Gun Storage in a household with kids.

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EMT40SW

EMT40SW

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I’m mentoring a new shooter & she is concerned about getting a gun due to storage issues with a ten year old in the house. Here are my ideas:

1. a pad lock on a large Plano or Pelican gun case.

2. a Rubbermaid wrapping paper case concealing the Guns under wrapping paper hidden in the attic.

3. Bike hooks in the top of the closet holding a long gun.

What ideas do you have?
 
Don't think you're going to outsmart a kid, the stakes are way too high. The kids should be thoroughly acquainted with gun safety and the guns need to be stored in a locked space specifically for firearms. Anything less than this is a risk far too great to take.
 
Locks. Only locks. Security by obscurity (hiding) never works. Not for kids, not for criminals.

If no room, space, money for gun safe then cabinets, etc. Then, just trigger locks, cable locks through the action, etc.

If more requirements, like quick access, say so. There are other tricks like pushbutton padlocks.
 
S&W internal lock...i know, not good for this use either. What is their use then?

Hiding it is useless. Pistol safes are useless. Maybe she can remove the firing pin and keep the gun locked in a semi secure filing cabinet or something. The only right answer is a proper safe bolted to something immovable.
 
Obturation said:
No.
You can pick them up and walk away with them. Or pick up what they're attached to and walk away with it all. Or pop it open with a screw driver. I've never seen one that couldn't be opened in under a minute. Thin metal, cheesy locks, they are trash.
Click to expand...

This is to keep a 10 year old from acceasing it
 
Obturation said:
And a drop from a second story window would open the vast majority of them in short order. If you've seen one that's better than a filing cabinet (full of bricks for weight if necessary) for security please share it.
Click to expand...

If he wants it that bad he's going to get in no matter what.

Personally I'd get an actual safe even if I only had one gun because I have other valuables. Maybe a fire "proof" home safe from Walmart
 
EMT40SW said:
I’m mentoring a new shooter & she is concerned about getting a gun due to storage issues with a ten year old in the house. Here are my ideas:

What ideas do you have?
Click to expand...
How about NRA program like Eddie Eagle? http://www.eddieeagle.com/#/

Perhaps mom is interested in getting the 10 year old involved in Appleseed project? (My sister had my nephew/niece involved when they were young and they were very interested and learned to shoot properly) - https://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?board=275.0


For me, when my son and daughter were young (I think around 6?), I introduced them to the world of guns and reloading as they were always curious about me reloading and shooting.

I started them sorting cleaned brass by caliber (I would mix up various calibers with 380Auto and 9mm being a particular "game").

When it got to gun safety, we always kept a gun safe but I had them sit at the table and watch as I disassembled my Glocks, M&Ps and 1911, etc. (Yes, they WERE curious) Then I had them disassemble, clean and reassemble each gun over and over and over and over ... as they grew less and less curious. :D I taught them it really wasn't the guns that were dangerous rather bullets in the guns that made them dangerous. ;)

After a while, they not only knew how to disassemble and assemble all the pistols, they also got sick of handling them - Gun curiosity taken care of. :thumbup:

I also taught them to treat guns as though they had active lasers coming out of the muzzle all the time - Don't point at anything you don't want destroyed, even if they knew the gun was empty. Now in their 20s, they are pretty good shooters and safe shooters (I don't have to worry about them as guns are always pointed in safe direction and fingers off the trigger) ... And I don't have to worry about them knowing how to disassemble and clean the guns as they could do it with their eyes closed. :D

I am not sure if this will help the OP but this is what I did with my kids and we never had any issues with them wanting to play with guns at home or accidental discharge.

Now, their adult friends wanting to go shooting with us who did not grow up with guns? That's a whole different story and I will take every one of them shooting so they too can learn to handle and shoot guns safely.
 
Kids can smell guns and are attracted to them like flys. Definitely lock it up! Also let the kid know about the gun and talk to them about it, something mysterious is even more irresistable!
 
Armored farmer said:
First off, a long talk with the kid.
Then a secure gunsafe, with a secured lock.
Then another talk.
Then take the kid shooting and teach him about gun safety.
Click to expand...
I agree with Armored farmer. Children are naturally inquisitive and it is their curiosity that may have caused countless deaths. Education is what they need and hands on practice, so that their curiosity is fulfilled so that they can feel the recoil and hear the explosion so that they can learn to respect the gun and not fear it.
 
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I have taught my kids very well. They have been around guns since birth. They can shoot....they can field strip...they can clean. I trust them.

But I NEVER keep an unlocked gun that is not on my hip or in my hand. Mistakes and momentary lapses of judgement with a firearm don’t always end in teaching moments. They often end in death. The one mistake that you can’t walk back.

To the OP...if she’s looking at a handgun, I’ve had great experiences with Gun Vaults. I keep one in my bathroom for my carry guns so I can tuck it in at night and strap it on in the morning. I keep the other at bedside with a lighted Glock 30sf and a .38 revolver. They have a cable that you can thread through your bed frame or drill into a nightstand if you’re committed.

Word of advice...change your batteries as I’ve had to throw one vault away for battery corrosion.
 
For a few things other than functional firearms, i have a closet i put a key-lock doorknob on. Im not sure that would be enough for me to store a loose firearm behind, but it is a quick and easy remedy.
 
My thought is that the bedside safe is meant to keep accidents from happening. The “Oh, look what I found....bang”. My hope is that a determined child with lock-picking skills would have the forethought to realize that the gun is likely loaded. However, hope in one hand and a nickel in the other..... I’m certainly not naive enough to think that someone with determination couldn’t get into any of my safes. But I feel confident that I have mitigated the risk to wandering six year-olds..
 
EMT40SW said:
I’m mentoring a new shooter & she is concerned about getting a gun due to storage issues with a ten year old in the house. Here are my ideas:

1. a pad lock on a large Plano or Pelican gun case.

2. a Rubbermaid wrapping paper case concealing the Guns under wrapping paper hidden in the attic.

3. Bike hooks in the top of the closet holding a long gun.

What ideas do you have?
Click to expand...

I'd go with #3, adding a cable lock going through the action and an eye bolt in the wall.
 
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