The question:

"Which lock is right for my gun cabinet or gun room door?"

This is a regular question before buying a new gun safe or gun room door.

We would like to offer you an overview of the types of locks available. Lock manufacturers offer different products with special features for each type of lock. However, we limit ourselves here to the general distinctions.

Important aspects:

• Every safe lock that is installed in a safe with a certification according to EN 1143-1 must itself have a certification according to EN 1300!
• Every safe lock that is installed in a safe with a certification according to EN 1143-1 MUST be included by the certificate holder (i.e. safe manufacturer) in the lock list for the respective safe (gun cabinet, armory door), otherwise the lock MUST NOT be used! So it's like a car with a rim: even if the rim has a KBA number, a car can only be operated with it if the selected wheel/tire combination has approval for the corresponding vehicle.

Double-bit lock - Key lock

The basic equipment for a gun cabinet or a gun room door is a key lock, which is regularly delivered with two double-bit keys. With the required level of resistance, locks with product certification according to EN 1300, Class A are used. The lock case is located inside, access is provided by the associated keys.

Multiple keys may ONLY be manufactured upon presentation of a sample key, as these are unregistered permutations. This also applies to replacement of damaged keys, although in most cases presenting the damaged key is sufficient.

You should not dispose of the damaged key after obtaining a replacement, but rather keep it in the gun cabinet or weapons room in order to be able to prove that your individual key set is complete.

Producing duplicate keys for a lost key is prohibited, as in the event of a key loss, the lock must always be replaced immediately in order to restore the required security.

CAUTION TRAP: If you cannot show all the keys during an official inspection, the authorities always assume that the key that cannot be presented can be used by an unauthorized person to access your weapons!

REQUIREMENTS AND CONSEQUENCES: "The safe storage of weapons and ammunition is one of the central requirements of gun law for every gun owner. Weapons must be stored in such a way that they cannot be stolen or misused by others (§ 36 WaffG, §§ 13 and 14 AWaffV) . Violations of storage requirements are an administrative offense and can be punished with a fine of up to ten thousand euros (Section 53 Paragraph 1 Number 19 Weapons Act). Anyone who intentionally violates the storage regulations and thereby creates the risk that the weapon will be lost or accessed without authorization, commits a crime that is punishable by a prison sentence of up to three years or a fine (§ 52a Weapons Act). Violating storage regulations can also lead to the loss of weapons licenses due to a lack of reliability, which would result in the person concerned getting rid of their weapons must separate." Source: bmi.bund.de

“Intentionally” means that you knew that a key was missing and did not react to this immediately. The authority initially assumes that this is not unjustified, and then you would first have to conclusively refute this assumption. It is not enough to state your own point of view, you also have to prove it. Don't stress yourself out and take appropriate measures in good time.

Suitable measures would be, for example, replacing the lock or changing the locking system and making new keys. However, the latter is significantly more expensive than a 1:1 lock exchange.

Mechanical combination lock

A preferred lock variant in previous years is the mechanical combination lock. With the required level of resistance, locks with product certification according to EN 1300, Class A are used. Here, too, the lock case is located inside; it is operated from the outside using a number button.

The inner part of the number button is rotatable and firmly connected to the lock case, the outer part (ring) is fixed on the door and contains both the opening mark (12 o'clock) and a changeover mark (11 o'clock). To change the code numbers you need a so-called conversion key, which is included in the scope of delivery. Keep this conversion key safe.

There is always a code in the lock. The lock manufacturer delivers it with “4x Links: 50”. The manufacturer of the safe regularly supplies it with its own numbers such as "10-20-30" and would therefore have tested and verified the function itself.

These "factory codes" are of course known worldwide, so that such a lock only has the required security if this "basic code" is changed by the user using the conversion key to his own numerical code!

CAUTION TRAP: If, for example, the weapons authority determines during an inspection that the code has not been changed by the user, you will be assumed to be lazy or ignorant, which in turn gives an unauthorized third party the opportunity to easily access your weapons using a widely known basic code give. The consequences have already been described in detail above!

