Home Defense Handgun Storage?

[scotty14]

I am having a dilemma regarding where and how to store my home defense S&W Revolver / 4 ". I have a VERY active 3 year old who seems to get into everything. I got the gun for home defense, but I also want to keep it out of the wrong hands.

All of our bedrooms are upstairs--so I would like to keep it close by my bed and loaded. I ve been thinking about a combination safe or some kind of locks box. I want to keep it in my night stand drawer, but my son loves to get in there.

What do you all do? Looking for suggestions....

THANKS!

Scotty

 

[meytind]

You can try one of those push button combination safes or the fingerprint safes. Bolt one to something within arm's reach of your bed.

 

[scotty14]

I just have to convince the wife to let me put the safe within reach of the kid--she is very nervous about having it low like that.

 

[BrianB]

I agree. Use a quick-entry safe. Mine isn't arm's length, but we have an alarm system and it's in my room. Don't take ANY chances with your son. I've known 3 people who have died because people figured "it'd be ok".

 

[Defense Minister]

I have a GunVault that I've been using for about ten years. It has a cable tether on it that is padlocked to the bed frame. There's no reason for your wife to worry about the kids getting into it unless they are determined, and able to swing a sledge hammer. Get one, lock it up, and challenge your wife to get into it by any means short of destroying it. I think she'll trust it after that. These also work well if you want to keep a magazine-fed long gun by the bed for home defense. Lean the unloaded gun against the wall, and lock the loaded mags in the vault. You might, however, have a harder time selling that one to the Mrs.

 

[9mmepiphany]

here's a suggestion from back in the 80's when S&W auto loaders were all the rage...you don't have a location so it's legality would depend on your local laws

get a pistol with a magazine safety

put the mag in at night when you go to bed and take it out in the morning. store the mag securely separate from the gun

 

[Fumbler]

Safely storing a gun is easy. You've got a lot of options.
I keep a Gun Vault in my bedroom. It's very fast.

I wanted to keep another pistol hidden in another spot in the home, so I went to Walmart and got this for $30:
http://www.sentrysafe.com/products/productDetail.aspx?s=316&WT.si_n=ShoppingCart&WT.si_p=CartView

It has a programmable keypad and a key lock. The cool thing is you can program two codes, so my wife and I each use the PINs from our credit cards.

There are a lot of different lock boxes on the market. You can spend a lot of money, but the one I sent you a link to should do everything you need at a small price.
That particular lock box (and most on the market) can be broken into and can be easily pried off of whatever you mount it to.
However, the point of a lock box isn't to keep someone from stealing your gun. It's to keep innocent hands off of the gun. Don't expect it to act as a theft proof safe; instead think of it as a gun lock that's a lot easier to use.

 

[scotty14]

here's a suggestion from back in the 80's when S&W auto loaders were all the rage...you don't have a location so it's legality would depend on your local laws

get a pistol with a magazine safety

put the mag in at night when you go to bed and take it out in the morning. store the mag securely separate from the gun

Thanks for the info so far...9MM--Im in Florida.

 

[9mmepiphany]

check you local laws, some places don't allow you to leave a gun out without a lock on it.

the Mag safety really serves the purpose for this situation

the gun can't be fired without the mag in it...it's even safe with a round in the chamber because the only way to drop the hammer is to drop the decocker/safety.

when you insert the mag, the gun is fully functional as a DA/SA pistol.

i remember Ayoob suggesting, for folks with kids running around the house, that each shooter carry a mag on the person. should they need the gun, they would insert the mag when they pick it up...until that point the gun is completely safe to leave out

 

[bri]

I was in the same situation, my daughter just turned 3 and can climb like a monkey!

I found the Gunvault Microvault for a good price and ordered up 2, one for my bedstand drawer and one for a drawer in the main floor bar. You can program any combination you'd like, including multiple-presses at once, so the little one has no chance of getting in...

Purchased from here:
http://trophysgreatoutdoors.com/catalog/product.asp?ret_id=806356&pid=69196

They appear to be on backorder atm, as they were when I ordered. They filled the order on the "Estimated Arrival Date" and updated me along the way.

 

[FAS1]

Attach this lock box to your bedframe and when you make your bed it is hidden. You can leave it open if you like at night. Even with it closed your gun is presented to you in the same place everytime so you can retrieve it very quickly. No electronics or batteries. Can mount anywhere. Horizontal, vertical, or even on end.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=459871

 

[scotty14]

Thanks fir the input guys.

Bri---I like that Microvault. We prices at under $80!

 

[rmodel65]

ive got a safe from walmart sentry V330 its got a dial and you need a key to open it

i do the combo and leave it where it will open with the key for quick access

 

[DWC]

I keep my 9mm with a full mag inserted into the gun, but no round in the chamber and laying on The Pistol Pad alarm interface which gives me immediate, unrestricted access to the weapon while highly restricting clandestine access by others.

It sits in my night stand drawer and a 86db Pre-Alarm Alert sounds if the drawer is opened.

The Pistol Pad is new so if you haven't seen it, check out

http://www.thepistolpad.com

DWC

 

[shootingthebreeze]

My quetsion is why would you be so afraid that you need a loaded gun at home? Just wondering.
Best bet: a locked safe with a combination number.
Your best weapon: Your cell phone-if someone breaks in then your first action would be to call 911.
Then access your weapon.
Then what? Is it someone who is looting versus breaking in to cause physical harm? In Michigan, if a person breaks in and is not armed but is seeking to rob property you cannot shoot him-only bet? Call 911.
Get a safe ASAP and keep that child away from your weapon.

