Stashed guns

[MaterDei]

Yes, but they get locked up when I have visitors with children over.

 

[jmace57]

In addition to my nightstand, I have a S&W 64 that sits in a large armoire next to the front door. It sits in deep shadow so it can't be seen. Then another 38 in my desk drawer. When the grandkids come, I lock em up.

 

[JR24]

Nope, I don't have any guns unsecured or loaded that are not in arms reach.

If my CCW isn't on me it is sitting, holstered, on my end table/night stand/bathroom counter/etc always within easy reach.

 

[silicosys4]

I used to keep one in the bedroom, one in the living room.
Now some of my friends have young children. Not all of them are gun owners,
So i assume for safetys sake their children dont know to not touch them.
So, as well behaved and respectful as they are, I keep my firearms out of reach of children for when they stop by, as I enjoy the company and would like to limit the possibility
Of accidents as much as I reasonably can

 

[akarguy]

Book safe?

 

[gunsandreligion]

In case of emergency break glass.

 

[Snowdog]

As a bachelor, I must have had a firearm of some type hidden throughout my house. As a father, the closest firearm is either an NAA PUG in my pocket or a Kahr CM9 on in IWB holster covered with a t-shirt. These are merely to provide a distraction for the more dense/stupid criminals while I make my way to a more secured location where a 590, AR-15, M1 Carbine and AKM reside (all relatively ready to go).

In my neck of the woods, this is sensible.

However, yes... I do fondly remember the days of a pistol above the fridge, in the medicine closet, towel closet and in every room.

 

[rondog]

If I were single, I'd have them stashed everywhere. Even in the garden shed. I remember a story told on some gun forum by a guy who was in his shed and got attacked by a large, vicious stray dog!

 

[Apachedriver]

Interesting reads.

In our old home, we didn't stash any firearms as I, at a minimum, always carried. It made more sense to stash loaded magazines. This was our back up in case the mags in pistol and pocket ever failed at the moment of need.

We've never worried about walking in on our own guns pointing at us. Was it foolproof? No, but it fit our situation very well.

 

[230RN]

I've also got some cheap 10" kitchen knives stashed around that I got from the dollar store for less than $3 each. Not worried about quality or keeping them sharp or anything, 'cause I hope they'll never have be used.

 

[stonecutter2]

I occasionally carry in our house, so I can maintain control of anything as we have 2 little ones.

But, I also made use of a fortuitous problem in our bathroom. When we moved in, the toe jam under the sink was damaged and broken. I looked down there and saw a nice original linoleum floor that was under the current flooring. The pocket under there is fairly spacious.

After laying down new laminate floor, I cut a scrap piece as a new toe jam and used a small nail to hold it in place.

You have to pull it out with purpose, but behind that toe jam now is a Polish P64. As Aarond said, didn't want to be caught with my pants down . And nobody would think about a stash spot under there.

 

[old lady new shooter]

Remember to keep the chamber empty for the sake of firefighters trying to save your property. Rounds in mags or cylinders aren't an issue, but a round coming out of the barrel could harm them.

When I'm not here or at the range my gun (686) is locked up. Are you saying that if there would G-d forbid be a fire and it is locked up loaded, that would be dangerous for the firefighters? What about ammunition not in a gun, does that explode in a fire?

 

[old lady new shooter]

If my CCW isn't on me it is sitting, holstered, on my end table/night stand/bathroom counter/etc always within easy reach.

Could you please elaborate on "sitting, holstered"? Does this mean there exists such a thing as a holster that stands up by itself as opposed to being worn?

 

[Apachedriver]

When I'm not here or at the range my gun (686) is locked up. Are you saying that if there would G-d forbid be a fire and it is locked up loaded, that would be dangerous for the firefighters? What about ammunition not in a gun, does that explode in a fire?

From personal experience:

1. Handgun and rifle ammunition locked away in a typical military ammo box won't explode like a bomb as the cans are aluminum. If you visualize a popcorn bag in the microwave, you can get the idea of what happens.
The individual casings of the rounds will burst as they "cook off" with the fire's heat and the bullets will cut through the metal can as they flop around. We had several large ammo cans of .50 caliber rounds burn in a fire. We thought it was a fire fight until we saw the flames come out of the the small living structure.
The rounds were tossed anywhere from several inches to 20-30 feet away from the location of the cans. Obviously, no one went near the fire until the popping stopped for safety.

2. Given the required amount of heat, ammunition sitting in the chamber of a semi-auto will "cook off" and fire straight out the barrel as if someone pulled the trigger. I've witnessed that several times as well. At home, I generally keep any firearm I'm not using unloaded and locked away. Firearm(s) I plan to use for self-defense in the house are "in use" and positioned as needed. Just think muzzle awareness.

3. Sitting there means being atop of, or laying on, in an unused manner.

 

[old lady new shooter]

From personal experience:

1. Handgun and rifle ammunition locked away in a typical military ammo box won't explode like a bomb as the cans are aluminum. If you visualize a popcorn bag in the microwave, you can get the idea of what happens.
The individual casings of the rounds will burst as they "cook off" with the fire's heat and the bullets will cut through the metal can as they flop around. We had several large ammo cans of .50 caliber rounds burn in a fire. We thought it was a fire fight until we saw the flames come out of the the small living structure.
The rounds were tossed anywhere from several inches to 20-30 feet away from the location of the cans. Obviously, no one went near the fire until the popping stopped for safety.

