Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Who knows the combination to your gun safe?

I gave my father the combination to my gun safe several years ago so someone would have it in case I died. My father is still living but he has no idea what he did with my information and is in no condition to keep track of such things. So, my options are:

1) long time girlfriend
2) brother
3) other brother
4) safe deposit box

I don't have a will, but I plan on getting that done in 2017 and I am leaning toward the safe deposit box option and informing the girlfriend and brothers of the location of the will and other important papers. In the event of my death, they can get to the will and instructions for accessing my safe deposit box.

Interested in hearing any advice and what other folks have in place for this scenario (especially those who are single).

Really? On the internet? With communists about to take charge?

My son is the only other person that has the combination to mine. And he is an only child.

That's the very reason I bought an electronic safe, so that if for some unforeseen reason I needed to give some one access in my absences, then I could reset the combination after wards.

What are you afraid of?

Quit worrying. If you become incapacitated in some way I'm sure a locksmith can open it up for a reasonable fee. You would always seal it in a safe deposit box if you have one.

Wife and youngest son.

Safe combinations, and locations of some safe keys, are in a codicil to my will.
My son lalready knows all of that info, as do my wife and daughter. No one else.

Wife

Only my wife has mine.....

A close friend did the locksmith route, worked well in his case.

Write it on the inside of your dogs collar. Anybody my dog trusts enough to touch his collar, is ok with me.

Wife has it. Nobody else. If we both checkout together it won't matter one bit. The local locksmith can open it in about fifteen seconds.

Absolutely do NOT give it to "long term girlfriend". Brother and other brother - only you can say how trustworthy or loose lipped they are.

Safe deposit box is best with instruction for access in your will.

Nobody but me....my wife knows where the combo is and she'd never remember it anyway.

Me.

+1

One thing to consider is that in some states, safe deposit boxes are sealed upon death, and can't be accessed until the probate process is started.

That is the kind of information I need find out and discuss with a lawyer when I have a will drawn up.

Leave it open and paint "Rugers only" on the front and no one will bother it.

Aw, come on now. Ruger's are respectable - especially when compared to current production Remington's and Marlin's. 😜

Wife

In my case, my wife knows the combination to her safe, and I have the combinations to the other 4 safes, stored inside it in a document safe she can open. One of my sisters also has the information stored in her document safe in case it is ever needed. I do need to update my sister's information now that I think about it. She doesn't have the combo to the newest safe.

+1 on don't tell the girlfriends. If you don't respect them enough to marry them, you should never sign contracts, buy joint property, or share privileged information with them.

The girlfriend I respect. It is the institution of marriage that I have no use for, but your point is well taken.

Brother has it and there is a list inside the safe where everything is to go.

Me. Combination is in another safe my wife has access to.

Communists have BEEN in charge the past 8 years...

If you want your girl friend involved in anything, you'd better set her up with a power of attorney or she'll be locked out when you die. You don't say how strong your attachment to your girlfriend is but a lot of cohabiting couples have found that out the hard way. If it's not down on paper, it doesn't exist in the eyes of the law.

I have the combo written down in my personal records file, along with instructions how to use it. I've shown my wife how to do it, but she's hopeless. It won't matter to me who gets what.

BTW, I have a combination written in pencil on the doorjamb next to my safe for the convenience of robbers. It's not the right combo.

A buddy of mine told me about an app called Msecure. It is like $10 or something, but it is the handiest flipping app I have ever used.

It is a master password, data, passport info, safe combinations, etc....formatted app that I use multiple times a day. It is highly secure and can only be access via a single master password and/or fingerprint if you have a current iPhone.

My iPhone is accessible by both me and my wife. It is not backed up on the iCloud for various reasons, but it is backed up on my laptop, work, laptop, and Time Machine. There is an data encryption setting on your iPhone that you can utilize if you are not aware.

Anyway, the Msecure is a bit of a pain to set up the first time by inputting all your user names and passwords, but it is easy to maintain going forward. I get a huge smile each time I have to check it and wonder if I put in that password when I had.