CAUTION TRAP: Changing the numerical code is not as easy as it first seems! An inexperienced approach is not advisable here; it often happens due to individual incorrect operation of various variants that a set code can no longer be understood by the user. If you have no prior knowledge and no one you know who does, you first have to intensively study how to operate the lock and only then tackle the change when you have mastered it. Often "the weapon is already at the door" and you try to do it quickly, which then goes wrong. This regularly results in the expensive deployment of a safe technician on site, as such a combination lock cannot be reset without in-depth product knowledge. Also, get rid of the idea that the lock is defective: it is purely a mechanical and operator error, and the safe technician will prove this to you, because: the lock can be opened at any time with the numerical code he has determined - and that is not your code, otherwise you wouldn't need the safe technician.

Tip for changing the code: during the changeover process, cover the opening mark (12 o'clock) with a piece of insulating tape. This prevents you from accidentally going to the wrong marking, because if you don't see it, you can't use it!

Electronic Combination lock

A preferred lock variant today is the electronic combination lock. With the required level of resistance, locks with product certification according to EN 1300, Class B are used. Here, too, the lock case is located inside; operation is carried out from the outside using an input unit (keyboard). In some cases, such locks are also offered with an emergency opening via a second opening mechanism. This can be done using a double-bit lock or a mechanical combination lock.

If you want to avoid the key issue, the variant with a double-bit lock is of little help, because this key provides easy access and would therefore have to be secured in a safe with the same or higher level of resistance (see Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia Münster, 20 A 2384/20).

If you want to avoid the key issue, the variant with a double-bit lock is of little help, because this key provides easy access and would therefore have to be secured in a safe with the same or higher level of resistance (see Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia Münster, 20 A 2384/20).

The variant with the mechanical combination lock makes more sense, but there are two serious things to consider:

• The “DUET” lock from NL-Locks, for example, offers a fully integrated solution. The lock also has approval according to EN1300, Class B. However, this lock is not included in almost any safe manufacturer's lock list, as the lock has a much higher lock housing due to the double technology than all other locks on the market. For this to happen, numerous changes would have to be made to the certified safes. In view of the expected low quantities, there is currently no known manufacturer that will bear this immense cost just to be able to theoretically install this type of lock. Therefore, this lock will not establish itself on the market in the short or medium term.
• Individual manufacturers take a different approach and simply mount an electronic lock on a push carriage. A normal mechanical combination lock is then placed behind it, which is screwed to the push carriage via a linkage and pulls it out of its locking position when the mechanical combination lock and electronic lock are opened. If the screw connections are not tight or the carriage is jammed, e.g. due to abrasion of the locking mechanism or poor assembly (both of which are not as rare as one might think), serious malfunctions often occur in the rarest of cases where this function is needed.

We do not see a general need for a redundant system, however designed, for normal everyday use. The risk that a modern electronic lock fails and can no longer be opened without damage by a good safe technician tends to be zero. The risk that you will forget your code at some point is significantly higher.

TIP: A modern electronic lock usually comes in the basic version with software that allows you to create a second code. Always use this option and always use digits in the second code that are not in the first code. This means that even if the number key is damaged, you can always open the safe with the second code.

EVEN BETTER TIP: If your partner doesn't have a firearms permit, you are of course not allowed to reveal your code at first. But what happens if you die unexpectedly, for example? Nobody knows your code. Our idea: do you have a will? We recommend leaving the MAIN CODE in a sealed envelope as an attachment to your will. The important technical term for this is “in official custody”. You are the only person who always has access to this envelope during your lifetime, so you can gain access in the event of a forgotten code, and since this is the main code, you can use it to reset and overwrite the forgotten code! Due to the fact that it is in official custody, you can also mention to a potential heir or estate administrator where a code for the safe is located. But that person won't be able to get to it during your lifetime, so: everything is well taken care of and everything is done right.

PANIC ROOM: If, for example, you would like to be able to open and lock an armory door from the side of the room, this only works with an electronic combination lock, since only this type of lock does not create a mechanical connection between the lock housing and the opening unit (handle, number wheel), but rather two input units work here (keyboards), which are connected via a BUS distributor to the electronic unit located in the lock housing, and enable operation from both the room and the aisle side. This is safer and more efficient than any mechanical locking device that is prone to failure.