Cheap Winchester Gun Safes?

[Karl in NY]

Available at Tractor Supply on sale for $254:

Winchester® Gun Safe, 10 Gun Capacity - Tractor Supply Co.

Yes, it's light, and needs to be bolted down.
Yes, it's made in you-know-where.

But, seems fairly substantial and way above the quality of the "gun cabinets" sold by Stack-On, and has 3 active 1" diameter bolts and 3 passive 1" bolts.

Plus, it has a mechanical rotary dial, not a cheap key-pad electronic lock that is just waiting to fail, and lock you out of your safe.

The Tractor Supply stores locally are sold-out, but are giving rain-checks.

I have a safe over-flow situation and am thinking of adding one of these to contain the cheaper guns I own.

Thoughts and experiences?

 

[photobiker]

Well I'll jump in. My camera gear wouldn't fit in that safe. Great safe, no. Good safe most likely. It will serve a purpose, a deterrent and since you have more than one, you have introduced the confusion factor. I would think the regular off the street criminal would be just pass by any safe and move on to easier things, closets, dressers.... Personally I have more than 3 and the tall ones may be a give away, but which one do you want to spend you time working on.
Let me throw this in on a side note, trail cameras. You might get my stuff but I got you.

 

[Karl in NY]

I converted my 2000# safe's interior to all horizontal shelving (for handguns), but have 4 semi-expensive long-guns that are basically just under the bed...

I have 7 IP cameras recording to a remote server in another building 24/7, but the average thief isn't going to baby my guns, even if apprehended and the guns recovered.

The average crackhead burglar will attack the safe hinges, not realizing that their only function is to support the door when open. More advanced thieves will bring plasma cutters and Sawzalls...cut 6-8 perimeter door bolts, and the door opens...

Plasma machines are very compact now, and many will run on 120VAC. So they also burn the house down, too...they will not lose sleep over that and it may even be intentional to destroy forensic evidence.

I have found that insurance riders for the value of my collection are prohibitively expensive, even with security measures in place.

So, perimeter protection with an alarm system (and decals and signs), and a couple of safes and multiple cameras. Hope to displace the burglars next door, unless they have inside information, which I try to limit. Tough to do when showing a house for sale, though.

 

[Beemerguy53]

When you buy a safe you are buying time. Given enough time, a determined thief can get into even the most expensive safe. So...if you buy a safe that will take him a long time to break into, well, that's a pretty good deterrent.

Where you live matters when considering what to buy. If you live in a community where homes are close together, neighbors are normally home, etc., even a cheap safe will buy you enough time, because a thief doesn't want to take even a few minutes to get at your guns. On the other hand, if you live in the middle of nowhere, someplace where you can't even see your neighbors' homes, I suggest you get the strongest safe possible, because a thief would be able to devote considerable time to opening it.

Regarding value-for-money...I am no expert on safes, but I have found over the years that you usually get what you pay for.

Good luck!

 

[Fat Frank]

"It's made in You-know-where" is all I need to know about anything I am buying. Doesn't make the cut, and I keep looking. I might end up paying more, but I feel better about it. Maybe old fashioned or not "PC". I don't care. (My Champion safe was made in Provo, Utah).

 

[Karl in NY]

It's unavoidable with most products. Try and buy hand-held power tools, whether they are an American, German, or Japanese "brand" and see what the country of origin is.

The US hasn't made a TV in probably 25 years, either.

Anything to do with computers is either Taiwan or China, unless you're
buying a million dollar IBM mainframe.

The US has become a producer of services, not things, generally speaking.

There are still some exceptions...we still make some of the finest guns, and nobody can make a movie like Hollywood can.

 

[wbraswell]

Some Winchester safes are made in Ft. Worth, Texas.

 

[JJEH]

According to this website these safes are made in USA.

Liberty Safe - America's #1 Safe Manufacturer of Gun Safes, Fire Safes, Home Safes and More!

Gun Safes Online | Best Value Fireproof & Theftproof Gun Safes Made in USA

Sun Welding Safes - American Made Safe Manufaturer | Sun Welding Safe Company

Home Safes | Gun Safes - FORT KNOX

Sturdy Gun Safe - American Made Gun Safes & Fireproof Safes by SturdyGunSafe.com

Gun Safes | American Made Gun Safe & Vault Doors for Sale

Perhaps they have something that interest you. If the Winchester does the trick go for it. Better than nothing.

 

[ben_g1]

Check out the local Craig's list in your area. Usually some very good deals on used safes. People upgrading or moving and don't want the hassle of taking a heavy safe.

 

[Tom K]

Available at Tractor Supply on sale for $254....

I have a safe over-flow situation and am thinking of adding one of these to contain the cheaper guns I own.

Thoughts and experiences?

If you already have an over-flow situation, a safe this small isn't going to last very long before it's full too. When I bought my second safe it was larger than my first one.

 

[the ringo kid]

It's unavoidable with most products. Try and buy hand-held power tools, whether they are an American, German, or Japanese "brand" and see what the country of origin is.

