The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Gear and Accessories

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old April 15, 2014, 11:40 AM   #1
BoogieMan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 4, 2012
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 2,217
Best bedside safe

Im looking for a safe way to keep a gun at the bedside for my wife and I. I have a 9y/o daughter and sometimes a sitter in the house. I am considering a biometric vault of some sort. Are there any to stay away from or any suggestions on which one to use. I expect to store either a 5" 686+ or a PA63 in the vault loaded and ready. So its not safe to have around children.
__________________
Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it.
Milton Freidman
"If you find yourself in a fair fight,,,
Your tactics suck"
- Unknown
BoogieMan is offline  
Old April 15, 2014, 11:49 AM   #2
BarryLee
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 29, 2010
Location: The ATL (OTP)
Posts: 3,944
I have a GunVault and although I’ve had no real issues I’ve read several complaints. So, you might want to do a search and read some of the feedback before you buy that brand.

Personally my next small gun safe will probably be from these guys http://www.fas1safe.com/
__________________
A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself.
- Milton Friedman
BarryLee is offline  
Old April 15, 2014, 11:51 AM   #3
BarryLee
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 29, 2010
Location: The ATL (OTP)
Posts: 3,944
Also, love the Friedman quote…
__________________
A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself.
- Milton Friedman
BarryLee is offline  
Old April 15, 2014, 12:47 PM   #4
BoogieMan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 4, 2012
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 2,217
Thanks for the link.
I wish more people appreciated MF.
__________________
Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it.
Milton Freidman
"If you find yourself in a fair fight,,,
Your tactics suck"
- Unknown
BoogieMan is offline  
Old April 15, 2014, 04:20 PM   #5
southjk
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 5, 2012
Location: Memphis
Posts: 468
Best safe? In my opinion it would be one with no batteries to die or biometrics that might fail when in a hurry. Look for one with a simplex type lock that has usually 5 buttons that you can program to your combination and never requires batteries, charging or sensors that could go bad. Simple, simple, simple. (simplex) Vline and Fort Knox and FAS1 safes are among the ones I like.
southjk is offline  
Old April 15, 2014, 06:27 PM   #6
Daffy
Member
 
Join Date: December 24, 2012
Posts: 63
Define "safe" and for who is it safe?

Shadowbox picture frame carefully concealing the necessities for a rude awakening.

I don't need to be fumbling around half awake (yeah I know practice-practice-practice.) However in the heightened state of being awoke I don't care for any hindrance.

Mine is custom made, holds a small air horn for distraction, two maglights, and a 15 rd 9. just to get me 20' to the 12 neatly tucked in a hidden shelf.

Even the dude that burgled my place and got all the jewelry and several boxes of coinage walked right by them.

I need a few seconds to get my head on from a slumber, I don't need another few to get my hand on the gun. (and I hope it's never needed)( I wasn't home for the other break in)

My half cents worth.

Oh me and the better half do drills from time to time. Being awoken like that has had some mighty fine ways to find out how to go back to sleep!
Daffy is offline  
Old April 16, 2014, 05:57 AM   #7
BoogieMan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 4, 2012
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 2,217
Quote:
Define "safe" and for who is it safe?
Safe to keep childrens hands off and locked in case of break in when im not home. Im not positive, but I think I could be charged if my firearm is stolen from the home if its not locked.
Right now I have a BB bat next to the bed and all my firearms are in a safe thats at the other end of the house. They are basically useless for home defense.
__________________
Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it.
Milton Freidman
"If you find yourself in a fair fight,,,
Your tactics suck"
- Unknown
BoogieMan is offline  
Old April 18, 2014, 11:42 PM   #8
BigBL87
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 13, 2014
Location: Tonica, IL
Posts: 473
I personally just have a lock box with a keypad (2 codes, my wife's and mine) and a key backup that I bought at Walmart. Mostly just to keep it from curious short people. Burglaries aren't overly common in my area, and as a correctional officer I'm more concerned with someone breaking in coming after me than I am coming after my valuables. It's not the prettiest or most advanced but it does what I want it to.

