I bought a Stack-On “Total Defense” 28-gun safe today at Dick’s and even though I spent several days researching this decision I still wanted to start this thread to justify my decision!
It was $699 “on sale”, minus two $20 off coupons & one $10 coupon so $649 before tax. Certainly not a top of the line safe, but I figured it was a good enough starter safe for a guy with only 7 guns and since it is convertible it could always be used for other documents and valuables once my collection outgrows it. It is fire (and water) resistant and I assume that I am at more risk for fire damage than theft. It also looks to be more than adequate at keeping kids out of it!
Was this a decent deal on a decent safe in your opinions?
The Stack-On Total Defense 28-gun safe can be used to safely store up 28 guns or 14 guns plus storage with 6 adjustable shelves. It’s crafted with 7 large, live-action steel locking bolts and 3 solid steel dead bolts on the hinge side of the door for a total of 10 locking points.
Features
Model Number: GSXW-528-DS
Dimensions: 29 1/4 in x 25 1/2 in x 59 in
Shipping Weight: 532 lbs. (241 kg)
(not including shipping skid)
Holds 28 guns, 14 guns with storage, or just storage
3-number combination lock
Fire-rated, ETL tested and verified 1/2-hour proven fire protection at 1200-degrees to manufacturer’s specifications
Verified by ETL to meet manufacturer’s specfications to be water resistant for 72 hours in 2-ft of standing water
7, large, live-action steel locking bolts and 3 solid steel dead bolts on the hinge side of the door
10 total locking points
3-spoke handle with rubber grips
Interior is fully carpeted and includes 6 adjustable shelves
Body of safe has powder-coat finish
Hardware as a chrome finish
If you have kids, don’t let them spin the combination dial. That can possibly damage the tumblers inside.
eta; I might go to Dick’s later this week and look at one of those. I currently have a Liberty Safe, about that same size of that one, and it is getting full. To me that looks like a fairly good safe. Especially with the locking bolts on both sides of the door, and on the top.
That is a good safe, but for another $100 you could have gotten better… I almost bought one myself… I’ll spare you the details of my research… It was mainly the thinner gauge steel and less locking lugs that pushed me to another safe…
A few months ago I bought a Winchester Safe made by Granite. Very decent safe for the money. And what blew my mind was that they could make and ship that safe from CHINA cheaper than a USA safe could be sold for…
Bottom line, true security costs big $$$. But for my needs, the Winchester was perfect…
Can you please share where you found that safe pictured for $100 more than the $650 safe I purchased? I will return this one and buy it right now! It has a $2,199 list price. Even their smaller 22 gun safe is listed at $1,499 and the 14 gun unit is at $1,299 list price.
Which size do you own?
Below is the site with the specs for the Winchester Legacy line of safes, but I am not seeing anything even close in price… even for the little 14-gun unit.
OK, slow down here… I screwed up some in rush to post…
The picture was the generic picture from the web site for that model of safe. I made a mistake as well. I have the LEGEND series, not the Legacy.
I bought this safe for $800 out the door from GreenTop in Richmond, VA when they were having a sale. Normally, after tax, it would have been $850 or so…
It is well made, good fire protection and very solid. The granite color paint is superb! It is a glossy hammered type of paint. Very classy looking…
The only down side is that it still, after months of use, still reaks of the glue they used to secure the carpet interior. It fills the room every time I open it…
Sorry for the screw up and mistaken excitment… But it is still a better safe than the Stack On: thicker 12g steel, better door frame, better fitted fireboard, more locking lugs, better electronic lock.
Sorry for the mixup, but you did post a link to the Legacy series description along with the pic.
I called GreenTop in Richmond since I travel through their often with work. He said it was $850 before tax for their Legend-21 which is $200 more than I paid for the Stack-on 28. He said they hadn’t raised their prices, but I guess I missed out on the deal you may have found.
It does look like a nice safe, however in my research I did read that for obvious long-term reliability concerns you really should avoid the electronic locks on these Chinese built safes.
