Bedside Pistol Lock Boxes

[BuffCyclist]

Alright, so I already am aware these are not "safes" and are at best, lock boxes. I need a box to lock up my CCW at night, in addition to when I'm at work (university setting, can't carry). The reason for locking it is our 5mo daughter. She is starting to become mobile. The other various rifles, shotguns and pistols that aren't for daily use are locked away in large Pelican cases with a keyed and a combo lock on each, so those are all secured (and the ammo is in a separate ginormous lock box that is keyed differently and those keys are always with me).

After originally looking at a variety of GunVaults and reading real reviews on them (knowing that people who are happy don't always write reviews but those who have major mechanical failure of anything will ALWAYS write strongly worded reviews), I have seen quite a few instances of major mechanical failure (specifically a cable that connects the unlocking solenoid to the locking bar). I also never liked the idea of an electronic lock. Change the battery on a yearly schedule like your smoke detectors you say? My reply is, smoke detectors have batteries?! [Shock]

Anytime someone complains about the GunVault mechanically failing and GunVault refusing to fix/replace it, someone recommends the FAS1. At first I'm like, oh man that thing is COOL!!! But I still haven't bought one, because if I'm going to spend that much money on it, I want to get the biggest one (not the suppressor model, the Magnum XL) available to store 2 pistols, or various misc items in the bottom. However, the price is really getting to me. Sure, I realize its 7ga steel and impenetrable by my 5mo daughter. But frankly, if she's getting out her reciprocating saw or oxyacetylene torch to break into a 7ga steel box next to my bed, I think my wife and I have other problems.

Other alternatives are the Fort Knox Original Pistol Box. But the price isn't that much lower than the FAS1 (about $20-25). Okay, onto the VLine To Draw at $175. But I like the depth of the Fort Knox OPB (~4.25" usable depth vs 2.25" on VLine), as again, I could store 2 pistols on the bottom layer and my CCW on the top layer so I don't have to fumble grabbing a pistol out of the box.

I already have a Center of Mass pistol box (think GunVault NanoVault 300, but mine is keyed). However, in the sleep deprived state my wife and I are currently in, the key sits in the box all night because the last thing I want to do is fumble with finding the key and putting it in the box at night to get my pistol.

Lastly, I need to figure out mounting and perhaps that will just settle everything. When I moved to the east coast, we got rid of a lot of stuff. One thing was my old broken and decrepit nightstand. I bought one the other day on amazon, thinking I'd mount the FAS1 on the side (between bed and nightstand) or backside of nightstand. Without going into a rant on the poor quality of that nightstand and misrepresented description, I am in the process of returning it. Yes, I could mount the pistol box on the bed frame, but that means I'd have to get out of bed, get on the floor and lift up the bed skirt to access it, and my wife doesn't like the idea it's at our daughters eye level now that crawling is happening. My dresser is on her side of the room, and there are no physical shelves in the closet for me to attach a box to, they're all wire dinky stuff held in by brad nails basically. We're renting otherwise I'd put in some real shelves or one of those in-the-wall-rifle-safes.

Am I over thinking all of this? Has anyone else had this problem and if so, how did you solve it?

[mcantar18c]

I've been wrestling with this idea myself for a while... almost 9 months now [Beer]

I'm extremely opposed to restricting access to a defensive tool in such a way that it causes a delay in the operation of it. This excludes anything with a key or combination.
I'm also against anything with electronics... fingerprint scanners don't always hit on the first try, batteries die, and sometimes shit just fails. Unacceptable.

The best thing I've come up with is to have a breakthrough container. It doesn't need to be burglar proof, just baby/toddler proof. Something like a lockable box on your nightstand with a heavy screen (screen door type) material or thin plexiglass lid that you could transfer your carry gun to at night and easily punch through and grab what's inside if needed.
Maybe a short AR or 12ga in a "nice display case" made of thin plexiglass on a side table or something could be done as well.

[BuffCyclist]

Interesting idea, but that sounds like it would still have a lock (keys or combo).

I've also never tried punching through plexiglass, but that seems like it would be ... difficult? [Dunno]

[lex137]

I look forward to where this goes cause my 7mo. Need something to put on my nightstand as well and I'm not big on electronics either.