 

[IlikeSA]

The safest place for you and your family is actually carrying it on you. I don't know where you are from but most places allow you to carry in or around your own home. Carrying it on you (or your wife) will be beneficial for several reasons.

1: You know where it is at all times.
2: You retain control of it at all times.
3: You have it with you when you need it, rather than having to run upstairs (if you could) while the thug kicks in the front door or breaks the window. The last thing you want is a thug separating you from your firearm in event of a home invasion.
4: The handgun safe may be nice to have at night, Ill admit. But I suggest you carry at home for your families safety.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Um, shooting, the way you phrased the question comes across a little like a , well.....

The police have no duty to protect you, PERIOD
The police may or may not respond to your call
The police are minutes to hours away

The threat to your life is immediate, if you chose to arm yourself, best is to do it responsibly, if you see no reason to be armed 'shooting the breeze' then why are you posting here???


BTW, many many children have been raised around guns, many many children have guns.

YOU CAN'T CHILD PROOF A GUN, ONLY GUN PROOF A CHILD
check out CorneredCat.com, great advice from a mother and shooter.

EDIT
most of the quick access type 'gunvault' lock boxes (they are not safe, or safes) can be defeated by simply dropping them on a hard floor, you don't even need a screwdriver.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

I've been using a MiniVault Deluxe for over 10 years. It has served the family well. I recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable quick access lockbox.

Good luck!

 

[cambeul41]

Shootingthebreeze, welcome to THR.

My quetsion is why would you be so afraid that you need a loaded gun at home? Just wondering.

Using the word "afraid" in reference to carrying a gun at home or elsewhere is likely to be taken negatively. Many of us see being armed as being part of being fully dressed. If you don't, that is your privilege.

Do you carry keys or a billfold at home? Why?

How far wrong am I to think that, in the US, 13% of home robberies are home invasions? Will you have time to arm yourself? If you hear someone at the door, do you assume all is well, arm yourself, or what?

Old, old line: "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away."

You don't know Michigan law do you? If someone is breaking in, you are good to shoot.

 

[shootingthebreeze]

Shadow, I can access my weapon within seconds but my first action will be to call 911. I post here because I'm a gun owner, I have a CCW, but I have a balanced approach relating to weapons.
Cam, the law in MI states very clearly that one cannot shoot someone unless they present a direct lethal threat to one self. One cannot shoot someone who is stealing your property-property is not justification for lethal force.
And, If I shoot someone in my home who is not armed and who was just in the home to look for property I'm open to a massive civil suit from that person's family. You have to look at the whole picture. I live in East Lansing and the police can be at out house under 2 minutes. Yes, I'll be armed but I will assess when I confront the person-if the person is armed yes I will defend myself.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

shootingthebreeze, can I come live in your fantasy world please? The one where I have no need of a loaded firearm in my home and the police will actually get here before I am already dead? The one where 911 actually PICKS UP!

Every one of my children were trained and knew well what a firearm was and what it could do by the ripe old age of 3 and every one of them had already fired a .22 Ruger handgun! You will notice that 99.9% of all accidental shootings inside the home by a young person were caused by NOT training their children in the proper handling of firearms. A child gets its curiosity PEEKED when you refuse to show him/her an object and how it works. It is how they learn. By handling and using! All children are tactile learners by nature. I keep loaded firearms all around my house. A couple in plain view and my 6 year old would rather cut her own arm off than touch a single one without Daddy right there and giving her permission. She loves it when I take her to the range to fire off a few magazines of .22lr with pappy. I trust my children because I TAUGHT them. It is impossible to child proof a house. I tried and they kept getting in! (Saw that somewhere and loved it ) Point is, instead of spending god awful amounts of money trying to keep your children away from them, spend some quality time WITH them TEACHING them proper firearms handling and SAFETY. A child educated is a child saved!

Sermon over.
Happy Holidays

 

[Sgt_R]

Google 'V-Line Top Draw.' I keep one in the nightstand next to my bed. It's big enough to hold a G22 w/ Streamlight TLR2, spare magazine, and a Surefire 6P with room to spare.

It's 100% safe around our 3 kids, accessible in seconds, and doesn't require batteries to operate.

R

Edit, here it is: http://goo.gl/AZ1aJ

I also firmly believe in gun-proofing the child, but child-proofing the gun is equally important IMO.

 

[cambeul41]

And, If I shoot someone in my home who is not armed and who was just in the home to look for property I'm open to a massive civil suit from that person's family.

Nope!

 

[JTHunter]

Scotty - congrats on the "active 3yo" and for taking a "proactive" stand on safety. That being said, Shadow 7D is absolutely correct in "gun proof the child". Guns ar inanimate objects and do nothing without "outside manipulation". Teach your child to "NEVER TOUCH" without Daddy's or Mommy's permission. Then, if EVER breaks that rule, a "butt-warming" and time-out are in order. It's the old story that "broken rules" mean there are consequences. At 3, they are old enough to start understanding "consequences" as well as the fun in shooting a little .22 rifle, like a "Papoose".
Good luck!

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Quote:
My quetsion is why would you be so afraid that you need a loaded gun at home? Just wondering.

Because bad stuff can happen at home not allowing time to call 911.

A family member (female) was intruded upon by a home invader who broke and entered, who only left when he saw a .357; there was no time to call the law until after the chase-off.

When five out of eight recent local murders were for theft of money or drugs, home invasion is a deadly business.

Opening Post

Home Defense Handgun Storage?

With a 3 yr old around, if the gun was not under my direct control, it would be in a childproof lock box. I would also start as soon as feasable to teach the child that guns (lighters, knives, medications, you get the picture) are dangerous, don't touch, tell an adult.