If you’re worried about an EMP taking out the grid and taking down all of your electronics at the same time, you probably don’t have a quick-access electronic lock on your gun safe. Which means your gun safe is pretty slow to access, and pretty much impossible to open in the dark. If that description fits you, Cannon Safe Company might have just what you need . . .
Their Commander, Cannon, and Armory safe lines are now offered with their unique dual access EMP lock. As the picture shows, it combines the speedy tactile opening of an electronic lock with the EMP- and flood-proof reliability of a mechanical combination lock.
I’m planning to replace the electronic lock on my gun safe with a mechanical lock, and these combo combination locks look like the bee’s knees. Sadly for me, Cannon isn’t offering this lock as a retrofit for safes from other manufacturers; it’s currently available only as OEM on most Cannon safes.
Awesome! Not just for EMP but using those pads a lot were them down and make your numbers obvious. However of you could use the dial most of the time and the key pad only in emergencies you have the best of both.
For ease of access, electronic locks are the ticket. They’re much faster than mechanical, rotary dial locks. Unfortunately, “ease of access” goes both ways — electronic locks won’t always work and may be easier to defeat. Since I home carry, security and reliability are more important than instant access to stored guns.
While I prefer mechanical locks, individual needs differ. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to secure gun storage.
it is unlikely that an orbital EMP detonation would have sufficient power to destroy an electronic lock inside a safe or penetrate any electronics shielded by metal or concrete it would take a very powerful detonation to even have a noticeable effect on our grid.
Please do not ruin my paranoia with logic.
It’s not so much the orbital EMP that worries me as much as the one just over the city 50 miles away.
I have a push-button mechanical simplex lock on my pistol safe. Best of both worlds.
Simplex locks aren’t much of a challenge. Older models can be defeated with a strong magnet.
And pretty much any pistol safe can be defeated with a pry bar, which is a lot easier to get than a neodymium magnet. Your point?
My S&G lock on my 20 year old Liberty GS is already EMP proof. As is the electronic keypad lock on my Stack on Day Safe (tubular key lock underneath). Nothing new under the sun here. Just pure marketing.
I have one safe with a mechanical lock, and one with an electronic lock.
I will never again have a safe with an electronic lock.
Details please?
fwiw, amsec is now offering a “Lock Duo” option. they are using the lagard dual redundant lock (traditional dial, with additional electronic keypad). so you have the best of both worlds.
http://www.kaba-mas.com/media/370998/v3/File/redundant-mechanical-lock-2441-6441-electronic-and-4-wheel-installation-operation.pdf
even better, they are offering it as a retrofit kit for amsec safes.
I’m actually in the reverse situation. I bought a safe with a combination lock because it was cheaper than the ones with an electronic lock, and now I never lock the thing because I’d forgotten from my high-school days that I freaking hate combination locks. It’s basically a heavy, glorified storage locker.
At some point I plan on replacing the thing with an electronic keypad. Though to be fair a “hybrid” solution does sound nice, but if I had to pick between the two I’m going keypad.
It would be even nicer if they offered it as an upgrade to their older safes which they aren’t. I asked them if they had an emp lock for my Cannon 40FB6 and this was their response:
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Hi Harry,
unfortunately we do not provide a upgrade to a EMP lock but you can purchase a compatible one from your local locksmith or you can purchase one online
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I’m now investigating the ability to order a “compatible” lock online.
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