I would appreciate some opinions on how to take care of a ready gun while also having children in the house.

Options, precautions, should it even be done?

I raised three boys to adults w/ many guns in my home. You need a safe for all the sporting & non home def. weapons. Then you need an immediate acces pistol safe for the ready handgun. This can be put in the closet or in a nightstand drawer & access is through a key pad or biometric pad. 1-3 touches & you are in. A locked drawer is barely adequate if you are carrying the key on your person at all times.
The other thing to do is get your kids safe handling of firearms at an early age. I started @ 4yrs. Teach them safety, show them the power & that guns are not toys to be pointed at others.
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I raised two children too young adult hood 20 and 22 yoa with all kinds of loaded guns in the house.

They were given a couple of rules theycould look and handle any gun they wanted as long as they asked.

They knew all the guns were loaded.

I guess guns were commom and they knew they could handle them any time they wanted.

I guess it lost all the mystery for them. They were given BB guns at 6yoa. 22's at 12. Hand guns at 18.

They both were shooting as early as I could get them out 3 yoa or so.

I did take more precations when they had freinds over. Locked more of them up, lock my bed room door. Moved the more open one out of the way into a locked room.ECt

My own kids I never worried about.

You can maybe educate your kids, but you can't educate the neighbor kids. Neighbor kids would be the liability exposure. You could get sued by just having a neighbor kid get access to your loaded gun through no fault of your own. (E.g. He/she's visiting and just happens to get the gun when no one is looking.) No one gets shot, but you're liable for "negligence."

Biometric safe, or something accessible. But you need to custom design your "plan" to your specific situation.

Age of kids, your specific neighborhood. Locally, the previous owner kept a 12 gauge in the garage, loaded with three kids under ten yrs. But culturally, it's a common situation. The kids understand guns and hunting, no "curiosity" factor -- just like they leave the chain saw and the tractor alone.

Suburbs and neighbors are a whole different scenario.

I've educated both my kids (now 6 & 8) about firearms since they were old enough to talk. For my 30th b-day, my daughter (8) made me a card with a spot-on picture of my Kimber 1911 with all of the parts labeled from the frame and slide to the grip safety and slide release. Well, as spot-on as one can get with and orange crayon. I've never denied them the opportunity to indulge in some well-supervised gun handeling and some of my best range time has been spent instructing them on the finer points of gun safety, sight alignment, trigger pull, etc. In a nut shell, my 1st and 3rd grader are more gun-savvy than 90% of the people I observe at our local club. My point is, the mystery is gone and there is no substitute for a proper education as far as gun safety in the home is concerned. Having said that, a bed-side safe is a must when the neighbors are afoot.

Use a large bore semi-auto handgun 40 0r 45 caliber. Leave the chamber empty and a child and even some women won't be able to work the slide to chamber a round!
Of course education and safety are the most impoptant things to give your children. Teach them not to touch your defensive handgun, but any time they ask show them about your guns. Remember forbidden fruits are the sweetest. the guns they can't look at are the one they'll want to. I always showed my kids any gun I had as long as I was there to answer their questions. I now have 3 grown kids and never had a problem with any type of gun saftey!

quote:

Originally posted by Shooter973:
Use a large bore semi-auto handgun 40 or 45 caliber. Leave the chamber empty and a child and even some women won't be able to work the slide to chamber a round!
\ saftey!

DO NOT DO THIS! I have seen little kids, 4-5yrs old, figure out how to make a semiauto chamber a round from a magazine. Given enough time & energy, they are like little monkeys, they'll get. Never underestimate a childs ability to accomplish anything. It's one of the reasons there are so many kids that drown in pools, eat toxic substance & shoot the neighbor's kid. When my youngest was 2, he showed his grandma how to open the child resitant locks on or cabinets. They are smart & strngth has little to do w/ manipulating a slide.
Training is vital, locking your guns up is vital, underestimating your childs ability is criminally stupid.

quote:

Options, precautions, should it even be done?

What sort of neighborhood do you live in where you expect to have a gunfight in a house full of kids? Do you let your children play outside without an armed escort?

