Gun safe can be opened with cabinet key

[Demolition Man]

Stack-On P-B 201 Pistol Box, around $ 35 at Walmart, can be opened with a normal filing cabinet key

Full article

http://www.wmctv.com/global/story.asp?s=7978070

This is very interesting, considering most people (myself included), buy alot of firearm accessories (plinking ammo, slings), from Walmart, and I'm guessing some buy safes from there too.

I don't have kiddies in the house, so all my weapons are available quickly, but even then, if I'm going to buy a safe now, I think I'll stick to my local dealer instead.

That also being said, if you know someone who shops alot at Walmart, especially for shit like this, carry around a filling cabinet key, or a cheap lockpick set, considering the lock is stone age technology, heh

[a3990918]

Stack-On P-B 201 Pistol Box, around $ 35 at Walmart, can be opened with a normal filing cabinet key


I would guess that there are literally hundreds if not thousands of different key cuts to fit this type of lock. It is a generic door/drawer lock that has been in service for years. Just bad luck that the Co. that makes Wal-Mart's Stack-on line of toolboxes/gun safes used that particular lock. Probably the keys that fit the tool boxes will also fit the safe. Just goes to prove that you get what you pay for.

I worked for Coca-Cola back in the early 80's as a cooler repairman. Came home from work 1 night and found a "Lock-Out" over the door handle to my apartment( I was 20 yrs old, putting myself thru college, rent was late occaissionally) Anyway, looked at the lock, went out to my truck and got my coinbox keyring and the 9th or 10th key(of over 200 on the ring) opened the lock-out. I was able to get in my apartment for the next 3 nights until I got paid. The point is, 1 key fit 2 completely different types of locking mech. 1 built into the item and the other simply bolted to a coinbox.

Another time, I had a Chevy Caprice and went to the Mall one night. When I left, couldn't find my car. Finally spotted it, unlocked the door and got ready to leave but the ignition key wouldm't turn. Just before I really got pissed, I noticed the interior of the car was different from mine. Wrong car, but the door key fit it. Who would have thought?? I have been told sonce then that most car manufacturers only have a set # of different keyed locks and they rely on distribution of the cars themselves to avoid having 2 people in the same area having vehicles keyed alike.

[Demolition Man]

Yea, my old Chevelle had an ancient lock system as well...of course, that was back in the golden days of being able to start a car with a screw driver, none of this transponder key crap, but that's a story for another section of the forums :)

[TreverSlyFox]

You would think Stack-On would have given some thought about what lock they put on their products. Though like most companies their thought was just for the bottom line and not for the security of their customers.

[gaussincarnate]

I remember one time, much to my suprise, that someone that I knew unlocked my parents' car's door with their own front door (to their house) key. It was a rather old car, but still. Naturally, the car did not use a double wafer lock (do any houses use those?).

In any event, can you really blame manufacturers for reusing key templates? If it were me, I would definitely not make a unique key to fit every single safe, and since even for dissimilar products, if the key is close enough, it might just open.

[a3990918]

In any event, can you really blame manufacturers for reusing key templates? If it were me, I would definitely not make a unique key to fit every single safe, and since even for dissimilar products, if the key is close enough, it might just open.


Agreed, the manufacturers depend on distribution to keep liked keyed locks apart. But when you have a multi use lock it raises the probablility of 2 like keyed locks comming into contact. Of course some of the cheaper made goods are going to use even fewer different key templates so the odds go up even higher of finfdng a match.

[Charles Owlen Picket]

I found a few things that work for me.... An ATF approved magazine make a great inexpensive safe and a self-programmable combination lock with rubber tubing over the shackle makes a great individual gun lock.

The "safe" (using a magazine) costs about half of what you'd spend for the same size safe and it is really VERY difficult to break into. Plus you can leave all the stickers on and make a note that if someone tries to open it, they will cause an explosion (leave the Spanish shit also).

The rubber coated combination lock works well on revolvers, AR/AK's and things with space behind the trigger (double action) & allows the piece to get moving damn fast while remaining child & moron safe (to a degree, of course).

[PYRO500]

As a locksmith I can tell you exactly what happened... those are cheap Y11 (keyblank) camlocks, some of them have only one or two wafers, some have 5, there are many many combinations that they can be opened with, however if you use a key that has lower cuts, and possibly a diffrent warding configuation (the grooves running down the sides) you can wiggle it around and get all of the wafers to clear the bottom channel machined into the inside of the camlock. Also if the wafers sit slightly high then they will rub off, as they are made of soft brass, the same kind the key is made of.

Just by looking at the key in the picture, I can tell that the original key had 3 of the shallowest depths, and one cut that is moderately deep, if you insert any key with a lump on the tip, while applying turning pressure, only that deep cut has to be close to work. This is just the nature of cam locks and there isnt a whole lot you can do with that type. If you want high security you get what you pay for, and 65$ basicly pays for the box, those cam locks are literally pennies a pound.


Even if the camlock had the maximum allowable diffrence in depths, you can still bend/break the wafers and as a matter of fact in the picture of the keys I can see where the wafers have pressed hard into that key. I am willing to bet that kid not only tried long and hard to get it open, but he tried it a zillion times and found that if he twisted that key hard it would open, and opened very easy after that.

That camlock in the picture appears to be attached only with a standard screw down nut onto the back of the plate, and if you can get a grip on those camlocks with vise grips, the nut will often allow the lock to twist around enough so that the tailpiece no longer engages whatever was holding it there. Manufacturers are supposed to take advantage of the flat spots machined on these locks by using a punch die with 2 flat spots to match the lock, the only issue is that many manufacturers (especially in the custom market) find it much much cheaper to drill the holes round instead of using a turret punch...