Got my Southord LAT-17 pick gun - now what?

[LeeNo]

This thing doesn't open any lock for me that I couldn't pick faster myself.

I am guessing that I am using it wrong.

How do these things work?

[dougfarre]

Didn't it come with directions?

[LeeNo]

Didn't it come with directions?

Thanks man. No, it didn't. And I have seen precious little posted information about how to use the things.

Are they just blunt force tools for idjits with no lockpicking experience or are they tools that might help persons with some lockpicking skills open locks that they were unable to manually pick?

[bumber]

They work by bouncing the pins so you can set more than 1 at a time, does yours have a tension adjuster on it? If so it may be too light/hard...

They are also used on harder locks by locksmiths to get by a little faster, which means you would use it on harder locks aswell.
How are you using it? How much tension/speed etc.

[freakparade3]

I have one too. They are not great tools. Anyone want to buy a manual pickgun?

[ThousandThugs]

how much?picture please

[zikmik]

Didn't it come with directions?

Thanks man. No, it didn't...

I find on these site:
http://www.southord.com/catalog.asp?cat=electric

Snap Gun Lock Pick
The snap gun was developed decades ago to allow police officers who were not skilled in the art of lock picking to open locks with minimal instruction. SouthOrd has made the first real advance in snap gun technology since its invention. The new Stainless Steel LAT-17 utilizes an adjusting screw to allow the user to control the play in the trigger, and the slip resistant grips provide added comfort. Comes with picking needles, tension tool and instructions.

You should be complaining!

[zikmik]

how much?picture please

On southord site you can buy it for $49.95

[ThousandThugs]

i think im gonna try and make me a pick gun out of a oral b pulsating toothbrush..i hear they work wonders

[arris]

ah i also have one of these baught of here..

have had a cylinder open,

tried using it on a in-use cylinder i was required to open but was abit daft, an tried using it upside down an snapped the blade..

havent really used it much...
its kicking about somewhere tho

[JB0311NY]

Does Having A gun truly make you more effective?
Do they even work with high security locks, or should the concentration go into practicing with manual picks? Anyone care to comment?

[jzorn1]

I bought a gun and a set of picks about 10 years ago. I never did get the gun to open any lock, and like someone said in a previous post, the pick broke in one of my many tries using it.
John

[bumber]

Does Having A gun truly make you more effective?
Do they even work with high security locks, or should the concentration go into practicing with manual picks? Anyone care to comment?

Having a pick gun doesn't really help you at all unless you dont know how to pick then it's the best thing in the world, they do work on security pins with some effort, and as for just using manual picks...I think you would be MUCH better off learning how to use them than relying* on a pick gun.
Plus picks are WAY MORE FUN

[nzleagle]

I use pick guns daily, sometimes they are great, other times they suck, on may occasions ive been able to open a lock with just one pull of the trigger,, other times ive ended up making a bump key, and bumping it first go, and then if I still havent opened a lock within 5 min, then ill get the manual picks out.

Simple fact of the matter is, pick guns do save time when you have learnt to use them right, get the tension setting right, and youll open the lock quicker than you can set one pin manual picking.

And when your in business time counts, the quicker you open that door, the sooner you can get onto another job.

Electric pick guns are even faster, they bounce the pins 5-10 times faster than you can with a manual pick gun, and pretty much the moment you apply the right amount of tension, the lock will open.

[hoob]

I have found pick guns highly effective when picking locks with security pins. The best method I have found for using manual pick guns is to first set the tension on the gun low and slowly increase it if needed. then make sure the needle is not too far in the lock. Finally snap the gun and apply pressure on the tension wrench at the same time. It takes a little time and practice to perfect your timing, but once you do it becomes easy to open locks in one snap.