First Watch Electronic Access Pistol Box

Let's be honest. This is not a gun safe. It is a lock-box for sidearms. It's a very good lock-box, too. I purchased this because I want to keep a loaded weapon near my bed, but we have four small children in our home. This box is perfect for restricting access from the following:- Children, aged infant to 14- Nosy house-guests or extended family- Snatch-and-grab burglarsThis box, while surprisingly solid, will probably NOT keep out:- Anyone over 14 with a pry bar, a sledgehammer, and a medium amount of determinationI don't know, though, it might even keep those types out, too. I'm not sure what kind of steel is used, but it's thicker than I expected. Much thicker than your typical cash-box you might see at a high school football game concession stand--maybe double. And the hinge and lip around the opening seem pretty well designed so that it would be difficult to get a pry bar into the crack. One possible weak area is a strange window on the back of the box, directly behind the locking mechanism, about as big as half a playing-card, covered over with a small piece of steel (same thickness as the rest of the box) and riveted into place. Was this window necessary for the production of the box? I don't know why it would be. If the box is bolted into a wall, however, it shouldn't be a problem. I would also say the "guts" of the box (locking mechanism, internal supports, electronics, etc.) seem to be well-made, solid, and not prone to tampering from vibration or dropping.And now we get to why I feel this box deserves 5 stars: Functionality. I love how there is only ONE way into the box, and that is knowing the code. There's no master key to hide. The re-coding button and powersource (4 AA batteries in a plastic caddy and velcro'ed to the side) are securely inside and out of reach of probing implements. If the power gets low, a light will blink at you and remind you to replace the batteries soon. If the power fades completely, a 9V battery can be held up to the two exterior terminals and the box can be opened using the code. My wife and I could remove any written record of the code from our house and have complete confidence the box will only open if we are present. We couldn't say the same if we hid a master key somewhere.Some people have complained that their custom code will revert to the out-of-box, unique 5-digit factory code without warning, and they will have to either dig out the manual or even spend days on the phone with HOMAK getting 3 codes a day until their box opens. You know what a really simple solution to that problem would be? Don't change your code. Just keep the one that came with it. I promise that nobody I listed above that you want to keep out of the box will guess the factory code. I know you REALLY wanted your code to be MOHKA, or HAMOK, or MOOOO. Just stick with the default code and never worry about trying to open the box when you really need it, only to find out it has reverted. Since I have not changed my code and therefore never experienced this particular malfunction, it will not negatively influence my review.The size the box is decent. I think it would hold one full size semi-auto duty type weapon and some mags, or up to three compact or sub-compact sized weapons. The size of the door makes it so you need to kind of angle most guns in and out of the box, which isn't really too awkward. Right now it holds my Ruger SR-22 and extra mags with plenty of room to spare.I will point out a couple of "dings" I have to give to the box, or things I might improve in the design (which even collectively do not justify taking it down a whole star rating):- The little liner for "padding" that comes inside the box is pretty useless. It does not stay where you would want it to in the box unless you glue it in there. I just use the padded zipper case my pistol came with and leave it in as a liner.- The mounting holes (4 of them) are not spaced for most standard house studs so at least two of them will need to be drywall anchored if you mount it.- Mounting through the front of the box with a hand tool or power drill is not easy without an extender.- When you enter the correct code, the green light flashes and the locking mechanism opens. You then press the upper left corner of the door to pop it open. Not sure if this could have been added without greatly increasing the price or negatively affecting the operation of the lock, but a spring-assisted, automatic open when you enter the right code would be perfect.Bottom line: This is a very secure lock box (not a safe) at a great value for its intended use. It is well thought-out and well executed. I don't think we'll be seeing any YouTube videos entitled "How to Crack HOMAK Pistol Box in 30 Seconds!" from this one, as we have from others. Time will tell.

Keeping in mind that this is a security cabinet and not a safe, it is an excellent option for keeping your pistol or valuable goods away from opportunistic hands. As with anything of this class, or even safes, for that matter, it can be defeated given enough time, tools, and expertise. Having said that, it has proven to be very secure over time. Here are the main points of my experience over time:* Heavier than expected. When I ordered this, I was expecting something that would be flimsier and lighter. In fact, it was much heavier and better-built than I had thought.* Quality - The tolerances are reasonably tight around the door and the welds are high quality. The keypad works well as does the locking mechanism. I haven't had any issues whatever with the operation or action of this unit. The door has never rubbed and it has never failed to open or to latch.* Size - This box will fit the equivalent of two pistols, or an equivalent-sized pile of cash, bullion, or whatever. (No, I wouldn't recommend keeping bullion in this. Get something a little tougher) There's not much room, though, so it's not as if these things are not touching each other on the inside. The picture is actually a good representation.* Flexibility - The size of the unit allows for flexible mounting options, as it can be installed in a closet, cabinet, desk, or nook, providing some additional measure of security by being in a hard to get to place that doesn't allow for easy swings of a hammer, etc. It can also be mounted either from the top or the bottom. The door, as seen in the picture, opens from the front. I like this feature as it allows for options in mounting location.* Convenience - After following the instructions, you may input your own security code. While the locking mechanism is powered by batteries, they do seem to last a long time. If the batteries run out, however, there is a very nice feature that allows you to use a battery from the outside to temporarily open the box, which can still only be opened by inputting a security code, even by backup battery.Other thoughts:I was originally looking for a small security box with a Simplex lock, but I could not find anything suitable in the size and dimensions I was looking for. I was a little hesitant to purchase this one due to worries about battery power and reliability, however it has proven to be excellent over time. By the way, at the time of purchase, this met the California DOJ requirements for a security cabinet for firearms storage.Would I trust this to hold all my priceless jewelry or bearer bonds (if I had any)? No, and it's not intended to do that. But it is effective to protect items from smash-and-grab events or from curious children, especially if concealed and securely mounted. Depending on your security needs, this one may not work for you, but it has been a viable option for my needs and has worked out very well. I have found that the quality is above what I would have expected for the price and can recommend it based on my experience.