[ray1970]

You guys are putting way too much thought into this. If you are just wanting to keep stuff away from a toddler you can pretty much just put it in a place high enough that they can't get to it. On top of the refrigerator, a shelf mounted high on the wall, maybe on top of some sort of china cabinet type thing. Just make sure there isn't anything they can use to climb up that high nearby.

[kwando]

Magnetic strips placed high enough inside a closet or on a wall? No key and out of reach of a toddler.

[BuffCyclist]

Thanks for the responses guys, I've seen these responses in all my research. Yes, they are valid points. However I don't want to hide it, I want it locked (okay, not me, but my wife and I have convinced her that a good hiding spot is sometimes better than a lock).

While yes, hiding is good for now when all she can do is crawl. But, when she turns 5yo, if my niece is any indication of what 5yo's do, she'll get into anything with the use of a chair or step stool, at which point a shelf is not out of reach.

Besides, I'm looking for a bedside solution and last I checked I don't have a refrigerator or china cabinet next to my bed.

[ray1970]

My comment was based solely off of the 5 and 7 month olds and whatever that were mentioned above.

Hiding something from a 5 year old isn't the best idea. You'll definitely want to lock things up as the toddler gets older.

[ray1970]

Besides, I'm looking for a bedside solution and last I checked I don't have a refrigerator or china cabinet next to my bed.

Then where do you keep your beer? [Coffee]

[BuffCyclist]

Then where do you keep your beer? [Coffee]

I have been diagnosed with celiacs, I can't drink beer... [gohome]

But thanks for rubbing salt in THAT wound...

[Scogin]

My toddler is now a year and a half. He can climb just about anything at this point. A month ago the wife was doing dishes and turned around to find the boy standing on top of the kitchen table. Two weeks ago he figured out that he can push a chair to the kitchen counters and try and climb on top.
If you are thinking you can just put a gun out of a kids reach you need to make sure there is no way for them to get to it. They are creative and sneaky little devils.
I ended up going with the Fort Knox pistol box. It seems to work well for me. If you put your gun in it every night and take it out the next morning you are keying the combo twice a day, every day. That doesn't take long before you could do it in a half asleep, zombie like state.

[ray1970]

I have been diagnosed with celiacs, I can't drink beer... [gohome]

But thanks for rubbing salt in THAT wound...

My apologies. I didn't know.

On on a serious note, I've owned firearms for over 26 years. Raised two kids to grown adults during that time. You might actually find that there will come a time where you have to weight the pros and cons of your strategies when it comes to firearms. Everyone's situation is different and everyone needs to do what they feel comfortable with and what is in the best interest of their family.

For me, locking everything up in the safe pretty much 24/7 was what I did. I'm not going to look up any statistics but I bet the chance of my house being broken into in the middle of the night while I'm asleep and me needing immediate access to a firearm to remedy that situation are about 4,000,000:1.

In my mind, that kind of risk was minimal and one I was willing to take versus the thought of one of the kids getting their hands on one of my firearms if I turned my back for two minutes.

Of course, I've never been one of those paranoid types that thought if I don't have a gun within arms reach at all times I'm putting myself at some sort of risk.

Best luck for developing a plan that works for you and your family situation.

[Awesom]

[BuffCyclist]

My toddler is now a year and a half. He can climb just about anything at this point. A month ago the wife was doing dishes and turned around to find the boy standing on top of the kitchen table. Two weeks ago he figured out that he can push a chair to the kitchen counters and try and climb on top.
If you are thinking you can just put a gun out of a kids reach you need to make sure there is no way for them to get to it. They are creative and sneaky little devils.
I ended up going with the Fort Knox pistol box. It seems to work well for me. If you put your gun in it every night and take it out the next morning you are keying the combo twice a day, every day. That doesn't take long before you could do it in a half asleep, zombie like state.

Thanks for coming to my rescue lol!

However, you imply that you are no longer in a half asleep, zombie like state during the day. You mean...you mean the sleepless nights due to fussy and screaming bloody murder baby from teething, wonder week and sleep regression eventually passes?! [Shock]

[mtnrider]

....But, when she turns 5yo, if my niece is any indication of what 5yo's do, she'll get into anything with the use of a chair or step stool, at which point a shelf is not out of reach.


