My Gun Vault User Manual

When you first launch My Gun Vault, you'll be asked to create a password. This password is used to encrypt all your data using military-grade AES-256 encryption.

After setting your password, you'll see the main application window with two tabs:

• Firearms — Your firearm inventory
• Ammunition — Your ammo inventory

The menu bar at the top gives you access to File operations, Account settings, License management, and Help.

After purchasing a subscription, you need to activate your license in the app:

You can check your license status anytime via License → License Information, or force an online check with License → Verify License Now.

Adding a Firearm

Click the Add Firearm button on the Firearms tab. Fill in the details:

• Model — Manufacturer and model name (e.g., "Smith & Wesson M&P 15")
• Caliber — Caliber or gauge (e.g., "5.56 NATO", "12 Gauge")
• Serial Number — The firearm's serial number (duplicates are detected automatically)
• Trust Name — Gun trust name if applicable
• Type — Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, or Other
• Replacement Value — Estimated value in dollars (useful for insurance)
• NFA Item — Check this if the item is registered under the NFA (suppressors, SBRs, etc.)
• Notes — Free-text field for optics, modifications, accessories, or any other notes

Click Save when done. Your data is automatically encrypted and saved.

Editing a Firearm

Select a firearm in the list and click Edit Firearm. Change any fields and click Save.

Deleting a Firearm

Select a firearm and click Delete Firearm. You'll be asked to confirm before deletion. This also removes all maintenance and range logs for that firearm.

Viewing Details

Double-click any firearm to open the detail view. This shows all information plus tabs for Maintenance Log and Range Log.

When adding or editing a firearm, check the NFA Item checkbox to mark it as a National Firearms Act item (suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, machine guns, etc.).

When NFA Item is checked, a Host Firearm dropdown appears, allowing you to link the NFA item to the host firearm it's registered to (e.g., linking a suppressor to the rifle it's used with).

Switch to the Ammunition tab to manage your ammo inventory.

Click Add Ammunition and enter:

• Caliber — The ammo caliber (e.g., "9mm", ".308 Win")
• Quantity — Number of rounds
• Manufacturer — Brand name (e.g., "Federal", "Hornady")

You can edit or delete ammo entries the same way as firearms — select and click the appropriate button.

Keep track of every cleaning, repair, and modification for each firearm.

• Date — Defaults to today
• Type — Cleaning, Repair, Inspection, Modification, Parts Replacement, Lubrication, or Other
• Description — Brief summary of the work done
• Notes — Additional details, parts used, costs, etc.

Click any entry to view its full notes in the panel below the list.

Track your range sessions for each firearm — rounds fired, distances, locations, and performance notes.

• Date — Defaults to today
• Location — Range name or location
• Rounds Fired — Number of rounds shot
• Distance — Shooting distance (e.g., "25 yds", "100m")
• Notes — Accuracy notes, grouping, malfunctions, etc.

You can export your firearms and ammunition data to CSV files for spreadsheets or insurance records.

Go to File → Export to CSV. This creates two files in the application folder:

• firearms_export_[date].csv — All firearms with ID, model, caliber, serial number, trust, type, and value
• ammo_export_[date].csv — All ammunition with caliber, quantity, and manufacturer

My Gun Vault takes data security seriously. Here's how your data is protected:

• AES-256 Encryption — Your data file is encrypted using military-grade AES-256 encryption, derived from your password. Even if someone gets the file, they can't read it without your password.

• Local Storage Only — Your data is stored locally on your computer. It is never uploaded to our servers or any cloud service.

• Automatic Backups — A timestamped backup is created every time you save. Backup files are named firearms_data_backup_[date].json and are also encrypted.

• Duplicate Detection — The app automatically detects duplicate serial numbers to prevent data entry errors.

• Works Offline — The app works fully offline. Internet is only needed for license verification (once every 30 days) and password recovery.

Update Email

Go to Account → Update Email to change the email associated with your license. This updates the email used for license validation and password recovery.

Change Password

Go to Account → Change Password. You'll need to enter your current password and the new password. When you change your password:

• All your data is re-encrypted with the new password
• A new recovery key is generated — save this recovery key!
• Backups from the old password remain encrypted with the old password

If you forget your password, you can recover it using one of two methods:

Method 1: Recovery Key

When you first create your password (or change it), the app gives you a recovery key. Store this somewhere safe. If you forget your password, enter the recovery key to regain access.

Method 2: Email Recovery

If you registered your email with the app, you can request a 6-digit code sent to your email. Enter this code to verify your identity and recover access to your data.

Need help? We're here for you.