$3,000 Military Grade Padlock Teardown & Reassembly
Pacific Lock Company (PACLOCK) is now producing a padlock for the U.S. Military that meets strict security rating requirements — the PL951 & 951C. This beast of a lock is in a class of its own.
The military-only variant of the PL951 uses a restricted Department of Defense (DoD) keyway. Unauthorized duplication/possession is a federal felony under 18 U.S.C. §1386 when used to secure designated DoD assets. The commercial “C” version has its own keyway.
This rugged lock has passed extensive testing, including explosion resistance. It is armored against almost every known attack method, buying valuable time and protection in high-security environments.
Features include:
- Extremely pick-resistant Medeco cylinder
- Other “trap-door-like” security features that are not publicly disclosed
- Field-serviceable design — easy to tear down, clean, and rebuild
- Acid-resistant green coating on the cylinder
- Ceramic inserts in the shackle shroud — designed to eat through abrasive cutting blades
From the ALOA 2025 floor, Wayne Winton breaks down the PL951 commercial version — tearing it apart and rebuilding it piece by piece to show you exactly what makes this military-grade padlock so unstoppable — with an assist from PACLOCK President Greg Waugh.
They field-stripped the non-military version. The military version uses a special Medeco keyway that is only available to the government. The model shown on camera is the civilian, commercial model.
With this model, you simply insert the servicing key. It’s a specific key that allows the cylinder to rotate in a specific direction that allows the lock to separate in half. Once it is separated, you can service all the components, such as the internal ball bearing and a small piece that goes on the back of the cylinder that allows the ball bearing to fall into it. If dirt or debris get in there, you can easily clean it out.
For this demonstration, the lock is using a Medeco civilian commercial version cylinder and keyway. It has a green coating that resists acid attack.
Anti-drill inserts that deflect and break drill bits and dull them. There are also ceramic rods to prevent an angle grinder attack.
Every component is field-maintainable by “Private Snuffy” or the local locksmith.
For more information on PACLOCK, visit https://paclock.com/.
Scan the QR code or visit https://youtu.be/qc2GCcdvCIU?si=B5E3MV9SEy_XYXRP to watch the video. For more information on PACLOCK, visit https://paclock.com/.
About the Author
Wayne Winton
Wayne Winton is the owner of Tri-County Locksmith Services, located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.