I recently found this product on Amazon to add a locking bolt to the front of a standard issue Ammo Can.
While I know safety is only as strong as the weakest link in the process, AND a lock is intended for those with limited fine motor skills and the honest, but I am wondering if anyone has used this (or similar) bolts to lock up ammo? - - Yes there are a dozen listings of this product from twice as many vendors, some with uber cheesy, clearly photoshopped pictures of the “product in use.” But I’m thinking about reality, normal conditions from actual flesh and blood people who truly care about responsible firearm safety
Thoughts on using this product with a strong padlock and bike cable to leash the ammo cans to the bed frame (or work bench or W/E)?
Currently, my cans are under the bed, or in the base of my storage cabinet. … … …
I would like to get a foam insert as shown above and possibly have said ammo can leashed down inside my trunk… not so much for regular storage but for those moments when you realize you must. …
But it comes back to is this a reasonably good product? Would the ammo can have a reasonably strong enough overall structure or is there a better product for the overall investment?
Mine is above my gun safe, readily and quickly available if need be. I believe I got the ammo can new at Midway USA and the foam inserts off of eBay. The guy has a huge variety and layout, I have one just for loaded mags too.!
I have around 60 or better ammo cans and they are all full. For those that do not have a place to put them, I use a small gun safe and 12 cubic chest type freezer, who would think to look in the freezer. Both are full. Had a friend, he is gone now he had a 40 foot sea train box full that had heat and air.
Installing the Bolt and Add a Real Lock which cannot be cut off with kindergarten scissors … Good Idea? Bad Idea? Would you trust it? Is there a better product for the overall cost of about $30 between the bolt kit, the padlock, and the ammo can?
I have a much sturdier looking but similar product that I bought a long time ago probably also on Amazon. It is a single piece with a rubber washer to keep moisture out instead of all the thin metal washers and just barely fits through the hole in the ammo can so it is as thick as it can be. I use a small combo lock on it to keep kids out. It would only slow down a real crook with rock or other tool.
I have one somewhere. Never installed it or used it. It is probably ok to keep your little ones out. BUT In the real world. It really wont keep bad guys from getting in.
ALSO Think about it honestly. HOLD the lock in one hand and a HACK SAW in the other and in a few seconds YOU ARE (through the bolt and you are) IN!
Yep.
What are you trying to keep secure? ammo? firearms? both? neither?
Where are you trying to keep this? Car? Under the bed? both? neither?
Who are you trying to prevent access? Thieves/criminals? Children or other “unauthorized” users?
If you are just storing ammo… underneath the bed… I doubt a thief would have any interest in it if it is in any way secured. If they even cared about it, they would just haul it away and take it with them instead of trying to open it on the spot. Keep in mind a full 50cal ammo can is like 30lbs+, so they would have to really want it to invest the time and effort to take it (and they don’t know what’s actually in it). Once they have it back in their lair a few minutes with a crowbar will have it open with or without a padlock.
So a padlock wouldn’t help much, but tying it to the bedframe with some sort of cable and maybe a ziptie on the lid would probably do the trick at basically no cost. You can also use a cable lock, or those “gun locks” that come with seemingly every firearm purchase and you probably just threw away like this guy shows in this video. A ziptie or cable lock would keep criminals and unauthorized users out, and then you don’t need to drill through the ammo can. Tying it to the bedframe would keep thieves from taking it (generally).
If you want to put a padlock on it, and not have to drill anything, MTM makes ammo cans with built in padlock holes. You can also run a cable through those holes as well to tie to the bedframe (or whathaveyou).
If you are storing a firearm… underneath the bed… Then yes, drilling it for a lock may make more sense. However, I would suggest getting something purpose built for the job. A cheap keyed handgun safe like those GunVaults or Snapsafe’s cost < $40 and have built in support for tying to something like a bedframe and are more appropriately sized to hold just a firearm. I would rather recommend one of the better safes for $100 and up (Vaultek, Fort Knox, GunBox, etc i think there are some threads here about gun safes specifically), but sometimes we just don’t have it in the budget and gotta do what we can.
For storage of a firearm… in your car… Then again, I’d look at one of those GunVaults or Snapsafes on the cheap which hide easily under the seat and can be tied to the seat frame. The advantage there is you can fit it underneath your seat, and if you need to disarm, you can do it right there from the seat where no one outside can see and stuff it back underneath your car seat so its not visible to people just looking into your car. If someone happens to break in while you’re away, it being tied under your seat means they aren’t getting to it without some tools and a little gymnastics. Its rather unlikely the ammo can will fit under your seat, so you’d have to leave it in your trunk and you’d have to disarm back there where people can see you do it.
Ive been doing that for years
I used a door hasp and a but of cutting on the handle flap. Actually fits a full size lock. The one on Azon appears to have a fairly small through hole. Handy as all get out when you need one.
Cheers,
Craig6
Edit to add: You can also do the same thing to 40mm / 20mm & 25mm big boy ammo cans which is great for truck bed storage.
I like it.
