locked and loaded

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frankiestoys

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:confused:Im sure its safe to say that many of us have our HD guns loaded and ready to go at a moments notice, but how many of us keep the guns locked and loaded in our safe's, closet's, etc.
I have thought about it , and am wondering what some of you guys do. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of keeping them locked and loaded.
 
Only CC pistols are kept loaded in my household.
If it is in a holster, it is loaded and ready to go
Otherwise, cleared going into the case/safe, and coming out.

If I had a dedicated HD long-gun, it would be similarly controlled, probably with a scabbard instead of a holster.

I considered keeping a loaded last-ditch pistol in the safe, until I realized the even if I were being forced to open the safe at gunpoint, I'd be kneeling in a cramped space to open it in the first place.
 
I keep a loaded pistol in the safe. even if I'm kneeling in a cramped space I have a better chance with a weapon than not
 
The only guns that are loaded in my house are pistols that are stored in a holster. Easy rule for me, in holster = loaded, anything else = locked in gun safe and not loaded (to be checked when first thing when handled of course).
 
All handguns are loaded. Any long gun that's part of the HD plan is loaded. Guns that I only use for target shooting or hunting remain unloaded. All weapons remain within arms reach, on me, or in a safe.

Regardless of status, all guns are treated loaded at all times.

Advantages:
-Ready to go at a moment's notice. This is THE advantage; if I need a defensive weapon, the need is likely to be immediate.
-Easier to treat guns as if they are loaded when that is their actual physical "default status."

Disadvantages:
-None. Unauthorized use can lead to tragedy, but if you allow easy access to guns by those that shouldn't have them, you ought not be an owner of them in the first place regardless of how you store them.
 
luigi, my thinking was more to avoid that situation at all costs, and an admission of the actual probability of someone wanting into my safe that badly.
If a home invader already knows about the safe, and thinks that the contents are worth getting in that close to me, I suspect that I'll be the one telling the story of how I made an invader eat their own weapon, unless I actually get down on my knees.

Also, how does one draw from the safe and get on target fast enough anyway? Perhaps a K-T P32/P3AT or something from NAA could be concealed in the hand, but other than that, the moment the safe is opened, you're useless to the invader anyway ... better to not even get started opening it.
 
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of keeping them locked and loaded.

The answers to that should be pretty self-evident. Sayng, "Excuse me, Mr. Home Invader, while I go get my gun out of the safe and load it so I can shoot you" is not likely to be an effective defense. By the same token, leaving loaded firearms unattended and scattered liberally about the house is unwise, unsafe and even illegal in some states. Fortunately, we are not forced into either extreme, if we will but exercise a bit of thought on the subject.

I would suggest:

1) Secure your property and home to the point that no one can approach without you being warned electronically, and no one can gain entry without your notice.

2) Get a dog.

3) Carry concealed at home.

4) Work out a practical home defense plan tailored to your floorplan that includes access to a defensive long gun from any room in the home, so long as you can safely store a loaded firearm (or multiple firearms). If you cannot safely store long gun(s) in this manner, then depend on your concealed sidearm for defense.

5) When your home is unoccupied, even for a short period of time, ALL firearms not carried concealed on your person(s) should be locked in the best security container you can afford, installed as securely as you can manage it.

6) Using secure storage devices like Mossberg's LocBox ( http://www.gunaccessories.com/MossbergAccessories/locbox.asp ) inside a closet or behind a door or drape etc. might be one solution to securing a firearm not on your person. Also, using a between-the-studs safe like http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=312202 or http://www.shop.com/Homak+WS00018002+Long+Gun+White+Wall+Safe+-126192705-p+.xhtml is a possibility as well. Anyone with some basic carpentry skills and a little imagination can construct well-hidden hides for long guns in various rooms as well.

lpl
 
because of small kids my hd gun is in the dresser, with a mag in but no round in the chamber. i would rather be locked an loaded but that would not be the safest thing for me an mine IMHO.
 
I've been thinking about this lately too. Sometimes I change my carry gun. I use to only put unloaded handguns in the safe but I now store most of the handguns loaded. Since I always assume they are loaded when I pick them up, it's really not an issue. The main reason I do this is: I don't have to handle a loaded cc weapon coming off-duty in the house by unloading it before putting it in the safe; and, if I really needed to grab-and-go with a second weapon (I don't really know what this situation is but you never know) I'd be ready. I only store loaded guns in a safe - anything stored unsecured, is definitely unloaded and away from the ammo. Good discussion though since I've also wondered what other do.
 
