Small easy-open bedside "safe"

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Well, I have had it with the Gunvault that I've had for a few years. It eats batteries, so after spending more on batteries than I care to think about it, I wired it up with an AC adapter. Now, even that has stopped working. [banghead]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably secure storage solution to hold a pistol for when things go bump in the night, that one can open easily?
 
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i do what marsha says because it's for my own good. [devil2]
 
Ankle holster + J-frame: fastest retrieval, jam-proof when fired under blanket.

Con: it can get in the way when the moment heats up in bed. [laugh]
 
I would leave my carry piece on the nightstand, and I would lean the loaded 870 against the wall in the livingroom, but I have a 2 year old. Sometimes safe storage is necessary.
 
Could not possibly agree more.

Guys (not singling you out, JayD) as much as I appreciate the opinions about the merits of leaving guns around without being locked up, that is completely irrelevant to this topic. I do not discuss the details of my personal security in a public forum, particularly when there are laws that may govern aspects of such matters. Don't worry about me, though. Really. [wink]

All we're doing here is exploring the options in small, easy to open, relatively secure little safes. There have been some really good links and suggestions posted, and I am very grateful! [bow]
 
Well, I have had it with the Gunvault that I've had for a few years. It eats batteries, so after spending more on batteries than I care to think about it, I wired it up with an AC adapter. Now, even that has stopped working. [banghead]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably secure storage solution to hold a pistol for when things go bump in the night, that one can open easily?

Sure. Leave it right on top of the bedside table. It doesn't eat up any batteries. And, its your constitutional right! What could be better?

Remember, safes protect your killer, not you. Sleep tight, MA law obiding commie. Or grow a pair, and exercise your right.
 
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This setup seems to work well.

This should fit underneath most beds. It is relatively cheap, can be bolted down easily, electronic entry (min 4 number), and you can even gasket off the door if you would like. It doesn't eat up batteries. I used to use the same one and never had to replace the batteries in over a year. Also has a manual key override and battery meter on the front.

X075_a.jpg

SentrySafe Security Safe X075 Interior Dimensions: 6 .9H x 16.8W x 11.6D(L)


One of these stuck to the inside, they are motion activated so as soon as you open the door the light turns on and lights up the entire inside of the safe.
slp-close.jpg

SuperBrightLED.com SLM-CW15


One of these stuck to the side of it that can be hit real quick to turn on in the dark to see the keypad. (It has a strong magnet on the backside, 24 LED's on the side and 3 in the front you can't see)
images

MAC Tools TL4762


Of course this isn't as quick entry as a keeping a gun in the nightstand but if you want to stay within the law i think its a pretty decent setup as opposed to a gun vault. You can fit a lot more in there too. The only thing would make it better would be if the keypad was back lit.

The whole setup would run you about $100-120.
 
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Remember, safes protect your killer, not you. Sleep tight, MA law obiding commie. Or grow a pair, and exercise your right.

I can think of ways of utilizing an open top pistol safe that will not compromise my safety while still giving me some legal protection if I'm prudent enough. I'll leave this as an exercise to the reader, but think outside the box.

And yes, I think the law is f**king absurd, too, but there are several ways that you can have your cake and eat it too.

-Mike
 
I can think of ways of utilizing an open top pistol safe that will not compromise my safety while still giving me some legal protection if I'm prudent enough. I'll leave this as an exercise to the reader, but think outside the box.
Use it as a blunt object to induce trauma? [laugh]
 
Sure. Leave it right on top of the bedside table. It doesn't eat up any batteries. And, its your constitutional right! What could be better?

Remember, safes protect your killer, not you. Sleep tight, MA law obiding commie. Or grow a pair, and exercise your right.


Some of you are so welcoming and helpful at times.

You should be proud of how well you represent gun owners.

How many times does the OP have to tell you that how he uses the safe is none of your business?
 
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Personally, I like my Gunvault. I have this one http://www.gunvault.com/handgun-safes/microvault.html and have never had an issue with batteries. However, if that's been an issue for you, why not one of these?

http://www.gunvault.com/handgun-safes/nano-vault-300.html

They're inexpensive, combo locked, use no batteries, and still plenty small enough to get into a nightstand drawer. I use the keyed version in my car for locking up when headed into prohibited places.