If you must do it how about setting an empty pistol out of sight on a high shelf and having each responsible adult keep a loaded magazine in his or her pocket?

My three daughters are "gun safe" and I made it a point to have them learn how to "clear" all the various pistols and revolvers I own before I even took them to a range the first time, and that was many years ago now. I bought the NRA Eddie Eagle video cassette when they were younger and the simple jingle, "Stop, Don't Touch, Leave the Area, Tell an Adult" is very effective for engraving it in their memory. I don't know if the NRA still makes this available. The safes mentioned above are necessary, but in the final analysis it's what your children have in their own heads which will count.

Thanks everyone. I think what I'll try is a ready safe and put it out of reach of my kids. I also agree with the remarks on educating my children, and I'll put more emphasis on the too.

Thank you.

973, I used to think the same thing, but did not practice it. My determined 7yr old can chamber a round in my 1006 and it has a 22# spring.

I prefer an open safe beside me while I sleep. I put my wallet/keys/pda/cellphone in it so I don't get dressed without locking it, and my wife would stub her toe on it if left open when she makes the bed. I am not too worried about my kids since I don't treat guns like forbidden fruit, and I train my kids. The neighborhood kids scare me.

My philosophy is no gun out of the safe without being in my direct control (holstered on my body or in my vehicle with me). This makes it most safe and most useful. a 10-15 oz handgun in a IWB holster can easily be carried in the waistband of the gym shorts I lounge in at night. I would never want to fumble around with entering any safe while under attack.

Deke.

Deke, while I agree w/ your statements, having a workable 1st & 2nd line of defense means little "fumbling" w/ an instant access pistol safe. Many folks have alarms (I don't like them)& myy 80# Airedale is going to give me a heads up if anyone is in the house that I don't hear. Like you said, I used to worry more about the neighbor kids than my own.

Fred,

I guess it depends on what you call instant access. I call instant access the realization that I need my gun then I instantly have it my hands.

I agree with the 1st line of defense idea, but I don't call an alarm defense, I call it an alarm that says you are about to be killed. For those that don't have a second line of said defense, they can only wait for those that do to show up. A dog does sound an alarm and prefer it over an alarm since a good one will bark before the bad guy even touches your home. A big one will also take a chunk out of the bad guy should he be foolish enough to push his luck.

Deke.

I figure that I have 15-30 seconds for a home invader to break through a window or door. That gives me time to get to the safe (simple fire safe with electronic pushbutton access, change batteries often!) and get my S&W. Keep a good flashlight on the bedstand too, it'll probably happen at night and a blinding light can gain you valuable seconds. As soon as my first kid was old enough to crawl, the guns all went inside the safes. The 'first line of defense' is only there to gain the time required to reach my primary defenses, a handgun and phone for calling backup, in that order.

There's a half dozen or so violent home invasions in nice neighborhoods in this town every year that make the local news. The ones in bad neighborhoods you don't hear about probably number many times that. Don't think that 'because I'm in a good neighborhood' that you're immune.

It is a serious crime in many (most? all?) states to have a loaded firearm in a place where a child can 'easily' gain access to it. A bedstand drawer would probably qualify to 99% of juries, round chambered or not.

My kids' pediatrician is a straight up guy...and he repeats often the mantra that something like 50% of women couldn't get a unloaded pistol loaded and ready to fire, but 100% of kids were able to do so. I'm thinking this was at age 5-6.

Alway's have the gun on you In this country it is illegal to have a firearm that is either not locked up in a metal gun cabinet or under your immediate control. Kids of cource find keys to gun cabinets...so education of your own kids is essential - one must presume that they will gain access and will try and show off your guns to their friends while you are out.

My old .S&W M58 goes with me everywhere, and at night goes into a custom holster that hangs between the bed and the side cupboard.

My dad mounted a small pistol safe into his bed- cut out a chunk of the matress next to the headboard, and midway accross, and mounted the box there. It was of course covered by the bottom sheet. He locked it each morning and unlocked it just before he went to bed. All he or mom had to do at night was reach between them, under the bottom sheep and grab the pistol

It took me until I was 15 to find that safe!

Ganyana,

Ditto on all that you said, though the laws do vary, that is the trend.

