Although i have a digi gun safe in the bedroom (small) which i can open in 2 seconds it dawned on me that the other 2 large gun safes in the basement require me to be able to see the dials.
I was reading this thread and it came to me
[url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?id=129520[/url]
that if you needed to open your gun safe in the dark you would be screwed,so i am thinking that if you paint the dial with something that would glow in the dark you could open the safe without turning on the lights.
So what to use? any good suggestions?
 

I,ve got a flashlight, it is quick and easy.

also a chemlight is great, just tape it to the side or top (somewhere!)

and always have something handy to defend yourself with while your accessing the heavy hardware!

Get one of those "tap lights" that they sell at Lowes or HD.  They're round, convex lights that take AA or C batteries, depending on the size, and mount to walls, doors, SAFES.  The entire surface area of the light is the switch, so it's easy to turn on and off in a hurry.  That leaves your hands free to open your safe and get yer Ya Yas on.

Yes i know but what if you are in a situation that you should not use any light?
And i always say the bedroom gun is just to get me to the basement.

Perfectly said.

Ok you two, I keep two hand guns in the bedroom.
What happens in the middle of the night is not up to you and the situation is not me biting off more than i can chew,the situation is started by an outside force and you respond to the threat ,if the threat increases you increase your firepower,right?
So what are you Kreskin,you know what is going to happen or are you keeping all your guns by your bedside,LOL
I like to think i am prepared for most emergency's,but i also think that the two guns would help me to defend the home until i can get to the real goodies.

I say this on EVERY safe thread I post on.  [b]Keep a WORKING flashlight on top of the safe[/b]

Get a small disposable red LED type light, put it on a string, and tape the string to the safe door so the light is near the dial.  Make the string long enough that you can also use the light to see inside the safe.  Practice using it a few times.

For example, below is the ASP Navigator Light, which is maybe 2 inches long (ignore the laser beam etching the fire dept. logo thingy - the LED is to the extreme right):

[image]www.ar15.com/members/albums/199%2FFL102I%2Ejpg[/image]

The dim light won’t attract much attention while you’re in a definitely vulnerable position.  Also it won’t blind you.  Note that the red LED will not let you see red colors!

Have a Surefire, Scorpian or such ready for when you’ve got the gun out and you’re ready to make your presence known.

My safe (a Bear brand I bought at the Dallas gunshow about 15 years ago) uses a key lock system.  Not as secure as a full-blown combo, but far tougher than most key locks.  I'd rank it between the gun lockers and true gun safes in terms of security.  Since it's a simple key, night operation is as easy as day, since you can't see the keyhole anyway and it's done all by touch.  Takes only seconds to access my guns.  

The house I was living in Florida was burglarized.  Everything in my safe is still with me.  Obviously it works good enough.  My roomate, who hid his guns all over his room, had all of his stolen along with various other things he had laying around.  

Most of your burglars are kids looking for dope, or dope money.  Smash, grab, move.  They aren't interested in trying to peel or crack any kind of safe, and even those Wal-mart gun lockers would thwart many.  Sure they may tell about your safe, and that's always a concern anyway after a burglary.  Still, since my safe HAS survived a burglary unscathed, it works for me.

As for needing to do this in the dark, I could see a situation that you need to.  Still, the only loaded gun I keep around the house is the same one I carry.  That eliminates any training problems, any chance of facing your own, loaded gun if you interrupt a burglary, and kids getting ahold of it.  One gun is probably enough for me.  Realistically, I'm not going to have a chance to go rooting around through the gunsafe.  If the shooting starts, someone's probably going to loose pretty quick.

Ross

Hey 7 --> [b]THANK YOU![/b]
After I posted the following safe pic a while back, you scolded me about having my flashlight INSIDE.  
I have since moved a shelf above the safe and have placed flashlights near the rest of my safes.

What's wrong with this picture:  [:D]

[img]http://www.cedargrovepolice.net/rbad/2.jpg[/img]

Here is a GREAT option for the bedroom:

It's a Palmer pistol safe with a MECHANICAL Simplex lock.  No need to worry about batteries and I can open it in the dark by tactile feel.

It comes with a very heavy duty steel mounting plate which bolts to the floor or other surface.


[img]rbad.ar15.com/rbad_palmer.jpg[/img]

I used to sleep with my guns but my ex-wife finally put a stop to that. >gg<

If you need more than two guns you're definitely living in the WRONG neighborhood!!!

If I had to open my Liberty safe in the dark,
I would be s.o.l.

Thanks for some great ideas.