I am looking to buy a new quick access hand gun safe. The wife likes the idea of the new Biometric style. You just touch a pad and it reads your fingerprint, if valid it opens. No more keys to push and no combination to remember which she tends to forget over time.

Has anyone tried one of these and what do you think? I am particularly interested in one I came across today at:

www.biosaf.com/biosaftechnology.htm

A side note:
Four years ago, before they went under, I worked for COMPAQ Computers. We were using this kind of technology to logon as a replacement for userid's and passwords. What it does is to make a digital pattern of specific points which form a pattern that can be digitally stored. Kind of like the old connect the dots game you played as a kid. It should be working pretty well by now but I want to make sure before I drop $300 bucks on one.

Thanks

  You know they make things so much more reliable these days but I always wonder if the electronics in something like that will fail when I need it although it has to be a lot faster than fumbeling with a key when someone is in the halway but I lock mine up during the day and have it on the night stand at night but my kids are teenagers and they never did just come in my room at night and mess around. However if you have used this technology and you know it is reliable then it does sound like a good deal to me. That is if you can program every one in your house to get in it if you want.

I would not pay 300 dollars for something like that.  Microsoft makes a biometric one now as well.  29.95 I belive now.

Just remember some common sense things.  Such as if you want in they can just cut your finger off.  

No joke someone's car was stolen in Europe that required a biometric start and they just cut his finger off and took his car that way.

Might I recommend the much cheaper and almost as quick safes that have a 4 or 5 digit code?  This safe is also very small.  So if you plan on hiding it dust or other things could get on the biometric scanner scratch it, etc so it does not work as fast.

edited to add for OP

The BioSâf™ INPRINT™ Fingerprint Safe measures the physical characteristics of your unique fingerprint so it can identify and allow access to you and up to 16 authorized users.

what if you have a bandaid on the finger you use for that? or you hit it with a hammer and it's swollen? or you cut it and it's healing?

That is about as cool as the Remington E-tronic rifle and cartidge system.
Some things are just not meant to have electronics in them.  Take that from a electrical engineer.

email response I got back from this company.  I'd recommend you wait.

We have several new models that will be out in a few months that I would recommend for this application.  The safes we have now are primarily access denial products and can be defeated by a suitably motivated person and a sledgehammer or crowbar as you have stated below.

James Childers
President / Owner
Artemis Solutions Group (USA)
Biometrics Direct - Smart Card Supply

Executive Director
IBSL LTD (HKSAR)
Intelligent Biometric Solutions, LTD
Intelligent Biometric Solutions – The Power of YOU™


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I knew you guys would offer up some common sense, these are exactly the kinds of things I was looking for comments on. My thanks to all of you who have commented so far.

I use a hand gun safe, I have one now that uses a key code, as a means of keeping a loaded weapon at the ready yet safe from unauthorized handeling. (ie: house guests, visitors and my small nephew when he is here) If my greater concern was keeping the bad guys from breaking in and stealing it I would buy a large and more secure gun safe. Maybe I should do that for my other firearms? If the bad guys get past my security, my alarm and me then the failure is already complete from my point of view.

Now, what Luxan has uncovered concerns me:
The safes we have now are primarily access denial products....

A product that is designed with a mindset toward denial of access could very well deny me access when I need it most, not good.

Does anyone actually have one of these and like it? Or is there a specific type you like and would recommend?

Quoted: what if you have a bandaid on the finger you use for that? or you hit it with a hammer and it's swollen? or you cut it and it's healing?

You have some good points. I would want to know a cut or something would not invalidate me from opening my safe.

Also keep in mind speed / response time issues.  I have a fingerprint biometric box that has a very noticable delay before it opens. Whether it take longer to process the fingerprint, or enter a 4-5 digit keypress code, or use a key, kind of varies person-to-person I suspect.  

when someone makes one of these with a digit backup keypad on them and then a key for emergency and better quality is when I might be interested in one of these.

When your tired or need to be as quiet as possible.  one finger on a biometric safe right next to my bed could save my life someday if it is completely quiet while it does the scan.

Another concern is what or how does it light itself? I am assuming it must use and LED or some type of light source like an optical mouse does to track movement to follow your finger print?

How bright is it? is it on all the time?

If a BG is in very close proximity to you you might have to keep all lights off so having the backup keypad could be helpful in that scenario.


I guess every setup has pros and cons.  I use a Sentry safe that uses a dial like a regular safe.  So without a light I can not open it.

Quoted: Now, what Luxan has uncovered concerns me: The safes we have now are primarily access denial products.... A product that is designed with a mindset toward denial of access could very well deny me access when I need it most, not good. Does anyone actually have one of these and like it? Or is there a specific type you like and would recommend?

All locks are access denial devices. That would be the very definition of safes and locks: to deny access to unauthorized persons.

I'll never carry one (a biometric gun). The idea in itself pisses me off.
The safe maybe, but that makes me think they'll just kill you and take the body part they need. Better the info be stored in your brain so they need you alive if they want hope of getting in there, and thus take a big risk about you killing them.

This money and engineering should be going into those 40 Watt plasma rifles I keep reading about here.