Something to think about.

[whm1974]

My landlord came over to do an house inspection with his wife and 9 y/o daughter. I had two pistols(unloaded) inside of my desk shelfs in open view. I had plain forget about them.

Now the girl was petting my dog while me, the landlord and his wife was in the living room. All three went into the basement then left.

Afterwards it occured to me that the girl could have played with the dog and found the guns while we where in the basement.

I live by meself, don't ussally have company over much less kids, and have one handgun loaded when I'm home. So did I do something unsafe here?

-Bill

 

[BlackCat]

So did I do something unsafe here?

No way!

Someone on this forum is bound to feel differently though I suppose, we'll wait and see.

 

[mrhuckins]

If you have loaded handguns in your home that are not locked up, the best course of action is to have those handguns attached to your person in a holster, pocket etc.. Did you do anything wrong? Maybe, maybe not. The important thing is to learn from this experience. What would you have done if a BG broke into your house while you were downstairs, and grabbed your gun? You would feel awful if anyone in the house got shot with your own weapon. Especially if you were unable to defend yourself or your guests.

I also live alone, and I have several loaded hanguns around the house, they are hidden, where I can get to them quickly. I generally have a weapon in a shoulder holster on me at all times as well. I'm currently mulling over my options on how to have gun in the bathroom within close reach, where the weapon will not get rusted out.

 

[centac]

You bear a certain responsibility that goes with keeping guns. While you may not have done anything "wrong", I would be hard pressed to say that leaving weapons out and unsecured around a child who may or may not know not to touch is "right." Attractive nuisances and all that.

 

[whm1974]

I was more conserne with the little girl then someone breaking in. I do have ammo right next to the guns. Revolvers are not that hard for a kid to figure out how to load. She would have trouble racking the slide back on my XD however.

-Bill

 

[jdberger]

Hide the handguns. There are lots of products that allow a person to hide a gun in a picture frame, etc.

mrhuckins? Where do you live? Wear a pistol in a shoulder holster around the house? FWIW: You might try a shotgun in a plastic baggie in the bathroom. A good coat of oil should protect it...

 

[mrhuckins]

Actually, I live in a quiet part of Leavenworth, KS. There are prizon break-outs from time to time around here, and a few of my friends have been affected by them, although with no personal harm comming to them. I'm really not worried about criminals or BG's in my area of town, but my mentality with weapons is like the quote from the movie "AVP" "A gun is like a condom. Its better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it." All the preparation, money spent and training in the world won't do you any good if a BG gets between you and your weapon. I try to never be in condition white, unless I'm asleep. Even then, there are guns close by.

Kansas is one of the six states that have no CCW laws. Although, I think it is legal to open carry. I don't want the kind of attention drawn to myself that open cary can bring.

 

[whm1974]

You bear a certain responsibility that goes with keeping guns. While you may not have done anything "wrong", I would be hard pressed to say that leaving weapons out and unsecured around a child who may or may not know not to touch is "right." Attractive nuisances and all that.

Well the girl's parents are not gun owners, and I think the the mother isn't too fond of them. My landlord has also mention that he is afraid of guns. I would bet that she wouldn't know not to touch or handle a gun safely.

-Bill

 

[Standing Wolf]

Seems to me the problem wasn't your firearms, but the unattended child.

That saidâ„¢, the firearms are ultimately your responsibility, and after all, it's your apartment. The child is the parents' responsibility, but if they're hoplophobes, they've most probably failed to educate the lass about firearms.

I believe I'd have kept a close eye on the little girl the whole time.

 

[Model 624]

In Texas, if the child would have discharged the weapon and hurt herself or somebody else, you would have been at fault. We have a law about allowing a child access to a firearm.

 

[jefnvk]

Problem was the unattended child. My parents would never let me wander about someone elses house.

Some forward thinking might have helped, but since nothing came out bad, I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[whm1974]

Problem was the unattended child. My parents would never let me wander about someone elses house.

Well the girl wasn't unattended, she went into the basement with us. After they left I saw my guns in my desk shelf. I'm thinking what if?

How come I don't think of these things until they happend or almost happend?

-Bill

 

[20cows]

I think the problem boils down to apartment living. Anyone in a rental situation should be aware that there are others that have a right to be in your home, sometimes without your prior knowledge. That being the case, even though you do not have your own children to worry about, your landlord does. Obviously, that child is a sometimes visitor. You are responsible for her safety in your home. The landlord may or may not know firearms are present and cannot be expected to know what the child will find or pick up. Even if the parent were there, "whatching her like a hawk," a kid can pick up a gun and have the trigger pulled in less than a heartbeat.

The guns are your responsibility. Keep them in a safe place.

 

[whm1974]

I live in a house so I don't have worry about repair people coming in. My landlord knows that I have firearms and I have metion before that I keep one of them loaded when I'm home.

Maybe I should mention Eddie Engle to my landlord. I'm hardly the only person around to own firearms.

-Bill

 

[Arc-Lite]

whm...I think you address the question very well by yourself, just having the feeling that something was not right.... was enough. Living your life, and having something like this surprise visit....is one of those things....that I am sure you will address, and re-focus.... Responsibility is a way of life...and usually not a thought threw action....you are, or your not....and it apprears you are.

 

[whm1974]

It is real easy to have a "brain fart". The fact I have been taught when I was a kid to open a gun's action everytime I pick one up has prevented ADs many times. There have been times that I almost "dry fired" loaded guns, but checked them at the last minate.

ANYONE can have an AD!

-Bill

 

[pawncop]

Well sir, I think you have learned a lot here.

You met Rule #1 - Everyone went home at the end of the shift.

You met Rule #2 - Nobody died and the cops weren't called.

But you will remember this and realize that you may very well have dodged a bullet. And hopefully be safer in the future.

 

[svtruth]

Kids and Guns

Thank you for posting this, it is a classic situation. You have practices that are safe for you and yours, but then you get asomething out of left field, the 9 year old whose folks think they don't have to supervise her.
Next time you go to a house with small children, looki where things are put to "childproof" the place, compared to yours. for example, breakable things on coffee table.
My children are grown and pretty gun proofed, but I worry about visitors, minor and adult, so the High Standard is in a locked box, ammo in shed with gasoline, propane tankk for boat, etc.

 

[SiG Lady]

Guns and the landlord...

My landlord/complex manager knows I have guns, knows I go shooting once a week, knows I compete twice a year, and knows I have a large metal, stand-up safe in my bedroom closet. They don't seem to mind. When I'm NOT home, however, the safe is locked and the guns are IN the safe. When I'm home, the safe is UN-locked so I can get at all the things in there (also cameras, money, jewelry, live ammo, the usual).

My manager (fe) dropped in one day last year to talk about something and saw all the gun photos on the wall... looked at my Kimber photo and said, "Oh, my mom had one of those. She lived in a bad part of L.A. while she was in nursing school. Used to carry it in her purse." So, my managers are seemingly OK with all this "gun" stuff.

 

[jobu07]

Don't sweat it and just try to figure out what you'll do next time this happens.

Where do you live? Wear a pistol in a shoulder holster around the house?

I've been known to do that from time to time.

 

[whm1974]

Don't sweat it and just try to figure out what you'll do next time this happens.

Quote:
Where do you live? Wear a pistol in a shoulder holster around the house?
I've been known to do that from time to time.

I used to snear at people who had ADs. Now that I have had some close calls that were prevented at the last minute I no longer do so.

I've had some friends who had family members who carryed at home. At the time I would poke fun at them. Now that I'm older and wiser, I have started doing the same thing.

-Bill