Gun safe locked up.

[Jones]

Need help/info. I've got a Bischoff Newporter gun safe that has me locked out.
One day it's working fine; next time I try to open it I enter code (indicator light flashes once with each key press.
When last digit is entered and correct, the indicator light flashes several times telling me I have access.
Went through all this and got light flashes, but the handle won't turn to open.
Low battery I think-- so I stick a new Duracell 9vdc battery in with same results.
I'm sure of my code-- no one else in the household so no one punching keys they shouldn't-- so... ?

Anybody else had this kind of problem? I'm about ready to crowbar the keypad off but once that's done there's still no guarantee I can get to whatever solenoid/latch/whatever that needs to release the handle.
I can't take the safe to the locksmith-- has lots of stuff inside I don't want banging into each other in transit. Can't get the door off; it needs to be open first.
Can't get a locksmith here acct. three Malinois trained to protect and nowhere to put them while they've got a stranger on the property.
While I can get a permit to blast stumps; the authorities seem to take exception to indoor blasting operations.
This means speed-defrosting my refrigerator is also out.

 

[sniperdoc]

While I don't have any experience with the company you are referring to, try contacting them.
Cutting through the side, instead of the door, seems to be the preferred method.
When you replace it, get one with a mechanical lock vs electronic one!

 

[Slowmo]

You can’t lock the dogs in a room of the house while a locksmith comes?

 

[slimshady]

Unless your safe has a key backup under the keypad there is no access to the mechanism, just a small hole for the wires.

Are you hearing the solenoid click when the code is entered? It may have broken, or the mech it activated might have fallen off. In any event, sounds like brute force break in with an angle grinder is the next step. I'd go in through the back, thinner metal and could weld a patch over it.

 

[Starvingboy]

When my buddies safe keypad crapped out in him, he got frustrated and took a metal cutoff wheel to it. Said it took him 5mins to cut a hole in the door and reached in and unlocked the door manually.

 

[root]

You can’t lock the dogs in a room of the house while a locksmith comes?

This^^^
I had a LS come in and change my combo on my dial.
Was 75 bux and it's why I've stayed away from digital a friend has had lots of problems with his so when I made my purchase I went old skewl spin dial.
From what I have read the digital pads run from 75 to 150 to have a LS come out and replace them. Parts are extra but digi pads are on amazon for cheap if you can get into it.
Otherwise the Mfg. will only give the master code out to a certified LS.

 

[Jones]

The situation is one of my own making.
Gun safe in closet of bedroom so no cut-off wheel in angle grinder. Best approach would be a hole saw; no sparks, just chips to vacuum up.
Even then, it would be handy to know what spot is over the latch mechanism so I don't turn the door into swiss cheese, sawing into dead space.

No click when the correct code is entered. I've had the safe at least 22 years and it was used when I got it so I'm guessing the problem is in the electronics. Multiple times it's worked fine; then the next time, it didn't. Not like it gave me any warning by getting harder and harder to open.
Root, I'm not sure a "master code" would help when the keypad is acknowledging that I've entered the correct code it's programmed to accept.

We're in a 20' X 20' house. With 400 sq. ft., it's an open floor plan; pretty much just one big room.
My three dogs have bonded and work as a pack. Black one sitting barks alerting others. Black and tan is more aggressive and acts it.
Black one laying down is an assassin; she's usually spotted laying in wait to blindside the victim.
Typical Malinois strategy and tactics; once they've launched, they're oblivious to anything but their target.
For what it's worth, this is only when they're in their yard. When we're out, they're attentive and work off-leash with zero problems.
Not like I have three sticks of lit dynamite to contend with.

 

[javelinadave]

Captain Kirk would take his dogs on a road trip while Lt. Uhura babysat the locksmith

 

[root]

Very nice security system.
I need some of those dogs.

My problem is I'm affraid they would kill all the deer & turkeys we have that walk right up to the house.