You ain't kidding. My 3 year old can climb anything. I found him on the kitchen counter the other day. He had pulled out each drawer in the cabinet and climbed up into each one until he was able to get on top of the counter. Even if I hide the step stools he will find anything he can to pile up so he can reach what he wants.

[SSChameleon]

TLDR: I went with an electronic combo pistol lock

I have two kids in the house and if you look at this from a risk management perspective, the odds of a child finding an unsecured gun vs the odds of being attacked/broken in your home make this a no-brainer. My father-in-law is an ER surgeon and he has seen the result of child+unattended/unsecured firearm. He gave me great advice, go for the combo lock, kids will get into everything and they will find the key. FWIW, I have two gunvault pistol boxes and if you change the batteries (you can put a reminder in that smartphone to change them annually) you should have no problems.

[BuffCyclist]

Just so others can see what I'm talking about with the GunVault mechanical weakpoint/failure: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242167

There are reports of this all over, using these same pictures but mostly that is because people are saying the symptoms and others are posting the picture saying "I bet this is what happened".

Note: I'm not a member on the firing line, just found it through a google search, so I'm not sure how reputable those guys are. Regardless, they have pictures of a failure.

[Zundfolge]

If it just has to be toddler proof, what about a bed mounted Level III retention holster?

[00tec]

Is Tim K still making those nifty drawers?

[Scogin]

Thanks for coming to my rescue lol!

However, you imply that you are no longer in a half asleep, zombie like state during the day. You mean...you mean the sleepless nights due to fussy and screaming bloody murder baby from teething, wonder week and sleep regression eventually passes?! [Shock]

I am not sure if it actually passes or if you just get so numb and used to it that you don't remember what feeling refreshed was like. Don't make the mistake we did and wait until the kid is 18 months old to try and train him to sleep in his own bed. Bad idea.

[BuffCyclist]

I am not sure if it actually passes or if you just get so numb and used to it that you don't remember what feeling refreshed was like. Don't make the mistake we did and wait until the kid is 18 months old to try and train him to sleep in his own bed. Bad idea.

Ha, no she's 5mo now, and we transitioned her at 3mo to her own room in her crib and she was doing great. Due to family emergency around the new years, we were out of town for over a week. That screwed with her schedule and we are just now maybe recovering from it in that she's finally sleeping for 2-3hrs at a time during the night.

[O2HeN2]

Many solenoid-opened (electronic) lock boxes will spring open if dropped just so. Be careful about that.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erGOJxQIf5c

O2

[mackbamf]

For me, locking everything up in the safe pretty much 24/7 was what I did. I'm not going to look up any statistics but I bet the chance of my house being broken into in the middle of the night while I'm asleep and me needing immediate access to a firearm to remedy that situation are about 4,000,000:1.

In my mind, that kind of risk was minimal and one I was willing to take versus the thought of one of the kids getting their hands on one of my firearms if I turned my back for two minutes.



Agreed... For a while I kept mine in a high location with a loaded mag but empty chamber. As small children it would have been impossible for them to rack the slide if they could have even found their way to its location. Now that they are older it stays locked up.

[Teufelhund]

I used to just keep my CCW on the headboard at night (it goes with me when I leave the room). My little one turned 1yo in December though, and is a running, jumping, climbing, whirlwind of destruction. Leaving it on the headboard just isn't an option anymore. After reading a lot of reviews, I opted for the GunVault SV500 with the keypad (I don't trust the biometric scanners). I don't have a nightstand on my side of the bed, so I mounted it to a stud inside the closet, about 3 feet from my side of the bed. Now I keep my CCW in the big safe downstairs, and a .45 permanently lives in the GunVault so it's always there in case the wife needs it while I'm at work. I've had it since October; I test it once a week, and it's been flawless so far.

TL;DR: GunVault SV500 with keypad, mounted to a wall, out of sight, but within a few feet of my side of the bed. Test often. Works great.

[BuffCyclist]

Many solenoid-opened (electronic) lock boxes will spring open if dropped just so. Be careful about that.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erGOJxQIf5c

O2

Thanks for posting this, but I've seen this and while the child may have been shown how to open each box a thousand times before the video was filmed, it is still a design flaw and I want to avoid it (even if it's been fixed). This is why I'm moving towards the simplex style lock.


Agreed... For a while I kept mine in a high location with a loaded mag but empty chamber. As small children it would have been impossible for them to rack the slide if they could have even found their way to its location. Now that they are older it stays locked up.

