FAS1 vs Fort Knox hand gun safes

clint · Jul 24, 2014

I originally was going to get the SpeedVault SV500 but I decided against it because it needs a battery and the backup lock is easy to pick. I like the idea of it though. I was going to mount it to my bedside table.

After doing some searches on the forum it seems like the Fort Knox pistol box is well liked. I can't tell if it is mountable or not. I also know it has a Kaba simplex lock which was bypassable a few years ago with a magnet but it was fixed.

The other one I'm considering is the FAS1 safe. It seems a little closer to what the speedvault is. It has a simplex lock and I'm not sure who it is made by so it could be susceptible to a magnet attack. Does anyone who owns one know who makes the lock? I'm not sure how mountable this one is either.

Has anyone owned both who could compare them? I'm mainly looking for a quick access safe I can mount by my bed. I don't have kids so that isn't an issue for me at this time. It is more for in case of a break in. I'm guessing even if either one is mounted (to my bedside table which could probably be smashed with enough time) it won't hold up well in a burglery. I was recently burglarized by people working over our area on foot so I'm only looking to stop them. At least I was able to catch them a different day and get them arrested... not that I got any of my stuff back since the police haven't been helpful.

chevellenut71 · Jul 24, 2014

Look at our youtube channel we just did a review of the FAS1.

Neot · Jul 24, 2014

I have the Fort Knox and it's built like a damn tank. I do have a kid who is mobile and another one on the way, so keeping it away from them but it being accessible to me were my main concerns. It does have 4 holes in the bottom to mount it into a drawer or anywhere else you might want.

engineerbrian · Jul 24, 2014

Fas1safe hands down!!!

Here's my review of it. There's also a $15 discount code in the video and the video notes.

While your there subscribe to our channel for what we hope will be weekly reviews!

[YT]r0zklqQywAY[/YT]

clint · Jul 25, 2014

Thanks for posting the video review. In the future it might be nice to have some close ups of the item.

Do you know who makes the lock? It is a little inconvenient that you have to drill your own mount holes but at least that allows for exact placement. There isn't anything to attach a cable lock is there?

Seems like the main difference between the FAS1 and Fort Knox is that FAS1 has the gas piston thing and the Knox doesn't. Plus it seems like I could fit at least 2 handguns in the Knox but not in the FAS1.

engineerbrian · Jul 25, 2014

clint said:
Thanks for posting the video review. In the future it might be nice to have some close ups of the item.

Do you know who makes the lock? It is a little inconvenient that you have to drill your own mount holes but at least that allows for exact placement. There isn't anything to attach a cable lock is there?

Seems like the main difference between the FAS1 and Fort Knox is that FAS1 has the gas piston thing and the Knox doesn't. Plus it seems like I could fit at least 2 handguns in the Knox but not in the FAS1.

Thanks for the input, we still have a learing curve on videoing :innocent0

As for the lock, I can check when i get home, but you can also email fas1. Gary is th eowner and he will reply to you directly

SWO Daddy · Jul 25, 2014

I have a Ft. Knox handgun safe. There are 1/4" holes at each corner for mount. It is SOLID when mounted to the floor.

The lock cannot be defeated via the magnet trick - that was (IIRC) a specific configuration (N/A) and was corrected years ago. I looked at both as well, the Ft. Knox appears to use a heavier gauge construction. The bolt is also beefier. The FAS 1 looks like a nice lock box, I thought the Ft. Knox was just a little better.

clint · Jul 26, 2014

Maybe I should get one of both. FAS1 for my bedside and the Fort Knox to store my other two future purchases.

natsb · Jul 31, 2014

I was disappointed at how easy it was to get into my Ft Knox given the limited combinations. I have been a lot happier with the Barska as it does not have the "magnet" issue and I am the only one with my finger prints.

I do like the construction of the Ft Knox. It would be nice if there were some way to put a good lock on it.

clint · Jul 31, 2014

natsb said:
I was disappointed at how easy it was to get into my Ft Knox given the limited combinations. I have been a lot happier with the Barska as it does not have the "magnet" issue and I am the only one with my finger prints.

I do like the construction of the Ft Knox. It would be nice if there were some way to put a good lock on it.

Did you need to pick a better lock sequence or did you break into it some other way?

CSJ · Jul 31, 2014

I'm very happy with the Fort Knox box. Can easily hold 2-3 full sized handguns and As said before built like a tank. Don't quite understand what was meant in the previous post about picking the lock.

SWO Daddy · Jul 31, 2014

natsb said:
I was disappointed at how easy it was to get into my Ft Knox given the limited combinations. I have been a lot happier with the Barska as it does not have the "magnet" issue and I am the only one with my finger prints.

I do like the construction of the Ft Knox. It would be nice if there were some way to put a good lock on it.

1080 possible combinations is fine for me. The type of simplex locks on these safes were never part of the recall which was corrected years ago, either.

natsb · Aug 1, 2014

clint said:
Did you need to pick a better lock sequence or did you break into it some other way?

There are only about 1000 possible combinations. It only takes 15 to 20 minutes to go through all of them.

I put a $20 bill in mine and told my teenager she could have it If she could open the lid. She looked at the safe, then left the room. Came back about 10 minutes later with a combination chart she printed off the web. Four minutes later, she was walking out the door waving the $20 saying "thanks dad".

In other words, there is no such thing as a better lock sequence with such a low sequence availability.

The $20 is still sitting in the Barska.

Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk

natsb · Aug 1, 2014

CSJ said:
I'm very happy with the Fort Knox box. Can easily hold 2-3 full sized handguns and As said before built like a tank. Don't quite understand what was meant in the previous post about picking the lock.

I agree, they are built like a tank. If not for the insufficient lock, it would be perfect.

There is no need to pick the lock, just run through all the sequences as there are not too many. Basically, start at zero and count in binary hexadecimal.

Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk

clint · Aug 1, 2014

natsb said:
I agree, they are built like a tank. If not for the insufficient lock, it would be perfect.

There is no need to pick the lock, just run through all the sequences as there are not too many. Basically, start at zero and count in binary hexadecimal.

Sent from my LG-E980 using Tapatalk

For me, that's not the scenario I'm buying this to protect from. If I have kids, then I will get a real gun safe. I'm trying to stop the drug addicts that have already broken in before. I doubt they'll be printing off and using many of those sheets. A real professional is just going to tear this off where I bolt it too and cut it open later.

Minuteman · Aug 1, 2014

simply...

Simplex.

canonian · Aug 2, 2014

natsb said:
I was disappointed at how easy it was to get into my Ft Knox given the limited combinations. I have been a lot happier with the Barska as it does not have the "magnet" issue and I am the only one with my finger prints.

Better keep that glass clean, they can use the Mythbuster method to get into a fingerprint lock quite easily.

SWO Daddy · Aug 2, 2014

canonian said:
Better keep that glass clean, they can use the Mythbuster method to get into a fingerprint lock quite easily.

....or just a screwdriver.

Sundazes · Aug 2, 2014

canonian said:
Better keep that glass clean, they can use the Mythbuster method to get into a fingerprint lock quite easily.

What is the Mythbuster method?

traveller · Aug 2, 2014

- A thief will not spend 14 minutes to go through combinations. If he is your run of the mill drug addict, he won't touch it, if he is a pro he'll just crack it open with whatever tools he brought along.

- If you bolt it into a drawer or nightstand, a thief will just rip/pry it out and crack it with his tools or load it on his truck.

They are meant to keep little ones away from your nightstand gun. To call them safes is misleading.

FAS1 vs Fort Knox hand gun safes

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