replace digital lock to mechanical lock on safe?

[MGnoob]

I’m just going to go with a gun room with real vault doors... putting $100 into a $500 RSC just doesn’t make sense to me.... if I get locked out the repair can be addressed from the outside....

I’ll problem be selling off several of these safe in about 2 years.. if I don’t just give them to family or friends... I may keep one as quick place to dump my stuff after the range or hunting

All the hype about the doors on RSC in this price range is just that hype, they are just a big file cabinet that prevent most children under the age of 12 from accessing them...

 

[dcmdon]

Yup. Which is why nobody with half a brain should be buying "gun safes".

I've got a guy in Manchester NH who sells used commercial safes. He's typically got about 50 in stock and he will deliver.

His number is 603-264-0023. He occasionally lists in Craigslist. Just search on his phone number. Like I've said before, you can get everything from a Chinese safe made out of 1/4 in plate (still better than almost any gun safe) to a TRTL-30 rated jewelers safe the size of a refrigerator for pennies on the dollar compared to new.

 

[Disciplewer2001]

I bought the Winchester 24 gun which they have on sale for $599.00. Better safe in my opinion. 507 lbs vs 304. Nice setup inside.

Have had for 2 years and no problem with the lock. I change the battery once a year.

I have the same safe and I had the keypad fail twice. I had to order the keypad and wait for a new one to arrive. The first keypad the number 9 quit working. That was part of my combination so I ordered another keypad. The 2nd keypad the battery died and when I changed the battery My keypad had a red light condition with no audible button sounds. I am going to convert it to a mechanical dial immediately.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

The fact that not one electronic safe lock manufacturer includes lockout service in their warranty is called a clue.

 

[greencobra]

...not one electronic safe lock manufacturer includes lockout service in their warranty...

didn't know that was a thing, lockout service.

 

[drgrant]

Yup. Which is why nobody with half a brain should be buying "gun safes".

I've got a guy in Manchester NH who sells used commercial safes. He's typically got about 50 in stock and he will deliver.

His number is 603-264-0023. He occasionally lists in Craigslist. Just search on his phone number. Like I've said before, you can get everything from a Chinese safe made out of 1/4 in plate (still better than almost any gun safe) to a TRTL-30 rated jewelers safe the size of a refrigerator for pennies on the dollar compared to new.

The problem with many real commercial safes is you're not putting a TL anything safe on anything other than a cement floor, anywhere else is going to f*** your house up. Great optiosn though for ground or basement floor.

things like sentries winchesters etc serve a purpose. which is to keep dumb crackheads out of your shit, which is like 95% of most thieves, especially if you bolt the thing down to
something. If you get the other 5% they coming with a plasma cutter anyways or other good shit so you better just have a good camera and alarm at that point.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

didn't know that was a thing, lockout service.

Did you assume safes with failed locks stayed sealed forever?

 

[dcmdon]

The problem with many real commercial safes is you're not putting a TL anything safe on anything other than a cement floor, anywhere else is going to f*** your house up. Great optiosn though for ground or basement floor.

things like sentries winchesters etc serve a purpose. which is to keep dumb crackheads out of your shit, which is like 95% of most thieves, especially if you bolt the thing down to
something. If you get the other 5% they coming with a plasma cutter anyways or other good shit so you better just have a good camera and alarm at that point.

He's got everything in between.
I bought a dorm fridge sized safe, American made with a 1/4 in body and 3/8 in door. Its got external hinges so you can take the door off easily. Estimate is the body weighs 300# and the door 150#. I think I paid $350 for it.

 

[greencobra]

Did you assume safes with failed locks stayed sealed forever?

i didn't know they were warranted for lock outs.

 

[snowballs]

I have the same safe and I had the keypad fail twice. I had to order the keypad and wait for a new one to arrive. The first keypad the number 9 quit working. That was part of my combination so I ordered another keypad. The 2nd keypad the battery died and when I changed the battery My keypad had a red light condition with no audible button sounds. I am going to convert it to a mechanical dial immediately.

I haven’t had any issues “yet” but always on my mind. Let me know what you go with for a replacement.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I haven’t had any issues “yet” but always on my mind. Let me know what you go with for a replacement.

This S&G chart is interesting. The 6630 is the most secure but as a practical matter it's still going to be easier to open the side door to the safe than manipulate the lock unless you have a TL-15 or higher rated container, in which case 2M, 1 or 1R is required to maintain the UL TL-xx rating. The four wheel 6731 is a bit more painful to dial, and the lock case is deeper to accommodate the extra wheel which may or may not cause a retrofitting problem. Unless you want Drgrant to call you a skinflint, avoid the 6741 because of the Zamac wheels (marketing speak for cheap Zinc alloy), leaving the 6730. As much of a classic as the cherry bomb in the toilet.

There is a separate selection of Group I locks that is likely overkill for a gun safe.

It is interesting that S&G lies about the theoretical combinations - it's 800,000, not 1,000,000 because of the forbidden zone of a range of 20 numbers that cannot be used as the last number in the combination. A simple technique allows you to try all possible third numbers in a combination after dialing the first two numbers only once - a trick no doubt used by tools like the ITL autodialer.

Big Red mechanical locks also look interesting: Big Redâ„¢ Safe Locks - Mechanical Safe Locks

https://sargentandgreenleaf.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SG-2021-Electronic-Product-Catalog.pdf

 

[snowballs]

This S&G chart is interesting. The 6630 is the most secure but as a practical matter it's still going to be easier to open the side door to the safe than manipulate the lock unless you have a TL-15 or higher rated container (in which case 2M, 1 or 1R is required to maintain the UL TL-xx rating. The four wheel 6731 is a bit more painful to dial, and the lock case is deeper to accommodate the extra wheel which may or may not cause a retrofitting problem. Unless you want Drgrant to call you a skinflint, avoid the 6741 because of the Zamac wheels (marketing speak for cheap Zinc alloy), leaving the 6730. As much of a classic as the cherry bomb in the toilet.

There is a separate selection of Group I locks that is likely overkill for a gun safe.

https://sargentandgreenleaf.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SG-2021-Electronic-Product-Catalog.pdf

View attachment 649717

Thanks, Rob. Great information.