ELECTRONIC GUN SAFES AND EMP'S

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  • gds

    Marksman
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    Apr 25, 2009
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    Lawrencburg
    Since the EMP thread hasn't been added to since 2015 and I couldn't find an answer on there, I'll ask here. Since most of the newer gun safes have electronic key pads to open them, Will they work in the event of an EMP ? Can you protect them without building a Faraday cage around the safe ?:ar15:
     

    Dosproduction

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    Aug 25, 2013
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    Porter County
    No they will not work. But I retrofitted mine for about the cost of the combo lock 90 bucks or so and a little elbow grease. Mine is a cannon scout that I got from menards. It was easy as pie.
     

    mastery

    Marksman
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    Jun 2, 2008
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    I saw a Youtube video of a safe distributor that sells a number of different makes. I know that during the 30 minute video, he talked about the one or two models he sells that has a dial bypass for when the key pad loses power or gets attacked by EMP. So, you can find the option to have the bypass but it's a limited number of safe manufacturers that offer this.

    HA! FOUND THE VIDEO. Go to the 21 minute mark (21:33 he mentions EMP) in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltK-bDbADa8
     

    JettaKnight

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    Oct 13, 2010
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    Of all the things that concern me with electronic gun safes, EMP blasts are just about at the bottom of the list.
     

    Vigilant

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    Jul 12, 2008
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    Plainfield
    I have a Liberty Safe with e-pad, and it is rated for EMP resistance to MIL-STD 461F, RS105 50kV/Meter. Pretty dumb on what that means, but in event of emp my cutting torch will get me in in a few minutes.
     

    teddy12b

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    HA! FOUND THE VIDEO. Go to the 21 minute mark (21:33 he mentions EMP) in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltK-bDbADa8

    This video is the best video online about gun safes. This video is exactly why I couldn't bring myself to buy a "safe" at Gander Mountain and saved up the extra money for a Fort Knox. I couldn't be happier with my purchase, it's built like a tank and to compare the best at any box store isn't even apples to apples, then again neither is the price.
     

    Thegeek

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    Jan 20, 2013
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    Ft. Knox was #2 on my list when I finally chose my safe. And they were a very close #2. I got to talk to the guy at the NRA show when it was here. He convinced me that Ft. Knox are certainly a cut above the other commercially available safes. I'm actually thinking about a secondary safe and it will most likely be a Ft. Knox.

    And to the OP, forget about electronic. Just don't do it. How many electronic devices have you had fail on you? TVs, microwaves, etc.? How many batteries have died at the worst possible time? Go mechanical and never look back. Sure the electronics are cool and quick to access, but they will leave you frustrated in time. Even my GunVault bedside "safe" had the finger pattern combination. One day, it just quit working. Just stopped out of the blue. You know what still works? The mechanical key.
     

    mastery

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    This video is the best video online about gun safes. This video is exactly why I couldn't bring myself to buy a "safe" at Gander Mountain and saved up the extra money for a Fort Knox.

    In this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG9mEVifnHM) it took a guy a shade over 3 minutes with a grinding wheel with a cutoff blade to get into a "high end" safe (see 6:10 to 9:30 time points to watch him in action). I've used "cheaper" safes but only for ammo storage or the less valuable things that don't get room in my high quality safe. You get what you pay for.

    Of course, if somebody wants in bad enough, they'll figure out a way. But, I'd rather that take hours or longer versus 3 minutes.
     

    halfmileharry

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    Dec 2, 2010
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    I never once thought EMP on my gun safes. Fortunately mine are older safes with tumblers and dials.
    The only issue I've had was dirty tumblers not falling when dialed. They've all gotten maintenance on them.
    Good point to bring up.
     

    bobzilla

    Mod in training (in my own mind)
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    Nov 1, 2010
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    Brownswhitanon.
    ours has a key access as well. if the battery dies or an emp event, the number pad twists off and there is a key access for a hard key. I would be surprised if many others dont as well.
     

    rhino

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    Mar 18, 2008
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    Of all the things that concern me with electronic gun safes, EMP blasts are just about at the bottom of the list.

    ^^^^This for sure
    If you are close enough for an EMP to affect the lock on your safe, you have bigger worries than your safe.

    I have a great idea! Put the electronic keypad inside of the safe! That should protect it from EMPs nicely. Of course, the thing that caused the EMP might make it a bit warmish in the vicinity . . .
     

    mastery

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    Jun 2, 2008
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    I have a great idea! Put the electronic keypad inside of the safe! That should protect it from EMPs nicely.

    Or, buy a much bigger safe that has a keyed lock, and stick the smaller safe inside it that has keypad on it. But, just in case that doesn't work if a EMP blast goes off, just don't put anything in the smaller safe. :D
     

    rebarguyindy

    Plinker
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    Aug 20, 2013
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    Spencer, IN
    Keep in mind a solar flare is similar to an EMP and probably far more likely to occur. Look up the solar storm of 1859. If a similar event happened today, we could be in serious trouble.
     

    Leadeye

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    Jan 19, 2009
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    I figure that if there is an EMP blast big enough to fry a safe combo it will be preceded by events that will have your guns already out of the safe.
     

    Timjoebillybob

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    Feb 27, 2009
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    In this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG9mEVifnHM) it took a guy a shade over 3 minutes with a grinding wheel with a cutoff blade to get into a "high end" safe (see 6:10 to 9:30 time points to watch him in action). I've used "cheaper" safes but only for ammo storage or the less valuable things that don't get room in my high quality safe. You get what you pay for.

    Of course, if somebody wants in bad enough, they'll figure out a way. But, I'd rather that take hours or longer versus 3 minutes.

    I'm not sure if I would consider fortress a "high end" safe or not. $400 from wally world ...
    https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fortress-FS14E-Fire-Resistant-Gun-Safe/37184322#about-item

    But a decent grinder with metal and concrete cutting wheels will get into most "gun safes" in a half hour.
     
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