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Locks for Pelican Cases

BKSSNIPER

Full Member
Full Member
Minuteman
May 8, 2005
312
520
Arkansas
First I realize that a lock only keeps an honest man honest and only serves as a deterrent. I have a situation where I need to be able to lock 4-8 rifle cases and keep the contents from prying hands.
In your experience what locks did you go with? Keyed alike padlocks or combination locks you could set the combination all to the same. I don’t want to have to deal with multiple different keys.
Thanks and wishing everyone a Happy New Year!!
 
I had a friend in access control / security that recommended ABUS locks as being the most effective padlock against common attack methods.

I picked some up but thankfully have never had to validate his claims against them being resistant to intrusion.
 
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i run masterlocks. the simple black ones. keyed alike. but im not worried about much

have had issues with the cheaper combo locks that at least a hammer fixed

4-8 cases could be 32 keyed alike locks. thats quite a purchase
 
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Locks are about evidence of entry, making entry more effort than a thief thinks it will be worth, and/or increasing the risk of gaining entry due to increased time to do so.

For locks that will not break the bank, ABUS or American Lock. Personally I prefer ABUS 83 series locks (I use the 83/45 on my Pelican cases) as I can rekey them myself and add security pins (any lock smith can rekey them as well). If you just have money to blow, get Abloy locks with Protec2 keyways (or an ABUS lock with an Abloy keyway as sold by Security Snobs).

Master Locks (and about every lock sold in hardware stores) can easily be picked and does not represent any acceptable level of security. Master Locks are also vulnerable to several low tech attacks, such as shimming. Master Locks are so bad I would call them only an illusion of security, they give you protection equivalent to a generic zip tie and serialized tamper seals would honestly give better protection. Yes, American Lock is owned by Master Lock, but the tolerances are tighter and they incorporate some security features, making them harder to pick. ABUS also has tight tolerances. You can get them with a Schlage or Kwikset keyway and key them to match your house. In ABUS locks the keyway does not matter much, but for your doors Schlage makes better locks than Kwikset, so I get the Schlage keyways.

Without getting to nerdy, get ABUS 83/45 with Schlage keyway from a lock smith or a place like Taylor Security and Lock on line. Ask them to bit it with at least one #0 pin and one #9 pin and to install the 6th pin. Ask them to level the stacks, and ask if they can add a serrated pin and/or additional spool pins. While this will not give you an unpickable lock, it will be a lock that will require decent skill to pick and that will resist other none destructive attacks.
 
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First I realize that a lock only keeps an honest man honest and only serves as a deterrent. I have a situation where I need to be able to lock 4-8 rifle cases and keep the contents from prying hands.
In your experience what locks did you go with? Keyed alike padlocks or combination locks you could set the combination all to the same. I don’t want to have to deal with multiple different keys.
Thanks and wishing everyone a Happy New Year!!
What is the situation?? Pelican cases are plastic. The strongest lock in the world wouldn't keep me out of it for more than a minute! Who are you trying to protect your rifles from??
 
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Locks don't do anything if they just take the whole case...Can break any lock in the comfort of your own home once you take the whole case.
 
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I appreciate the replies.

The situation is I have run out of room in my safes and want a way to keep them semi secured. I know they can take the whole case, I know the case is plastic, and can be cuthammered open.

Theft is not the concern, unauthorized finger &$King is. Haha
 
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It’s plastic so you don’t need crazy locks

As someone above posted - Home Depot sells a bulk pack 3-5 locks by master with the same key

all locks in the box will have the same key
So you can buy 1-6 packages of the locks.

I picked up 8 of the locks for garage door, Ammo locker and gun cases.


the padlock key is on most of my key rings. A spare is in my pistol case in a side zipper pouch.
 
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Locks are about evidence of entry, making entry more effort than a thief thinks it will be worth, and/or increasing the risk of gaining entry due to increased time to do so.

For locks that will not break the bank, ABUS or American Lock. Personally I prefer ABUS 83 series locks (I use the 83/45 on my Pelican cases) as I can rekey them myself and add security pins (any lock smith can rekey them as well). If you just have money to blow, get Abloy locks with Protec2 keyways (or an ABUS lock with an Abloy keyway as sold by Security Snobs).

Master Locks (and about every lock sold in hardware stores) can easily be picked and does not represent any acceptable level of security. Master Locks are also vulnerable to several low tech attacks, such as shimming. Master Locks are so bad I would call them only an illusion of security, they give you protection equivalent to a generic zip tie and serialized tamper seals would honestly give better protection. Yes, American Lock is owned by Master Lock, but the tolerances are tighter and they incorporate some security features, making them harder to pick. ABUS also has tight tolerances. You can get them with a Schlage or Kwikset keyway and key them to match your house. In ABUS locks the keyway does not matter much, but for your doors Schlage makes better locks than Kwikset, so I get the Schlage keyways.

Without getting to nerdy, get ABUS 83/45 with Schlage keyway from a lock smith or a place like Taylor Security and Lock on line. Ask them to bit it with at least one #0 pin and one #9 pin and to install the 6th pin. Ask them to level the stacks, and ask if they can add a serrated pin and/or additional spool pins. While this will not give you an unpickable lock, it will be a lock that will require decent skill to pick and that will resist other none destructive attacks.

Good advice - I bought a box of padlocks all keyed alike from Taylor Lock. Forgot the brand but it definitely wasn't Master. Thier customer service people were very helpful. As others said - its a deterrent only so make it a good deterrent!
 
I used trailer hitch coupler locks on my big pelican cases. I used to have to ship them UPS for work and never had an issue With the locks. UPS has taken chunks out of the cases but all made it through multiple trips.
The opening of the lock just clears the pelican lock tabs. You can’t see any of the lock post at all when using these. These are the triangle shaped ones.
 
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