at work. If you want/have $200 the choice is real easy. I don't want to spend that much and actually don't need a lot of storage room.

I almost bought a small safe that opens from the top but passed because this will probably go under the bed and not in furniture. I don't want it in furniture because I don't want someone breaking the safe out. Plan is to mount it to the floor or build something that mounts to the bed frame and the floor and the safe mounts to it.

This is not so much to hide from the kids but make it accessible to me when I need it. Young kids find most anything you try to hide so I'd rather educate them as to what it is and the dangers instead of leaving them curious and wanting to get in (me as a kid).

I've found a few cheap ideas on Midway and eBay. Backlit key pad with key back up.


I'd rather not have to spend $200. It would mean I'd have to go longer before I could install it. Post up some links to what you found.

I’m definitely direct when it comes to teaching my kids what is okay to touch and what is off limits without me present, but I was a kid too and if it's easy to get to, I'd still get into it, “just because”. :hillbill:

Erich

[4x4mike]

The Gun Vault I was looking at is $120 locally. It's a bio one but a little spendy for what it is. Honeywell and some other companies make ones a little bigger, open with a little swinging door and use a key pad. I'm a super light sleeper and have been woken up near nightly for 3 years (love my little one) so I never get enough solid sleep to ever wake up groggy. Well that's my excuse. I think the key pad will be fine for me and be easier for me and my wife to use.

My plan is for a 4" semi auto. Do you have a big Alaska barrel on your .357? The Gun Vault I was looking at didn't look like it would fit my Dad's 5" 686.

[mastacox]

I have a Barska biometric fingerprint safe which I really like, it's programmed with both my fingerprint and my wife's, and you can get it open in about 10 seconds. It did cost about $200, but I decided the fingerprint scan and extra space was worth it over smaller units.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/417SFU9flgL._SL500_AA300_.jpghttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61Zls4ADulL._AA300_.jpg

There are fingerprint scanners in smaller sizes if you're only looking to store 1 gun. Check out Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=barska+biometric&x=0&y=0

[4x4mike]

I was looking at stuff like this.

http://www.fireproofsafes.com/business-and-home-safes/security-safes/secustar102s20eelectronicjewelryandhandgunsafe.cfm

http://www.surefiregunsafes.com/7-1x16-9-sentry-x075-small-security-safe-laptop-compatible.html

I like this one as it can go on the wall and have a curtain or something similar over it.
http://www.guncabinetsandsafes.com/handgun-and-pistol-safes/electronic-lock-safes/homakquickaccesselectronicpistolboxsmall.cfm

[Erich_870]

I thought I responded last night, but I guess it didn't stick. :headscratch:

My .357 has a 3 3/4" barrel, so it's not super long. The grip is just over 1 1/2" thick, so that's going to be one of the controlling dimensions.

I really like the looks of this one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EFKCYG/ref=s9_simh_gw_p60_d0_g60_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=11EM16R0PEV2FYCVT1R7&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

It has the finger reader, but it may be too thin.

This one is also nice and thin: http://www.amazon.com/Gunvault-MVB500-Microvault-Biometric-Pistol/dp/B001UAMZD4/ref=pd_cp_hi_0

The price is better as well.

Erich

[slosurfer]

There's a website I joined that has good deals on outdoors stuff everyday dvor.com and I see those gunvaults come up from time to time. In fact on tuesday they have listed that gunvaults are going to be on sale on the site.

You have to be a member, but it's no charge or anything.

http://www.dvor.com/s/730mom.html

[04 Rocko Taco]

I love Dvor. Got some great deals.

[slosurfer]

I love Dvor. Got some great deals.


Yeah, I haven't bought anything yet due to lack of funds, but sometimes they have some amazing deals....

[04 Rocko Taco]

I love Dvor. Got some great deals.


Yeah, I haven't bought anything yet due to lack of funds, but sometimes they have some amazing deals....



I'm in the EXACT same boat. I have a "shopping cart" saved currently on LA Police Gear, AIM surplus, and Cheaper Than Dirt, just waiting on the availability of some play money.

[slosurfer]

I love Dvor. Got some great deals.


Yeah, I haven't bought anything yet due to lack of funds, but sometimes they have some amazing deals....



I'm in the EXACT same boat. I have a "shopping cart" saved currently on LA Police Gear, AIM surplus, and Cheaper Than Dirt, just waiting on the availability of some play money.


