If you are reading this guide, you might be thinking why would you put together something that could potentially aid thieves. But you will be surprised to know that the majority of people who need to enter a gun safe without a key are the owners themselves.
In fact, there are more cases every year of owners entering their safe through alternative means, because they’ve lost their key or forgotten the keycode, than people trying to enter the safe illegally.
Even the most prepared gun safe owner will likely lose their key or forget their passcode at some point, and it can be a stressful situation. So if you are a gun safe owner who has misplaced their key and don’t know what to do next, you are in the right place.
This guide is packed full of the different ways that you can use to enter your gun safe without the key needed.
Contact the Manufacturer
The first and most appropriate, way to open your gun safe without the key is to contact the manufacturer.
This guide is tailored for gun owners who want to access their guns but have misplaced their keys, so if your intentions are good and honest you should find no issue in contacting the manufacturer.
To access your gun safe using this method, you should get your model and serial number ready when you ring the manufacturer. You should then ring the manufacturer and explain the situation that you have found yourself in.
While this is not guaranteed to bring success, there is a good chance that the manufacturer will be able to send out a replacement once you supply the security information. This might cost you some extra money, and you may also have to wait a couple of weeks for the key to arrive in the post.
But this is the most secure way to access your safe if you have misplaced your key, and it means that you will have another key which you can use to access your gun safe again in the future.
How to Open a Gun Safe without the Key
Using a Paperclip
Another option you have which you can use to access your gun safe is to use a paperclip. You might have thought that this is something that only happens in the movies, but a paperclip is actually a good way to access something that is locked.
To use this method, you will need a paperclip which you will need to bend out of shape so that the pointy end is sticking downwards.
Once your paperclip is ready, you can then begin picking the lock. You will need to push the pointy end of the paperclip into the internal chamber of the gun safe. The most important thing about this method is to ensure that the paperclip is as far into the lock of the gun safe as possible.
You will then need to take a pair of tweezers and grip the side of the paperclip that is not inside of the lock. Using the tweezers, you should then twist the paperclip counterclockwise until the lock stops resisting and you can feel it unlock.
You can then open the door and you should have access to your guns, without any damage being brought to the lock.
Using a Magnet
Alternatively, you can use a magnet to access the gun safe if you cannot find your key. This is a more complex method than some other options, but it is guaranteed to make you feel like you are taking part in a spy movie.
The first two things you will need are a large size magnet and a sock. The sock might seem like a strange addition, but it will make the transition of the magnet across the metal of the safe smoother. Inside the lock of the safe, there is a solenoid which is what you will need to find to be able to open the safe.
Trying to find the solenoid can be difficult, especially as some gun safes are very big. To try and find the solenoid, you are best off trying to run the magnet along the end of the safe. Until you find the solenoid, you should continue to slide the magnet across the door of the safe.
When you find the solenoid, you will hear the sound of the magnet resisting and this will tell you that you have found the solenoid. Once the magnet reacts with the solenoid, you should be able to gain access to the contents of your safe.
Using a Hammer
The final method that you can use to access your safe is quite a lot more violent but a go-to if you cannot access something, and that is to hit it with a hammer. For a lot of people, giving something that is not working a bang with a hammer is a guaranteed way to get it working.
So let’s take a look at how you can use a hammer to access the contents of your safe. This method is most effective for digital safes where you have forgotten the code, and you will require both a hammer and a chisel to use this method.
Taking the chisel, you should place it on the corner of the safe. Using the hammer, you should bang the chisel lightly until you can dislodge the digital keypad. Behind the keypad, you will usually find a series of knobs and bolts.
One of which will be a silver knob which will look different from the rest. Using your chisel, you should remove the knob to find a hole beneath it. This hole is rather small but you will be able to fit your finger into it.
You should do this, and feel around the area surrounding the hole until you find a button. This is usually located on the lower side of the safe. Simply press the button and this should open the door of your safe, giving you access to the contents.
Summary
In short, losing the key or forgetting the code for your gun safe might seem like the end of the world, but there’s no need to worry because there are lots of different ways that you can use to access its contents.
From contacting the manufacturer to manually entering the safe yourself, you have lots of different options you can use to get into your gun safe.