Any gun collector has heard of the name Winchester. The brand has been associated with security protection ever since, as they are known for making guns and gun safes. Gun safes, in a way, are your protection for your protection. They offer security and protection for one or more firearms and ammunition. They are designed to prevent access from unauthorized people.
Winchester as a Brand
So what good will it do to you if you choose Winchester? Winchester has been delivering top-quality security products ever since 1866. A lot of things have changed since they have started their business, but their commitment and quality remain the same. They began in New Haven, Connecticut, and named their company after their biggest stock owner, Oliver Winchester. Soon after the company was formed, the brand became tied to the stories and legends of the American Frontier, thanks to their revolutionary repeating rifle. Because of their pioneering effort, Winchester earned the title of “The American Legend.”
They started small, but the company has gone on to produce several famous firearms and ammunition lines, as well as other products like knives, binoculars, scopes, and of course, gun safes.
Winchester’s success wasn’t a smooth road – their offerings were marginal, their customer service wasn’t existent on telephone lines, and their website became broken. They have also gone through tons of changes, including being licensed by a few different subsidiaries, which includes the Browning Arms companies. But their safes are left to be something to be desired. In 2012, the company improved its safe designs to create better steel gauges, and they had upgraded their customer service and spruced up their website.
Best Features of Winchester Gun Safes
Winchester gun safes are built using the most excellent quality of materials. They strive to keep the highest UL burglary standards. It has been approved as a firearm safety device by the California Department of Justice. Here are some of the reasons to choose Winchester:
1. Burglary protection
A gun safe must be thick and durable for it to be effective. Gun safes from Winchester are made of 12-gauge or thicker steel, with large, dead-locking bolts, steel hinges, pry-resistant tabs, and strengthened doorjambs to give burglars a hard time getting to your prized gun collection. It features continuous seam welding to ensure structural integrity.
2. Fire protection
Winchester gun safes are fire-resistant for up to 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes to 2.5 hours, depending on the exact model you want to buy. To achieve this level of fire resistance, Winchester gun safes use thicker fireboard layers. The door hinges are placed externally, so fire insulation doesn’t’ have any breaks in it. The presence of brakes makes the gun safes more vulnerable in the event of a fire, as it makes heat transfer faster. Winchester also uses a heat-expandable seal in all their safe doors, so that in the case of fire, the doors will expand six times to its original size and the contents of the safe are entirely sealed off against smoke and heat.
3. Customization
The interior of Winchester gun safes are customizable, and the owner can adjust the compartments to suit their collection. Know that the customization is just pretty standard fare, not the kind of modifications that some other high-end brands allow. However, their safes offer a wide range of add-on accessories, including dehumidifiers, lights, silica gel cans, door panel organizers, bolt-down kits, and more.
4. Made in the USA
Winchester is a proudly-made USA brand that started producing several of their gun safes at Fort Worth, Texas. The company revamped the manufacturing process to meet the highest standard of quality through advanced automation. Winchester needed the investment of millions of dollars into state-of-the-art facilities and machinery.
5. Warranty
All Winchester gun safes come with a limited lifetime warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship. This is a good reason for choosing Winchester gun safes. The limited lifetime warranty can cover replacement or repair of your safe if it becomes damaged due to fire or burglary during its lifetime. This assures you that your safe is covered in case anything arises along the way.
The locking mechanism (whether mechanical and electronic) also includes a two-year warranty period, and this can be extended up to 11 years at extra cost.
6. Price
Winchester gun safes are considered to be budget-friendly, considering their features such as exexcellentllent fire ratings, UL-rated steel construction and locks, lifetime warranty, thick locking bolts, and curbside delivery. Perhaps the fact that they don’t use steel thicker than 10-gauge and that they manufacture the majority of their products’ parts in the US plays a significant role in keeping their prices down. Generally, Winchester is a brand best for the budget-minded gun collector who wants to keep their guns safe.
Best Winchester gun safes
Winchester offers a variety of gun safes that are all sturdy enough to provide ample protection for your firearms. Here are some of their best offerings:
Winchester Ranger 26 Dial Safe
Winchester Win Big Daddy Series
Winchester Ranger Deluxe 19-7-E Gun Safe
Winchester Slim Daddy
Winchester WH12 Home Safe
1. Winchester Ranger 26 Dial Safe
The Winchester Ranger 26 Dial Safe is an impressive gun safe that has a 28-gun capacity. It offers one-hour fire protection capabilities at 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, which are reinforced by two fireboard layers in the body and three fireboard layers in its door. The top part of the safe also has three fireboard layers. A Palusol door seal that is heat-expandable made the safe fireproof. Its 12-gauge steel construction made it worthy of an RSC burglary protection rating.
When it comes to locking, it uses 12-steel locking, three-way bolts with a 1-inch diameter. This safe also has a pry-resistant, recessed door, drill-resistant hard plate, auxiliary relocked, and a titanium disk. It can also be used to store small valuables, pistols, along with other important documents, thanks to a door panel organizer that enables efficient storage. This unit is also heavy, as it weighs about 605 pounds.
