Gun control question

[mslman71]

I have a variety of weapons. The just-for-fun rifles and pistols are locked in cases and the key is locked in a biometric safe with my home defense and carry pistols. I do not have a proper security mechanism for my shotgun. Right now it is up and out of the way in the closet and is not chambered. Between its length and difficulty to chamber it's reasonably safe with respect to my very young children. However this will not be the case for long and I'd like to find the sweet spot between safety and availability as it is my primary home defense weapon.

I've seen some wall mountable keylocks and racks that aren't exactly ideal. The only option there would be to keep the key in the biosafe next to it so it would be a two step process to carry out - probably about 8-10 seconds under absolute best case conditions (and awoken from a dead sleep in the dark with the sound of someone breaking in the house isn't exactly a best case condition). What do others here do?

[so-tex]

I have a variety of weapons. The just-for-fun rifles and pistols are locked in cases and the key is locked in a biometric safe with my home defense and carry pistols. I do not have a proper security mechanism for my shotgun. Right now it is up and out of the way in the closet and is not chambered. Between its length and difficulty to chamber it's reasonably safe with respect to my very young children. However this will not be the case for long and I'd like to find the sweet spot between safety and availability as it is my primary home defense weapon.

I've seen some wall mountable keylocks and racks that aren't exactly ideal. The only option there would be to keep the key in the biosafe next to it so it would be a two step process to carry out - probably about 8-10 seconds under absolute best case conditions (and awoken from a dead sleep in the dark with the sound of someone breaking in the house isn't exactly a best case condition). What do others here do?

I keep my shotgun loaded, just not chambered. I no longer have children at my house though.

[mslman71]

I keep my shotgun loaded, just not chambered. I no longer have children at my house though.

Yes, mine is loaded as well.

I have to do something with it soon. I can't rely on difficulty and being high and out of the way for much longer.

[dbx]

I have a variety of weapons. The just-for-fun rifles and pistols are locked in cases and the key is locked in a biometric safe with my home defense and carry pistols. I do not have a proper security mechanism for my shotgun. Right now it is up and out of the way in the closet and is not chambered. Between its length and difficulty to chamber it's reasonably safe with respect to my very young children. However this will not be the case for long and I'd like to find the sweet spot between safety and availability as it is my primary home defense weapon.

I've seen some wall mountable keylocks and racks that aren't exactly ideal. The only option there would be to keep the key in the biosafe next to it so it would be a two step process to carry out - probably about 8-10 seconds under absolute best case conditions (and awoken from a dead sleep in the dark with the sound of someone breaking in the house isn't exactly a best case condition). What do others here do?

I don't own a gun, but here's my advice; use a pistol for first response. My father always had a Luger pistol strapped right under his bedside (Boston life) That, to me, was the most useful place to keep it; accessible in less than 5 seconds.

[dbx]

Err on the side of security of the firearm. A good dog will give you all the lead time you need to unlock any weapons you may have. Criminals are not Navy Seals.

Excellent advice. Maybe not practical for all, but very smart!

[CaptChip40]

I have a small gun safe in the closet. It is opened by using a push button combination. The numbers are illuminated, so easy open at night. I use a simple combination that I also use for my garage door, voice mail etc so if i need to open in a hurry and under stressful situation i won't forget it.

[so-tex]

I own two Taurus 24/7 handguns, and they are fine weapons with great safety features. They have a safety and an easy to get to key lock.

[ArizonaEli]

You are statistically more likely to shoot yourself and your children than you are to shoot a burglar. A lot more likely. Lock the guns up in a safe and sleep well - no one is going to break into your house and MDK your family - that's reserved for Sandra Bullock movies. The "sweet spot" for gun accessibility and children is no access.

[Nikonguy]

You are statistically more likely to shoot yourself and your children than you are to shoot a burglar. A lot more likely. Lock the guns up in a safe and sleep well - no one is going to break into your house and MDK your family - that's reserved for Sandra Bullock movies. The "sweet spot" for gun accessibility and children is no access.

LOL, I've never been in a car accident but I drive one almost every day. General stats vs. individual actions, circumstances and abilities.

[Karl_Hungus]

In addition to security, I think the best thing you can do is to teach your kids about guns and gun safety (maybe even have them take a gun safety course when they are old enough). Tell them how a gun should and should not be handled, and maybe even have them practice using weapons so that they understand how they work. This way, their curiosity will be indulged in a supervised safe manner, and they will not likely try and defeat your security measures to play with the guns. Just from my own experience, I grew up around guns. From about the age of 10 on, I actually had 3-4 guns in a gun rack above my bed, and a whole closet full of ammo. Not once was I tempted to experiment with them, or load them, or do anything stupid. I had plenty of experience with guns, and I did not need to play with them out of curiosity.