Hmm, that is kind of appealing. I think I would be more tempted to try one of those if my experience with Gunvault had been different. I called them up about the ridiculously short battery lifetime (a full set every few weeks) and the guy was just not at all interested in helping me solve the problem in any way. I was very polite, but he was kind of a dick, so I am not wild about giving them any more of my money.
 
I have one of these http://www.gunvault.com/handgun-safe...vault-300.html I'm not sure if it is the exact same manufacturer. I got mine at four seasons. I have both the key lock and combo lock version. I like the combo lock so you don't need a key with you but something about the lock itself just seems cheesy to me like its always 1 turn away from breaking. In its defense I have never had a problem with it though. They keyed one has also been fine.
 
I picked up a pretty cool one from Eastern Security while browsing their booth at the last W. Springfield gun show. I will come back, and add the name, and model, when I look at it later, since I don't recall offhand. Anyway, it is a decent sized unit, so you can put more than just a pistol in it, and it has the option of ordering extra bolt-down mounting plates, so you can mount a spare in your car, for instance. I plan to do that in the back of my s.u.v., as it will give me the option to lock up my sidearm if I have to enter a prohibited place, or even if I need to leave other valuables in the car for some reason. The extra mounting plates are only around $20, or so. It has a 4 digit, programmable combo, and a built in alarm, so you will know if the kids try to tamper with it, or something like that. The front door is spring loaded, and pops down instantly, so you have quick access, and there is even a little LED light inside to help you locate your gun quickly in the dark. I have to laugh at the "MA commie" type comments - obviously those guys either don't have small children, or are hoping that their kids will get the next Darwin award.[rolleyes]
 
I picked up a pretty cool one from Eastern Security while browsing their booth at the last W. Springfield gun show. I will come back, and add the name, and model, when I look at it later, since I don't recall offhand. Anyway, it is a decent sized unit, so you can put more than just a pistol in it, and it has the option of ordering extra bolt-down mounting plates, so you can mount a spare in your car, for instance. I plan to do that in the back of my s.u.v., as it will give me the option to lock up my sidearm if I have to enter a prohibited place, or even if I need to leave other valuables in the car for some reason. The extra mounting plates are only around $20, or so. It has a 4 digit, programmable combo, and a built in alarm, so you will know if the kids try to tamper with it, or something like that. The front door is spring loaded, and pops down instantly, so you have quick access, and there is even a little LED light inside to help you locate your gun quickly in the dark. I have to laugh at the "MA commie" type comments - obviously those guys either don't have small children, or are hoping that their kids will get the next Darwin award.[rolleyes]

So, it is kind of similar to the larger Gunvault? Sounds nice. Looking forward to details. I like the guys at Eastern.

I have to laugh about the commie comments too. It is pretty easy to call names when you're safely hidden behind your keyboard.
 
I use:

THIS

with:

THIS

No battery issues at all, and I change them every 3 months. Works great for this sheep, since my kid loves opening and closing every drawer they can get to. I timed it (non-stress situation) and it takes me 7 seconds to have full control over my firearm. Could it be 7 seconds too late? Maybe. But my 100lb BBD would most certainly alert me ahead of time.
 
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So, it is kind of similar to the larger Gunvault? Sounds nice. Looking forward to details. I like the guys at Eastern.

I have to laugh about the commie comments too. It is pretty easy to call names when you're safely hidden behind your keyboard.

You're right about that. I call them keyboard commandos.

I just looked it up, and it is the DAC Sportsafe model# ATV-2003C

here is a link to Eastern's page on it, but there are many others if you google it.
http://www.easternsecuritysafe.com/Products/pistolsafes/dacsafe.htm

I definitely ended up paying almost double what it sells for online by buying it at the show (even with the discount), but I guess that's what happens when you impulse buy stuff.[rolleyes]
 
Oh, I should mention that there is an included shelf, so you can have better organization, but it is so cheesy, that I probably won't ever use it. They made it transparent so the LED could illuminate the whole interior, but should have used something like Lexan, or similar (which is what I will do, if I decide that I need it). It is battery powered like the one you had, but I can't speak to the battery life at this point, because I haven't used it on a regular basis. I do plan to pick up a a/c adapter, though, for use when at home, and just use battery power for the car.
 
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