Quick Access Firearms Stashed Inside Your House

[OregonJohnny]

I am about to move into a new home. It is a townhome in a brand-new development in a very nice neighborhood. So I am not very worried about home invasion, but I figure it doesn't hurt to be prepared. It is attached to other townhomes on both sides, but not above or below. It has it's own private fenced back-yard which backs up to another townhome's backyard. The front door and garage face another section of townhomes across a private street. The home is basically buffered on all sides by other townhomes in the middle of the development. It is 2 stories with all 3 bedrooms upstairs. The stairway is located right in front of the front door (coming in the front door, you face the stairs immediately).

I am in the habit of keeping a pistol with a mounted light by my bed and all my other guns locked in a safe. I will continue this practice, but am wondering if it might be a good idea to stash an additional handgun somewhere on the main level. I have a small dog that barks at foreign sounds, or knocking on the door. He will most likely sleep downstairs but may spend a few nights up in my room. Also, I live alone right now but my girlfriend might be moving here soon. Here is my imagined scenario:

It's 3 in the morning and my girlfriend and my dog are sound asleep in the bedroom. I wake up and go downstairs to get a drink, leaving my handgun on the nightstand. As I'm standing in the kitchen chugging my juice, I hear a rattling sound at the back door or at the garage access door in the main hallway. I don't have enough time to run back down the hallway, up the stairs, into the master bedroom to grab my main gun, cell phone, etc. and possibly go back down to face the threat. Where would be a good spot to leave a loaded handgun on the main level, so that my girlfriend or I could quickly and easily access it, but someone doing a quick "smash n' grab" wouldn't find it?

Please stay away from answers like "Take a drink to bed with you", "Take your gun with you downstairs to get a drink", or "Get a bigger dog that sleeps downstairs 100% of the time". I'm asking for honest opinions of where to stash a handgun on the main floor that could be quickly accessed by me in a desperate situation. Thanks.

 

[PCFlorida]

I've seen some very nice picture frames that actually open to reveal a hidden handgun. Note that I do not have small children in the house.

 

[MajorPowerchord]

I keep one stashed in plain sight....to someone who knows where to look. Just put one in a place that is easy to get to but is camoflauged and out of 'ordinary' reach. For example, place your pistol inside an oversized flower vase that sits on a hutch or behind a picture on the top shelf of a bookshelf. Of course, this may not work if you have children around.

 

[jfountain2]

a small quick access safe on top of the fridge.

put some junk mail or have your girlfriend put some potpourri in front of it so it can't be seen by visitors.

 

[M47 Dragon]

I keep something where I spend the most time when awake - which unfortunately is at my computer. I keep my second gun in a drawer next to my computer set-up. That way, I have something on the main level... may not be easily accessible in the scenario you described, but would come in handy when I am home and not asleep.

 

[mokin]

Even a little dog, if inside a residence, will indicate to a potential intruder that somebody is probably home. Depending on the tempermant of the dog, he/she will likely alert you and charge the door even if you are there when things go bump in the night (aren't dogs great!). (Preferably before this happens...) If the intruder persists, you can go to the nearest used bookstore, buy a thick book, preferaby something with a very boring title, spend an evening with a utility knife, and you've got a stash.

 

[bluetopper]

Good idea.......I have a few Makarovs stashed in various locations throughout my house.

 

[Treo]

First of all sorry, but if I get up & go to the kitchen or (more likely) the bathroom I DO take my gun.

That said you could get a CZ- 82 for less than 250.00$ & as some have sugessted a gun safe in the kitchen . Or maybe just get a cookie jar & leave it there.

 

[Sans Authoritas]

A cookie jar, for obvious reasons, is probably not the best place to stash a pistol if you ever have kids or hungry friends around.

-Sans Authoritas

 

[Sixtigers]

You didn't say whether or not you had children in the home or not...That makes a difference. When I was child-free, I kept a gun under the couch, and another under my easy chair.

My father, when he ran his own pharmacy, kept a revolver next to the safe where the narcotics were kept. The revolver was on the floor, and covered with an opened magazine--it looked like it had fallen off the counter. He could get to that gun very quickly while he was "trying" to open the safe with his weak hand.

 

[OregonJohnny]

No, I do not have children nor will there be any children in the home for any reason. Someday, yes. And at that point my storage/security tactics will be MUCH different. For now at least, it's just me and the lovable (but jumpy) Welsh Corgi. (His bark makes him sound bigger than he is).

I like the idea of a big book with the pages cut out. Maybe a cookbook beside the fridge with a bunch of other cookbooks. I can't imagine "smash n' grab" thieves going through your cookbooks in your kitchen. I'll just be sure to remember to put that particular book away when guests are over.

If I'm not upstairs near my primary weapon, I think I'll be spending the most time in the kitchen/living room. So one stashed gun down there is hopefully all I'll need. Thanks for the ideas. Keep them coming.

 

[mr_blove]

How about a cheap holster attached to the underneath of a kitchen, coffee, or end table?

