Gun Safe Lock Systems
Mechanical combination locks, electronic keypads, and fingerprint scanning
The ultimate test of a gun safe is the ability of its lock system to prevent unauthorized access. Key locks and mechanical combination locks are still popular among today's gun owners, but many are now opting for the newer, more technologically advanced theft deterrents provided by fingerprint and biometric gun safes. Here's a brief but fact-packed guide to gun safe lock systems.
Key & Combination Gun Safes
Most everyone is familiar with the left-right-left turning of combination lock dials. The locks used on combination gun safes are classified as either Group 1 or Group 2. Many safes have Group 2 locks with three-number combinations. Group 1 locks are more advanced and can feature combinations of up to six numbers. For extra security, some combination locks feature a key locking dial.
Simplicity and reliability are two reasons many people choose a mechanical combination gun safe over other options. Combination locks don't require electricity or batteries to function. However, it does take more time to open a combination lock than an electronic lock. If you lose your combination or want to change it, you'll need to call a safe technician.
|
Electronic gun safes feature an alphanumeric keypad that is used to enter a combination (usually six digits long). This push-button quality makes for quick and easy entry. Unlike a combination safe, an electronic gun safe can be programmed for multiple combinations, which is convenient for multiple users and reduces the likelihood of being locked out because of a forgotten passcode. Another advantage of electronic gun safes is that after consecutive invalid combinations have been entered, the lock shuts down for several minutes. This shut down period is then repeated each time an invalid combination is entered. Here's a useful tip: when changing the combination on an electronic gun safe, do so with the safe door open. That way you don't accidentally lock yourself out of the safe. The terms biometric gun safe and fingerprint gun safe are sometimes used interchangeably, though it's more accurate to say that a fingerprint lock safe is one type of biometric lock safe. Very advanced biometric safes rely on voice recognition or eye scanning rather than just fingerprint scans. Some fingerprint gun safes work in combination with a PIN number or allow you to program a higher or lower accuracy threshold. Biometric gun safes provide heightened security and eliminate the problem of lost or forgotten combinations. |  |
