Kids n the house, loaded gun in the house. Location?

[m38shooter]

Handgun is kept in a gun safe with the key in my pocket. My Mosin I just keep laying around. I know grown men who can't operate the safety on it, I firmly believe that there's no chance whatsoever that my 2 year old can.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

On your hip when you're awake(criminals do act in the daytime), in a figertap safe like many others have said when you're in bed. Plain and simple.

 

[george29]

Kids will find your smokes, your porn and your gun, thems the rules. It's been said over and over (and you already acknowledged that the only good gun is the one you have accessable), the gun should be on you at all times. When my kids were tiny, I kept my Model 60 unloaded at home and in the safe or with a padlock through the cylinder, my main pistol was a BHP in condition 3, on my hip. You're right to be cautious, don't try to manufacture something that can be bought and is well engineered. At the very least, a cable with lock will keep the rug rats safe.

 

[Byron Quick]

Several people have asked about securing long guns.

Now, I don't have kids and don't have a child proof home by any means.

That could very well mean my idea is worthless but here goes:

Don't secure the long gun to keep it away from the kids.

Secure the ammunition or the magazines in one of the pushbutton safes mentioned for pistols.

If they don't have ammunition for it, then it can't hurt them.

Of course, this would require strict self discipline to ensure that the long gun was absolutely, positively unloaded anytime it was not under your direct supervision.

Strange thing, though. I was into all kinds of stuff my parents never found out about. I got very good at not being caught. There were firearms unsecured in my house my entire life. In unmounted gun racks sitting on the floor with ammunition in the unlocked drawer. I never touched them and never screwed with them as a toy at all. Never allowed friends to mess with them. I was allowed to hunt unsupervised from the age of twelve.

Now, I was not an angel by any means. Got my butt tore up regular when my not getting caught skills slipped a bit. But, even though my butt might be getting regularly polished, it was for acts that were a small percentage of the total. The majority of my stunts weren't even suspected.

But I never messed with the guns. Not even airguns.

 

[rdela29]

Got a 2.5 year old and a 17 year old - both girls. Got the gunvault deluxe bedside - it my PX4 storm gets loaded every night before bed and unloaded every morning when we leave.

 

[BAT1]

Don't have kids but I mount a shot gun over the door way of my closet on the inside. The pistol could be anywhere, and the rest is in a locked closet.

 

[MortalWombat]

The pistol could be anywhere

I hope you find it soon.

 

[IllHunter]

Sounds familiar....

I think I hear the voice of experience.....

I worry about curious boys hitting primers with a hammer

I've had a bedside box (pushbutton) for 20+ years, no batteries, just a drop of glow paint on the buttons and oil on the hinge every ten years or so. The kids are grown and gone but they were taught guns and I trusted them but not their friends. I actively supported having their friends come over (so I knew who,what when) but I locked everything up, all the time. When they were +- 16 they knew the combo/key locations. When I was young my brother and I "explored" an apartment in our grandparents building. We found a 22 auto and managed to not shoot it. We had no guns at home and had never seen or touched one before. We were drawn to it like moths to a flame.Never,never doubt the curiosity of boys.

 

[eatont9999]

When I lived with my father, he showed me all his guns. He also made it clear to me that I was not allowed near them. I knew where he kept them and how they worked, but I dare never to defy that man for fear of my life.

I never once so much as looked at a gun in his closet after that conversation.

I also had a little BB gun I could shoot in the back yard. I was 5-6 years old.

That is one way to keep the kids out; at least it worked for me.

 

[ruger45]

I took my 15 year old daughter with to the range and gave her a few lessons in gun safety. I also had her take a NRA gun safety class and made sure she knew how to work them in safe manner. IMO... this is no different when parents give their children the "birds & the bees" talk. Both of these can be life changing things and even deadly if certain precautions are not taken. Do have a safe? yes! Do I still lock up my weapons when I'm gone? yes! I do this in some Joe smoe decide to break in while I'm at work. Educate yours love ones in gun safety and that will go a long way. Just my opinion.

 

[newkahrman]

Long guns are locked and unloaded. My carry gun is on me until I go to bed. Then it goes in the bedroom safe. Kids do make it complicated. Id have guns all over the house if i was single.

 

[45Guy]

A little story for those here who think kids won't figure guns out.

A buddy of mine has a friend with a 5-year-old son. The dad left a gun unloaded on the top of a cabinet, no mags loaded or nearby and no ammo nearby. The boy proceeded to find the gun, find the correct magazine, the correct ammo (remember, all stored separately) load the magazine, insert it, chamber a round, and shoot a hole in the wall thankfully not hitting himself or anyone else. The gun is now locked up tight.

 

[targatop]

I agree. On your hip, nightstand when sleeping, or in the safe.