Looking for a gun safe for my hunting rifle!

[feliciabeauty2000]

Hi everyone! My husband and I are expecting a baby soon, and we're making some changes around the house to prepare. We want to make sure our home is as safe as possible, so I'm looking to surprise my husband with a new Winchester safe from Home Selection. I found one that can hold over 30 guns and protect itself from a fire - the Winchester Ranger 44. I'd love any advice or recommendations you have since I'm new to all of this. My husband works a lot, so I want to handle this on my own and surprise him with the perfect safe for our growing family. Thanks for any help you can give!

 

[GSPHUNTER]

If you are getting it for him, let him decide which one he wants. I promise you, if my wife got me a safe, it would not be the one I would have wanted.

 

[menhaden_man]

Congrats on the baby. Here’s some good reading.

Honest Gun Safe Reviews, Trusted Since 2013 - Gun Safe Reviews Guy

Gun safe reviews: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Cold hard facts you won't find anywhere else. Make sure you don't waste your time and money.

gunsafereviewsguy.com

 

[Desk Jockey]

Welcome And congrats on the new addition To the family.

a couple of thoughts:

- go bigger than you think. I am not sure how they count 30 guns but if you are talking hunting rifles with scopes or ARs with gadgets, cut that number in half at least. Also, gun collections grow over time so there is that

- think about your security situation. Less expensive safes are proabbly fine for kids. Real thieves can make quick work of them.

- safes are heavy. A few hundred pounds empty. Full they get even heavier. You don’t want to have to move them and you don’t want to crack your floor or foundation.

- mine has a pistol and gadget storage panel on the door. I love that feature.

I am not sure where you live, but a couple of gun stores in my area sell safes. Their people are very knowledgeable and helpful. They are a better option IMO than a clerk at big box seller who isn’t really gonna know anything about their safes.

good luck

 

[EdP]

Congrats on the baby. The gift of a safe for your husband is a very nice thought. A safe is expensive and a major purchase. As such, the selection needs to be a joint decision between you and your husband. I'm sorry that this advice is contrary to the nice thing you want to do, but it IS good advice.

 

[Doc Holliday]

“XX guns” - they are counting pistols which don’t really count. The configurations I see online for your Win Ranger 44 looks like it won’t hold many long guns, especially scoped. Maybe 12 or so unless you want them hitting each other, which he wont. I have a Champion Crown 50 and it’s as full as I want it with about 17 long guns (7 scoped).

Buy as large as you can afford. It will get filled up with lots of other things besides guns. Important/confidential documents (wills, deeds, tax documents, financial statements), old pictures, jewelry, cash, family heirlooms, passports, etc…nice to be able to go on vacation and not worry if someone breaks into your house.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I forgot congratulations on the addition to the family. I'm certain it was just your terminology, but safes usually have a fire rating of up to certain time based on their exposure to the fire. It's been a while since I bought my safe, which has a 30 Min. rating. be sure to ask the time rating. One thing, when and if you get one, be sure to buy moisture absorbing canisters. I like the silica gel desiccant type, they can be reactivated in your oven. There are other types, silica gel are just my preference. I have used them for 35+ years now, never had a rust problem.

 

[feliciabeauty2000]

Congrats on the baby. Here’s some good reading.

Honest Gun Safe Reviews, Trusted Since 2013 - Gun Safe Reviews Guy

Gun safe reviews: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Cold hard facts you won't find anywhere else. Make sure you don't waste your time and money.

gunsafereviewsguy.com

Thank you sooo much!

 

[Verdehunter]

Congrats. But be careful buying big box store safes. They are not what they seem. Can be broken into and stolen easier than people think. You get what you pay for with safes. I would go to a local safe or gun store. Champions are good.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Make sure your floor can handle the weight. If need be, reenforce the foundation at safe location. Or, as in my case, put it on a slab and anchor it down. I have had three Liberty safes, all have met my requirements just fine.

 

[maya]

A jobsite security box bolted to concrete in the garage?
$300 bucks & useful for other things when the perfect safe finally does come along later.

 

[Xbow hunter]

You may want to watch some fire testing videos on YouTube. Most of the heavy safes are useless in an actual full blown house fire. The lighter safes that you can bolt to the floor work just fine for keeping your valuables safe and they are much easier to move if you upgrade to a bigger house with the growing family. They are also much cheaper and you can get multiple smaller ones that can be hid in closets. The large heavy safes take up a lot of space.

 

[LongWayAround]

I have held off from buying a large traditional safe after doing some research. In one video, a guy cut the top off with a circular saw and regular plywood blade.

I figured if the thief can use my own tools to open it, it's not doing a lot of good.

Hunt Backcountry Podcast 323 | Rethinking Firearm Storage & Security

Is the

exomtngear.com

 

[maya]

Yeah, sometimes hiding is a better option. Out of reach from the kid. Out of sight from thieves. Concealement furniture, wall cavities, etc. A full on house fire would destroy most every safe that I'm aware of unless it was extinguished quickly. If thieves aren't a concern, put a nice rifle on a nice rack for display & hide the bolt somewhere or use a trigger lock. Rustic decor & child safety in one! As a bonus, the kid will grow up familiar & comfortable with the sight of guns.
Personally, my rifles are hidden in self-built concealment furniture & bulk ammo is kept in old paint cans in the garage. Dried paint drips down the side & everything. Mixed in among buckets of nuts & bolts & hardware. Not the first place an intruder would search.

 

[RS3579]

Look at tractor supply. They have some nice cannon and other brands of safes at fair prices.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

A full on house fire would destroy most every safe that I'm aware of unless it was extinguished quickly.

Not mine.

 

[maya]

I'm certainly not the final authority on safes, but I have seen "high end" safes destroyed by fire. What safe do you have?

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Remember, if the fire is long enough and hot enough, you will lose most safes and content. Most safes have at 20 or 30 min. fire rating. And that's not to say all the contents will be intact. I do not have any first hand experience, and I hope I don't. I have my safe mainly to stop the everyday druggie from taking my weapons. If a real pro wants in, they will get in. I'm pretty sure I would hear someone with a skill saw cutting into my safe.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Look up Graffunder. Walls are lined with very thick fireproof brick. Not just drywall. My safe weighs a ton.

 

[chaser_2332]

Whatever the listed capacity on a safe is the actual is about 1/3 of that