Loaded guns in the house; too much or prudent?

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hinton03

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Just wondering if others keep more than one loaded gun accessible in their home. Not sure if I am too paranoid or just prepared.

I have a loaded pistol in a biometric box on my nightstand, a pistol on the top shelf of my hall closet next to the front door, a pistol in my basement work area and a pistol and shotgun in my gun safe in the garage.

Too much or prudent?
 
When you get home, I bet it's like a scene out of the Pink Panther movies.
 
I have a couple (2) loaded guns here and there, it maybe a little over kill to have all your guns loaded but thats just my opinion , i also have young children. My first line of defense is my American bulldogs ( Bear & Faith) they will let me know if some one uninvited is in the house.
 
It depends on how many guns you got and where they are located. I don't keep "all" of my guns loaded and out. Frankly, I got too many guns and too few rooms for me to have all of my guns out for strategic reasons alone. I keep most of my rifles and shotguns and a few more prized handguns in the safe. I keep my "dirty work" guns out and loaded hidden through out the house as well. Heck, I even keep a loaded gun hidden in both of my bathrooms. No telling when you might be on the john when trouble comes a knockin'.:uhoh:
 
An unloaded gun is a poor excuse for a club. Why wouldn't you keep them loaded?

As for having more than one - it really depends on what your personal defense situation is. We keep one revolver loaded in the upstair bedroom, and when we had more guns, one was loaded and kept downstairs. Sometimes more than one person needs access to a gun in a bad situation.
 
prudent
I recently added a revolver to my computer desk drawer,thinking if..IF... someone was breaking in ,getting to the bedroom gun might just be impossible to do in time,or what if the perp is coming in from that direction.
we live in a very 'safe' town compared to some,but we do get break ins and such.
 
There is always something loaded around me. At the minimum is a shotgun in the back room, furthest from my entrances.
 
Maintain control of your firearm at all times. A gun is either under my direct control (in my hand, holster or less than arm's length away) or unloaded, under lock and key. A loaded gun outside the owner's direct sphere of control is a dangerous gun. I pack at home. If I'm up and awake I'm wearing a firearm, lying down or asleep it's on the headboard shelf of my bed. If I walk the dog, check the mail or work in the yard, the gun goes with me.
Also, I'm not sure it's a good idea to leave magazines fully loaded for protracted lengths of time, I've heard multiple opinions. I would never leave a room in my house with a loaded, unsecured gun - I consider closet shelves, drawers, etc unsecure. I've learned the hard way.
 
I am absolutly certain I am no expert in the matter, but there is a small alarm bell going off in the back of my head. It doesn't seem prudent to leave a loaded, unsecured weapon in a closet in a common area, next to the primary entrance. I understand the rationale behind it, but I would be worried about a burglar or another set of busy fingers finding it when i wern't present, like sleeping, fixing diner, checking the mail, or otherwise occupied.

If you truly want to be prepaired and have a gun within easy reach everwhere you go, the easiest way might be to carry one on you. An easy on, easy off OWB paddle holster might be just the ticket. They are comfortable, secure the weapon to your body within easy reach, and can easily be removed if you don't want to advertise your armed status to company.

Also, guns should be stored unloaded. Guns should also be the last line of defense. There are other things you can do to make your home safer than stow away guns in every room. Good locks, alarm system, motion detecting lights on the outside, an alert dog, a phone accesible from any room in the house, and a plan can all keep you safer than a loaded gun handy.
 
I just don't understand the logic of leaving loaded guns unsecured around the house. Even assuming you don't have kids and that the weapons are secured when you leave the house to make them harder to steal, why would you want to leave guns all over the place? It seems to me that having a gun hidden in a closet/desk/bathroom would be only slightly more accessible than a gun in a fast access lock box. If you are worried about being able to access your gun(s) quickly in case of a home invasion why not keep one or more on your person? I can't think of anyplace in my house that I could access a weapon faster than a holster on my body. Or am I missing something?
 
Personally, I think it would be irresponsible of me to leave firearms, loaded or unloaded, unsecure around the house. I would have to place them in their spots and then back into the safe day in and day out. If I didn't and someone broke into my house when I wasn't home, those firearms can easily fall into the wrong hands. I don't have kids but if I did that would just further cement my opinion. I think its less of a PITA to just keep my ccw pistol on me or near me at all times.
 
Remember the movie "Taxi Driver"??

No small kids around, the adult kids know how to shoot and we don't have people over.

Free Fire Zone in my house!
 
Never said they were unsecured. The one in the closet and by my bed are in Gunvault micro biometric cases; the one in the basement has a trigger lock on it with the key stored separately and the others are in my gun safe.

I live in a decent section of town but the city overall has a violent crime rating of 8 out of ten.
 
[quoteAlso, guns should be stored unloaded.[/quote]

Why?

Or do you mean as in long term storage?
 
I keep my Sig 226 mounted in my pantry on a magnet and hidden under a hanging apron. This serves the purpose of protecting the front of my house. For the back of my house/bedside gun I have my PX4. All others are locked away in my safe.

What's the point of having the tools to protect yourself, but keeping them inaccessible in the event that you would need to use them?

I've read that statistically, most home break-ins (particularly daytime break-ins: ie when my wife and child are home alone) are carried out by a simple kick to the front door. I'd say it'd be pretty hard for my wife to get my 16 mo old daughter rounded up and get into the safe in the back of the house in time to protect herself. Thus, I keep the gun she is most proficient with accessible to her in the event of a daytime break-in.

Unfortunately, I will soon have to find a new home for my "pantry gun", as my daughter will be honing her skills as a master climber/investigator. As of now, it is totally inaccessible to her. I suppose I'm going to spring for a drawer vault of some sort in the coming months.
 
I'm working on it. Bedroom gun, office gun, shop gun, and of course the LCP is always in my pocket or on the shelf while I shower.

Prudent, and a fun hobby to boot :)
 
There has always been a loaded handgun in my house (home). I raised 5 children and never hid or locked up the loaded handgun. Kids are all gone and I still keep two or three handguns (one I carry 24/7) loaded in the home. I now am raising my 15 year old grand daughter. She knows where they are...
 
Prudent.

A lot depends of course on where you live. In certain crime laden areas, if one is serious about HD and knows the possible implications of being caught off guard at home, why would one only have but a single loaded gun somewhere in the house - where you may not be? Under such circumstances, ideally, I believe there should be a loaded weapon in or near every room that you normally frequent during the day. This presumes that there aren't any kids around. The alternative is to carry an effective firearm with extra ammo on your person except when you're in bed and then it should be loaded and well within reach.
 
They're in my quick-access safe except for the one in my holster on my belt. Which is all the time. That eliminates the need for leaving them around the house.
 
I have them Loaded. I have guard cat that meows any time some one walks in the yard or pulls in the drive. I grew up with Loaded guns at my parents house and I have trained my crew to load, unload and shoot everything I got. I secure all my stuff except what is on my hip when I leave or have a baby sitter over.
 
What's the point of having the tools to protect yourself, but keeping them inaccessible in the event that you would need to use them?
Click to expand...

I like the way you think, C919. My home is set up that way, with weapons of every type in all rooms.

If you are fighting a rear guard action, you'll always have something useful at your back. The goblins are in the house and you have been hit hard and you're bleeding but you make it to the tool and you are in business, directing traffic.

As HD defenders, it's the best we can do. Retreat into strength.
 
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