I am moving towards this line of thought as well. A simplex style lock has 1083 possible combinations. When I was a kid, I made good money several times by churning through the digits on a bike lock that the friend forgot the combo to (we were kids, I knew it was their bike, blah blah blah, i wasn't a thief).



I used to just keep my CCW on the headboard at night (it goes with me when I leave the room). My little one turned 1yo in December though, and is a running, jumping, climbing, whirlwind of destruction. Leaving it on the headboard just isn't an option anymore. After reading a lot of reviews, I opted for the GunVault SV500 with the keypad (I don't trust the biometric scanners). I don't have a nightstand on my side of the bed, so I mounted it to a stud inside the closet, about 3 feet from my side of the bed. Now I keep my CCW in the big safe downstairs, and a .45 permanently lives in the GunVault so it's always there in case the wife needs it while I'm at work. I've had it since October; I test it once a week, and it's been flawless so far.

TL;DR: GunVault SV500 with keypad, mounted to a wall, out of sight, but within a few feet of my side of the bed. Test often. Works great.

That is the GunVault I have been looking at for a long time. I love the simple approach, no room for anything else. In fact, that's probably why I am drawn to the FAS1 so much, because it's like the SV500, but has extra storage capacity.

[newracer]

I have had a GunVault Multivault for about 10 years, open it twice everyday. Batteries last a long time (years) and the cable has yet to break.

ETA: Just did a little reading and according to posts on Glock Talk GunVault has changed the mechanism to prevent the breakage.

[Teufelhund]

That is the GunVault I have been looking at for a long time. I love the simple approach, no room for anything else. In fact, that's probably why I am drawn to the FAS1 so much, because it's like the SV500, but has extra storage capacity.

Not having room for an extra mag is the only thing I don't like about the SV500. I just keep one on the top shelf near where the safe is mounted; not perfect, but it'll work. If I ever need 21 rounds of .45 in the middle of the night, it'll probably be the last thing I do anyway.

[BuffCyclist]

I have had a GunVault Multivault for about 10 years, open it twice everyday. Batteries last a long time (years) and the cable has yet to break.

ETA: Just did a little reading and according to posts on Glock Talk GunVault has changed the mechanism to prevent the breakage.

[facepalm]

That would make sense. The post I linked and probably all of the reviews I've seen are from 2007. Regardless, I still don't like that it's electronic. Would love to see a manual version of the SV500. And just because my brain is fried, when I think of SV500, I think of a Suzuki motorcycle with a smaller engine. Similar to CB750 and CB350...

I need sleep...[Bed]


Not having room for an extra mag is the only thing I don't like about the SV500. I just keep one on the top shelf near where the safe is mounted; not perfect, but it'll work. If I ever need 21 rounds of .45 in the middle of the night, it'll probably be the last thing I do anyway.

That is something that I don't like. However, my CCW is a M&P40c with the standard 10rd flat base mag. My spare mag is a 15rd M&P40 full size mag. When I get home, I swap out the mags so at home I always have 16rds of 40 with a 10rd spare mag.

[newracer]

Out of curiosity I just took mine apart to see what the cable looked like. It is frayed but not too bad. If/when it breaks I think I can fix it. I also contacted GunVault to see if they have a replacement part to correct the problem.

[JohnnyEgo]

I've got a V-Line on the nightstand next to me. It consumes a fair amount of space for having a relatively limited interior. It does an excellent job at it's intended purpose: keeping curious little 4 year old and 17 year old fingers off of my CCW piece when it is not on my person. And it's not my own kids I worry about; it is their stupid little friends and/or their stupid little friend's parents.

On the few occassions I've had pause to go investigate things going bump in the night, I found the V-line to be very speedy to open and present very little compromise for the extra peace of mind. It's been at the same place by my bedside for so many years now that muscle memory is sufficient for me to find the buttons and the knob, though I usually leave it unlocked at night.

[KS63]

I keep looking at these boxes and think " I can fabricate one". I could, but at what cost to me. Simplex cabinet locks go for $50 or so.

[HoneyBadger]

and last I checked I don't have a refrigerator next to my bed.
Order of business #1: Fix this.

[BuffCyclist]

I keep looking at these boxes and think " I can fabricate one". I could, but at what cost to me. Simplex cabinet locks go for $50 or so.