Not to nitpick, but the Granite Security (Winchester) RSCs are supposedly made in the US (of course the lock may well be made in China). Also, as per the Safe Buyer’s Guide (http://www.6mmbr.com/gunsafes.html), the second safe posted by Rmplstlskn used to be available for $599 at Sam’s a few years ago. I’ve seen them for $699 within the last year.
Another option for inexpensive RSCs are Diamondback safes (http://www.diamondbackgunsafes.com/). 10g steel starting at less than $600. I haven’t seen one in person, but they seem like a pretty good bargain if you’re looking for a budget safe. I’m not affiliated with either company, just throwing the information out there.
I agree on the anti-electronics for the safe. I do however break my own rule and use a handgun safe beside my bed that is a Gun Vault with an electronic hand pad. My Stack-On has the dial type lock, and two pins on top, 2 on bottom, and 3 down the outside of the door. There are 3 fixed pins down the inside of the door. For the price, I think I got a pretty decent deal using Dick’s Sporting Goods sale prior to Xmas. My issue is that mine is over stuffed and I need a second safe or I can never buy another thing!
Where at? I’m seriously interested since this stack-on is still boxes up in my garage so return would be quick and easy. I would like to look at one in person and if there was one available for close to the price I paid, and with a conventional lock, it sounds like a good deal as long as it is also flood rated.
That gun safe buyers guide had some good information about e-locks and says there is a reliable aftermarket e-lock you can swap it out with. One quote in there from a high-end manufacturer said e-locks make up 10% of their safes, but 90% of their problems.
It seems they would have Made in the USA all over their website if they were. There is a guy on the glock forum who posted up his Winchester safe and it has made in China on it.
Could be that Granite is no longer making Winchester safes. Granite supposedly also makes Treadlok and RedHead. Their webpage says “Made in the USA” (http://www.treadloksafes.com/about.html).
I think it may be a discontinued item, but some stores may still have them in stock. YMMV. They had them in stock in at least two Sam’s Clubs in the Phoenix Metro area last October.
FYI There is a safe right now, that appears identical to the revised picture posted by Rmplstlskn, at the Spokane Costco (Division Store) for $499. It’s got the Winchester logo and is rated at 30 min for fire protection. Looked like only one left though and it’s likely a one time deal.
Edit: After checking I believe it’s the Tradition 19.
Sounda like a great deal! Online at Costco they are only showing Cannon, Sentry, and Bighorn. All of those are are still too expensive though for anything close to the size I’d like to find.
Yes, this safe is ALL CHINESE… Sticker on SAFE, not lock, says so…
Supposedly, this safe has the NEW STYLE, GSP-brand electronic lock Granite is using for their imports. Much better they say…
As for dial locks, the cheap ones also have PROBLEMS. I have seen many dial locks on disply safes over the years messed up and questionable… but that is from obvious abuse by the masses… but still a weakness. It’s all about the odds… and I have little concern about the electronic lock, and it is indeed much, much faster than a dial lock.
The fire rating on mine is: 1200 degress for 45 minutes. The fireboard is tucked in real nice, even on the front face where some other safes have gaps or just a single board.
No, it does not have flood protection. But at 550 feet elevation on a hill I have ZERO concern about possible flood damage.
Yes, I did get a fair deal from Greentop as it was during some kind of Anniversary Sale… I negotiated it another $50 cheaper by asking them to drop another $50 to cover the sales tax. They did…
There are better safes to be sure, but this beats the hell out of the HOMAK gun cabinet I was using for many years before the safe. I also took the time and secured it very robustly to the floor joists and underneath. I also added a floor support under it due to weight (I live in an older home with old-school type floor joists that are not as rubust as I would like). It sits in the middle of a floor beam span so that added brace really helped the floor a lot. So much so, I added a few others in other places around the floor structure, like under the front-load washer. It now no longer goes into orbit while in spin…