The US hasn't made a TV in probably 25 years, either.

Anything to do with computers is either Taiwan or China, unless you're
buying a million dollar IBM mainframe.

The US has become a producer of services, not things, generally speaking.

There are still some exceptions...we still make some of the finest guns, and nobody can make a movie like Hollywood can.

Speaking of American made TV sets. There is still oneAmeican company making them. I cant remember what State they are in? possibly Kentucky?? anyway, tthey arestill around because they won an unfair busines practices lawsuit against Wamart. WMs tvs made in china--same exact model as the ami set was-but half the price. Now Wm has to sell that set at the same price as the Ami sets are price at.

 

[vmumford]

What this did for me was allowed me to move my ammo out of my big safe and allowed me to add to my collection. ++

 

[the ringo kid]

Some Winchester safes are made in Ft. Worth, Texas.

I saw some of these at the last gun show. There is a sller who sets up in the back room and sells ones at half-price because of scratches in paint (which usually isnt detracting but can be noticable. and monor things. I want one--and will get one eventually. These go for about $250 up to(my price range im interested in) to about $600.

 

[Karl in NY]

I've run a Goldenrod in my big safe for 30 years, but it's guns only in there.

Ammo is ideally stored in a cool, dry place...I'm wondering if an 8-watt Goldenrod would be too warm for long-term ammo storage...any thoughts on that?

 

[NYlakesider]

I've run a Goldenrod in my big safe for 30 years, but it's guns only in there.

Ammo is ideally stored in a cool, dry place...I'm wondering if an 8-watt Goldenrod would be too warm for long-term ammo storage...any thoughts on that?

They do not get that warm. No probelmo!

 

[gdnagle]

According to this website these safes are made in USA.

Liberty Safe - America's #1 Safe Manufacturer of Gun Safes, Fire Safes, Home Safes and More!

Gun Safes Online | Best Value Fireproof & Theftproof Gun Safes Made in USA

Sun Welding Safes - American Made Safe Manufaturer | Sun Welding Safe Company

Home Safes | Gun Safes - FORT KNOX

Sturdy Gun Safe - American Made Gun Safes & Fireproof Safes by SturdyGunSafe.com

Gun Safes | American Made Gun Safe & Vault Doors for Sale

Perhaps they have something that interest you. If the Winchester does the trick go for it. Better than nothing.

You can add Patriot Gun safe made in the USA also. Side note they have free financing and used and dent sale items. Plus LEO and military discounts (Anyone who has ever served!),

Gun Safes | Buy a Gun Safe Online | Shop Holiday Gun Safe Specials - Patriot Gun Safe Company

 

[sipowicz]

Most gun safes are like combination master locks...meant to keep honest people honest. As long as you don't expect James Caan with a burning bar, you should be okay.

 

[ColbyBruce]

I bought one of the larger Winchester gun safes from TSC in December 2012. All the metro Atlanta, GA stores were sold out, this one came from the Franklin, NC store, a two hour drive from home.

This was a combination birthday/Christmas present for our son. The safe is not as nice as my National Security, but is nicer than the safe he was never going to get around to buying for himself.

 

[gordon21]

I can speak from experience. No armchair quarterbacking here.

Our house burned x-mas weekend two years ago. Total loss. One of the few things that I was able to salvage was my Tractor Supply high gloss gray crackle paint finished Winchester safe. I still have the safe now. Model TS22-11. If I remember right, it was on sale 3 years ago for about $599.

Luckily the volunteer fire dept arrived quick enough to get the fire out before it burned completely to the ground. Still a total loss though. A house ain't worth much if their is nothing above the tops of the wall studs. You could stand in what used to be the living room and look up at the stars.

I had desperately wanted a $2000 Browning safe with the paint job worthy of a Rolls Royce. But the budget didn't allow for that. It was either a Tractor Supply safe or none at all. I assumed I would eventually get a second safe one day and it could be the high dollar Browning.

I took the door panel off when I bought it to see the innards of the door. Browning and a few others are very proud of their innards. What I saw was a somewhat cheaper version, but still extremely well built. Nylon lock nuts, a relocking device, anti-drill hardplate, twelve 1.25" locking bolts, etc

So needless to say, I am very happy with my $599 safe. And it was one of the few items I did NOT submit on my fire claim to State farm.

 

[Fat Frank]

It's unavoidable with most products. Try and buy hand-held power tools, whether they are an American, German, or Japanese "brand" and see what the country of origin is.

The US hasn't made a TV in probably 25 years, either.

Anything to do with computers is either Taiwan or China, unless you're
buying a million dollar IBM mainframe.

The US has become a producer of services, not things, generally speaking.

There are still some exceptions...we still make some of the finest guns, and nobody can make a movie like Hollywood can.

You are right. Maybe I should have said "...wherever feasible, I will go elsewhere to avoid a Made-in-you-know-where product..."

I am a realist when it comes to this. But when given a choice...