CA DOJ gun safe info is making me dizzy and confused

[Guy B. Meredith]

I decided to check out a small safe for my revolvers that I could bolt into place.

The local stores have Homak cabinets but they look very poor as the door is bent sheet metal with large gaps in the corners and other places to provide pry bar access. The bars are also just stamped steel plates linked by sheet metal bars.

I went to the local Staples to check out the Sentry safes some forum members had mentioned and thought that the V530 might be a good candidate.

Then I went to the DOJ web site for a list of the approved safey devices and the requirements that these devices must meet at http://caag.state.ca.us/firearms/gunsafe.htm.

About this time I began getting that funny feeling that reminds me I am either in California or about to experience a panic attack.

Several of the Homak tin boxes are listed as qualifying even though there are several major areas where they do not meet the listed requirements. On the other hand, Sentry is not listed.

Anyone have information on this? Comments on the Sentry product?

[Edited to insert correct web page at DOJ.]

 

[SIGarmed]

They are approved as safety devices only and not safes! There is a whole other requirement for safes. I suggest that you look for the description of requirement for a CA approved safe. If its UL listed most likely its approved.
I guess we can't be surprised this is California after all. :barf:

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

Mea culpa. A closer read of the page refers to the Homak cabinet and DAC Technologies boxes among others as safety devices. It goes on to say that an approved safety device is not required if a safe is available and then goes on to refer to the web page I sited above.

Interesting. I cannot find the description of a safety device that the law calls for, just a listing of the specific approved items. This sort of leaves the Sentry product hanging out there in limbo.

 

[freeride21a]

a safety device is not a theft prevention device, it is to keep your kids and you out when you need them most.

luck of draw i got a homak 3660 years ago...it is good imho...but im out of room.

if badguy wants something...no gunsafe is gonna work...most large gunsafe sides are only heavy guage material...easy job if you got a portable cutting torch. the only thign good about those is they are fire resistant!

 

[BenW]

Has anyone done the affidavit thing? I haven't bought anything since this law went into effect but am getting some pistolas before the licensing starts next year. I use an old jewelers safe that more than meets the requirements, but I know it's not on any list and I don't have a receipt for it. I'm wondering if the affadavit requires you to sign that you have some listed safe model or just that you meet the listed requirement parameters.

 

[Zahnster]

I was at a gunstore recently when someone was filling out the affidavite and I got the impression they wanted enough info that they could be pretty sure you owned the safe you said you did. Like serial numbers or receipts or something.

 

[Lavan]

All of the following requirements:
Shall be able to fully contain firearms and provide for their secure storage.
Shall have a locking system consisting of at minimum a mechanical or electronic combination lock. The mechanical or electronic combination lock utilized by the safe shall have at least 10,000 possible combinations consisting of a minimum three numbers, letters, or symbols. The lock shall be protected by a case-hardened (Rc 60+) drill-resistant steel plate, or drill-resistant material of equivalent strength.
Boltwork shall consist of a minimum of three steel locking bolts of at least ½ inch thickness that intrude from the door of the safe into the body of the safe or from the body of the safe into the door of the safe, which are operated by a separate handle and secured by the lock.
Shall be capable of repeated use. The exterior walls shall be constructed of a minimum 12-gauge thick steel for a single-walled safe, or the sum of the steel walls shall add up to at least .100 inches for safes with two walls. Doors shall be constructed of a minimum of two layers of 12-gauge steel, or one layer of 7-gauge steel compound construction.
Door hinges shall be protected to prevent the removal of the door. Protective features include, but are not limited to: hinges not exposed to the outside, interlocking door designs, dead bars, jeweler’s lugs and active or inactive locking bolts.

or

All of the following requirements:
Is listed as an Underwriters Laboratories Residential Security Container;
Is able to fully contain firearms;
Provides for the secure storage of firearms.