2. Given the required amount of heat, ammunition sitting in the chamber of a semi-auto will "cook off" and fire straight out the barrel as if someone pulled the trigger. I've witnessed that several times as well. At home, I generally keep any firearm I'm not using unloaded and locked away. Firearm(s) I plan to use for self-defense in the house are "in use" and positioned as needed. Just think muzzle awareness.

3. Sitting there means being atop of, or laying on, in an unused manner.

Thank you for the extensive reply.

Two questions:
1. You mention ammo in an aluminum box. Currently any range ammo I have is in plastic ziplock bags, SD ammo not in the gun is in the cardboard boxes it comes in. What happens? And (OK, 3 questions) if this is dangerous, what is a safe way to store it?
2. You mention a semi-automatic firing as if the trigger had been pulled. Would a revolver behave the same way?

 

[Apachedriver]

Thank you for the extensive reply.

Two questions:
1. You mention ammo in an aluminum box. Currently any range ammo I have is in plastic ziplock bags, SD ammo not in the gun is in the cardboard boxes it comes in. What happens? And (OK, 3 questions) if this is dangerous, what is a safe way to store it?
2. You mention a semi-automatic firing as if the trigger had been pulled. Would a revolver behave the same way?

1. The ammo will react the same to fire whether in factory packaging, baggies, or ammo cans. Afterwards, you'll generally find the shell casings split. All ammo cans do is make it easier to carry, store, and keep dry, but any of the three ways is fine.
2. Any firearm with a round in a chamber will have similar results. Any restriction focusing pressure release in one direction results in increasing the force with which the projectile will fly.

 

[old lady new shooter]

1. The ammo will react the same to fire whether in factory packaging, baggies, or ammo cans. Afterwards, you'll generally find the shell casings split. All ammo cans do is make it easier to carry, store, and keep dry, but any of the three ways is fine.
2. Any firearm with a round in a chamber will have similar results. Any restriction focusing pressure release in one direction results in increasing the force with which the projectile will fly.

Wow, thank you very much. I imagined that the advice to unload the gun before locking it in the safe was a nanny-state type thing, now thanks to your post I see this is not the case.

 

[1911 guy]

First off, I agree with Apachedriver. A round not contained in a chamber goes "POP, the case usually splits and neither the case nor the bullet travels more than a few feet, even for the largest commercial rounds. The heavier the bullet, the closer it stays to the location of the cookoff. The split case sometimes travels a few feet, at most, but is a blunt object traveling at well below muzzle velocity and unstable in flight. The worst injury you can expect is possible a bruise, maybe a cut from the case mouth of split edge. No threat at all to a firefighter in turnout gear. In fact, blue jeans will do nicely for protective gear.

But for the OP, no I don't keep stashed guns anymore. When i did, it was one at opposite ends of my apartment. One in the kitchen, one in the bedroom. Now that I have kids and a house substantially larger (and with more avenues of exit) than that apartment, I have a CCW which is either on my body or in a dresser drawer when I'm in bed and a 12 gauge pump gun in the bedroom. With a six and eleven year old, i can't afford the possible risk of leaving loaded guns around. Even supervised, kids need only a quick moment to get into all sorts of trouble. Why add one more option for mischief and mayhem?

 

[evan price]

Insert witty quip about a boating accident here...

 

[BearBrimstone]

I don't keep too many loaded guns around. I have my nightstand gun beside my bed and a loaded 9mm on top of a cabinet in my living room. I have two kids but we keep the bedroom door locked and the cabinet in the living room is tall enough my wife has to tip toe to reach the gun.

 

[susieqz]

if you have kids in the house you absolutely need guns that are hard to rack.the slde needs to be very hard to use.

 

[Ironicaintit]

if you have kids in the house you absolutely need guns that are hard to rack.the slde needs to be very hard to use.

Well, i have to disagree. If the child is old enough to know how to chamber a round and make it ready to fire....
Then they are old enough to have been taught about SAFE operation and use.

Depending on a lack of strength to manipulate the tool is folly.

My boy just turned 4, and already knows not to point his pop gun at people, and that any gun he sees is not to be touched unless my wife or I are monitoring.
His trigger discipline is still lacking...but im workin on it.

If dealing with an unruly teenager, or a kid with a lack of good sense...then all my stuff will be locked up, save for what I have on me all the time.

 

[old lady new shooter]

I have two kids but we keep the bedroom door locked and the cabinet in the living room is tall enough my wife has to tip toe to reach the gun.

Your kids have never climbed up on a chair for any reason?

 

[rcmodel]

I never worried about my two sons when they were little, then on into teenagers, and adults.

If they ever wanted to see a gun and handle it, or shoot it, all they had to do was ask.

They were shooting from the time they could hold a gun up, and following all the safety rules by the time they were in kindergarten.

What always worried me far more, were all their their friends from gun-phobia homes, who only knew about guns from playing video games and watching TV!!!

That's what scared me.

rc

 

[Shaq]

"the company that my wife and I own is in an industry that isn't well liked by certain elements of our society."

Tow Truck Co?