You can run a nice 4.5 angle grinder in tight spots without worry of fire if you pay attention.
It's the grit & dust mess that you would be contending with.
That will be getting cleaned up for years and finding it in places 100 ft from where you used it.

Hole saw is probably the best approach for mess.
Unless you have access to a Hurst tool where you can pry the safe door apart from from the safe.
Gonna ruin the safe though. Horror freight makes a manual Hurst type
Porta power spreader also.
Never tried it but they pop these home safes right apart from what I've read over the years.
Also means new safe time.

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-ton-portable-hydraulic-equipment-kit-58204.html

 

[lhebert@gvtc.com]

Hmmmm turn on car turn on car ac. Put dogs and wife in car. Call locksmith. Reputable one can get it open with little to no damage change to mechanical sergeant Greenleaf dial lock

Locksmith leaves
Remove wife and dogs from car
Shut off car

But wait....there's more
While wife and pups in car.....wait for it....go for a drive!

 

[Paul Kersey]

I'd call the company. My understanding is that the manufacturers have a "back up code" for opening the safe. You may need proof that it is yours, receipt or maybe a photo of it with a photo of your or your address- something to assure them you are you.

I believe they have this "backup code" due to a story a year or two ago of a gun safe manufacturer gave the code to the police when they asked and they got a lot of sh*t for that, but- it revealed they do have them.

PS: Thank you- I just changed my battery! It was 4 years old.

 

[slimshady]

Unless your safe is an esoteric design all the keypad does is send the number key signals to a board inside the safe door, and usually has the battery holder so you can replace dead batteries without opening it. The board inside receives the correct code, it sends power to a solenoid for a few seconds to retract a pin or other mechanism that prevents the locking wheel from turning. From your description the keys and board are working as far as recognizing the correct code, but the solenoid isn't activating. Could be a wire broke or the solenoid winding broke. Or it's jammed so tight it can't move.

Now I haven't tried it myself, but supposedly one of those "fishing magnets" that are strong enough to haul up a Volkswagen can be applied to the door where the solenoid is and it's magnetic field sucks in the plunger just like the electromagnet does. If you can find a diagram or pic of the interior mechanism you might try that, or just have someone jog the locking wheel while you run the magnet over it in a grid pattern or widening circles.

 

[root]

Good point about being over stuffed and binding.

Sometimes I have to push my door in while turning the handle after dialing the code I have so much in it it binds the door pegs in the door jam if I don't stack em in just right.

 

[Jones]

Let's recap:

Root, True they're hard on domestic wildlife but they also keep trespassers, porch pirates, homeless squatters, folks passing out religious pamphlets and other less-than-desirables at bay. I figure it's a fair trade-off.
The problem with trying to force the door open is that rough handling will trigger a feature called a relocker.
Individual locking pawls drop in and hold each bolt, and all then have to be drilled out.
Good point on the stuffed and binding but I always let the door swing closed on it's own. If it stops short, I open it and look to see what might be in the way.

lhebert, Locking these three in a running truck is Chock Full o' Disasters. Even with their limited manual dexterity skills, I could see them pawing the truck into gear, stepping on a power window button and letting themselves out to wait and ambush the locksmith, changing all the radio buttons to their personal favorites.
Footnote-- no wife/girlfriend/significent other... How can you trust anyone who'll bleed for seven days and not die?

Paul, On LGs, the current valid code is its master code. If there was one, they'd only release it to a licensed locksmith. There is a reset code to change the pin number but the door has to unlatched and open for that to work.

Slim, That's true. As you can see in the pictures, there's a multi-strand wire cable running from the keypad into the door and on to the solenoid.
I thought "just pick the right two wires, power them and the solenoid will release"-- that's what I thought until I learned the anti-tamper relock feature can also be tripped by trying to hot wire the keypad.
Once in and putting things back together, this Sergeant & Greenleaf padlock and a high security hasp are sounding pretty good...
I've got the same set-ip on my diary and it works pretty good.

