Single Gun Safe (biometric or not?)

[99zhuggerz99]

Well the time has come for me to get a safe or two to be used in or around the areas that the now 15-month old can and will get to. My questions are as follows:

1) are the biometric really worth the extra cash? in both speed and functionality?
2) do you prefer a open top style, open side, or speedvault style?
3) recommend one...

I am looking for this to be my "bump in the night gun" so close by and quick access are a must.

thanks in advance

 

[Sgtusmc]

My choice:

Speed Vault SV500 4 button

They have a biometric version but I read problems existed with some biometrics and some fingerprints.

This is my "bump in the night" safe for my main HD handgun.

Amazon for $140 FREE shipping

 

[Classic]

I bought a Gunvault for bedside use. It was a huge fail. It would recognize my prints about 30% of the time. Would not read my wife or daughters prints at all. Visions of fumbling through 5 or 6 trys for a noise at the other end of the house. Relegated that one to "in the truck" use where it is not an emergency kind of retrieval. Bought the push button version for bedside and surprise, surprise it works every time. Old school works.

 

[Sgtusmc]

http://youtu.be/erGOJxQIf5c

I'm sure what this is really demonstrating is you can TEACH a 3 yr old how to open various safes. This guy is screwed if he's actually a gun owner

 

[Plane Pistol]

I own two bio and one non. If your hand is the least bit wet, it fails to read. One takes three to four seconds to open if at all. It seems to not read my wife's print well at all. The push button version is a much more reliable option. IMHO.

 

[99zhuggerz99]

the speed vault will fit a full size 1911, correct?

 

[PopFizz]

Use fas1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcJUGuB35y8

 

[Sgtusmc]

the speed vault will fit a full size 1911, correct?

Hmm, believe I read it would not fit a full size 1911. I store an M&P 9mm VTAC in mine no problem.

EDIT: full size 1911 DOES fit in this safe.

 

[loony1]

Gunvault, MultiVault Deluxe..and we have them in stock

 

[The Keymaster]

Biometric sucks.

 

[tskin]

This is the one I've had for years & I couldn't be happier with it. It's priced decent & the buttons are big enough that I can easily open it in the pitch black darkness within about 2 seconds, & it's reliable - never failed me yet.

http://www.nrastore.com/nrastore/ProductDetail.aspx?p=SA+22631&ct=e

 

[sassy lassy]

Biometrics on anything seldom work right on a regular basis. I certainly wouldn't want to bet my or my family's lives on one.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I own several Gunvault.com brand safes and I would in a HEARTBEAT buy another.

As someone who works in the security/access control industry, take it from me: run away from biometric scanners for anything mission critical/life saving that is time sensitive. Its one thing to not be able to get through the door of your office one day, or take an extra 30 seconds of repeated scanning to get a good read to log onto a PC. But when faced with an attacker, the old "lock and load" rule still applies... The bad guy isnt going to politely wait if your gun isnt loaded and at the ready.

With that being said, buy a gunvault brand unit without concern... as long as its NOT biometric. Personally I dont trust them with my life. (but I dont mind it for getting through a door, logging onto a computer, etc)

 

[PX4me]

After much consideration I went with this biometric from Viking.

100% reliable? Not if you only program 1 or 2 prints. If you take multiple readings of different fingers in slightly different positions it's another story. I haven't had one failure to read after doing this, nor has my wife. You can program up to a hundred prints.

This is also not one that can be opened by a pen, paper clip or by dropping it on the ground. If it is I haven't figured it out yet and I've tried each method numerous times.

 

[Bill of Rights]

After much consideration I went with this biometric from Viking.

100% reliable? Not if you only program 1 or 2 prints. If you take multiple readings of different fingers in slightly different positions it's another story. I haven't had one failure to read after doing this, nor has my wife. You can program up to a hundred prints.

This is also not one that can be opened by a pen, paper clip or by dropping it on the ground. If it is I haven't figured it out yet and I've tried each method numerous times.

If it has a keyway, it can be picked. It may not be time-efficient to do so, but it can be done. I would also be worried about the battery failing, which is the reason it has that keyway in the first place.

I hope you never have need to use your safe emergently. If you ever do, I pray that it works for you as it has on your practice runs. (You might consider trying it with your fingers damp, as they might be if you're nervous and your hands are sweaty. Just a suggestion.)

The choice is yours, of course. Speaking for myself, I would not and will not trust my guns, and by extension, my life and safety and that of my family members, to biometrics.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Just a bit of advice:

If this is a bedside / table top safe, open it up before you go to sleep, then lock it up when you get up for the day.

When you absolutely MUST get into it in the middle of the night is the night the batteries die or you can't get a good print read.

-J-

 

[Beemer]

I have a gunvault non-biometric and just ordered the mini for travel. I really like the one I have and I hope the new one will be just as good. I will say that I have read bad reviews on biometric safes.

 

[Bill of Rights]

Just a bit of advice:

If this is a bedside / table top safe, open it up before you go to sleep, then lock it up when you get up for the day.

When you absolutely MUST get into it in the middle of the night is the night the batteries die or you can't get a good print read.

-J-

I'm not sure how much sense that makes. No offense intended; I'm just thinking that my gun won't be in it during the day, it will instead be in my holster, on my hip. The only time it will be in the quick-access safe is when I'm sleeping. (I don't have little kids around, but if I did, that's why I'd have this.) The object is to protect the gun and the child when I'm not conscious to do so. At least that's how I see it. If you're seeing a side of this I'm not, please share?

Blessings,
Bill

 

[FiReBReTHa]

hmm.. that speedvault 4 button is looking nice for downstairs.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I'm not sure how much sense that makes. No offense intended; I'm just thinking that my gun won't be in it during the day, it will instead be in my holster, on my hip. The only time it will be in the quick-access safe is when I'm sleeping. (I don't have little kids around, but if I did, that's why I'd have this.) The object is to protect the gun and the child when I'm not conscious to do so. At least that's how I see it. If you're seeing a side of this I'm not, please share?

Blessings,
Bill

It makes perfect sense if you have a dedicated "night stand gun" and carry something different!