CANNON SAFE FAILURE!

I've had and recommended Cannon Safes for the better part of a decade...I CAN NO LONGER DO SO!

In fact, I feel pretty foolish about this, since Cannon has always had a reputation as "good guys."

A little more than a week ago the battery leads on my electronic lock on my big Cannon safe broke off. No big, I think, Cannon's good for it. A matter of them removing the circuit board and replacing the leads. As their website reads:

...As you browse our site, we want you to know that we at Cannon are committed to your total satisfaction. By manufacturing top rated security products, with the most competitive pricing points, we further that commitment to excellence by standing behind them with the absolute best WARRANTY and CUSTOMER SERVICE in the industry.

We believe SECURITY SAFES are a permanent investment. When protecting money, family photos, collectibles, firearms, irreplaceable documents, or any other items that are of the utmost importance, you should have sincere peace of mind that these valuables are fully secured – that ULTIMATE security is part of our promise to you. We believe you should have real security at an affordable price, quality in all aspects of the product, as well as a LIFETIME WARRANTY, which means you are actually protected from fire, flood, attempted break-in and manufacturing defects – FOR LIFE. As a proud Cannon Safe Owner, you will also have access to knowledgeable service technicians with the authority to fix any Cannon Safe issue on the spot.

On the spot...fancy that! It took multiple phone calls and emails to reach someone at Cannon — okay, it's the holiday season, so some slack is due there. When I finally reach someone, I explain that I'd be happy to pay whatever was necessary to get this repaired, plus extra shipping, as not only my guns but year-end financials, business papers, etc., were in the safe.

I was told that Cannon doesn't repair parts. Okay, I say, the leads broke off, and your site says you warranty manufacturing defects for life. Absolutely right, the gentleman said, and we'll send you a new lock.

That seemed easy enough. Will it, I ask, include instructions for resetting the combination? There was a long pause. You can't reset the combination. In fact, he says, you're going to have to hire a locksmith to drill the safe and install the new lock. That's hundreds of dollars, I said. Well, said the nice technician after explaining to me that he had had a bad day, that's just the way it is. My safe is older than 5 years, he explained, and apparently "Lifetime Customer Satisfaction" ends at 5 years. Besides, he says, his safe didn't fail; the lock failed! Kind of a specious argument, if you ask me.

He also told me that I'd better listen closely and not say anything bad about Cannon, because, "you know, there's laws..."

Yes sir, Mr. Knowledgeable Service Technician With the Authority to Fix Any Cannon Safe Issue On the Spot, there are indeed laws against libel. However, the ultimate defense against libel is truth, and I would love to play that game with you!

So I'm going to get my safe drilled open, then at SHOT arrange to purchase a real safe from somebody like Ft. Knox. I'll use the drilled Cannon for what it's apparently designed for...storing power tools in the garage.