 

[cvasqu03]

I'd call the company. My understanding is that the manufacturers have a "back up code" for opening the safe. You may need proof that it is yours, receipt or maybe a photo of it with a photo of your or your address- something to assure them you are you.

I believe they have this "backup code" due to a story a year or two ago of a gun safe manufacturer gave the code to the police when they asked and they got a lot of sh*t for that, but- it revealed they do have them.

PS: Thank you- I just changed my battery! It was 4 years old.

That was the Liberty Safe case. Unfortunately it doesn't sound like that would make a difference. The keypad is accepting his code, the problem is that it's not retracting the bolt or pin that keeps it locked up. It'll be interesting to see what it ends up being.

 

[root]

Thankfully I'm the only one on my street for 1/4 mile one way and a 1/2 mile the other way.
It's why we have wildlife walking right up to us at the house.
I no longer hunt and just ignore them, seems to make them real at ease.
It's also the reason no one stops here there is zero reason to unless you have a delivery or know is. It's nothing to go hrs without a car going by.

Right about 15 ft off the back porch.


Two days ago sitting on the back porch she pops in for a visit 4 or 5 times a day.



I just enjoy looking at the critters nowdays and only hunt paper plates, steel, & bowling pins anymore.

Anyways back on topic.

Like others I'm curious to see how the caper of the lock out safe is solved.

 

[slimshady]

That's a standard setup, there is no way to "hotwire" it. The keypad and battery are all that's external, that cable attaches to a controller board inside the door that recognizes the correct code and the board trips the solenoid.

Another possibility is an endoscope, a camera on the end of a flexible cable. At least you could see what's going on in there. Temu sells a standalone unit with a small screen for around $20, I got one for work a while back and was surprised by the picture quality. You can also get one that plugs into your phone.

 

[Jones]

Great pictures root.
My uncle has a place north of Sacramento where he kicked the pheasant club out after they got to be more trouble than they were worth.
The pheasants now line up along the fence and sputter their tongues at the hunters driving by.
Another friend loses the carport under his patio certain times of the year whern the does turn it into a maternity ward.

Slim, I can't get the tip of my scope any farther than the back of that controller board you're talking about.
But I can see enough to read a 04/02 date on it and partial serial number.
Still trying not to destroy too much on the way in 'cause I want to see if it can be converted to take a dial combination lock set-up.

 

[root]

Thanks we moved from the hood to a old farm
Jones most any digi lock on a safe can be replaced with a spining combo dial on a home safe.
More wondering how the average person is going to get into one with non destructive methods since they are built to stop just that and survive a fire.
Any home safe can be peeled open like a bananna they are just sheetrock & sheet metal.
Took me less then 2 minutes to drill holes in the back of mine to lag it to the wall.
Gonna take a pro to open it or lots of luck & time.
If it were mine I'd either get creative with the dogs and have a pro do it for the fee or have at it with a sawzall and 4.5 grinder and pop the top off like a can after I placed fans in the windows and either moved or covered everything.

 

[Jones]

Good points root but I'm gonna keep on my present course for now. Still thinking of salvaging the door for conversion to a dial lock.
I do know one sure-fire way of getting the safe open--
Have news crews show up and that safe would be opened and the contents spread out on a tarp for filming in a heartbeat.

Pros: I'm already past the first line of defense-- as log as I keep them supplied with rawhide chew treats.
I'm not working in the dark, afraid of waking up the homeowner, or watching over my shoulder for the cops.
I have a jim-dandy mag base drill so people hearing it will most likely think I'm just putting up a new towel rack.
I'm not trapped inside, gulping the last of the breathable air so I have plenty of time.

Cons: Just the annoyance factor.

I still have accessable firepower for defense, an unpredictable schedule... and the dogs.
My place (and I) are pretty unremarkable-- as if sayng "Nothing here worth stealing".
Heck, my whole neighborhood says "nothing here worth stealing".