Gun safe? Gun cabinet?

[ThrottleJockey]

This is a big issue that we all have to consider with or with out a safe in the home. Check your renters or homeowners insurance and find out how much they cover for firearms. My renters insurance only provided $2000 in coverage for firearms lose. However, I was able to purchase a separate "Valuable Personal Property Policy". This policy covers the value of all my firearms in the event of theft or fire for only around $200 a year. I use USAA for all my banking and insurance so it was just a 15 minute phone call with an agent to get it all set up.

The only problem is that you are required to "register" your guns and their serial numbers for an insurance policy. It is a suckers scheme to registration. Also many buy, sell, or trade guns so frequently that it just isn't possible to stay up to date. And then there's the fact that getting them replaced doesn't get the stolen ones off the street and a stolen gun on the street will likely be used in a crime thus creating more fodder for the antis and others whom hate guns, freedom and rights...

 

[Stringtown]

I recommend saving your money and watching for a safe sale. You should be able to find one for around $500.

 

[Titanium Man]

Gun Safe just means I have to get the Dolly out of the truck to steal your ****...

If it didn't create so much of a mess........I'd like to see someone, (trying to steal it), get squashed under my 72Hx60wx30d 3k# MONSTER with the 3/8" door......but I don't think they could get it to budge with the bolts in the concrete.

BTW........I'm outgrowing this one........time to start shopping for an adopted brother for it.

 

[rimfire]

My experience with Winchester:

My Winchester safe is about 2 months old. I have been pretty happy with it, until a few days ago. When I shut the safe, I heard a clunk inside the door. When I tried to open the safe, the top of the door started to open, but the bottom wouldn't budge. I tried replacing the battery, but that didn't make a difference. The wheel turned and unlocked the bolts, but it appeared that the bottom bolt was not retracting.

I called Winchester and within a day they sent a locksmith out to get into my safe. It took at least 2.5 hours for this to be accomplished. I was pretty impressed with the safe, because it was only one bolt at the bottom holding the door shut, the other 11 bolts were retracted.

When the safe was finally opened, and the door panel with the pockets on them was removed, you could see that there was a rod attached to the bolt on one end and the other end had come off of the wheel mechanism that spun when you turned the wheel spokes. There was a nut that held the rod to the wheel that had come unscrewed. I looked at the other nylon lined nuts which were attached to the other 11 rods. The top one was not even finger tight. The assembler must have been distracted during the assembly.

If you have a Winchester safe, which were made by Granite safes, you might want to unscrew the pocket panel on the back of the door and inspect the nuts holding the rods in place to the wheel to ensure they are not loose. The two on my safe were not even finger tight. The nuts have a plastic nylon insert, so they should not have come loose on their own.

I still think the safe is well made, Winchester stood by it. They sent out a lock smith at no charge. They are supposed to send me a new safe. I'll let you know how that goes.

P.S.

The locksmith told me that if my safe had been empty and not bolted down, it could have been turned upside down the bolt may have been able to drop down so the door could be opened. There was no way that could be done with my safe.

I am supposed to be getting a new safe, I'll let you know how that works out.
So far Kudos to Winchester for their customer service!

 

[ThrottleJockey]

My experience with Winchester:

My Winchester safe is about 2 months old. I have been pretty happy with it, until a few days ago. When I shut the safe, I heard a clunk inside the door. When I tried to open the safe, the top of the door started to open, but the bottom wouldn't budge. I tried replacing the battery, but that didn't make a difference. The wheel turned and unlocked the bolts, but it appeared that the bottom bolt was not retracting.

I called Winchester and within a day they sent a locksmith out to get into my safe. It took at least 2.5 hours for this to be accomplished. I was pretty impressed with the safe, because it was only one bolt at the bottom holding the door shut, the other 11 bolts were retracted.

