So I got my first bv500 last year at REI. The lid is easy to use, and can turn about 1/8 turn beyond the latch without getting super tight. I bought another this spring at Midwest, and its lid is much, much tighter - it stops turning easily before the first notch, and is quite tight when latched. Both of them "work" but the first one I got is super easy to use, the second is quite difficult. Anybody else notice this variance? Which one is "right"? Did they change the design from one to the? other, or is there a big range in manufacturing?

I bought a bv5oo from one of our members, liked it then bought a bv450 new from E-Bay. Got a really good deal on 2 bv450s from another board member. They all work the same, lid turns easily to the notches, depress the notches then it spins off easily. Why, you might ask would anyone person need 4 bearvaults? I might run into a whole passel of bears. You might try giving the treads in the lid a shot of spray silicon. FRED

Sometimes the outside of the lid travels on the outside of the catch, or out of the groove when you turn it tight. Watch closely when you screw the lid down to be sure that this isn't happening.

I've had mine get hard to turn when they got dirty. Try a good cleaning for the threads on both the barrel and lid. A little lube might also help.

BV vaults can be tough to unlock with the latches, especially when cold. I like the bear vaults that use a quarter or knife to unlock, much easier in my opinion.

You may not know this if you don't hike and camp in the backwoods of the Adirondacks but the Bear Vault people are trying to get in good with the New York State Department of Conservation. In other words they are trying to get approval for use in the Eastern High Peaks.
In the past the Bear Vaults have not been illegal but the rangers have discouraged their use. There was a bear that could open the old version. She had kids. All of them could open the old version. It seemed that other non direct descendants of Yelllow Yellow learned how to open the BV too.
Needless to say this does the reputation of the BV no good and to its credit the company wants to improve its bearproofness. Bear Vault=Easy Snack

quote FOG51: " Why, you might ask would anyone person need 4 bearvaults? I might run into a whole passel of bears. You might try giving the treads in the lid a shot of spray silicon. FRED"

That's pretty funny.

My BV500 opens/turns easily. My BV450 is a bear to open :-)

Both were purchased in the last two years. So in my experience there can definitely be a variance from new vault to new vault.