I was much younger when I found my Dad's pistol under the mattress. He should have done better, but back then things were a bit different.

Deke.

I'm with Deke and Ganyana on this, if a weapon is not in on my body or in arm's reach it is locked in the safe.
CDH,
I hope you are right but I would not bet that I could get to a safe during a home invasion. When I am not a work (I work on a military base) or somewhere it is illegal, I carry a handgun. The places it is illegal it is locked in the car. When I am at home it is always on me, if I take the dog out at night the HK P2000SK .40 goes in my robe pocket. I am a 911 dispatcher and before working here I worked for a sheriff's office in North Carolina for 3 years, we had a number of home invasions and from those cases I have pretty much decided that if the gun is not being carried or in arm's reach you probably won't be able to get to it (unless you run to the bedroom leaving your family in the living room with the home invaders, something I won't be doing).
My fiancee's son has been taught about the guns and she has no problems with my carrying, I guess her stint working as a nurse at the regional jail gave her a glimpse of reality

First, education and gun safety training. Second, when you expect kids friends to be in, put them away. Four daughters and four Grandsons later with never an incident or a concern.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
I raised two children too young adult hood 20 and 22 yoa with all kinds of loaded guns in the house.

They were given a couple of rules theycould look and handle any gun they wanted as long as they asked.
well pdog you said it that is how i was raised and how i'm raising my neice and nephew they are now 12 and 14 we do take more precautions when there friends come over but the kids know where and how to use if absolutely needed to
They knew all the guns were loaded.

I guess guns were commom and they knew they could handle them any time they wanted.

I guess it lost all the mystery for them. They were given BB guns at 6yoa. 22's at 12. Hand guns at 18.

They both were shooting as early as I could get them out 3 yoa or so.

I did take more precations when they had freinds over. Locked more of them up, lock my bed room door. Moved the more open one out of the way into a locked room.ECt

My own kids I never worried about.

well pdog that is how i was raised and i raise my nepghew and neice they are 12 and 14 the only thing we do is take more precautions when there friends are over

quote:

Originally posted by sharps54:

CDH,
I hope you are right but I would not bet that I could get to a safe during a home invasion.

I have weighed this a lot, and think that my home exterior is strong enough to give me that much time. It takes less than 5 seconds to open a keypad lock safe. I don't open doors for people sitting on my doorstep either. If they back off a bit, I'll open it a crack and tlak to 'em, but it latched locked and they'll play hell rushing it before I can slam it in their face. I'm not that small...

We all have to weigh our own situation. This is my confort level...my little ones are intensely curious and WILL find anything left out. My younger one is not deterred by discipline either. In a few years when she's old enough, we will reevaluate, but in the preschool years,I just can't trust them that much!

S&W 337pd (10oz) in a Uncle Mike's sidekick holster. Always with you, in your pocket. Always in reach. When you shower, you lock the bath door, place the gun on the sink within reach. Now thats a ready gun.

I was a deputized peace officer when we raised our 2 children in our home where firearms were readily accessible but we conducted training and took them shooting at our private range,they never bothered or mentioned our firearms to their friends.

quote:

Originally posted by 243winxb:
S&W 337pd (10oz) in a Uncle Mike's sidekick holster. Always with you, in your pocket. Always in reach. When you shower, you lock the bath door, place the gun on the sink within reach. Now thats a ready gun.

I agree with 243winxb; all my guns are in a safe, except the one that's always holstered. I keep it concealed, but if you're going to have one ready, the only "safe" place is on your person. Second to that is gun-proofing your kids; unfortunately you can't gun-proof the neighbors' kids. As far as during sleep hours? I don't know how fast you can get into some of the small 1-gun safes out there; may be worth a look.

I recently got a small digital safe from Harbor Frieght Tools. They are on sale for $39.99 in this months flyer. It's not Fort Knox, but it is kid proof. Has a three digit code to enter and the inside is big enough for a good size handgun (9 1/2" high x 13 1/2" wide x 9 5/8" deep). My kids are well trained about and with guns but you never know about the nieghbor kids or company.
Harbor Freights web site is www.harborfreightusa.com

You can't have quick access in safe, lock or anything else. Like Ganyana, mine is concealed on my person, otherwise, I can put a semi auto anywhere unloaded, the clip in a pocket and be in action pretty quick. There's nothing like having it on your person and since it has become legal here, I carry 24/7. I consider it like insurance, probably won't need it, but it is there if a bad situation occurs.

