Hello. This is Shannon, and I am the Winchester specialist here at Gunsafes.com. So, it only makes sense that I would be the one to discuss the awesome attributes that the Ranger 31 has to offer!
Like all of the other great safes Winchester has to offer, the R31 has a lengthy list of features and specifications that has made it highly desirable to gun safe consumers. With its multitude security features, above average fire rating and great interior capacity and organization, this model has definitely proven itself as one of our best sellers.
The R31 has 3-way active bolt work / 4 sides of bolts, heavy duty 1.25 inch locking bolts that cover all four sides of the door, creating a completely resistant barrier against pry attacks. It has the auxiliary relocker that defends against punch attacks and a drill resistant hard plate, which presents a rough surface of hardened particles to a drilling attack, often snapping or breaking drill bits before they can penetrate the locking mechanism; a super sweet feature considering most burglary attacks are attempt through the door of the safe. In addition to the hard plate and bolt work, it’s the composite door construction, 12 gauge steel body, auxiliary relocker that have earned this safe a UL classification for burglary attack.
The Ranger series offers three layers of fireboard in the door and two in the body, as well as a Palusol intumescent door seal, which has equipped the R31 with a 1 hour at 1400 degree fire rating, which essentially means that the interior of the safe will be kept at, or below, 350 degrees for at least an hour, with an external heat exposure of 1400 degrees. Any safe at this rating is generally more than adequate, considering most house fires are extinguished, or brought to a much lower temperature, within 12 minutes. Of course, when deciding on a fire rating that best suits your needs, take into consideration the location of your home in reference to your local fire department.
One of the hottest features that Winchester introduced in 2011 was the door organization panel as standard, which still remains in the R31. At that time, this was rarely seen on safes at this price point with any other manufacturer, and eliminated the need for consumers to have to buy a universal door panel as an aftermarket item. Obviously, this was huge plus, as the pre-installed version offers the best fit and maximizes the interior storage capacity of each specific safe.
All around, the Ranger series, and the R31 specifically, ranks at the top of the list for security combined with affordability and makes for a great lifetime investment.