Some people need guns to protect themselves, their property, and especially their families. Yet, the last thing we need is a faulty alte handfeuerwaffe. The gun safes that need to be open when we apply the keys, fingertips, or palms (such biometric safes) in order to retrieve our guns or pistols need to be the best overall.
When we are looking for the best gun safe that meets our budget and expectations, the fact is we want the best of the best. There are those that are made from cheap manufacturers, not delivering what is needed. Some get jammed, lock us out from our safes, some simply are not worth the price by being readily available to anyone who attempts to open it.
Here is a case-scenario:
It was a cold autumn evening, John and his wife were going out for the evening to celebrate their 10-year anniversary at a local five-star restaurant. As they were waiting for the sitter, they were preparing for the night’s evening in their bedroom. They were ecstatic since they rarely were able to get out and away from the kids when, suddenly, they heard a loud “bang” coming from the basement. Their 12-year-old son fatally shot himself while mesmerizing over one of the loaded guns his father had; his son managed to “pry-out” the gun while in the basement.
It happens often across the world and the majority of these incidents could be prevented if the gun had been locked up and secured in a gun safe that was secured enough if they had chosen the best gun safe on the market. Some of the best gun safes are available at guns shops, gun shows, or online.
Investing in a Biometric Gun Safe, for instance, for the sole purpose of preventing an accidental disengagement, or someone retrieving it without consent, could have saved this boy’s life, including thousands of lives around the world.
Since January 27, 2016, children under 12 yrs. old have died from accidental, or intentional, gunshot wounds every other day because of guns being left out by a family member, or a friend’s parents, in the United States.
Things to consider when buying a gun safe
The size and the weight
The heavier the safe the harder it will be to carry off from your property.
Gun experts suggest the weight of a safe should be considered when searching for the best gun safe; for example, the biometric rifle safe. These can range approximately up to 2500 lbs.
Another is a gun safe that weighs about 750-lbs. which is the right weight because not only does it appropriately fit in a good space, where it’s not too big nor small, but, it too can’t be carried off from your property too easily.
Wall Thickness and shell strength
A safe with a strong exterior can prevent “break-ins”. The thickness of the safe protects itself from fires that can accidentally happen while at the same time protecting the pistols, guns, rifles, or accessories in the interior. So, some of the best gun safes are minimum of 10-gauge walls of steel. These are two main reasons why you should choose one that has a strong “shell” and “wall-thickness” that will prevent it from thieves as well as fires.
How Quickly Does It Need to Open?
Besides the construction of the guns or pistol safe, the locks need to be sturdy enough to be locked so no one can pry them open. But, what if you need to get to your gun quickly?
The fact is technology has made these gun safes faster and quicker to get into by the gun owner, but what happens if you have one that locks with combos and keys?
The three main gun safes: Gun Safes with Biometric locks, Gun Safes with Combination locks, Gun Safes with Keyed locks.
Here is a more detailed description of these types.
Gun safes with biometric locks
These work with the touch of their finger or palm of your hand. Your fingerprint or handprint is the “key” to open the safe. They are great because you don’t have to open them up with keys while in a state of panic. It only takes a touch of a finger or the press of your thumb on the scan pad so it reads your “finger print”. Yes, your fingerprint is the key.
In fact, it is the fingerprint that’s “coded” in a digital format as opposed to the digital code which normally opens up the safe. Similar to the fingerprint scanned by police authorities database when they “book a criminal into a jail” facility. When searching for a criminal, the criminal’s fingerprint, which should be already in a criminal database, will match up if he/she has ever been booked.
The good thing: there are no two fingers that are identical much like a snowflake; there are no two snowflakes that are alike.
Nevertheless, biometric gun safes can prevent someone from stealing your guns during a home-burglary. There are thousands of reported crimes that involve guns being used by criminals who stole the firearms from registered or licensed gun owners during a home burglary or home invasion. Hence, you don’t want your gun being used by criminals and then come to find out it was used for a crime you didn’t commit.
Although, there has been times when these types of safes that have had electronic faulty instances while trying to open. Make sure when choosing one, you get it from a good manufacturer, brand and great reviews. The great thing is that they do have backup keys, nevertheless, if all else fails.
Gun safes with combination locks
There are those pistol safes or gun safes that have an electronic and mechanical combination lock. The electronic ones have a programmable code. With these type of locks, they require a non-numbered or numbered keypad.
On the other hand, the mechanical combination locks need to be activated with the classic rotating dials; where they have to have a particular sequence, like left to 18, then right to 15, then left to 1,… for instance. Additionally, there are those that you simply need to press the numbered or non-numbered buttons in a particular sequence.
Gun safes with keyed locks
These are the classic gun safes where you simply insert a key and twist it. The key-type locks rarely “malfunction” and the only flaw that would be potentially threatening is that you lose your key and you never made a spare one; plus, someone can make a duplicate of your key during a home invasion or during a home invasion, you may go into a panic while trying to open the safe and miss the key-hole because of shaking or being frantic. These can be cheap gun safes, but just as good as the higher priced ones.
PRICES, prices, prices: what’s my budget?
All the gun safes have a variety of prices depending on the size, brand, manufacturer, type of gun safe… to name a few, but, one thing to recognize is that you need to take your budget in consideration.
Normally, you don’t want to spend more than you can afford, especially if this is your first gun safe. Shopping for the right priced one is going to be a tough bargain, although, it’s worth it once you choose the right one.
There are cheap gun safes that work just as good as the expensive pistol safes. Which one you choose is up to you; only you should choose the one that fits your budget, bottom line.
Best Bet, write down the Pros and Cons
Since gun laws recently have been modified U.S., carrying them can make them easy accessible to robberies, thieves, and even other gun owners. In other words, making them easier for the public to obtain them, gun-owners should think about the safety of having them in their homes locked.
When choosing one, thinking about how you’re going to store it, plus, making it difficult for anyone to retrieve it, besides the gun-owner himself is always something to consider.
Simply keeping someone from harming themselves if they see it laying around the house is the additional reason why owners of guns should invest in a chosen one that will work for you.
Considering that this is what you’re going to use to save you and your family’s life if you ever have to use it, but also knowing that you’ll have quick access to the key or codes during a state of panic.
They all have their pros and cons; but, only you know what you are able to do during the time of need. So, choosing the best gun safe according to your abilities is best.