Guns and Kids in the same house......

[MossMan]

I won't go into the safety standards and recommendations for storing guns here but it probably would be a good idea to have a sticky thread for that. What I'm interested in is how those of you with kids store your guns, specifically your "readily available home defense gun(s)." I've got a small safe, trigger locks and locking gun cases but I don't think any intruder is going to pause for me while I unlock my weapon Hopefully the dogs would give me enough of a head start though. My kids right now are small enough that they cannot get to the top shelf of the closet but even this is not satisfactory and they're not getting any smaller. So, currently I keep them unloaded with ammo in a separate location but readily available. Again, not ideal; but necessary.

So how do YOU keep the kids safe but also stay ready for action?

[Fisheadgib]

In Florida it is actually illegal to have a firearm accessible to a minor living in the home. Even though I don't have any children, I have a handgun safe with a pushbutton combination lock that can be opened in about two seconds without even looking at it.

[MossMan]

that's a good idea for a handgun. I have seen safes like that small enough to fit in a nightstand. But what if you keep a shotgun to welcome intruders?

[SilverZuk]

Keep the gun unloaded and the ammunition out of reach of little hands.
It only takes a second to slide one in the magazine and shuffle it to the chamber.

The main thing is education. There are things you teach your kids to "not to do" and there are things that you teach them "never do".
Electricity is far more dangerous than an unloaded shotgun with the shells put on a high shelf. You have electricity all over your house and have severely scolded the kids for touching the outlet covers. Do the same thing with guns. As they get older and you can understand better, that is when you teach them a gun is a tool that requires a lot of respect.

[Haz-matt]

Growing up there where loaded guns always available. Just out of easy reach. Just teach your kids not to play with things you told them not to. Have them disassemble the electronics instead so they become nerds.

[ChiefSlapaHo]

Originally Posted by SilverZuk

The main thing is education. There are things you teach your kids to "not to do" and there are things that you teach them "never do".
.

Winner! Worked for me, my son knows exactly what not to do.

[smokeeater]

Yep, mine, too. I've trained the oldest and starting on the younger ones that, unless I am around they absolutely do not touch a real gun. They seem to understand that.

[TrailLegacy]

I'm a believer in locking them all away when kids are present and having several scattered/readily accessible when they aren't. An unloaded gun is worthless, IMO; yet a loaded one without adult supervision is (again, IMO) an accident waiting to happen.

[Crash440]

Originally Posted by ChiefSlapaHo

Winner! Worked for me, my son knows exactly what not to do.

That worked for my sis and I with my dad's guns. We were shown where he kept it and NEVER ever to touch it. He took us shooting when I was 9 and she was 7 to show us what gus were all about.

We never touched the gun, talked about it or showed anyone where it was.

For my guns now I like the trigger locks the best. with no kids in my house I can take the locks off when home and have them ready if needed.

[Cue-Ball]

Education is the key, when they are old enough. Until then, get one of the safes that can be opened with a quick keypad and call it good.

[usmcdoc14]

besides the general threat of severe bodily harm Its not that I don't trust Bev's son, its I don't trust ANY other little fucking brat that is in my home.
All guns are secured and out of sight, in a locker, trigger locked or both when I am not home. I go through the same routine every morning when getting dressed, I also secure the gun.

[Roxywheels]

I knew where my Dad's guns were. I knew where all the ammo to those guns was kept. I also knew that I better not touch either of them. I was a latch key kid from the time I was 7 years old. I used to snoop thru every inch of our house and I never touched the guns or the ammo. I also knew not to let any other kids in the house near them. Personally, I think the more you try and hide them from your kids, the more curious they will be.

[Greatlakeoffroad]

2 glock 40 cals in seperate locations, clips stuck everywhere around the house. Large gun safe w/ electronic push button lock and fully loaded arsenal.

[tonka22]

my full size safe has a combo lock but my little safe
http://www.buyasafe.com/Gun_Safes_p/biovault2.htm
is similar no numbers, no keys just push your thumb down and its go time

[CHRIS SHELBY]

I grew up with rifles and pistols all over the house. I didn't ever shoot myself. I was taught the proper handling and safety of firearms. I did the same with my ex's son. He knew that I was the only 1 aallowed near the firearms. If he wanted to check them out I had to show him. Each time he wanted to see a firearm. I would go through the handling a firearm safely. Treat any weapon as if it were loaded and never point it at anyone. We all know the drill. And our kids should also know the drill.


