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RoyGBiv wrote: A few questions for owners of these....

1. Are they sturdy? 20 Ga steel is not so thick (.0359 inches / 0.91mm).
2. Which would be easier to pry open.... your locked glove box or this safe?
3. How about the finish? Standard powder coated or "rhino" type coating? How well has the finish held up over use/time/getting knocked around the car/truck?
4. Overall quality? Lock opens and closes easily and securely?, cover closes easily with no gaps?, cable fits securely and easily onto safe?, etc?

I've seen a similar car safe at a gun show, but it was made from much sturdier steel with rhino liner finish... Nice. But much higher cost. ($75/each IIRC)... If these are well made, I'm ok saving the $$... but would love to hear some feedback from current users.

Thanks.!

1. Yep. Built like a tank.
2. Glove box. By far.
3. Powder coated. Had mine for a year in and out of the cars. If i wipe them down they still look new.
4. Great, I'd buy more. The lock is smooth, the cover closes tightly. I had 4 at one time and a buddy bought two of them from me.

The medium size is just about the right size for a 4" 1911 and an extra mag. If your daily carry is bigger than a 4" 1911 I'd get the large size.

mossytxn wrote:<Thorough answer snipped>

Thanks Mossy.!

mossytxn wrote: 1. Yep. Built like a tank.
2. Glove box. By far.
3. Powder coated. Had mine for a year in and out of the cars. If i wipe them down they still look new.
4. Great, I'd buy more. The lock is smooth, the cover closes tightly. I had 4 at one time and a buddy bought two of them from me.

Ditto. Really like mine, have used it in the car and luggage.

Ryan

mossytxn wrote:

RoyGBiv wrote: A few questions for owners of these....

1. Are they sturdy? 20 Ga steel is not so thick (.0359 inches / 0.91mm).
2. Which would be easier to pry open.... your locked glove box or this safe?
3. How about the finish? Standard powder coated or "rhino" type coating? How well has the finish held up over use/time/getting knocked around the car/truck?
4. Overall quality? Lock opens and closes easily and securely?, cover closes easily with no gaps?, cable fits securely and easily onto safe?, etc?

I've seen a similar car safe at a gun show, but it was made from much sturdier steel with rhino liner finish... Nice. But much higher cost. ($75/each IIRC)... If these are well made, I'm ok saving the $$... but would love to hear some feedback from current users.

Thanks.!

1. Yep. Built like a tank.
2. Glove box. By far.
3. Powder coated. Had mine for a year in and out of the cars. If i wipe them down they still look new.
4. Great, I'd buy more. The lock is smooth, the cover closes tightly. I had 4 at one time and a buddy bought two of them from me.

The medium size is just about the right size for a 4" 1911 and an extra mag. If your daily carry is bigger than a 4" 1911 I'd get the large size.

I'll also add that I really like that the foam on the top and bottom sandwich the gun securely between them so there's absolutely no movement of the gun inside the box.

If someone had a pry bar and enough time, you could get into it. But it's certainly a lot more secure than a glove box. I don't think your average smash and grab thief will spend the time to get into it, so for me it's a good compromise between security and usability.

Brian

RoyGBiv wrote:

Teamless wrote:

RoyGBiv wrote:but would love to hear some feedback from current users.

I have 2 similar gun safes. but the ones I have a biometric, (fingerprint scanner to quick open)

Is the lock on your Bio safe going to stand up better to forced entry than the lock on your glove box?
Suppose I already have a huge glove box with what seems to be a reasonably solid lock.... Why bother with a separate safe?
(just playing advocate, looking for details.. thanks.)

Glove boxes are easily opened with a screw driver and bare hands by any able bodied man. I've had to do it on my 90 mustang once. Just pry the corner out far enough to get your fingers in, and yank. It pops right open. The safe would require far too much time for a smash and grab thief, and unless he had a pair of bolt cutters with him (highly unlikely in a vehicle burglary), he wouldnt be able to take it with him either. Mine came with a 1500# wire cable.

Thieves do check under the seat but 90% of them aren't going to spend time to get a lock box out if it's secured to the vehicle. Most radio theirs are smash and grab jobs m

not sure what type of truck you have but a silverado has lots of space under the back seat unless you have a crew cab.

http://www.amazon.com/GunVault-NV200-Na ... 451&sr=8-5

I use one of these.

I got a GV Nano with combo lock at Academy. The box had a strong odor (much more than the COM keyed box I have) but a week outside on the porch got rid of most of it. It's not super strong but it should be enough to deter smash and grab car burglars in a hurry. If the criminal has unlimited time, they can steal the whole vehicle and open anything inside at a chop shop.

I looked at these. It seemed to me that the skinny cables that come with these boxes would be short work for a small pair of wire cutters (or kitchen scissors, for that matter). Is the cable more robust than it seems?
Thx

Kitchen scissors, not a chance. Kliens, maybe. Bolt cutters, yes. But, I doubt many smash and grab thieves would be carrying around bolt cutters. They usually just bust out a window, grab what is loose, and rip out the stereo. Very few tools needed, and a pair of bolt cutters would certainly be cumbersome.

AggieMM wrote:

mossytxn wrote: 1. Yep. Built like a tank.
2. Glove box. By far.
3. Powder coated. Had mine for a year in and out of the cars. If i wipe them down they still look new.
4. Great, I'd buy more. The lock is smooth, the cover closes tightly. I had 4 at one time and a buddy bought two of them from me.

Ditto. Really like mine, have used it in the car and luggage.

Ryan

I agree.

I have had them for several years. I keep one in each vehicle and have given one to each of my CHL daughters.

Frankly, it would probably be easier/quicker to destroy the steering wheel lock/ignition system and steal the vehicle than than steal the box with tools most auto burglary subjects carry with them.

One additional benefit of these boxes is the fact that when traveling and staying in a motel/hotel, they can be used effectively to secure valuables in the room when you are not there...assuming you have your pistola on you. Just loop the cable around the bed frame. Usually closet rods, plumbing fixtures, etc. are usually not substantial enough for security purposes. Even the bed frame is not ideal but it would take a lot of time and effort to dismantle it, especially if you have a small padlock (even TSA type) to secure it to the frame. They usually have holes punched in them.

One additional note, they did not offer the option when I got mine, but I would go with the version with the hinge on the long side for an extra couple of bucks.

Note that if you get more than one at a time you can have them all keyed alike, which it helpful. Also, even though I shoot a Glock 30, a subcompact, I would get the larger box to allow room for one more magazine or other valuable, especially while traveling.

Fit and finish are very good. I have had my first two for more than six years.

Thanks for all the info I went a picked up a Nano Vault 300 this weekend.

texanron wrote:http://www.amazon.com/GunVault-NV200-Na ... 451&sr=8-5

I use one of these.

Bought one of these today at Academy for $19.99 + tax..
Seems like a solid box.

Thanks for the info all..

EDIT: Actually.. I bought the NV-100

Plus one on the console vault.