 

[John4me05]

I have a 357 and a 45 in the top shelf of my closet in the BR, a 9mm on top of my computer desk (my wife has a hard time getting to it and a loaded 20guage pump in my attached garage turned family room gun cabinet (locked of course)... In any area of my home i am no more than 3 seconds away from a firearm...
I cant really carrry in home due to a 2 year old...
But in the BR i have a gun for me and 1 to leave with the wife... If i am in the front room they are heading to the BR where there is guns available... If we are in the family room there are many more guns available after i gain posession of my 20... Ammo is there too for the others...

 

[Coyote3855]

We have no children in the home on a regular basis, so...
.357 snubbie in a drawer in the master bath. 1911 in my night stand, Glock 19 in my wife's nightstand. Glock 26 in the TV room. Makarov in the home office. Glock 23in my jeep. Keltec 9 mm in her vehicle. Carry guns include his and hers Kahr P9's and Keltec 3ATs for backup.

John4me05, with a small child in the home, it seems the best place for a firearm is on your person so you have it under your control at all times. I might be concerned that a two year old who knows I'm carrying would "spill the beans" at the wrong time, i.e., "my grandpa has a gun!"

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Dksimon]

coyote, it sounds like you are ready for all out warfare rather than a home invasion. More power to ya, good planning!

 

[testify4]

I've thought about this one- particularly when I am just coming home from work and entering through the garage. I think, "What if I could tell the place was ransacked? My firearms are all upstairs!"

I was thinking it would be nice if they sold XDs in 4 packs. I could have one by the garage entrance, one mounted under the coffee table by the TV, one mounted under my computer desk and one on my nightstand.

A smarter idea would be to carry all the time, but it's not practical for me for a few reasons.

 

[John4me05]

John4me05, with a small child in the home, it seems the best place for a firearm is on your person so you have it under your control at all times. I might be concerned that a two year old who knows I'm carrying would "spill the beans" at the wrong time, i.e., "my grandpa has a gun!"

True but she is in the touchy whats that stage... I am not ready to let her get a handle on firearms... I want to do this when she is older and more understanding of what i explain.. She cant reach or knock them down... And she has yet to see what they do..
Honestly she has no clue i have anything when i carry.. Its on the 3:30 and put on and a shirt over before i leave my bedroom... The wife never knows unless she is in there when i am getting dressed..
This is where i debate over and over and over with myself... I have no desire for her to have a fear of guns but i dont feel its time for her to be familiar with them either...

 

[TheGoodLife]

Great thread to help one think through these issues. I will have to purchase a few more handguns to better prepare.

Thanks.

 

[The_Shootist]

Gun In Every Room

I have a .22 in my kitchen, a 38 in my living room a .32 in the bathroom and another .38 on my bedside table in my bedroom. Across from the bed on a bookshelf is my 9mm. The guns in the other parts of the house are in drawers, behind sehlves that allow quick/easy access but are invisible to all but the most determined search.

As well, I figure the icing on the cake is my AK behind my bedroom door. You can't plan for what room you'll be in when the goblins decide to come calling.
Stash another gun in a kitchen drawer if you need to.

Mind you, I can give this easy advice as I live alone, so YMMV if living with kids or an SO.

 

[Huddog]

Empty nester here with Master on the Main. Carry at home, home defense sidearms beside bed. Long Arms available. Never far away. Big Dog likes to bark or howl, some hound in him and a mean attack cat.

 

[Pax Jordana]

No kids here.

In your scenario, I think I'd probably turn on the light and peek out - if that's not enough to scare the bejeezus out of the guy, I'd have a gun at the top of the stairs.

But then, I'm thinking your philosophy in the scenario is 'confront the guy, guy runs off, everything's safe' where mine is a lot closer to 'take whatever you want but if you come upstairs all you get is lead'.

 

[3rd Generation American]

No young ones around and I have a gun handy in everyroom. In livingroom it is next to my chair, kitchen on top of fridge, in office it is next to the monitor, in bedroom it is on nite stand under a magazine.
One thing I'm noticing is the diferent calibers in one home, all mine are .357's so I have the same/extra ammo around if needed.

 

[Wetawd]

Well to be honest with u I had a similar situation at my place, where is the best place to keep a weapon downstairs? I finally arrived on the refrigerator It's a little cold when u pull it out but in hd situation I don't think I'm really going to care how cold it is

I used to keep one under the cushions on the couch but friends kept finding it, but that's fine because they all carry also.

 

[ByAnyMeans]

I would suggets looking at a website called grandfatheroak.com. I forget what they call it but they have a holster that attachs with velcro. You could take any of the good "hidden but in plain site " recommendations here and use the velcro back to attach the gun holster where ever you like. My brother uses this to keep a gun under his office desk and it's worked out good so far.

 

[Coyote3855]

Dksimon, I like the story about the guy who was asked if he was expecting trouble because he was carrying a handgun.

He said, "No, if I was expecting trouble, I be carrying my rifle."

We live on a fairly large acreage but close to a two lane highway. Not too concerned about home invasion, but the handguns had just as well be available as stashed in the safe.

The M1A and the two AR's are there if comes to warfare.