[trickyB]

I started with a good alarm system and heavy doors. I have the biometric safe in the bedroom with a sig 40 cal ready to roll. I keep another sig on the other side of the house up away from little hands unloaded but with a mag.
The shotgun is ideal on paper but it can be tough from a safety standpoint.

[acrawlingchaos]

I found an interesting "DIY" secure shotgun wall mount that you can make yourself fairly inexpensively.

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/147...ck-thingy.html

[Nikonguy]

I found an interesting "DIY" secure shotgun wall mount that you can make yourself fairly inexpensively.

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/147...ck-thingy.html

Sweet!

[lunchbreak]

If that's anything like my cash tin a screwdriver can open those locks.

[acrawlingchaos]

If that's anything like my cash tin a screwdriver can open those locks.

True, but he wants a reasonable measure for securing it from the children (in combination w/firearm education), not prevent a thief from taking it.

Either way, he could find one that is a bit sturdier if he shopped around for it and felt the need for it (and it is more secure than the current location).

[Brackneyc]

You are statistically more likely to shoot yourself and your children than you are to shoot a burglar. A lot more likely. Lock the guns up in a safe and sleep well - no one is going to break into your house and MDK your family - that's reserved for Sandra Bullock movies. The "sweet spot" for gun accessibility and children is no access.

I've had firearms for 30 years, and have shot neither a burglar, nor one of my kids. I have them because I enjoy firing them. I know this bothers people. I am not bothered by that.

[crupiea]

My parents had lots of stuff in their room that i never touched.

Its a matter of respect.

You dont need to lock it up so tight that you cant use it for its intended purpose. Rather teach everyone respect for your weapons and for your stuff.

[Brackneyc]

My parents had lots of stuff in their room that i never touched.

Its a matter of respect.

You dont need to lock it up so tight that you cant use it for its intended purpose. Rather teach everyone respect for your weapons and for your stuff.

Nah, locking them up teaches them proper fear, so when the government comes to take them, the kids are already on-board.

Not saying not to take precautions. If you have to lock them from your 17 year old, you have bigger issues.

[acrawlingchaos]

You are statistically more likely to shoot yourself and your children than you are to shoot a burglar. A lot more likely. Lock the guns up in a safe and sleep well - no one is going to break into your house and MDK your family - that's reserved for Sandra Bullock movies. The "sweet spot" for gun accessibility and children is no access.

[jdtemple]

Your nightstand pistol is for getting safely to your shotgun.

[EB68]

Luckily I have no children and do not have to worry about having loaded firearms stashed away all over the house. But when I was a kid my dad had lots of guns and kept them loaded, me and my two brothers knew better than to even think of touching one of them, sadly most kids have very little of this fear we had back then, due to lack of parenting. Not aiming that at anyone here, just a generalization of what I see when out around people with kids. I never ran wildly through a restraunt or shopping center either, but see it all the time anymore.

[quietchef]

Shotgun also for home defense. My twist is that it is unloaded. Yes, unloaded. Shells are very handy, gun is too. Two reasons:

Can't accidentally fire an empty weapon.

The very recognizable sound of a round being chambered. Using the weapon is my last resort, not the first.


Let's be honest, home intruder prefer to break in while you're not there. I live in a crappy house, drive a crappy car, and don't show how much money I do or do not make by my outward appearance. I don't make myself a target to begin with. The chances of needing a weapon for that situation is like winning the powerball. For the same reason I keep one in a ready position is the same reason I occasionally buy a lotto ticket. Never know if its your lucky or unlucky day.



Oh, and I have a 11 second response time from lying on my back in bed, under the covers. And a very vicious cocker spaniel ;-) with excellent hearing.

[bigt405]

In addition to security, I think the best thing you can do is to teach your kids about guns and gun safety (maybe even have them take a gun safety course when they are old enough). Tell them how a gun should and should not be handled, and maybe even have them practice using weapons so that they understand how they work. This way, their curiosity will be indulged in a supervised safe manner, and they will not likely try and defeat your security measures to play with the guns. Just from my own experience, I grew up around guns. From about the age of 10 on, I actually had 3-4 guns in a gun rack above my bed, and a whole closet full of ammo. Not once was I tempted to experiment with them, or load them, or do anything stupid. I had plenty of experience with guns, and I did not need to play with them out of curiosity.

^^^^This
I was raised in a home were every gun stored unlocked and easily reached. My dad taught me about guns at an early age. I had my own squirrel rifle around ten years of age. My daughter has been hunting with me since see was five and I got her a rifle when she was 14. She is now 24. We have never had an incident in our family. It is important to teach your kids firearms safety if they are going to be around them.

