Gun barrel safety lock with hand ratcheting wrench

An apparatus for securing a gun against unauthorized use, said apparatus comprising:

• plug means installed in a barrel of the gun to be secured, said plug means including:
• wedge means for selective wedging the plug means in the barrel;
• compression means for activating the wedge means when the compression means apply a compressive force to the wedge means;
• control means for controlling the compressive force applied to the wedge means by the compression means;
• and,
• sizing means for selectively varying a size of the plug means such that it will fit different barrel bore sizes;
• and,
• operating means for selectively effecting the installation and removal of the plug means, said operating means being selectively attachable and mated to the plug means.

A method of securing a gun against unauthorized use, said method comprising:

• inserting a plug assembly into a barrel of the gun, said plug assembly including a resilient member positioned between two compression members joined by a threaded member having a keyed head which is recessed in one of the compression members;
• attaching a wrench assembly to the plug assembly;
• extending a socket from the wrench assembly so as to engage the socket with the keyed head recessed in one of the compression members;
• holding the two compression members rotationally fixed;
• and,
• applying a series of alternating clockwise and counterclockwise strokes to the wrench assembly to thereby rotate the threaded member in one direction and urge the two compression members toward one another such that they apply a compressive force to the resilient member therebetween, said resilient member responding to the compressive force by applying a radially outward force which wedges the plug assembly in the barrel.