What were the gun safes I've heard folks having lots of trouble with? I seem to remember several issues of folks not being able to get them open but forget which one it is.....im looking to upgrade and have seen some decent ones on FB. One is a Cannon with the keypad and then you manually turn the big wheel thing to open it...

I'm happy with my Champion Victory that has a manual dial lock. I'm glad I went with a dial lock.

For an added layer of security, you can tie in a $25 Wyze Cam on top of the safe.

I had to replace the keypad on my Cannon safe , lucky it was open and didn't need a locksmith.
If I was buying another one I would update it with a better keypad first thing.

Yeah I'd much rather have the old school dial, but i just cant afford a new one, so im limited to what folks are selling used when they upgrade.

You might consider skipping a safe for right now and going for a job box.
When I lived in my tiny apartment near campus I used a job box as a coffee table/gun safe.
A cheap/vast majority of gun safes aren't very good at being fireproof.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-48-in-x-24-in-Universal-Storage-Chest-48R-OS/300748574

A job box with a Wyze cam sitting on top, motion/magnetic alarm tied to your phone you'll be well sorted with a layered affordable approach.

What size are you looking for? I would never buy one with a keypad lock. Liberty is what I have always had.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/winchester-gun-safe-26-gun-ts26-45

been really happy with this safe.

Or wait until the Black Friday sales. I've had mine for over 25 years. It shows it on the outside from the number of moves I've done through the years. I did have to replace the innards on the dial because I was spinning it like they do in a Western movie. Locksmith said that was a big no no.

This Gomer, two rules in buying a gun safe. Buy twice the size you need, and buy it on Black Friday.

Anything under 2k is a residential security cabinet.

I have a Canon and really have no complaints with it. I have had it for 10 years now and did have to replace the keypad. When I called Canon about it, they sent a new keypad AND a new lock mechanism with a note to call them when I got it and they would explain how to change it out. So simple even I could do it in about 5 minutes. No complaints at all with Canon so far.

This. NO electronic keypads.

Don't buy a cannon. Keypads are a joke. I used to have a Liberty granite before my house burnt up, it pretty much saved everythng. I cut corners
And bought a cannon. Shame on me. Liberty safes are just better. This is one area you get what you pay for.

I have had a Cannon with a key pad for nearly 15 years and never had a problem with it.

I've got a Liberty too.

After 15 years the only difference is the Liberty separated about an additional $1k from my wallet. It did a good job at that. Everything else has been comparable.

Do the cannons with the keypad/wheel mechanism have a backup way to unlock it if the keybad fails? For example, my sentry has a keypad, but you can pop the keypad off and use a key to open it manually if needed....

Why? My liberty with keypad has been great. Would drive me nuts to have to twist a dial all the time

No they don't. I had to crack open the Cannon wide body i had when the wire on the keypad broke (it fell into the hole)

I have an old Sentry safe (back with they were made well) that's probably 14 years old, and the keypads never givin me a minutes trouble. Now at least it has a backup just in case though lol

Same story here but I didn’t wait long enough for a old school dial to come up used for sale instead of keypad. Haven’t been burned but I am not satisfied with depending on a battery. I don’t really feel they keep your toys safe from outside people. They are really for keeping your people safe from your toys.