By Kent · Lock Depot Staff Writer

The Sargent 7 Line is the budget cylindrical, and the number is the function

The Sargent 7 Line is Sargent's Grade 2 cylindrical lock. It is the answer when a commercial door needs a real lever lock and the budget does not stretch to a mortise. The catalog calls it tested to 2-1/2 times the Grade 2 cycle requirement and suited to standard-duty offices and interior doors, without mortise lock pricing. If the door sees punishing traffic, a Grade 1 lock is the right call. For standard-duty interior doors, the 7 Line does the work.

The model number tells you the function. In a part number like 28-7G04-LL-26D, the 28 is the 808 ANSI strike, the 7G04 is the series and function, LL is an L lever, and 26D is Satin Chrome (US26D/626). The only part to learn is the middle.

The four functions that cover most doors

• 7G04, Storeroom: the outside lever is always locked, so a key is required for every entry. The inside lever is always free for exit.
• 7G05, Entrance / Office: the key locks and unlocks the outside lever. The inside lever is always free.
• 7G37, Classroom: the outside lever stays locked until unlocked by key, and it relocks automatically when the door closes. The inside is always free.
• 7U68, Privacy (Hospital/Privacy): an inside thumbturn locks the outside lever, with an emergency key override from outside. The inside is always free.

The storeroom lock ships with a Sargent 6-pin conventional cylinder with the LA keyway as standard and two keys, per the catalog; check each listing for what is included. The 7U68 is the cheapest of the group at about $206. The other three are about $256 each.

Match the function to the door

Janitor closet, electrical room, supply: 7G04

Storeroom is the function for a door that should stay locked all the time. Staff with a key come in. Anyone inside can always get out. The outside lever has no unlocked state, so nobody can leave it unlocked by mistake. That is the whole value of the function.

Private office, manager's door: 7G05

The entrance/office function lets the key lock or unlock the outside lever. Use it where the occupant chooses whether the door is open. It is the flexible one. The risk is that someone forgets to lock it. If forgetting is a problem, use storeroom.

Classroom or training room: 7G37

Classroom adds one behavior to the office function. The outside lever relocks when the door closes. A teacher can unlock it with a key and leave it open during class, and when the door shuts it is locked again. The inside lever always lets you out. If you want the same function in a heavier lock, the 6500 and 8200 comparison covers that step up.

Restroom, exam room, counseling room: 7U68

Privacy puts a thumbturn inside that locks the outside lever, with an emergency key override outside. The person inside controls the door, and staff can still open it in an emergency. We cover the same kind of function choice in the 10 Line storeroom and office article.

A mistake we see: the wrong function on the right lock

The lock is almost never the problem. The function is. A storeroom lock goes on an office because somebody ordered by the last job. Then the occupant calls because the door locks behind them every time, or never locks at all. The fix costs a new lock and a service call. Before you order, say the function out loud in plain words: who needs a key to get in, and who can leave without one? Then match it to the four above. If none of the four fits, tell us the room and we will look at the rest of the 7 Line, which has passage and other functions in the same catalog.

Some doors need an extra piece, such as a different strike. The catalog lists the 7 Line with the 808 ANSI strike in the part number. If you already have a strike on the frame, check that it matches before you assume.

What "Grade 2" means for you

The catalog lists the 7 Line as ANSI/BHMA A156.2 Series 4000, Grade 2, with a 5-year limited warranty. Grade 2 is the standard-duty tier. It is the right grade for most interior doors in an office, a light-use classroom or a medical suite. A school corridor, a stairwell or any door that gets slammed hundreds of times a day wants Grade 1. When in doubt, ask how the door is used on a Tuesday afternoon, not how it looks on the drawing.

The prep is standard, which makes retrofit easy

The catalog says the 7 Line uses standard ANSI/161 prep and drops into existing cutouts. If you are replacing a Schlage or Arrow cylindrical lock, verify the door prep first. Sargent uses the standard 161 cutout, but a mismatch in backset or edge bore is something you want to find out before the old lock is on the floor. Measure the bore, the backset and the edge, and tell us what you have.

Common questions

What does 7G04 mean on a Sargent lock?

It is the storeroom function in the 7 Line. The outside lever is always locked and the inside lever is always free.

Is the Sargent 7 Line Grade 1 or Grade 2?

Grade 2. The catalog lists it as ANSI/BHMA A156.2 Series 4000 Grade 2.

What keyway does it come with?

A Sargent 6-pin conventional cylinder in the LA keyway as standard, with two keys, per the listings.

Will it fit my existing door?

The 7 Line uses standard ANSI/161 prep. Verify bore and backset before you order, especially if you are swapping out a Schlage or Arrow lock.

What is the warranty?

The catalog lists a 5-year limited warranty.

Browse the full line on our Sargent page. Tell us the room and we will confirm the function before you order.