Help with pick gun.

[csthomas]

Hi, I've just bought a LockAid pick gun and I'm doing "OK" with it but I can only get my same old pad locks. I cant get any deadbolts, my door, or a file cabinet!!! So if theres like a certain setting for the bounce or any tip for use it will be GREATLY apprechiated...Also it has actually ruined 2 padlocks anyone know why? Thank You in advance.

CST

[Safety0ff]

First of all don't pick locks you rely on. See those ruined padlocks, imagine them locking you in during a fire...

Secondly, they're not made to work on wafer locks, learn the theory behind the snap gun it'll go a long way.

I'll let you figure out why those padlocks are ruined. Well not ruined, future cutaways I like to call 'em.

To be more successful you'll most likely have to learn how to align the gun properly with the lock which comes with practice. There's more to it, but I'm not going to go into any more detail.

[vitti]

I just got my pick gun last week. I had read everything I could get my hands on and watched every youtube video I could find before I ever got the thing.

I can say that thorough research will save you a lot of frustration and $$ on damaged locks. I opened the first 5 locks I tried (all padlocks that I use exclusively for picking practice) each within 10 seconds or less on the first try. I was able to do this because I understood fully how the device works and the various techniques used.

I'm not saying this because I don't want to answer your question directly, but because I can't come close to teaching you as well as if you were to read 5 or more different articles on the subject and watch 10 or 20 videos. You'll just get more out of it if you research it and take from each lesson what you will.

All that said, the keys to using a pick gun for me are:
1. Start with a standard feeler pick (or use the one on the gun) and see how strong the springs in the lock are. If they require very little effort to lift, set the spring tension on your gun to it's lowest setting. Stronger springs or weathered lock assemblies will require more spring tension. I haven't found one yet (in my minimal experience) that required max tension.
2. When applying turning pressure on the wrench, start with very minimal pressure. To see how much is required, put the working key in the lock and turn the key with just the tip of your finger. However much force that took is about the max it will take to open the lock with the gun as well. Start by barely putting pressure at all. If you don't feel any pins setting, apply slightly more pressure. Keep varying pressure till you get it.
3. Make sure the keyway of the lock you are attempting to open will allow the pick to snap up without hitting any of the wards. You need the pick to hit the bottoms of the pins first, before contacting any other part of the lock. If not you will damage the lock and have very little chance of opening it.
4. Research, practice, research, practice, research, practice. You get the point.

[csthomas]

Thank you both for advice, and belive me I have read obviously a little more then you may assume. I know that using a pick gun on a wafer lock will ruin the springs in the lock therefor i know not to use it on a wafer tumbler...the file cabinet I refered to is a pin tumbler . I have read 2 guides on this and watched 10-15 videos, but as anyone knows experience is 90% of what you need to be sucessfull at anything expecially lock picking. I have been lock picking for a month now and as of now I' do better with my hand picks. Agian thank you both very much for the advice Both of your comments show me that I obviously have more studing to do.

[Safety0ff]

the file cabinet I refered to is a pin tumbler .

My mistake, I assumed. I should know better than to assume.

[vitti]

Well if you've done your homework then the next best thing is to pay special attention to your technique. Without even putting a wrench in the lock, pay close attention to what the pick needle is doing/hitting as you squeeze the trigger. Are you slightly rotating/pitching your wrist as you squeeze the trigger? Is the needle hitting the pins first, not the keyway? Sounds elementary I know but you'd be surprised how easy it is to slightly move your wrist as you click, totally throwing off the angle of the snap.

As for the wrench, it's a definite learned feeling but start small and slowly add more resetting the pins with each increase.

Practice is of course what will determine whether you learn it or not.

[csthomas]

Thank you both for your help I will continue practicing and hopefully ill get this down in a week or two.

[Kayvon]

Without even putting a wrench in the lock, pay close attention to what the pick needle is doing/hitting as you squeeze the trigger. Are you slightly rotating/pitching your wrist as you squeeze the trigger? Is the needle hitting the pins first, not the keyway?

That's some really good advice. I need to go back and give my pick gun another try. I've gotten it to work before, but the gun is nowhere near as good as my manual lockpicks for me. I'm sure I've been doing something wrong, and this is probably it.

[csthomas]

LOL, ok guys I switched the needle on pick gun and now I get every lock I try without any trouble. Thanks for your help.

[New-York-Locksmith]

thats great - good luck for future try

[bumber]

I know that using a pick gun on a wafer lock will ruin the springs in the lock therefor i know not to use it on a wafer tumbler...

I thought you didn't use a pick gun on wafers because the impact of the needle would bend or deform the wafers, not that the springs would be messed up...is it because they get pinched between the wafer and the wafer channel?(it late, I forget what its called )

[csthomas]

Well ya it does that too...also pushing to hard with a hand pick will also do this.

[linty]

also you do it because wafer locks don't have a shear line, per se, so it just plain won't work.

[csthomas]

Ahhhhhh ya, I forgot about that good point linty.

[Havoc]

Just goes to show that nothing is simple and there are no quick fixes...

Although I've been putting serious thought into picking up a pick gun myself. Now I know to be careful with it if I get one!