More On Safes

Here is a continuation of my research on gun safes. I finally heard back from another company, Steelwater Gun Safes. This is what they had to say in response to my question about backdoor passwords:

Steelwater Gun Safes digital locks do not have a bypass code due to the bypass key lock. There is no need for a bypass code as the bypass key will allow access if the keypad fails or if the codes have been lost or forgotten.   If a key is needed, the original purchaser on file must send us proper identification before a key can be purchased from us.

Their safes are much cheaper than the Champion that I was looking at in my earlier post, but since they are claiming that there is no back door, I will recommend them as a cheaper alternative for those who are looking for a new safe. From their literature, it looks to be a better product than the other safes in the midlevel price range ($2k-5k). The 42 inch safe costs around $3700. I will stress that I don’t have one, but it does look promising and the company says the right things.

I talked to a safe guy today. He suggested an even cheaper alternative: you can change the lock. Your choices are to buy a new lock, or you can simply swap locks with another person who has a safe with a compatible lock. As long as the backdoor that your safe company may have installed is particular to YOUR safe, and not every similar lock, it’s a cheap alternative. Or you can purchase a mechanical lock and do it that way. A new mechanical lock costs in the neighborhood of $140.

Disclaimer: I don’t advertise, and receive nothing for my reviews or articles. I have no relationship with any products, companies, or vendors that I review here, other than being a customer. If I ever *DO* have a financial interest, I will disclose it. Otherwise, I pay what you would pay. No discounts or other incentives here. I only post these things because I think that my readers would be interested.