locks

This page may take some time to load.

I often tell people that trigger locks are bad and that firearms can be locked up without using trigger locks. Believe it or not, many people think that the only way to lock up a firearm is with a trigger lock or with a firearm safe. Several times, heated debates have been the result. Additionally, many people mistakenly think trigger locks will reduce crime with firearms. The criminals will remove the locks. Trigger locks are only usefull for keeping children from playing with firearms and may stop the use of a firearm in a suicide by a young person (it will not stop the suicide).

One of the greatest problems with trigger locks is that in order to work, they have to place a bar directly in front of the trigger. This bar joins the two halves of the trigger lock. If the trigger lock is not tight, the lock can sometimes be moved back and forth enough to work the trigger. And if someone is placing a trigger lock on a firearm and it is loaded (we are always supposed to treat them as loaded), it could easily go off. And another problem with a trigger lock is that there is no assurance that the firearm isn't loaded.

Here then are some ways to lock up your firearms from children. This first method is a lockable, hard sided case. An FAA approved case with double lock capability can serve double or even triple duty, keeping the firearm away from Junior, allowing for transportation on airlines, and if you are a California resident it meets the state requirements for a locked case when transporting in a car (yep, it is a state law folks). Click on the images to see larger pictures.

On the left you see two cases closed and on the right, the same cases open with locks displayed. The big case on the left is a Browning Travel Vault. It holds two or more handguns (including my .357 with 8 3/8 inch barrel). It will set you back about $100. The smaller case is an inexpensive Doskocil. It will hold a single handgun and will cost you about $10.

Here is another alternative:

In these two pictures, we see a normal, everday padlock placed BEHIND the trigger. This won't work on every firearm, but on both of these, the bar of the lock stops the trigger from being pulled back. If I were really going to use this method, I would get a padlock with a vinyl coated bar and body so as to not mar my firearms. You could also simply wrap the lock with electrical tape.

An alternative method for locking a revolver with a padlock is to swing out the cylinder and place the lock on the top strap of the firearm. This blocks the cylinder and holds the action open. On the right you see a cable lock. Cable locks are some of my favorite methods for locking firearms. This one is made by MasterLock specifically with firearms in mind, but in reality a bicycle lock could suffice. The one shown will cost you about $8.

Here are four uses of the cable lock. As you can see, in three of the pictures the action is open. There is no way this method can fail! You can also an example of passing the cable BEHIND the trigger.

Again, the padlock or cable lock methods will not work on all firearms, but one or the other will work on an incredible majority of them.

The hard sided case will work on ALL firearms. My favorite hard sided case is the Browning Travel Vault series. These tough, thick plastic cases are MIL-SPEC durable. They are one of the few air tight, waterproof cases on the market. I don't usually endorse a product, but I will endorse this one.

Here you can see the details of the front handle, latches, and lock area. The round knob under the handle is the purge valve (remember this is an air tight case, so if the pressure changes there could be a vacuum seal holding the case closed). At the rear you can see the enclosed and bolstered hinges. This is not a flimsy flap of plastic holding the halves together like on many cases, this hinge is built to last!

Another alternative to the ones I have shown for handguns are small safes like the ones offered by GunVault or Mossberg.

Main page

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws