Children and Loaded Guns

[Famine]

I’d like a bit of honesty without the stock reply. How many of you have children in your homes AND loaded guns? Anyone? Or if that’s too much, do any of you have unlocked guns and loaded mags close by?

I know the stock reply and I’m fully aware of the reasons and statistics. However, common sense tells me that a locked gun in the closet with its ammo in a drawer across the room does not equal a home defense weapon.

And if there is anyone who does have children AND loaded guns/mags, what’s your set up?

 

[strat81]

No kids in my house, but my gun is not loaded. It sits in the nightstand next to a loaded magazine.

A close friend of mine who has a 4 y/o and a 2y/o keeps his Beretta 92 locked in the case, in the closet, unloaded.

 

[TexasRifleman]

I keep one carbine loaded and available, everything else is locked up.

One 11 year old boy that I trust enough for that. He is never alone in the house.

 

[romma]

4 kids + 1 gunsafe... I know how it feels to be a kid and get accidentally shot.

 

[pcosmar]

No children in my house, but as a child I learned to shoot at 4yo. By the time I was 10 I had a 22 and a 303 on a rifle rack in my bedroom. They were never loaded in the house, That was the RULE.

 

[distra]

Safe in the closet and one by the bed. HD pistol in the safe by the bed, loaded mag ready, but not in the safe. The rest of the pistols are in the other safe with no ammo stored with them. Kiddo is 16months and curious, so ammo is in locked dry boxes from bulk ammo purchase at Cabela's. I even have my reloaded ammo in the basement in locked dry boxes. I'm thinking of getting a wall lock for the (new to me) 870 and having the mag loaded with #4 bird, but my wife is more comfy with the pistol. Most states have storage laws pertaining to juvenile access, check your local listings.

 

[Famine]

I also have an 11 year old boy that I'd trust alone with every gun in the house and all the ammo open and unlocked.

Now that's what I'm talking about. That is awesome that your boy can be trusted. I'm in the same boat...sort of. I have a 12 year old girl (who is dead on with her .22), and she knows the facts about guns. I am 110% positive that she can be trusted...but don't tell that to her grandmother.

 

[real_name]

No kids. Not even as visitors.
Two dogs, they can be trusted with my guns.
One loaded gun on my waist at all times except when asleep or in shower. Then it sits quietly waiting.

 

[Famine]

Does anyone hide them...Hollywood movie style? I'm beginning to think I'm the only one.

My 870 is in the upstairs closet (unloaded) and the ammo is stored in a separate area. However, I have a 12 gauge bolt action (loaded) in my basement ceiling with a hidden release lever that drops down a panel on hinges. It took me a while to do, but it's pretty nifty.

I'm contemplating putting my handgun in the bedroom wall. Not a safe, but rather a "secret door." Haven't quite figured out how to make it secret yet.:banghead:

 

[Famine]

One loaded gun on my waist at all times except when asleep or in shower.

Can you shower with a Glock? Gun on a rope?

 

[Just_a_dude_with_a_gun]

I've got a toddler. Never an unlocked firearm, but mags are full and locked with one unloaded pistol in a combi-lock pistol box.

I'm not taking any chances with an inquisitive 2 year old, so nothing is readily dangerous or within reach. I can, however, have it unlocked, out, loaded, and chambered in about 10 seconds.

When I was a child, I knew where every gun was in the house, and how to potentially get to it,
But I didn't, because I was taught better, and my friends didn't egg me on either, because their houses were the same. These days, I lock mine up well, as Kids and their parents here Liberal-ville don't know sh*t about sh*t.

 

[RexDart]

I have a very active one-year old and a loaded Springfield XD .40. The XD is locked in a quick-access gun safe in my nightstand. All other guns (variety of long guns, shotguns and one other handgun) are unloaded, ammo is FAR out of reach.

 

[10-Ring]

When my son was young (2 years on) I kept my P7M8 loaded in a locked bedside safe. I always figured that when he was small he couldn't squeeze the grip enough to cock the gun & if he did, he couldn't pull the trigger too. When he got older, I taught him gun safety & he has access to the HD shotty just in case. IMO, its not about stigma-tising firearms, it's about proper education & practice

 

[Famine]

I can, however, have it unlocked, out, loaded, and chambered in about 10 seconds.

