About us
Gateway Locksport is a free St. Louis area Lockpickers United group for anyone interested in lockpicking, physical security, and locksport. We host meetups in St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri where we teach everyone from new hobbyists to seasoned sport lockpickers.
Schedule: 6:00pm - 9:00pm (or later)
1st Tuesday Monthly - Urban Chestnut Brewing St. Louis
3rd Wednesday Monthly - Beer&BBQ St. Peters
Website: GatewayLocksport
Facebook Group: Gateway Lockpicking & Locksport
I started Gateway Locksport because I believe the public benefits from understanding how the locks we rely on every day actually work and where they can fall short. Learn firsthand how insecure common locks are while picking up a great fidget hobby. Like ethical hackers, bringing vulnerabilities into the open can help people make better security decisions and encourage manufacturers to build stronger, more honest security. For me, educating the public and giving people a safe, hands-on way to learn about physical security is also a form of community service.
Love what we do? Support the club with a donation via Venmo
Upcoming events
3
Lockpicking Hangout & Competition โข 2026 LPU Midwest Open
The Babylon, 4744 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, Saint Peters, MO, US2026 Lockpickers United Midwest Open
https://www.gatewaylocksport.com/competition
All day locksport hangout featuring the official Lockpickers United Midwest Open lockpicking competition.
SPONSORED BY: PACLOCK, Covert InstrumentsCome hang out, pick locks, learn something new, meet other locksport enthusiasts, and enjoy a full day of hands-on activities! The day will start with several hours of casual lockpicking, training, interactive physical security displays, and plenty of time to socialize before the competition begins later in the afternoon.
You don't have to compete to attend! Whether you're brand new to lockpicking, an experienced locksporter, or just curious about the hobby, you're welcome to come hang out and enjoy the event. Lockpicks and locks will be provided or bring your own tools if you prefer. Picks and training sets will be available for purchase.
The 2026 LPU Midwest Open lockpicking competition will take place later in the day for those who want to compete, while everyone else can continue to hang out, pick locks, and watch the competition.
Free to attend. Free to compete. No experience required. Spectators are welcome!
Be part of the first Midwest Open Lockpicking Competition and help establish what we hope becomes an annual Midwest tradition.
Interactive Activities
Explore and try throughout the day:- Handcuff and Restraints table
- Bump keys
- Locktopus timed lockpicking (practice for competition)
- Practice doors with knobs and deadbolts for non-destructive entry techniques
- Locks from around the world. See why physical security varies dramatically between countries!
- Cutaway locks that reveal exactly how different locking mechanisms work.
Schedule
12:00 PM - Doors Open- Babylon opens for casual lockpicking while we finish setting up.
12:30 PM - 3:30 PM
- Open lockpicking featuring padlocks, deadbolts, combination locks, and more.
- Training and practice (Lockpicking 101 presentation)
- Meet other locksport enthusiasts
- Try the interactive locks and physical security displays
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
- Dinner break - Food and drinks available from Babylon
- Under the Door Challenge winner announced
- Raffle winners
- Competition prep
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Spy Escape Competition
One of the most exciting events of the day and always a crowd favorite!
Rules:- Begin with both hands secured in handcuffs.
- Pick or shim both handcuffs to free yourself.
- Pick the Master Lock padlock securing the bag in front of you.
- Retrieve the Nerf blaster inside the bag.
- Hit the gong at the end of the table before your opponent to win!
Everyone can still pick locks and practice at the tables while this is taking place.
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
2026 Midwest Open Lockpicking Competition
Competitors will be divided into groups, with each table receiving the same set of locks.
The competition consists of three elimination rounds.
Rounds:- Each competitor has 5 minutes to pick the lock in front of them.
- When you successfully open your lock, loudly call "OPEN!" A judge will announce your completion time, write it down.
- Once the 5-minute timer expires, pass your lock to the competitor on your left.
- A new 5-minute attempt begins with the next lock.
- This continues until every competitor at the table has attempted every lock.
At the end of the round, competitors are ranked by:
- Total number of locks successfully opened
- Lowest combined completion times (used as a tiebreaker)
The top two competitors from each group in Round 1 will advance to Round 2. Round 2 will consist of three groups, with the winner of each group advancing to the Final Round. The three finalists will compete head-to-head to determine the 2026 Midwest Open Lockpicking Champion, as well as 2nd and 3rd place.
We hope to see you there for an awesome day of locksport, learning, and friendly competition!
7 attendees
Past events
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