Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Help with a browning gun safe,i cant open it

I have the combination and still cant open this thing. Any of you guys own a browning safe with a rotary dial?
I have 4 numbers that is supposed to open it but so far no luck!
Are there any tricks to it? I can open a normal 3 digit combination lock no problem.

Gas Axe! But seriously, is this a new safe with numbers you have never tried before, or have you opened the safe with the numbers you've got?

my mom gave it to me,its about 10 years old at least.I have the right numbers just having trouble with the turns.

Turn the dial very slowly and pause for 15 seconds at each number.

Try this:

1- Turn left, stop on (first number) the fourth time passed.
2- Turn right, stop on (second number) the third time passed.
3- Turn left, stop on (third number) the second time passed.
4- Turn right until stop, about (fourth number) turn handle clockwise.

That's how most safe combinations work.....

Might try adding (or subtracting) another 'pass-by' turn before stopping on each combo number.

Also, not a real common occurance but over a period of time I've seen 3 number mechanical combo locks on commercial safe's 'slip', sometimes as much as a whole number on one of the combo numbers. Tough part is figuring out which number 'slipped'.

Normally it is left, right, left. If is three numbers and then a drop in it is three (or more but at least three)full turns left stopping that the first number. Then two full turns right past the first number then stopping at the second number, two one left past the second number and stopping at he third number then turn right and stop at the last number.

Try adding ONE to the second number.If that doesn't work , use the original number there and add ONE to the third number.The instructions that came with my safe said to do that and it worked.

I have two browning safes. They both open with this sequence. Left to the first number four times stop on it the fourth time. Right to the second number three times stopping on it. Left to the third number twice stopping on it. Then slowly turn the dial to the right until it stops both mine stop between 90 and 0. One of the safes I can start on any number the other I need to start on zero.

In your case with four numbers I would try what I do but after the third number try stopping on the fourth number.

This did the trick.
My big safe is a cannon with a touchpad lock,very easy to use.
Thanks for the help guys

Glad to hear that it worked out.

We used to have a very ancient safe at work where we kept blank checks, etc. It had a 3 number lock. One day, I turned it, it unlocked, and I turned the handle to open it. The handle clicked and it didn't open. I could move the handle freely. We called a locksmith and he was baffled. Finally, I brought a circular saw with a metal cutting blade and we cut a hole in the door. It was about 6" thick and filled with poured firebrick. We chipped that out and found that the handle connected to a bar that pulled the door pins back. The screw connecting the handle to the bar had fallen out. A quick pull with a crowbar and the door opened.
It was a lot harder finding someone who could repair the safe properly.

Was Jeraldo Rivera inside it?

crow sniper
Good deal. Learn new stuff on here all of the time. Sounds like the plan came together. I had visions of a cutting torch, and a nosy neighbor, and police, and you resist, and the tasors come out, and.......

All I can tell ya, is I haven't heard this many "left, ight!, lefts" since Ft Jackson, SC.

Nearly got dizzy reading this thread.

I have a Browning Safe, just quickly read through the other replies.

ex of safe combo

40, 20, 60, 90


Clear out tumblers rotating them clockwise a 1/2 dozen times, stopping on 0 is fine.

Counter Clock Wise go past 40, 3 times and the 4th time stop on 40.

Clock Wise this time go past 20 two times and the third time stop on 20

Counter Clock Wise go past 60 1 time and the 2nd time around stop on 60.

Clock Wise go to and stop on 90

Should open up


4 times Counter Clock Wise
3 times Clockwise
2 times Counter Clock Wise
1 time Clockwise


Good Luck, still occasionally takes me a couple times to open mine up.