All MERIK gun safes come standard with an Electronic Lock unless noted in the description. The only difference between an Electronic Lock and a classic Mechanical Dial is whether you must enter your combination into an electronic keypad or must "dial in" you combination with a classic Mechanical Dial. There are many options, and the choice is yours. All lock options are found on the Product Page for the safe you select. Let's take a look at the differences between Electronic and Mechanical Dial Locks...Electronic Locks with Digital Combinations have an external keypad where you must enter in a numeric code and once the internal circuit verifies the code it electronically unlocks the locking mechanism. This type of lock provides quick access into the safe, literally within just a few seconds. Once you close the safe door the lock resets and locks when the handle is spun closed. It is very important to note YOU can easily change the combination on an electronic lock. You should also note that if you or someone else enters the wrong combination multiple times the electronic system will lock you out for a period of time. MERIK safes are furnished with either Sargent & Greenleaf or LaGard electronic locks... both leaders in the safe and vault industry... both known for their quality and reliability.Mechanical Dial Locks have been known to be the classics locks in the industry for decades. After you have "dialed in" your combination and have opened the safe door the mechanical dial lock can be used in one of three ways....(1)  Turn the combination back to zero which resets the combination lock. By doing so you will be required to re-enter your combination in order to open the safe again. This has proven to be the most secure way to use a mechanical dial lock. (2)  Turn the dial back to zero. Use your key to lock the dial in place so you can open and close the safe door just by turning the handle on the door. This is convenient if you need access to you safe constantly, but allows you to open and close the door without re-entering the combination each time you enter. This is considered a "day lock" feature(3)  Use the key to lock the dial in place and also use the key to unlock the dial. Remember, you have the option to have a Mechanical Dial Lock installed on your MERIK safe. Options are found on the Product Page of the safe series you select. If you still have questions feel free to contact one of our customer service representatives either by phone at 1-866-410-3310 or by email at info@meriksafe.com.