[Corbi]

I keep my shotgun loaded, just not chambered. I no longer have children at my house though.

Same here, all of my weapons are fully loaded but not chambered. I do have them sitting in a gun safe that sits about 8' from my bed.

In addition to security, I think the best thing you can do is to teach your kids about guns and gun safety (maybe even have them take a gun safety course when they are old enough). Tell them how a gun should and should not be handled, and maybe even have them practice using weapons so that they understand how they work. This way, their curiosity will be indulged in a supervised safe manner, and they will not likely try and defeat your security measures to play with the guns.

I have done likewise with my oldest grandson, nothing with any real firepower yet though. He has a Red Ryder BB gun as well as a co2 powered pistol and a decent little compound bow setup. They all stay at our house locked up with all my stuff, he only gets to use them under my direct supervision and at the 1st sign of him perhaps screwing off just a bit, they are taken away and we are done for the day. Since has his own and knows how to load and fire them he has so far expressed zero interest in any of mine.

[mslman71]

You are statistically more likely to shoot yourself and your children than you are to shoot a burglar. A lot more likely. Lock the guns up in a safe and sleep well - no one is going to break into your house and MDK your family - that's reserved for Sandra Bullock movies. The "sweet spot" for gun accessibility and children is no access.

The problem with citing statistics is that this isn't an issue of random chance; the distribution isn't normal or even unimodal.

[mslman71]

I found an interesting "DIY" secure shotgun wall mount that you can make yourself fairly inexpensively.

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/147...ck-thingy.html

Variations on this are the most likely candidate for me.


As far as educating the kids, that will come with time. Right now they are too young.

[mslman71]

Shotgun also for home defense. My twist is that it is unloaded. Yes, unloaded. Shells are very handy, gun is too. Two reasons:

Can't accidentally fire an empty weapon.

The very recognizable sound of a round being chambered. Using the weapon is my last resort, not the first.

Let's be honest, home intruder prefer to break in while you're not there. I live in a crappy house, drive a crappy car, and don't show how much money I do or do not make by my outward appearance. I don't make myself a target to begin with. The chances of needing a weapon for that situation is like winning the powerball. For the same reason I keep one in a ready position is the same reason I occasionally buy a lotto ticket. Never know if its your lucky or unlucky day.

Oh, and I have a 11 second response time from lying on my back in bed, under the covers. And a very vicious cocker spaniel ;-) with excellent hearing.

As I said I keep mine loaded but not chambered but response time either to it or the bio is very short.

You are also correct, a typical intruder wants no trouble - only to get the goods and get out. However, the weapons are for the case of either a surprised intruder or a non-typical one. If someone is willing to break into the house in the middle of the night with the vehicles parked in the driveway then he or she has made a very clear choice and done most of the shoot/don't shoot calculus for me.

I have the shotgun to shoot an intruder. Not scare him. If he flees upon hearing it all the better, but I have accepted the mindset that b&e means that person will most likely be shot and my intent will not be to injure him.

As for blind odds - unfortunately this type of activity is not all that rare where I live. Burglaries are fairly common.

[DubfromGA]

As for blind odds - unfortunately this type of activity is not all that rare where I live. Burglaries are fairly common.

Exactly why I negged ArizonaEli for his "statistics" response.

Real world is much more dangerous than his "statistics".

[JRT6]

Quietchef is right about home invasions being remote compared to a simple burglary. Home invasions do happen though. I like that shotgun lock but it needs a push button combination feature as I don't carry keys in my house.

[waldopepper]

I have a variety of weapons. The just-for-fun rifles and pistols are locked in cases and the key is locked in a biometric safe with my home defense and carry pistols. I do not have a proper security mechanism for my shotgun. Right now it is up and out of the way in the closet and is not chambered. Between its length and difficulty to chamber it's reasonably safe with respect to my very young children. However this will not be the case for long and I'd like to find the sweet spot between safety and availability as it is my primary home defense weapon.

I've seen some wall mountable keylocks and racks that aren't exactly ideal. The only option there would be to keep the key in the biosafe next to it so it would be a two step process to carry out - probably about 8-10 seconds under absolute best case conditions (and awoken from a dead sleep in the dark with the sound of someone breaking in the house isn't exactly a best case condition). What do others here do?

What do you guys think of being able to buy a gun at a gunshow without a back ground check? I'm pretty sure that it just requires a call to some database (not linked to any waiting period). I'm a big time supporter of gun rights but I can't think of a reason that this really infringes on a person's rights. It's done before a sale so there's no way they could link that check to an actual sale. I've never been to a gun show but I hear there are a lot of unscrupulous characters there.