Man, you're good. I'd be at least 30 seconds.

 

[pax]

I have five children, all boys. As of this writing, they are ages 16, 14, 13, 12, and 10 years old. We have owned guns for most of their lives -- and I have kept a loaded firearm within my reach at home and in public for the past 6 years or more.

The basic set up? I carry a handgun concealed on my body from the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed at night. I was completely unable to come up with any other safe method of keeping a defense firearm in the house, in such a manner that I knew I could get to it but the kids could not.

Lots of details in the "Kids and Guns" section of my website, linked in my sig line.

pax

 

[Just_a_dude_with_a_gun]

And another thing....

Anyone with kids ever been asked by another child's parents if there were
guns in the house?

I'm waiting for it.

 

[usp9]

My two loaded carry guns are in a small safe near my kitchen/garage door. All my other guns are in two always locked gun safes. My two kids do not touch or see a gun unless I'm there.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Anyone with kids ever been asked by another child's parents if there were
guns in the house?

Never been asked, but I ask.

 

[pax]

dude ~

Yep. I turned it into an invitation for their family to join ours at the range for a "Family Safety Day."

They did.

pax

 

[SoCalShooter]

No kids in the house. Just me I keep my HK nightstand gun cocked locked and ready to rock.

 

[prolanman]

No kids. All guns are loaded. Those in the main safe and on each side of the bed in lock boxes with Simplex locks. No guns left out unlocked. All spare mags are loaded. Some with HP and the rest with ball.

 

[Anna's Dad]

One loaded

At night there are two loaded guns in a GunVault in the bedroom closet. During the day, one of them is a CCW. All others are locked in a larger safe.

One 14 year old and one 2 year old--both girls. Don't trust either one with a loaded, unlocked gun.

 

[Famine]

And another thing....

Anyone with kids ever been asked by another child's parents if there were
guns in the house?

I'm waiting for it.

I'm waiting for it too, and I don't know what I'll say. Maybe it would go something like this:

"Hello Mr. Famine. It is alright if little Jenny comes over to play with your daughter today after school?"

"No problem, Mrs. Uptight."

"I would like to ask, however, Mr. Famine. Do you have any guns in your home?"

"Why yes, I do."

"Oh! Well I'm sorry, I don't wany my little angel in that sort of environment. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Mrs. Uptight. And I'm also sorry you are as ignorant as Mr. Uptight. And I'm also sorry you haven't raised your daughter with enough common sense to know right from wrong. Your and your family should really work on your trust issues. Here's a free issue of Guns and Ammo."



Or maybe it wouldn't go anything like that.

 

[rbernie]

I have small push button lock stash safes scattered about the house, and various pistoles contained within them. I'm usually not more than a few paces from a weapon, but the kids can't physically get to 'em.

There are usually rifle or pistol parts scattered across the dining room table in various states of repair/disrepair and the kids are quite used to seeing this sort of display. <shrug> It's not really an issue for 'em.

Anyone with kids ever been asked by another child's parents if there were guns in the house?

No, but we've volunteered that info on more than one occasion for the parents of our kids' playmates. When they respond (usually with a 'Really?' and a blank look) we tell 'em that they're locked up and inaccessible to the kids. My kids talk enough with their friends and teachers about my hunting trips such that I have no illusion of keeping my firearms out of the public eye. Might as well lay it on the table up front and weed out the wheat from the chaff.....

 

[tubeshooter]

I made my daughter understand how dangerous guns can be for curious kids as soon as she was old enough to understand... maybe age 3 or so. Weird thing is... after talking a few times she had a healthy respect without undue fear UNTIL she started going to school, soon after which she was terrified of guns for a little while. I brought her back around, though; she's even gone so far to have claimed one of my .22 rifles as "hers"....


I invested in a simple Stack-On locker and a keyed lock for a closet - it's not Fort Knox, but still one of my better safety investments. And not just for kids' sake, either. To answer the question, when the daughter's around, everything is locked up except a bedside pistol at night that she's not going to bother. If she was younger and/or less trustworthy, I would make other arrangements.