Chris

[MossMan]

I like the idea of the pushbutton night stand drawer safe for a handgun and I'll definately be getting a "big" safe in the future. It's good to know that we all were taught safety from the earliest possible time. I've started teaching my kids about them and the importance of staying absolutely away from them unless I'm not with them but I like the idea of having them locked up for that and other obvious reasons.

[SilverZuk]

Originally Posted by TrailLegacy

I'm a believer in locking them all away when kids are present and having several scattered/readily accessible when they aren't. An unloaded gun is worthless, IMO; yet a loaded one without adult supervision is (again, IMO) an accident waiting to happen.

The first thing an uneducated kid (or adult) does when they pick up a pistol is point at something and pull the trigger. That is why education is so important, It starts at age 2 with "Don't touch and go tell an adult", and stays that way until they are old enough and responsible enough to handle a firearm (about age 10 to 12).

Now you have a semi auto in top drawer and the magazine in a seperate drawer. You can reach into those drawers, get both, work the slide and ready to shoot in a matter of 5 to 10 seconds. If a kid were to get the pistol, more than likely won't find the magazine, insert it into the gun, and work the action. I seriously doubt there are any 4 or 5 year olds that could work the action, let alone find the magazine, drop it in, and work the action on any auto pistol I own.

So there is one thought process on keeping an unloaded gun with the ammo on hand.

I take kids shooting all the time. I will have them work the actions on gun and dry fire them before I give them any ammo. I have yet to see a kid work the slide on an auto that wasn't old enough to have been read teh riot act on gun safety (which is about 6 to 8 years old).

[SilverZuk]

Originally Posted by MossMan

I like the idea of the pushbutton night stand drawer safe for a handgun...

Growing up, Dad had drilled the side of his night stand through the drawer and inserted a nail. This acted as a push button safety. He could reach to the back in the dark and pull the nail out and retrieve his pistol. It was inconspicuous so that a young child would not have noticed or figured it out.

I never knew he had that device until I was an adult and he and Mom were talking about it. He showed me the pistol at age 4 on up and told me "never touch it". I knew which drawer it was in and that it was loaded. He had shown me what it would do to a water jug and other targets. To me it was off limits just like the fuse box. I never bothered it.

Mom and Dad also had a rule that we were not allowed in their bedroom unless they were in there. Breaking that rule had stiff penalties.

[Pavemen]

right now, i am lucky enough to have a 1911 that takes a bit of effort to operate the slide. my wife has a hard time with it, so I know my 6 year old cant operate it.

So i leave it with a full magazine but no round chambered as she couldn't operate it. and its so high up out of the kids reach, she'll never get it. There is nothing up there she can see and nothing up there for her to want.

other guns are in a safe unloaded. ammo is stored separate buried so far that i have a hard time getting to it. if i can't handle a sudden situation with 10 rounds of .45 i deserve whatever happens.

as for educating the kids, when they are older, they will see what a gun can do and learn to respect them. right now, they dont even know they are in the house

[SilverZuk]

A six year old should be shown the guns and given the "do not touch, go tell an adult" warning. They don't need to know where you keep it.

[Pavemen]

She knows what guns are and knows not to touch them and to tell a grown up if she finds one. We've had that talk. She just does not know they are here.

[rustedJeep]

Originally Posted by Pavemen

...so I know my 6 year old cant operate it......

I see and hear your logic; I just challenge you to rethink what a 6 year old can accomplish. Or his 13 year old neighbor friend who he told. I am often surprised what motivates my 5 year old and what he is capable of doing.

[Pavemen]

Originally Posted by rustedJeep

I see and hear your logic; I just challenge you to rethink what a 6 year old can accomplish. Or his 13 year old neighbor friend who he told. I am often surprised what motivates my 5 year old and what he is capable of doing.

well if my wife can barely operate and i make her try, i really doubt my daughter can. besides, this goes along with the whole 'if you find it tell an adult' education that everyone here is promoting. the easy to use wheel guns or lighter semi autos, i keep put away. Only the 1911 is out, safety on, nothing in the chamber.

if there are older kids over i do put it away in the safe. i dont trust other kids.

[jstandle]

The other angle to remember are the kid's friends.

Many of them aren't likely to be as sharp as your own, so keep that in mind. Don't want it right in your nightstand if the creepy neighbor kid can walk right to it.

[Bill4rest]

Guns without ammo are just expensive rocks.