It is a MAJOR time and aggravation saver.

Thanks for that reminder, Rock Chuck. We are both in our early 50's and need to get all this stuff squared away.

If you registered your gun safe the manufacturer has the combination.

Maybe the Russians will hack into your computer, get the combination and send Spetsnaz (Special Forces) troops to get a few more guns. After all, if it's on the Internet, it MUST be true, right?

If I had a safe I'd be the only one who knew the combination, but I'd tell a couple of family members where to find the information on how to open it in the event of my incapacitation.





P

I did not and they do not. If the manufacturer did have the combo, it would be a real hassle for my heirs to get it from them. I would hope that the safe manufacturer would not give out a combination to anyone who wrote them claiming I was dead.

No one. And I mean no one. I forget the dam thing and have it written on a card in my wallet.

Key lock safe here, OLD one with a locking door over the actual Diebold door lock, different keys to each. I have a set as does the wife and son. They have instructions to empty it out upon my death and wife is to close out bank accounts and open new ones in her name at different banks.

My son, and only my son.

Seeing as he will inherit all my possessions, seems reasonable to me!!

Regards,
Richard

Laughin'😀
Reminds me of a place I used to work where we had to change our computer access password every 90 days for "security" reasons and the password requirements were such that passwords were always incoherent jibbirish that no one could remember. Half the people in the place had their current password on a sticky note attached to the back of their ID/access badge.

Both my wife and son have the combination to both safes (I have two identical safes) and I have them both set to the same number.

I once had an IT guy create a password for me for a system that I needed to access about once a month. He showed me the password on the screen. I pulled a notepad out of my pocket and began writing it down. He said "I would prefer that you not write that on paper..."
I laughed in his face.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I think I am going to go with the safe deposit box option. A goal for 2017 is to get all this type stuff squared away - will, living will, power of attorney, make sure all designation of beneficiaries on accounts jive with what is stated in the will, etc, etc - I would like to make it as easy as possible for the person(s) who have to deal with it all.

Only one safe and no electronic lock. Wife and I have the combination in our heads. It is not written anywhere. Factory can not help as I changed the combination as soon as I brought it home from the store.

Me, myself and I...that's it, nobody else.

My bride and I know where the combo is but I usually just use the key. Our son has a key and the combo but he lives 650 miles away. If my bride and I should both perish at the same time, I really have no say in what happens to the contents . . . Do I?

Just me. It's not like they're impossible to get into.

My younger brother.

donsm70

Wife has a copy as well as my folks.

The Shadow do.

My wife know where the combo is, but would not be able to spin it in.

Twice and son

My wife, but remembering it depends on her momentary dementia.

Wife

OP, you had better know that your state doesn't lock a lock box on your death. Texas does and I don't put anything in a lock box like a will or any of that paperwork. Find out for sure.

My lawyer

Something happens to me the survivors get a letter

If you're single, best place is your lawyer's safe.

Never indicate who else might have it - especially on a public forum..

Aren't safe deposit boxes frozen upon the signee's demise? They used to be... I got rid of ours decades ago, for that reason and a few others..

Lawyer up.

No one.

The 2 folks that use it all hte time. And beyond that you go to our will.

No kidding!!

I remember most of the time.
Allan

FYI:

http://www.handgunsaferesearch.com/

The Demonstration Videos page is interesting.

My Wife, Daughter and a Highway Patrolman friend. They are instructed to get all the guns out of the safe before any agencies can get their hands on them. This is a necessity as I live in California.

Me.





Dave

That's easy. NOBODY has the combination to any of them.

That's funny [bleep] right there!

I have random 4 and 5 digit numbers written on the back of my credit cards as if they're the pin. They're not even the pins for the other cards.

I don't worry about it, I have a mind like a steel ... er, what do they call those things? Anyways, like one of THEM. I never forget anything. ... at least I don't remember forgetting anything.