Pros:
- 28-gun capacity
- Solid 12-gauge steel construction
- Fire-resistant up to 1 hour at 1400 °F
- Smooth 3-way bolts
- Drill-proof and pry-resistant design
Cons:
- Capacity issues
- Heavy
2. Winchester Win Big Daddy Series
Looking for an impressive gun safe for ultimate protection for your guns? The Winchester Win Big Daddy Series is your reliable choice. This is a typical “big daddy” safe that comes with a double collector U-shaped gun racks with a wide-body to enable plenty of storage. What’s impressive about this gun safe is that it comes with a 75-minute fire rating at 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, plus a Palusol heat-expandable door seal to protect your valuables. The entire body of the safe comes with UL-rated fireboard protection. As common with a Winchester safe, it has external hinges on a composite steel door.
This gun safe can store plenty of items, and it offers easier access to long guns. Built using a 12-gauge steel material, this safe has continuous robotic welds. It has a beveled edge and a fixed top shelf that can be used to store smaller items. It has a solid steel external strap hinges that enable 180-degree door swing and an imp-resistant, UL-listed S&G electronic lock with no key override or a vulnerable solenoid. This safe even surpasses CA DOJ requirements.
It also has a power outlet and a power docking system included for convenient charging of your electronics. It also weighs around 814 pounds, making it hard for a burglar to steal.
Pros:
- Solid 12-gauge steel construction
- Fire-resistant up to 75 minutes at 1400 °F
- Palusol heat-expanding door seal
- Pre-drilled holes for bolting on the floor
- Drill-resistant
- Power outlet and docking system
- Exceeds CA DOJ requirements
Cons:
- Battery dies very quickly
3. Winchester Ranger Deluxe 19-7-E Gun Safe
Secure and extremely functional, Winchester Ranger Deluxe 19-7-E Gun Safe is a large gun storage solution that can store up to 24 rifles or 30 small guns. This is designed with the right internal and external materials that can keep your firearms safe from fire, weather, and intruders. It’s made of 12-gauge steel construction that is rock solid to keep out thieves. It weighs around 600 lbs. So it will be hard to carry and steal.
This safe features a standard II UL-listed S&G mechanical lock with a dial pad including ten digits and two special characters for maximum security. This safe is fireproof for up to 60 minutes at 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a triple layer of fireboard in the door and a dual-layer of fireboard in the body for maximum fire rating. It also has an expandable door seal for further protection from heat and fire.
Organization in this gun safe is also a peach. You can easily remove and move the shelves back by sliding them, and you can store rifles. The pockets at the backside of the door can be used for gun shells, magazines, cash, and jewelry, as well as handguns and other smaller guns.
Pros:
- Large 24-gun capacity
- Solid 12-gauge steel construction
- Fire-resistant up to 60 minutes at 1400 °F
- Palusol heat-expanding door seal
Cons:
- To fit all 24 rifles, you have to remove all shelves
4. Winchester Slim Daddy
The Winchester Slim Daddy is your gun safe if you want large storage for your guns without the bulkiness. This can handle up to 30 weapons. This safe is produced using 12-gauge steel with a warm-treated steel hard plate. It has a UL-recorded bolt to ensure that the entryway is shut, plus 14 steel-locking bolts, and anti-pry tabs.
With this safe, you can get external hinges, UL-rated fireboards fitted across the body of the safe, and composite steel door and lifetime warranty. The exterior looks sleek and simple, with the three-spoke black chrome vault handle.
The winning feature of this gun safe is its proven 75-minute fire rating at 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. It even comes with two 110 volt outlets and two USB pass-throughs. It also has a motion-sensing LED light kit.
Pros:
- Large 30-gun capacity
- Slimmer but solid 12-gauge steel body
- Fire-resistant up to 75 minutes at 1400 °F
- Palusol heat-expanding door seal
- Motion-sensing LED lights
- Power outlets and USB ports
- Exceeds CA DOJ requirements
Cons:
- Not suitable for apartment dwellers
5. Winchester WH12 Home Safe
Looking for a small safe to store your pistols and handguns? The Winchester Home Safes will be enough. It’s great for storing your guns, jewelry, essential documents, and other possessions in this safe. It’s only 42 inches tall and weighs 346 lbs., so it will be great for apartment dwellers or for those who want to keep their safe in the upper floors of the house.
This safe is still made of 12-gauge steel and UL-rated fireboard layers for security. It can withstand fires of up to 1,400 degrees for 60 minutes. It also has the Palusol expanding door seal to protect all your valuables.
Pros:
- 12-gauge steel body
- Fire-resistant up to 60 minutes at 1400 °F
- Palusol heat-expanding door seal
- A bit lightweight for storing in apartments and upper floors
Cons:
- Battery issues