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Every expert we spoke to said stealth entry, like lock-picking and lock-bumping, is not a major concern for homeowners. Because the 980 uses what’s called a wafer tumbler, versus the Schlage’s pin tumbler, it’s inherently bump-proof and exceedingly pick-resistant. It’s Kwikset’s only Grade 1-rated deadbolt priced for residential use, and thus is the only direct competitor to the Schlage B60N. The Kwikset 980 was our primary measure of comparison for the Schlage locks.

Clyde Roberson, director of international sales and field services at Medeco, a subsidiary of high-security conglomerate Assa Abloy, which comprises four of the leading high-security lock companies: Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Assa, and Abloy.

Marty Hoffman, vice president of marketing at Kwikset/Weiser, a major supplier of deadbolts for the residential market.

Tobias also sits on UL’s technical-standards panel for locks, safes, and alarms, which establishes guidelines for testing and certification. He is the co-principal of, which operates The Sidebar (aimed at law-enforcement and security professionals) and In.Security (aimed at locksmiths and consumers).

Marc Weber Tobias, a lock and security expert who has consulted with the FBI and other law-enforcement agencies, as well as lock manufacturers including Kwikset.

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BHMA does not make the full list of its deadbolt tests public, but Tierney shared many details of the tests and confirmed or corrected various manufacturer claims. Mike Tierney, standards coordinator for BHMA.

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He also runs a private channel for professional locksmiths and writes for trade magazines like Associated Locksmiths of America’s Key Notes and the Safe and Vault Technicians Association’s Safe & Vault. Winton has posted more than 1,100 videos of lock-cracking tests and lock reviews on his public YouTube channel. Wayne Winton of Tri-County Locksmith, covering Glenwood Springs and Aspen, Colorado.

Richard Reichert, owner of Major Lock & Glass in Ridgewood, Queens.Vincent Divittorio of DV Locksmith & Hardware, in Astoria, Queens.Gerard Corsini, owner of Joseph Lock and Alarm in Jackson Heights, Queens (New York).If you’re looking for a guide to deadbolts that can be controlled via app or smart-home integration, read The Best Smart Lock. If the Battalion isn’t available, the Prime-Line U 9539, which we also looked at, is virtually identical. One complaint: The screws it comes with are just 2 inches long, when 3 inches or even 4 inches is much better-you may want to find longer screws for a stronger attachment to the doorframe. It also mounts to the doorframe with four screws many standard strike plates use only two. That’s because, like them, it features an integral metal-lined bolt-hole, which adds strength against kicking and other forms of forced entry. After considering about a dozen, we settled on the Battalion Strike Plate: It’s affordable, simple, tough, and very similar to the robust strikes many high-security deadbolts come with.

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The better kind is known as a reinforced strike, and installing one is a cost-effective security upgrade that experts consider nearly as important as the deadbolt lock itself. The strike plate is the metal opening where the deadbolt engages with the doorframe-and strikes are not all the same.

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