EMP (electro-magnetic-pulse) threats are rare and usually a result of a high-altitude nuclear explosion or a non-nuclear attack. It knocks out most electronics that we know exist in just about anything. Of course, if you are serious about protection your gun safe should be able to withstand an EMP attack if it ever occurs. 

So, will a gun safely protect against EMP?  No, it won’t but you can EMP proof gun safe so that it can handle emp blasts. There are several things to do to address the emp problems so your gun safe and firearms collection stored inside remain safe during an unexpected nuclear attack. 

You need to know the reasons why a gun safe likely can’t survive an EMP attack.

• Requiring power to work – electronic locking device requires power to function and when the power decreases the electronic lock used to protect the gun safe will turn off in which override key is the only way to get access. Hence, people use a mechanical lock system for their gun safe as an alternative option in case this situation happens. 

• Not all gun safes are EMP-Proof – not all gun safes can be EMP-proved so that you need to get other alternatives like using a gun safe with a mechanical locking system that can resist EMP. Otherwise, you put gun safes inside a Faraday Cage to make it empty. 

I have explained the reasons why a gun safe cannot stand EMP, now it’s time to know further about getting a safe EMP-proof. 

How to EMP-proof a gun safe

• Use mechanical lock

After placing a gun safe into a Faraday Cage, you can improve its protection by installing a mechanical lock or a dual lock system to the gun safe. Use a multimeter to look for a spot on the door in order to know if it has electricity. 

• Use small ground straps

A small ground strap like that used for automotive can be used by drilling and screwing its bits on a similar frame to connect the door. When the straps have been applied, put in the gun safe using aluminum foil to function it as an RF gasket. Check if there is moisture going across the safe. If you find any on its wall, you have to erase more prior to applying a foil on the safe.  

• Get a paint finish

Take into account to get a paint finish and see if it can limit your efforts of using a mechanical lock to a safe. You need to erase the paint area previously if you connect it with metal. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my gun safe EMP proof?

Yes, it is possible for guns to be affected by an electromagnetic pulse. It is very important that when you store firearms you store them in a place that does not have any electronic devices around or anything made with aluminum.

Are guns affected by EMP?

Electromagnetic pulses (EMP) will not harm your guns directly but if you store them in a metal box and the EMP scrambles electricity then your guns will not work because they are electronically locked until manually retrieved out of the metal container. To protect against EMP use safes with steel inside to secure your firearm from being affected by electromagnetic pulses. 

What material is EMP proof?

The material needed to protect firearms from EMP is steel. Your firearm should be stored inside of a safe that contains steel because it will not be affected by EMP if the electricity goes out. All of the metal-containing locking appliances that can store a gun will help with protecting against an electromagnetic pulse. 

Conclusion

Gun safes won’t protect against EMP but you can EMP-proof it so it remains secure. It can be done by upgrading the storage such as using a Faraday Cage and installing an emp safe lock or mechanic lock to keep your firearms collection safe from an EMP attack.