When the safe was finally opened, and the door panel with the pockets on them was removed, you could see that there was a rod attached to the bolt on one end and the other end had come off of the wheel mechanism that spun when you turned the wheel spokes. There was a nut that held the rod to the wheel that had come unscrewed. I looked at the other nylon lined nuts which were attached to the other 11 rods. The top one was not even finger tight. The assembler must have been distracted during the assembly.

If you have a Winchester safe, which were made by Granite safes, you might want to unscrew the pocket panel on the back of the door and inspect the nuts holding the rods in place to the wheel to ensure they are not loose. The two on my safe were not even finger tight. The nuts have a plastic nylon insert, so they should not have come loose on their own.

I still think the safe is well made, Winchester stood by it. They sent out a lock smith at no charge. They are supposed to send me a new safe. I'll let you know how that goes.

P.S.

The locksmith told me that if my safe had been empty and not bolted down, it could have been turned upside down the bolt may have been able to drop down so the door could be opened. There was no way that could be done with my safe.

I am supposed to be getting a new safe, I'll let you know how that works out.
So far Kudos to Winchester for their customer service!

Good outcome to a horrible experience. However had someone that didn't care about damaging the RSC wanted it open, they would have had no problem getting in quickly and easily.

 

[Bonez87]

Wasn't sure where to post this, so here it is!

How do you guys store your toys? Safe or cabinet?

Also, what would be a good "first safe"...I'm Po' Folk at the moment, but don't wanna waste my money. I've seen some safes with electronic locks and some with combo locks...seems like the combo lock would be better in case of battery failure, but don't know much about it.

Thanks in advance!

I was in the same position you are in, i wanted a nice liberty but had to do some saving so i just built me a nice cabinet and used it for a year or so until i could save enough for a nice liberty. Now i have my liberty and couldnt be happier. I went with the combo lock, the combo lock has been around for a VERY long time so obviously they are GTG, im sure the electronic ones are nice but electronics can and do fail. Just my .02

 

[williamsburg]

Lowes has a Liberty safe for under $400.

Apparently it goes on sale sometimes for $297, but I've never caught one of the deals.

you can save 10% off a safe at lowes if you ask for the coupon on thier site [not just for safes...anything over $50]
i used it last week
http://www.lowes.com/cd_Lowes+Moving+Center_509684072_

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

Anyway to fireproof a stack on gun cabinet yourself?

 

[VERT]

Anyway to fireproof a stack on gun cabinet yourself?

Sheetrock I suppose. It would take away from the interior space. Unless of you build it into a wall or under a stairwell.

 

[GIJEW]

Back when I could count my guns on 1 hand and have a spare finger or two--and live alone--I just disassembled whatever I wasn't carrying or using and stashed the parts in all kind of creative places, knowing that burglery is a "smash and grab" crime. When that didn't work anymore, I got a real safe (Johnson safe Co.). Some *******s broke in last month. The basement room my wife calls the bunker, was ankle deep in stuff they pulled out of cabinets etc. but they didn't even TRY to get past the safe. A basic safe will set you back the cost of a nice firearm but it's worth it.

 

[sittydown]

I was in the same position you are in, i wanted a nice liberty but had to do some saving so i just built me a nice cabinet and used it for a year or so until i could save enough for a nice liberty. Now i have my liberty and couldnt be happier. I went with the combo lock, the combo lock has been around for a VERY long time so obviously they are GTG, im sure the electronic ones are nice but electronics can and do fail. Just my .02

I think this is the route I'm gonna go too. I already have the materials, so it'll do until I can free up the cash for a nice safe. I really only wanna buy one time.

You know what they say...the wrong piece of gear at the right price is still the wrong piece of gear!

 

[Bonez87]

You know what they say...the wrong piece of gear at the right price is still the wrong piece of gear![/QUOTE]

That is definitely true. You don't want to buy something you won't be happy with.

 

[lapoozyfan]

definately gun safe when u can afford it

 

[Stringtown]

You have to do what you can. If you can get a safe, Tractor Supply usually has a good deal on them this time of year. If you can't afford a safe, get a cabinet and try to secure it somehow.