I bought one about 8 years ago. paid around $700.00 for it at Academy. about 18 months ago I went to get one of my long range precision rifles out to shoot. punched in the combination, turned the handle and pop. Yep, something in there broke. Got absolutely nowhere with Cannon on how to get this thing open. They suggested a locksmith, yep, 1700.00-2000.00 for that nonsense. so, all 6 of my long range precision rifles have been locked up in a broken safe. Two days ago I drove to the local Lowes because the Reciprocating saws were marked way down. Bought one, two packs of Dewalt metal cutting blades and a big drop cloth. Went home and my son and I drilled several pilot holes, then proceeded to cut into the side and within 15 minutes all weapons were removed.

My neighbor bought one against my advice. I was watching his house while he went to see family in Canada. And, since I already knew how to change the digital keypad code to his unsafe, safe. I did. Upon his return and much to his surprise, he was unable to open his safe. So, yep, he called me to give him a hand. This is when I had him go through the sequence to change the code back to his original. He has ordered a large heavy duty Browning safe with the old style dial and key.

If you own any safe with that digital keypad, just know, it takes a few short minutes for anyone to look on youtube and change the code to your safe. In particular the ones that are just barely attached to the front of the door. I am aware of some digital ones that would be most difficult to deal with. The vast majority of them are the ones that I mentioned above.

Just giving folks a heads up on my experience.

I’ve had a browning for over 30 years key and combination dial the thing has never failed, always feel that simpler is better

One more reason I bought a dial safe. Yes it takes me longer to open mine. BUT touch pad is way too easy to open . Pop the face off and attach an extension cord to the ends of the battery connection. Plug it into the wall outlet. Power surge will activate the opening mechanism on 95% of touch pad safes.

Dad's safe has a dial it drifter and he was still able to get in to it If he messed with it for a few years untill he could not get it open one day. He has had his guns locked in it for over 3 years now he can't axcess. They. Sent him New parts but told him to call a lock Smith to get into it. It was probably a sub 800$ safe so the lock Smith it not cost effective.

His plan is to take it outside and cut it open. But he will never move the TV on top of it or make a path we can get it out becuse it requires moving some larger furniture so I don't think he will ever get into it

I've had a Browning safe with an S&G mechanical lock for years with no issues. I tell friends and family to spend the money up front for a good one and get one twice the size you think you need.

I too have Browning safes with mechanical locks. No issues.

But, you could probably get into them with a saw pretty easily. I'm currently designing a concrete gun vault.

Unless you're spending 10k or more, most of theses "safes" are just fire rated storage cabinets. Not knocking anyone that has one, as I do myself.

These folks make a real safe. https://graffundersafes.com/

ol' dad

I built a vault once 10'x18' dugout beside the house poured a footer block with rebar and solid filled head joints and centers a block room with steel decking roof and 5" of 5000 psi concrete on top. The i cut a hole into the basement. Put a steel plate on slider like a barn door with linkage like a bulkhead in a train car has to get steel pins going into the floor and ceiling. It could not be knocked in and could not be barricaded and locked in from the outside.

Then plans changed and we moved to my farm.

The only thing that most of these safes are good for is keeping the kids out.

I have two Liberty safes' had them for a very long time, both are very dependable with dials

Nothing is impenetrable if enough time is given, but they will slow people down, heavy material not the gauge stuff

Extra heavy bolts all the way around the door not just on the open side, makes a big difference entering time wise
Bolted down difficult to move or tip over as well, fire rated to an hour as well

Pick your own time frame with how much you want to spend, helps with insurance as well !

Why would anybody want that?

I can and do leave weapons around my kids with no concern. My boys have their own gun safes in their bedrooms. They grew up around them on our gun range, hunting, feeding cows, etc. Obviously, age is a consideration.

However, they are lucky. Most kids (even with dads who hunt/shoot) don't have that kind of exposure to guns being a tool. Not a curiosity. Many kids need them locked up.

Yeah i've heard bad about cannon safes but that's just rumors. Stack on's are really nice.

I often wonder blain if it's a self fulfilling thing. Keep them locked up and the kids don't get exposed. My kids have been able to access their guns any time they wanted as long as they asked when they were very small I would alow them to shoot. Once I know they were safe they could get them out as Iong as they asked. Now when they need one they just get them out no asking required for a few years. But I bet not many kids these days run a trap line by themselves, clean their own game, gut and butcher their deer either. It's a sad world's we live in.

My kids had their own guns and ammo in their own rooms since they were 10. Never thought anything about it. They and their friends knew the consequences of playing with a real gun whether it was loaded or unloaded. If a friend wanted to see/hold a particular gun, they asked, then brought the gun to me to show clear, then let a friend check it out. To this day my boys say clear or safe when we hunt together.

I wasn't making a statement about the need to keep kids away from guns. I was merely trying to point out that these "safes" aren't really all that secure.

Yea I dont know if they make a free standing safe that can't be broken into relatively easy. I am not sure what show I watched it on but they broke into every safe they had in less than 15 minutes with common tools. Side entry on all of them. I look at a safe merely as a way to slow a thief down and keep them out of the hands of those who dont have any common sense. If they are stolen that is what insurance is for. If you are caught stealing them that is what a hearse is for.

No. Many kids need parents willing to spend the time to raise kids that don't need guns locked up!

It's really NOT that hard. I was raised in a somewhat dysfunctional family... divorced parents, alcoholic mother, spent half my time at my grandparents.... but no matter WHERE I lived I knew from the age of 6 up that the only time I was to pick up a gun was to hunt or target shoot. Which I did.... daily. Unless we're talking about kids with mental disabilities, NO kids need guns locked up. They just need better parents.

That's not going to happen for many. So, I suggest a safe for homes with those kids and parents.