I lock up my carry pistol when I get home, loaded. All other target / hunting / recreation handguns are stored unloaded, as are all rifles & shotguns save one HD shotgun. I keep a single handgun in the nightstand next to a 12 gage for HD. Since I alternate between several carry options depending on what I am wearing, I keep them all loaded when locked up to avoid unnecesary wear on carry ammo.
 
WE have three guns in the house that always stay loaded: my carry gun, my wife's carry gun, and the HD shotty in the master bedroom closet. We have a 7yr. old son and a 10yr. old daughter.
 
I keep my handguns in a small safe in the closet of my bedroom. They are loaded. The safe has a three number electronic lock that I can access very quickly. We have a dog. She can hear a gnat pass gas anywhere in the house and will immediately freek out. There is no way I would sleep through her barking. When I'm awake I carry concealed. I would like to keep a handgun in the night table next to my bed, but we have a eight year old daughter, so that would not be wise. The safe is the best bet for me. I appreciate the discussion and to hear what others are doing.
 
Well, I keep my AR right next to my dresser with the chamber open and locked back; so in an event where i need quick acquisition all i have to do is slap in my clip (filled with 20 rounds) and smack my bolt release and flip it to fire and then im armed and ready. ALSO i have a very bright light mounted on my gun for the occasion that the lights are out and gives me an advantage because that light is blinding in pure darkness. So that is good to cause temporary blindness to the BadGuy.

My bedroom is kind of in a bad spot because if anyone where to come in my house, my door faces the main part of my house with one bed room on each side of my room so i would be responsible for protecting the other two bed rooms. But the reason that its bad is because i have no angles from inside my room. All i can see is the main portion of my house, and not down either hallway that my room is directly in the middle of.

Good news is for me thow, my parnets are in the bedroom to my right and they have full view of the hallway (they also are armed with loaded pistols) So with the 2 points we have, we have total control of 1/2 of the house. Which is the most importaint 1/2... The rest.. well is just a house. There isnt anything worth getting hurt for. (Well except for my pet Bearded Dragon.)
 
No matter what you treat every gun as loaded.

The gun I keep loaded in the safe is my (sometimes) back up gun that way I don't have to think about it when I switch out. I still keep it loaded in the safe because I don't care how many things have to fail to get there I want the option to at least die trying
 
All handguns loaded that are stored in safe and 1201FP loaded as well. G17 in FAS1SAFE mounted to bed as primaryweapon that is secured and easily acceessable at night.
 
There's one over-riding concern I have to consider with the plan. It's the kids. Every action I take, I have to ask myself if the kids are going to outsmart it. For every fool-proof idea, there is a fool out there trying to make a name for himself. Sometimes when you tell yourself; "Oh, my kids would never look in THERE," you are kidding yourself.

I'm just starting my kids shooting now, and I have to remember that every gun I show tham, I have just given them a promethian sense of power and understanding. They do not yet know that to use my M-1 carbine, you have to insert a magazine firmly and charge the handle. They do not yet know that to shoot my 870, you have to rack the slide to chamber a round. They do not yet know that the slide on my 870 will not move to chamber a round if you don't depress the lever on the trigger guard. FOR NOW, I can rely on these things to keep them safe. As they learn more, I won't. If there is a gap between when they figure these things out, and when they are mature and responsible enough to be left alone with firearms, I will err on the side of safety and keep them cleared and secured.
 
All my long guns are either unloaded or loaded without a round in the chamber. My 590A1 and my AR-15 are loaded but the chambers are empty.

All my handguns, with the exception of the 22s, are loaded and have a round chambered. The reason for this is twofold:
First, I choose my carry gun depending on what I want or need at that particular moment. For open carry I may choose my 45, 10mm, or 9mm. For concealed carry I may choose my 9mm or .38 snub. Whichever, to avoid bullet set-back I think it’s better to keep the chamber loaded instead of constantly loading and unloading.
Second, the loading/unloading period is a “critical phase of flight” as we say in the flying business. You don’t sleep, eat, or do anything else distracting during the critical phases of flight, which are take-off and approach/landing. With guns, I consider the loading and unloading to be a critical period; a time when there is the most potential for accidents. Loading and unloading repeatedly only increases the amount of time when the accident potential is the highest.
 
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