Oh, and instead of a baseball bat, consider getting something like an extendable baton. I'm a softball junkie and keeping a bat sounded good until I actually tried seeing if I could use it effectively. A smaller 1 handed blunt weapon is a lot easier to use indoors.
BigBL87 is offline  
Old April 20, 2014, 05:49 PM   #9
Daffy
Member
 
Join Date: December 24, 2012
Posts: 63
Something like this for the shotty. Just a plain old picture frame on the wall by the bed, just a little deeper and a family photo.

You'd be correct to think I have no little ones about, but even if I did it wouldn't worry me because of the location on the wall, also it seems to be the teen+ aged ones that tend to make the news. In my book that's inadequate parenting by a gun owner. Sorry no sugarcoat from me..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssczcbZiF34
Daffy is offline  
Old April 20, 2014, 08:58 PM   #10
BigBL87
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 13, 2014
Location: Tonica, IL
Posts: 473
Prior to working in the juvenile justice system, I would have agreed with you on the parenting thing. Some kids, though, will do stuff no matter how well they are parented.
BigBL87 is offline  
Old April 20, 2014, 11:36 PM   #11
colbad
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 3, 2012
Posts: 506
I have a push button version issued by my agency which works great. I would be concerned about anything biometric if my iPhone is an example of cutting edge tech. I find if my finger is dirty, sweaty or the screen smudged it does not read my print. The mechanical buttons open every time when the right code is entered.
colbad is offline  
Old April 22, 2014, 03:49 PM   #12
I'vebeenduped
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 2, 2013
Location: AZ
Posts: 202
Daffy,

Do you know where these can be purchased? I cannot find a link that works.
__________________
The natural state of man, the way G‑d created us, is to be happy.
Look at children and you will see
I'vebeenduped is offline  
Old April 23, 2014, 06:39 AM   #13
BoogieMan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 4, 2012
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 2,217
@Daffy- Not so much my daughter I worry about. We have other kids through the house as well as a sitter. Not that I think there would ever be a problem. But I subscribe to Murphys law. And in the case of a firearm the consequences for everyone involved are just to severe. When I lived alone I had one pillow for my head and one to cover my pistol.
__________________
Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it.
Milton Freidman
"If you find yourself in a fair fight,,,
Your tactics suck"
- Unknown
BoogieMan is offline  
Old April 23, 2014, 06:46 AM   #14
Daffy
Member
 
Join Date: December 24, 2012
Posts: 63
Duped,
https://artechdesigninc.com/products/ms-0024/

I didn't buy them, I'm a hobby woodworker so I made my own version. I did take some designing hints and functionality from the video though.

I chose to not incorporate the magnetic locks and instead used some of the detailing on the sides to conceal a latch release.
Daffy is offline  
Old April 23, 2014, 01:08 PM   #15
I'vebeenduped
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 2, 2013
Location: AZ
Posts: 202
Daffy,

Thanks for the link. I appreciate it. Wow, the price just killed the thought of that for me! Do your hobbies permit you to make extra and possibly sell them yourself?

Maybe I will paint daisies on my handgun so it matches my cheesy wallpaper and just hang it on the wall. I could even cerakote it. Maybe call it camo-kitchen-tactical. It would require the word tactical so other people would follow suit.

The OP stated that he wanted something to keep it away from his F1's. Typically, kids prevent people from affording something of that magnitude. Shoot, he could almost afford three of the fas1safes for that price...
__________________
The natural state of man, the way G‑d created us, is to be happy.
Look at children and you will see
I'vebeenduped is offline  
Old April 23, 2014, 06:09 PM   #16
Daffy
Member
 
Join Date: December 24, 2012
Posts: 63
Nah, Learned a lesson the first time one of my coworkers wanted an antique chair repaired to only do my own fancy stuff. I'll help ya fix yer car/tractor/lawnmower though.... Thanks for asking.

Agree though they are way over priced, depending on the wood ~ $250 in materials on the high end unless it's some exotic. Heck I used 3/4" Oak faced ply and crown molding for the box, piano hinge in the back and four lid hinges. Around a hundred in material total. We won't talk about the labor involved with my locking latch, it was one of those I can build it cheaper things... I did get two 48"X12" shelves though.
Daffy is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:33 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.05447 seconds with 10 queries