If you have more than one handgun, the small safe is a good idea for those that you are not packing. However, like jstevens, I believe that the safest most useful place for one handgun is on my person.

Deke.

When I was growing up, my Dad had a S&W 38 spl in his top drawer. We were taught at an early age about not to go into my parents bedroom unless we were instructed to. Us kids really had no business in our parents bedroom. For what purpose? You see, you HAVE TO BE THE PARENT! YOU HAVE TO TEACH! Little ones have no experience with anything, so as early as possible teach you little ones. DON'T BE A MENTOR, BE A PARENT!FIRST AND FOREMOST! They will appreciate it later. It blows me away to see kids acting up and the parents don't do anything. When we were young, the parents would let us know in no uncertain terms when we did bad! I'm not saying to beat your kids, but use some of the gray matter between your ears and put it into action. Yeah, your litlle ones might think you're a hardass, but as they get older they will understand, and after a while know that not only are you are the boss, but will understand that you're their best friend , also! Just the way me and my brothers were raised!
tommy

My personal advice. Don't let your children have toy guns untill they are familar with real gun safety. Even the toys that look totally fake. Only allow them toy guns after they are practicing safe real gun use at the range.

Take your children out and teach them gun safety at a young age.

Tell them not to tell their neighborhood friends about your guns. Unless you know their parents and their children use the guns together in a safe enviroment.

Lock your bedroom.

Most importantly. Let your children know that if you even think that they played with your guns they will get a serious spanking.

It depends on where you live. Urban and rural are completely different lifestyles with completely different required rules/approaches. I am pretty much in agreement with P dog shooter above for the rural homes, my kids know guns, know not to handle them without permission but know that they can handle and shoot (assuming they are up to the recoil, wt. etc.) any gun I have. There is no mystery and they walk by guns by the dozen and never give them a glance. OTOH, we live so far out in the country that we have to go back toward town to go squirrel hunting and there is ZERO chance of a kid dropping in. If a friend is coming over to visit or spend the night, then we take appropriate precautions and, of course, my children know that a gun is not a toy, nor is it to be shown to someone else.

I try to let visiting kids shoot or hunt, within reason, under supervision, and, of course, with their parents permission.

Completely different ball game in a city, where controlling or even knowing who is going to drop by for a visit is nearly impossible.

BTW, I am 100% convinced that your or my kids are not dangerous with or around guns as long as they are taught the rules of safety and understand that they are not toys and that they can handle or shoot them ANYTIME with parental supervision. Needless to say, most kids are not exposed to this scenario.

Another good perspective of another situation by Gatogordo. You have to take away the temptation of forbidden fruit. ANYTIME my kids want to see/touch a gun, they only have to ask. I allways take opportunity to teach/emphasize safety rules when we do so and when I am cleaning guns around them. They are no longer tempted to touch when they should not since there is no reason to be tempted. My wife/daughter knows how to get in the gun safe (my 8yr old son still not responsible enough to know). My wife/daughter/8yr old son all can shoot (but I want to train/practice them more since I will not be working out of my home anymore, consider it my DUTY to teach them how best to defend the home). I have to have a safe since we have daily visitors in the city and I have 5yr old and 2yr old sons that are not ready. Personalities are so important, my 5yr old has never wanted to touch a gun, my 8yr old when first shooting my 3030 2yrs ago, busted his lip, knocked off his hearing protection, kept wanting to BLAST the milk jugs anyway, and got really PO'd at me when I told him that we were done shooting for the day (wanted to teach him the power of a gun, but did not want him to develop a flinch).

Deke.

Hmm, if I would be in a situation that I need a ready gun 24/7...I would probably move to a safer area

small of the back holster...cocked and locked Para-Ordnance P13...what was the question?

Rich
DRSS