After recently seeing a fellow INGOer selling this in the classifieds, I thought I might purchase one myself. Unfortunately I did not buy it from the member, as they lived too far away for a local pickup, and I was able to buy this brand new for the same money, plus a little shipping.
I purchased it here: Amsec Smith & Wesson Electronic Hand Gun Safe SWVV1014 - eBay (item 110340270523 end time Feb-18-09 12:42:02 PST)
It arrived this afternoon, about 7 business days after I ordered it.
Now, I bought this to fill a very specific need. You see, my G19 does double-duty as my carry gun and as well as my home-defense gun. Because of this, my current small safe wasn't ideal because it has a key lock, and its not located where I can access the gun quickly enough. What I needed was something small enough to discreetly mount in the bedroom that offered quick access-- not only for "bumps in the night", but also just for the administration of constantly removing the gun to carry during the day and locking it back up at night.
Enter the VersaVault.
(sorry for the dark/crappy pics-- I took these in my "Man Room/Cave")
The first thing I noticed about it when removing it from the box was how heavy it was. Its solid steel.
The primary entry mechanism is a 4-button rubber keypad. You can enter a code with 3-digits, 4-digits, up to 8-digits. There are molded in "feelers" that identify each button. Once you push the first button, the entire keypad lights up red. If you miss-type, you simple re-enter the correct passcode and it will open. If you don't enter the correct code 3 times, it will lock you out for 15 minutes, as well as sound a beeping alarm. This, of course, can be overridden with the manual key. Power comes from 4 AA batteries accessible from inside the box. Changing the passcode and/or settings is easily accomplished via 4 small DIP switches inside the unit.
Secondary entry is a basic "tube-key". This is more of a backup in case the electronics fail, or if you let the batteries die. According to the box, the batteries last approximately 1 year, and the lights will start blinking well before the batteries actually die, giving you time to replace them.
Now this is where the "magic" starts. Once you've entered the last digit of the passcode, the entire top automatically lifts up, revealing the gun in such a manner that obtaining a firing grip is quick and easy. There are little gas struts inside that lift up the top, like you would find in the hood or truck of your car. Several small red LEDs also come on the inside to illuminate its contents. The "holster" is what Smith calls its "Whisper Sleeve". Its made of flexible plastic, and has two pieces of foam on top and bottom that keep your gun in place. The bottom on the inside is covered in blue velet (very PIMP).
On the bottom of the outside there is a mounting plate that allows the user to simply mount the plate onto a desktop, wall, etc. Then you can lock the safe onto it by simply rotating a latch on the inside. If you wanted to transition this to inside a car, you could simply unlatch it from the mounting plate, put it in the car, and then run a cable around something to the back of the safe where there is a small hole just for that purpose.
And now for the CONS that I've noticed so far:
Ideally it would've been GREAT if this was large (wide) enough to hold 2 guns in the "whisper sleeve". I tried putting my G19 and Smith & Wesson 39-2 "slide-to-slide", but the grips stuck out just a tad too far for the box to close. If my second gun was a J-Frame it probably would've fit.
The second CON is a bigger issue, and one that I hope can/will be remedied. With the safe loaded with only my G19, the lid WILL NOT raise the entire way like it should. It just seems too heavy, and the struts will not bring it up to its full extension. Not only does this not accomplish what the safe is specifically designed to do, but it also does not offer the kind of grip I'd like when trying to deploy the gun.
Here is what I've been getting so far:
Now, I did get this off my freezing-cold porch an hour ago, so perhaps the struts are feeling its effects, but I'm definately going to keep an eye on it. If this continues I will have to contact S&W and see what's up.
All-in-all I really like the safe. The price is a bit ouchy, but I really wanted the quick access and quick deployment aspect. It helps that it was a gift from lovemywoods.
(thanks Pop)
Now I'm trying to decide where and how I should mount it. We've got a big beefy dresser in the bedroom that I could mount it to, but I'm not sure if I want to mount it on top, or on the side of it. Maybe if it was mounted sideways the issue of not opening fully would go away. Hmm... To be more discreet I could mount it on the wall just inside the closet, but it would take a split second longer to access it. . . hmm.... Decisions decisions!