AIM and Cheaper Than Dirt piss me off because they won't ship hardly anything to CA! :chair: Perfectly legal stuff and they won't ship it! Seriously, won't ship a Spikes lower, even though there are plenty of places I can order and buy a Spikes lower from.... :flipoff:

Finally just made my first purchase on DVOR. I got a OPMOD PAC Bag (http://www.opticsplanet.net/opmod-first-responders-utility-bag.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=plusbox-beta&gclid=COXR8eLngq8CFQOEhwodcD-j1A) for $18.99 shipped! I had a $10 off coupon code for my first purchase. Got it to use as a bag for when we travel, basically a man purse haha

[4x4mike]

I forgot I was in the market for a safe. I finally got my Micro 90 light so I know what the final size will need to be.

I registered for DVOR and check it most days. It's some cool stuff. I haven't seen anything I've needed yet but it's good to hear they are good to buy from.

[4x4mike]

I almost "pulled the trigger" on a Gun Vault tonight but ran across a couple bad reviews that might apply to all of them. In regards to the battery pack, it takes 8AA's. Some guys are saying they have dead batteries after a month, some say a few months, the box says a year on stand by. The guys that say they don't last long think there is some type of high draw/drain but can't take the thing apart to investigate. Sounds like Gun Vault isn't much help either.

They do make a version that has an AC plug but I don't really want to go that route. For one it's more expensive and 2 I don't really have an available plug near the safe and I don't want a wire to lead someone to it.

If I had to I guess I could make a standard model an AC model with a wallwort with the correct output.

I was just wondering of any of you guys have one and what your battery life is or if you've heard of the drain problem.

This is what I was looking at:
http://www.gunvault.com/minivault-gv1000s.html

[Peter]

I've had my multivault (the one with the shelf) for over 10 years and have yet to replace the batteries. Of course, mine only takes 4 AAs. I can't tell in the link but do these have lights in them now? If they do maybe that's the power drainer?

As I mentioned, I've had mine for over 10 years and I've used it as frequently as 15 times a day to once in half a year - never any problems and I'm very happy with it.

Funny, I was just thinking the other day that it might be time to (proactively) replace the batteries...

[4x4mike]

Interesting. The expensive highend ones have a light as well as a motion detector with alarm. I'm not really sure how that works but those might be the 8 AA ones. I've recently been turned on to some mechanical ones and I'm going to check those out. I really need to figure out where it's going to be mounted to eally know which one will be best.

[4x4mike]

Mechanical versions:

http://www.shotlock.com/ShotCart/Default.asp

http://www.ftknox.com/redesign/pistolboxes/

http://www.vlineind.com/html/hide-away.html

[Peter]

Those are all nice options though I still prefer my finger grooves.

I had a "bump" in the night last year a little after I had gotten to bed and jerked awake. I was about to chalk it up to nothing when I heard my dog kind of growl/bark. I got to my safe and kept an eye on the doorway while I did.

Short story shorter, it ended up being an opossum going through our recycle bin outside. Whatever you choose, practice and make sure it's not something you end up fumbling with in the dark.

[Robinhood4x4]

Whoa!!! Pete! You're back! Where have you been?

[Peter]

Hey Steve, what's been going on?
Out in AZ, huh?

I had a series of unfortunate events that have changed my life a little bit but it's all good. Can't hang around the internet forums as much as I used to but I'm around :)

[slosurfer]

Just a head's up, the gunvaults are on sale today on dvor (they have more options this time vs. what they had last sale)
http://www.dvor.com/gunvault-event-54-2012-04-02.html

[4x4mike]

I just saw that. The sale is just okay and is the same as Amazon's everyday price. We just got new bedroom furniture so I have a better idea of what I'm working with and the layout, as it will be for some time.

I'm leaning towards a mechanical model with a front opening door and mounting on the top. As such the Gun Vaults maybe out of the running because the finger pads are on top.

[slosurfer]

I just saw that. The sale is just okay and is the same as Amazon's everyday price. We just got new bedroom furniture so I have a better idea of what I'm working with and the layout, as it will be for some time.

I'm leaning towards a mechanical model with a front opening door and mounting on the top. As such the Gun Vaults maybe out of the running because the finger pads are on top.


Yeah, I wasn't sure since I'm not in the market for one. I always check their prices first too, because sometimes it's the same price as just about everyone else. Other times though, they have really good deals.

[4x4mike]

This is what I ended up with. I've had it for almost a month and have been very happy with it.

http://www.stack-on.com/categories/quick-access-safes--2/products/60

Found it online for a deal and it's in the bedroom. Access is quick and easy and it's got plenty of room. Actually it's about twice the size I need but the extra size makes it easier to mount and harder to remove.

[Peter]

Hey that's pretty nice!
I might have to look into one of those. My Multivault, while nice, is a bit too bulky. That's a much slimmer profile. Thanks for sharing!