Pick Guns

[Ninja2]

Hi there,

I'm thinking of buying a pick gun. I'm new to lock picking and I'm not very good and I'm wondering if they're useless toys or if they can really afford a poorly skilled guy some extra help. Does anybody know anything abou them and if they are worth it?

Also wondering if they're all the same or if electric ones or certain brands are better.

Thanks for any reply,

JY

[zeke79]

I would say buy a set of standard manual picks and learn that way to start out with. It will help immensly when using a manual or electricl pick gun if you know the basic principles behind manual picking by hand.

[searsman05]

I think that the pick guns do not really work that well. If the locks are master pinned and you have just the right angle you can get it open but a lot of the times i use one i end up picking the lock by hand with individual picks. I really would get some individual lock picks first like Zeke said that way you learn more about how to actually pick the lock then get a gun so if the gun does not work (which most of the time it does not) you can pick it by hand.

Get some individual picks and check out Digital Blue's Guide on lock picking it is a very nice guide and you will lean a lot from it.

Here are some picks you can check out. They are a pretty good kit maybe more that you need but they come with vinyl handles and for that price you cant beat it.

Here is the link for them:
Good set of picks

Here is the link to his guide if you are interested:
[url=http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=10677]Beginner's Lockpicking Exercise - by digital_blue
[/url]

-James

[CapnCurry]

It's not so much that it'll afford any help, as provide an alternate technique. Manual picking and pick-gun picking are two very different things - rather like how experience hunting with a rifle won't help you much when you go to hunt with a bow. Personally, I'd stick to practicing with the manual picks: they're more versatile, less expensive, and much more fun.

[toomush2drink]

I think that the pick guns do not really work that well. If the locks are master pinned and you have just the right angle you can get it open but a lot of the times i use one i end up picking the lock by hand with individual picks. I really would get some individual lock picks first like Zeke said that way you learn more about how to actually pick the lock then get a gun so if the gun does not work (which most of the time it does not) you can pick it by hand.

Pick guns DO work well it all comes down to practice like manual picking does. I have and use a southord manual,hpc eletro pick and the wendt, all work fine but each has its own uses in different situations.
You still need to learn the correct tensioning to use one just as you do with manual picking.

[wgl]

Pickguns will indeed help you opening a lock..
It only depends on what you are planning to do/learn.

Most of the people here who are lockpicking hobbyists actually enjoy picking the lock rather than just opening it.
Using a pick gun is a different skill.
If you're up to lockpicking then start off with a beginner's set, just follow the blue link searsman posted, it leads you to the Beginners Tutorial and is for sure going to help you with your question.

wiggle

[Ninja2]

Thanks for the help! I ordered the picks you suggested. They have to be better than the home made ones I started with. I was always frustrated by the narrow handles on my picks and so I'm looking forward to getting this more comfortable, professional set.

I also ordered a mechanical pick gun, mostly out of curiosity. I'm also hoping to relieve the frustration of failure with a few easy pickings in between practice.

[milsbon]

the first electric pick gun i bought was the HPC, but i found the build quality was awfull, bits fell off left right and centre (maybe i had a duff one) and the power button was very tempremental, and it also refused to work in the upside down position..
i have just ordered a wendt one after trying one out, but as soon as i had a go with it, i realised why they were that bit more expensive, all i could say was " wowwww"