I purchased it here: Amsec Smith & Wesson Electronic Hand Gun Safe SWVV1014 - eBay (item 110340270523 end time Feb-18-09 12:42:02 PST)
It arrived this afternoon, about 7 business days after I ordered it.
Now, I bought this to fill a very specific need. You see, my G19 does double-duty as my carry gun and as well as my home-defense gun. Because of this, my current small safe wasn't ideal because it has a key lock, and its not located where I can access the gun quickly enough. What I needed was something small enough to discreetly mount in the bedroom that offered quick access-- not only for "bumps in the night", but also just for the administration of constantly removing the gun to carry during the day and locking it back up at night.
Enter the VersaVault.
(sorry for the dark/crappy pics-- I took these in my "Man Room/Cave")
The first thing I noticed about it when removing it from the box was how heavy it was. Its solid steel.
The primary entry mechanism is a 4-button rubber keypad. You can enter a code with 3-digits, 4-digits, up to 8-digits. There are molded in "feelers" that identify each button. Once you push the first button, the entire keypad lights up red. If you miss-type, you simple re-enter the correct passcode and it will open. If you don't enter the correct code 3 times, it will lock you out for 15 minutes, as well as sound a beeping alarm. This, of course, can be overridden with the manual key. Power comes from 4 AA batteries accessible from inside the box. Changing the passcode and/or settings is easily accomplished via 4 small DIP switches inside the unit.
Secondary entry is a basic "tube-key". This is more of a backup in case the electronics fail, or if you let the batteries die. According to the box, the batteries last approximately 1 year, and the lights will start blinking well before the batteries actually die, giving you time to replace them.
Now this is where the "magic" starts. Once you've entered the last digit of the passcode, the entire top automatically lifts up, revealing the gun in such a manner that obtaining a firing grip is quick and easy. There are little gas struts inside that lift up the top, like you would find in the hood or truck of your car. Several small red LEDs also come on the inside to illuminate its contents. The "holster" is what Smith calls its "Whisper Sleeve". Its made of flexible plastic, and has two pieces of foam on top and bottom that keep your gun in place. The bottom on the inside is covered in blue velet (very PIMP).
On the bottom of the outside there is a mounting plate that allows the user to simply mount the plate onto a desktop, wall, etc. Then you can lock the safe onto it by simply rotating a latch on the inside. If you wanted to transition this to inside a car, you could simply unlatch it from the mounting plate, put it in the car, and then run a cable around something to the back of the safe where there is a small hole just for that purpose.
And now for the CONS that I've noticed so far:
Ideally it would've been GREAT if this was large (wide) enough to hold 2 guns in the "whisper sleeve". I tried putting my G19 and Smith & Wesson 39-2 "slide-to-slide", but the grips stuck out just a tad too far for the box to close. If my second gun was a J-Frame it probably would've fit.
The second CON is a bigger issue, and one that I hope can/will be remedied. With the safe loaded with only my G19, the lid WILL NOT raise the entire way like it should. It just seems too heavy, and the struts will not bring it up to its full extension. Not only does this not accomplish what the safe is specifically designed to do, but it also does not offer the kind of grip I'd like when trying to deploy the gun.
Here is what I've been getting so far:
Now, I did get this off my freezing-cold porch an hour ago, so perhaps the struts are feeling its effects, but I'm definately going to keep an eye on it. If this continues I will have to contact S&W and see what's up.
All-in-all I really like the safe. The price is a bit ouchy, but I really wanted the quick access and quick deployment aspect. It helps that it was a gift from lovemywoods.
(thanks Pop)Now I'm trying to decide where and how I should mount it. We've got a big beefy dresser in the bedroom that I could mount it to, but I'm not sure if I want to mount it on top, or on the side of it. Maybe if it was mounted sideways the issue of not opening fully would go away. Hmm... To be more discreet I could mount it on the wall just inside the closet, but it would take a split second longer to access it. . . hmm.... Decisions decisions!