That's EXACTLY what my thought was. I know plenty of machine shops that could slap the welds on a box like this, and then bolt up a simplex lock. In fact... [runs away to start sketching up a design in solidworks]


Order of business #1: Fix this.

[ROFL1]

[boomerhc9]

I have been diagnosed with celiacs, I can't drink beer... [gohome]

But thanks for rubbing salt in THAT wound...


That sucks man. I was diagnosed in 2008. Never had regular birthday cake since! Or regular pizza, bread, lasagna, or pie.
I don't think any of the substitutes are anywhere near as tasty as the food I was eating before. And then theres the cost. F'n $6.30 for what equates to a half of a loaf of bread.

[boomerhc9]

As far as the alcohol goes, you can still drink the hard stuff! I learned to love me some tequila, and rums. GF beer sucks

[wadero]

Have you guys tried any of the Hard Apple ciders? GF

[SamuraiCO]

I like those shelves that you can mount on a wall and use a magnet to unlock and the shelf swings down exposing your goodies. Would be high enough to keep out of toddler reach but still easily accessible if something goes bump in the night or to transition to bed stand. Don't have kids but it is what I would be using.

[BuffCyclist]

I have seen the shelves that have a drop down cubby for firearms. I like the idea, but I am renting. I'm okay with putting holes in my own furniture/etc but I hate patching holes in walls for rentals and the walls in this place are painted with colors (white is easier to hide a spackle job, color paint I'd have to attempt to cover it up).

I'm starting to lean towards the VLine Brute right now, it looks similar to the Ft Knox Original Pistol Box, still a little smaller but I like how the lid wraps down further. I can get the Brute for $5 more than the Ft Knox (totalsecuritystore.com), so price isn't an issue.

[boomerhc9]

Have you guys tried any of the Hard Apple ciders? GF

I realy like wood chuck, and angry orchard. they have some actual taste.

I used to like red bridge, but anheiser stopped supplying it around here.

Still haven't found anything that tastes like miller lite but gluten free. If they could even get that right, they'd have a fan for life.

[BuffCyclist]

Fine, since we're talking about GF "beers", I'll let you in on a little secret. You CAN drink beer!

Corona technically tests less than 20 PPM gluten, so it is gluten free. HOWEVER, the celiacs foundation refuses to label it as gluten free because it is made from gluten. For the record, I have not tried this, but my sister (also a celiac, she was diagnosed first so I can actually blame her that I have it) has and said it didn't do anything to her. I'm not sure I want to try it.

Omission brews a Pale Ale, Lager, IPA and possibly more. All of their beers are gluten-reduced. I have had all 3 and they do not affect me in one bit. They basically use a type of yeast that eliminates the gluten (or something, too tired to look it up).

Stone Brewing Company is coming out with Delicious IPA, a gluten-reduced beer. Stone uses a White Labs enzyme that breaks down gluten proteins, separates and denatures them (Clarity-Ferm is the name). Stone also releases their gluten tests based on best-by dates.

Now, can we get back to my thread?! [LOL]

[wadero]

Have you seen the Stella Atroise hard cider? Have not tried it yet.

[TFOGGER]

I bought a Sentry safe for my wife, not biometric, but electronic with a key backup, that fits in a drawer. So far, she likes it, and can get into it in total darkness...

[zimagold]

No kids in the house full time yet.

Started with a Gunvault Nanovault (3 number combo), normally left unlocked and would lock when guests were over as it was impossible to open in the dark. I just wanted a fast way to secure the handgun without putting it in the safe every time a guest stopped by the house.

Second box was Fort Knox Double Pistol box (fits my wife's shield and full size M&P 9 just fine). Simplex Lock, fast, easy to open in the dark. My wife had no issues opening it at 3am when one of our cats knocked a flower vase off a high shelf and set of the glass break for the alarm system, I was out of town.

As previously mentioned, simplex lock only has 1083 combinations and a quick read online will show you how to brute force the "common" codes in 5 minutes. Due to this limitation, I would not trust it with kids that might have extended access.

I will probably be looking at an electronic keypad box when we have kids, just check YouTube first and make sure the model you are buying can't be picked with a 9V battery or paper clip in less than 30 seconds. There are quite a few that fit this description and should be avoided.