Winchester Safe's eVault #eV600 is an Personal Electronic Safe for firearms, home, auto, boat, RV, and office use. Standard features include: No Look Entry, Electronic Lock with LCD, Peace of mind, Quick and easy operation, Portable, Unique LCD provides lock status, Programmable combination, Pry-resistant, recessed door, "Powder Coat Tuff" finish, Tamper detect system, Security lock-down system, Low battery indicator, Combination retained if power lost, Spring loaded door for quick access, Interior courtesy light, Padded interior, 16-guage steel construction, Mounting hardware and template included. Power supply: 8 AA Alkaline Batteries (not included), 120V DC Power Supply
Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
I purchased the eVault eV600 (not from amazon.com) to keep my defense handgun close by but out of reach of my children. I would have given it great reviews up till a couple of months ago.
The electronic unlocking mechanism quit working shortly after Christmas 09 (one month after the warranty expired). It just made a strange whirring noise when the combination was entered. I sent a polite email to Winchester through the product support link on their website, asking if they would honor the warranty and if not, could they provide information on how to have it repaired even if it was at my expense.
Winchester has not responded to this day (3-30-10), despite two more email attempts.
After waiting months and hearing nothing from Winchester, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I have repaired copy machines and other small electro-mechanical devices for the last 14 years, so I'm not afraid to take things apart (what did I have to loose? it already didn't work).
When you enter the correct combination on the keypad, a small electric motor starts spinning. This motor takes up the slack in a very thin stranded wire. The other end of this thin wire is attached to the latch mechanism. So... it winds up and literally snatches the lock open. While the latch is momentarily in this retracted position, the springs on the door hinge swing the door open before the whole motor/wire/latch assembly rebounds. Mine had failed because the wire was frayed and broken, not on the ends where you might expect a weakening due to the crimps that hold both ends in place but mine was frayed and broken right in the middle.
I was amazed at how cheaply built it was. It really gave me pause to think that I had been trusting my family's life to something so flimsy. If I had needed to get to my pistol quickly because someone had just kicked in my front door, I could have had the exact same failure on any attempt to open the safe, which would have left me hunting for and fumbling with keys when seconds count.
To make it short:
Cheap product, no customer support. Lesson learned, mine went in the garbage.
-Greg
