My daughter worked as a CPS investigator for several years. Recently she applied for and got a job as a probation officer which is an armed position. She was told to get herself a safe for what will be her issued handgun. The only requirement was that it can be attached to a wall. Why a wall is beyonf me, I would think to the floor would be more secure but such is it. So, she asked me what to get. I have been looking around and saw what appear to be some decent ones with 3/16" doors and 10 gauge bodies but I know very little about the quality of them or the companies that make em. It seems ones I would think are better sell for around $300.00.
What I am concerned about, besides the thickness of the steel, is the locking mechanism and how it opens. I am thinking that one with a biometric scanner to unlock it would be best since as opposed to a push button combination lock. That is because she has a young son who has been known to quickly open combination locks of the push button type as if he has a supernatural power to unlock them. Of course, they depend upon batteries (so need to be maintained regularly in that regard) and some also come with a key (which I would tell her not to keep in the house). I still am left wondering though - are those with biometric scanners better than those with push button combination locks or is it the other way around.
I would appreciate some input from folks who use a locking pistol safe/box/vault as to what brands you think are best, what are the type of unlocking method you think is preferable and as to the reliability of either type unlocking type. Keep in mind the most important criterion is not fast access but rather that her son does not get into it. Please no tirades about teaching her son not to handle the pistol; rest assured he will be so taught. Regardless of that, there is no way any reasonable adult should trust a young child not to fall to the temptation of trying to taste the forbidden fruit - as in him grabbing a cookie from the cookie jar when told not to do so or him trying to check out mom's pistol after being told not to do so without asking mom first and having her show it to him.
What I am concerned about, besides the thickness of the steel, is the locking mechanism and how it opens. I am thinking that one with a biometric scanner to unlock it would be best since as opposed to a push button combination lock. That is because she has a young son who has been known to quickly open combination locks of the push button type as if he has a supernatural power to unlock them. Of course, they depend upon batteries (so need to be maintained regularly in that regard) and some also come with a key (which I would tell her not to keep in the house). I still am left wondering though - are those with biometric scanners better than those with push button combination locks or is it the other way around.
I would appreciate some input from folks who use a locking pistol safe/box/vault as to what brands you think are best, what are the type of unlocking method you think is preferable and as to the reliability of either type unlocking type. Keep in mind the most important criterion is not fast access but rather that her son does not get into it. Please no tirades about teaching her son not to handle the pistol; rest assured he will be so taught. Regardless of that, there is no way any reasonable adult should trust a young child not to fall to the temptation of trying to taste the forbidden fruit - as in him grabbing a cookie from the cookie jar when told not to do so or him trying to check out mom's pistol after being told not to do so without asking mom first and having her show it to him.
