Storing a gun loaded w/kids in the house

[FLICK]

Personally, if I had to choose between A revolver and a G17 for nightstand duty with young kids in the house, I'd pick the revolver. In my mind, the DA pull or cocking the hammer would be MORE difficult for a 3 yr old. Keep it in the vault or safe when it's not on your person, of course.

I have a 5yr old and a 2 yr old and it constantly amazes me what these guys can get into (especially when combining forces). Good luck and kudos for going the safe route with kids in the house.

[Valorius]

Prepare for a lengthy post...............

Last night I experienced a rude awakening to my current defense setup. I've been storing a Rock Island 1911 commander in a GunVault next to my bed for home defense. The magazine was loaded, but there was not one in the chamber. I currently have a 3 year old running around and a 1 year old who is getting ready to walk, and I worry about one of them getting into the gunvault (it is a finger combination). I heard commotion outside my house yesterday around 11pm and also heard yelling. Thinking that the neighbors were fighting, I went back to bed. Shortly thereafter my doorbell downstairs started ringing. Concerned that whatever was happening outside was nothing good, I retrieved my 1911 from the safe. The lights were still off, and I racked the slide before heading downstairs. At this point I felt the slide jam, and it wouldn't go into battery. I released the magazine at which point the slide closed, and without checking to make sure that I had chambered a round, I headed downstairs.

Fortunately there was no immediate danger downstairs, and I did not need to use my gun. I was somewhat shocked to discover later that the 1911 had never chambered a round when the slide jammed. I had been somewhat foggy/sleepyheaded when racking the slide, and I didn't stop to inspect the gun after it jammed in the dark. This really shook me up as I could have had a serious problem if I had needed to defend myself. The 1911 has never been 100% reliable, and it will no longer be doing nightstand duty. My current dilemma now is I'm thinking that I either need to keep a revolver in the nightstand or a semi-auto that has one in the pipe (My Glock 17). What do you guys think about this? Any ideas for storing a loaded (ready to fire) gun in such a way that I can be absolutely certain a child isn't going to hurt themselves with it? I did see the "magna trigger", but it is fairly expensive. Am I being paranoid? Is my gunvault enough?

-Thanks

This pistol would be literally impossible for a 1 or 3 yo child to operate:


HK P7

Any kid under 6 is not making a P7 ready to fire, even with a round chambered.

It is also one of the single most accurate 9mm combat handguns ever devised.


10yds, Corbon Sierra 115gr+P JHP, offhand

You can get a refurbished German police trade in HK P7 for about $500-800, depending on condition. (They come in Grade A to C). US market HK P7 M series pistols start at about $1100 and up.

BTW: A glock is an absolutely terrible choice in a household that has young children. If they get at it for even 2 seconds, they can get it to shoot. A double action revolver would be about 1000% more sensible a choice, as would any DAO auto. A P7 would offer the greatest fail safe margin though- bar none.

[ByblosHex]

Since I picked up my Taurus it has taken over my G19's nightstand duty. The Revolver is much more kid-friendly and I am much more comfortable with the idea of wielding my Taurus while drowsy and half asleep than my Glock 19. I keep the ammunition outside of the cylinder in a speed loader also kept nearby. I am fairly confident the children would be unable to operate the revolver in this condition. I am also a fairly light sleeper and wake up whenever someone enter the room, even children. At night, the Glock 19 is kept in a locked position.

[Valorius]

Since I picked up my Taurus it has taken over my G19's nightstand duty. The Revolver is much more kid-friendly and I am much more comfortable with the idea of wielding my Taurus while drowsy and half asleep than my Glock 19. I keep the ammunition outside of the cylinder in a speed loader also kept nearby. I am fairly confident the children would be unable to operate the revolver in this condition. I am also a fairly light sleeper and wake up whenever someone enter the room, even children. At night, the Glock 19 is kept in a locked position.

I'd like to agree with and to expand upon the bolded text. Even reaching for a pistol with a short, light trigger and no manual safety of any kind in the dark can be very hazardous.

You accidentally reach out while half asleep and snatch up such a weapon by the trigger, and boom. ND.
A DAO auto or DA revolver all but totally eliminates this particular possibility.

[Kodiak]

I have the big gun vault with the shelf...ill have to check and see if it does that when I get home..

If it does its gone.

[joseywales]

Regarding the 1911. It should be cocked, locked, and one in the chamber. One of the problems with removing rounds from the chamber is that the hollow point gets damaged over time and can cause a FTF.

I keep my 1911 in a key locked safe, but am also rethinking that. The mrs and I have decided to go with a 20 guage, with trigger lock instead, hidden during the day and by my nightstand at night.

Always make sure you run hundreds of trouble-free rounds through any self defense handgun. I need to get at least 100 trouble free rounds through this 20 gauge before it goes into duty.

[PirateSteve]

I'll disagree with the revolver crowd. A reliable high capacity semi auto gives a number of advantages. First it can carry more rounds. Hopefully youll never need to fire a shot but if you do, the more rounds you have and the easier it is to reload the better. Also you can fit a light to most modern semi autos, which should be a requirement to a nightstand gun (as should be a handheld light...2 is better than 1 and you don't want to shine a weapon mounted light at friendlies). Like the light, a laser is a huge advantage at night when Target identification is critical. While a revolver has a higher trigger pull, kids can be amazingly strong and I wouldn't bet on the pull weight as any kind of safety device. In my opinion a flock, m&p, xd, or any similar proven duty style gun with a light and laser attached would be ideal for your requirements, along with a propper safe (biometric?).

Another thing to make sure your family has is a plan of action so you know where each family member should be or go if a break in or other emergency happens. Hopefully you'll never need to use it for real

[mjporreca]

I'll throw in my 2 cents. Personally I prefer a loaded revolver to a chambered semi-auto. What I like about revolvers for "middle of the night" is that if there is a misfire you can just keep pulling the trigger.

Another option is to leave the next round in the cylinder empty, so the first time the trigger is pulled nothing happens. In the middle of the night having a first pull "click" is probably not the best option, but it's a thought.

[The_War_Wagon]

Because of an attempted break-in, gutters stolen off the neighbor's house, and a 0-level street dealer whom I helped the cops bust, ALL shortly after we moved here, I now sleep downstairs - in my office - in my barcolounger, with the 1911 cocked & locked, on a low table on the side of the chair away from the interior of the house. My gun cabinet is beside me, and ALL my other 1911's are cocked and locked inside it. My rifles and shotguns are loaded, but with empty chambers; all are locked inside, with the key left IN the main cabinet door, so I can get to the long guns if necessary, without fumbling around.

This arrangement is NOT for everybody, but it keeps everyone HERE safe - small kids included.

[Last Resort]

There is a ton of awesome advice on here. Much food for thought....Presently I'm considering the following options...

1.) Buy lots of 45 ammo. Spend time at the range and figure out what round my 1911 likes the most, and leave it cocked and locked, in the gun vault, with the safety on.

2.) Sell the 1911 and purchase a 357, which would remain loaded and locked in the gunvault.

3.)I had similar thoughts about the Glock myself. I know it will run if I need it, but it has no safety and a light trigger. Having it in the house in condition 1 status makes me extremely nervous.

4.) Perhaps I should leave my CZ 52 in the safe? It has a safety, and is to date, the most accurate and reliable handgun that I have ever owned. I worry about overpenetration with 7.62x25, but the gun has never malfunctioned in any way with old corrosive 7.62 ammo, ever....