Hello. I just bought a 2 year old Amsec NF5924 safe and everything worked when I went to pick it up. I loaded on trailer and laid it on its back to transport. When I got home and put in place standing up it won’t unlock. I’m putting the correct password and it’s making the correct audible for correct password but handle just spins freely. I texted the guy I bought it from and he said handle shouldn’t spin that it is engaged with the bolts and shouldn’t spin like that. It’s looking like something came loose during transport. Is there any suggestions to get it open?  I can’t believe I went through all this trouble moving this thing and the cost of it to not be able to open it.

I wonder if by lying the safe on it's back, you tripped the relocker function. All safes have them now. Thankfully, there is a retired AMSEC safe tech who posts on this forum and if he sees this, he might be able to direct you on how to get it open.
Gary

Thanks for the reply and good to know there’s an expert on this board. I’ve come to the right place.

My guess is, that the clamp connecting handle and bolt work got loose. It is meant to get loose when burglars apply force to the handle to force the bolt work back. Maybe it fell on the handle during transport?

Number 1 recommendation is of course to get a safe tech solving your problem, because doing the wrong things can make the problem worse and create new problems.

If this is not your choice, then I would try to look for another reason to convince the bolts to retract. Depending on the weight I would try to lay it on the hinge side, so that gravity retracts the bolts. Or use something thin to probe the bolts back through the door gap. Or perhaps rotate the handle quickly as there might be still enough friction to retract the bolts.

Thanks for the reply. It didn’t land on handle during transport. I talked to a local locksmith that sells Amsec and he suggested, like you have, to lay it on its hinge side and try to open it and maybe gravity will help move bolts. If that doesn’t work then I’ll have him come out to look at it.

Locksmith was able to open it by drilling into side where bolts are and pushing them open. Thanks to everyone for the advice.

Curious, how do they reseal where they drilled the holes?  Some type of epoxy or something else?  

Hopefully they used a welder.. that safe is now compromised with anything less.

I wouldn't consider it compromised much at all, the only reason this worked to open the safe, is because the handle wasn't turning the bolt works even when the combo was dialed correctly.  They just used the hole to push the bolts clear in lieu of moving them with the handle.  When the safe is locked, pushing on the bolt won't accomplish much, usually just a tiny little hole is all that is needed.  When I have done this in the past, I have driven a pin into the hole, but I wouldn't consider that required.

Its never a good idea to move a safe using the operating handle as a picking up/wrestling around handle.  Its also not good to transport a safe on its back, it really is best to also prop the door open a little and strap it there in case damage is dome while moving it.

I move a safe with the door unlocked and taped so the lock can’t move and the handle can’t move.
Strap the door shut with a ratchet strap to keep it shut, you can put a wood spacer to keep the door from closing the last 1/2”
When done exercise the door and lock with the door open
Some relockers are released if a pane of glass is broken that is around the lock
If this happens with the door shut and the bolts closed the door is going to be drilled