What precautions do take, for children's sake, with your home defense weapon?

[Hokkmike]

I like to have a pistol available for immediate response in the event of an emergency. Yet, having one loaded (in the chamber) always scares me as a potential and eminent threat to an unsuspecting child who might find its hiding place.

We have no children in the house, and if we did they would be thoroughly educated. But, many visitors do come with children that might wander where they are not suppose to be!

I was interested in what precautions you take to have a weapon both immediately available for lawful defense but yet safe in the scenario I mentioned.

[Frenchy]

I like to have a pistol available for immediate response in the event of an emergency. Yet, having one loaded (in the chamber) always scares me as a potential and eminent threat to an unsuspecting child who might find its hiding place.

We have no children in the house, and if we did they would be thoroughly educated. But, many visitors do come with children that might wander where they are not suppose to be!

I was interested in what precautions you take to have a weapon both immediately available for lawful defense but yet safe in the scenario I mentioned.

Best place ever, on your belt!
Just remember that no gun is safe where wandering hands go, so any place other then on your belt is not a safe place, meaning that you could put it under the mattress, if a kid goes to play in the room, you will have to worry, one thing about kids, they know how to find stuff!!!

Short of that, there are wall safes out there that work on your fingerprint, that can be mounted between any 2 wall studs. I was looking at those at big bucks the other day. Seems to me one of those above a door would be safe enough. But remember, a loaded gun is never safe with kids around unless you can meet some conditions.

1: Kids know where it is and how to use it properly.
2: When kids arrive, take the gun out and unload it, then put away till they leave.
3: high enough that they cant reach without you noticing.

This is why I say above a doorway, you can reach it when you need it but for a kid to get up there he would need more then a chair.

[knight0334]

The only precautions I take is to hide the openly kept loaded guns. My friends and family know my house has loaded guns and it is their responsibility to mind their children. If they go snooping-I've let them all know that I support Darwin's Natural Selection in the event of stupidity and untrained handling.

Do I sound like an ass? yeah maybe.. but it's my house and you and your kids follow my rules.

[RocketFoot]

I constantly drill my kids to not touch any guns they may find lying around the house. I am also teaching them how to handle guns safely. One of my biggest fears is them staying at a friends house and the other kids says "Hey, you wanna see my dad's pistol?" They have been trained to answer "NO!" and to tell an adult. I don't doubt they would, either...they are no longer curious about guns. I also want them to know how to safely clear a chamber or unload a rifle in the advent that an unsafe situation would arise. Training can only help keep kids safe!

[Rule10b5]

I have a safe in the basement, where most of my guns are kept.

I also have a safe upstairs.

If a gun is not on my person it is in one of those safes, with one small exception. I wear a gun all day long -- I take it off right before I get into bed. I put it, loaded, into the safe upstairs. I then take out my S&W 66, 4", which has been fitted with a MagnaTrigger Safety by Rick Devoid, at Tarnhelm Supply. I then put on a magnetic ring that disengages the safety when I grab the grip of the 66 properly, and put the gun on the nightstand -- a foot away from me. Anyone not wearing a ring can't operate the gun. When I wake up, before I do anything else, I pick up the 66, and put it in the safe. After I do my morning routine, I put on my regular carry gun for the rest of the day.

I absolutely will not, under any circumstances, leave a gun anywhere in the house that isn't locked up and out of my immediate control for any reason. The MagnaTrigger is just in case I screw up and forget to put it away first thing when I get up. If that ever happens, I've failed, and I probably will just start keeping it in the safe at night.

[Emptymag]

The only precautions I take is to hide the openly kept loaded guns. My friends and family know my house has loaded guns and it is their responsibility to minded their children. If they go snooping-I've let them all know that I support Darwin's Natural Selection in the event of stupidity and untrained handling.

Do I sound like an ass? yeah maybe.. but it's my house and you and your kids follow my rules.

Too funny! There does seem to be a bit too much meddling in the natural selection process these days...

Back when I only had 2 handguns, I picked up a GunVault http://superpageshosting.com/gunvaultcom/gunvaultmulti/ for "other people's" kids(we have none)AND mainly as secure storage if away from home.(can be bolted to the floor)

I'm happy with it. At the time of purchase, it was the fastest one to open that I could find/afford.

[Zef_66]

Since I don't have kids, this hasn't come up yet. But I found this post to be very interesting. I will also quote it here:

Ahhh, I have guns everywhere and two young girls in the house. I did this with my daughters and now I am doing it with my betterhalfs kids. It works.

I got all my pistols and rifles out in the middle of the living room floor. Called the kids in and I "LET THEM PLAY WITH THEM." They were allowed to hold, aim, squeeze triggers, see where the bullets go in the guns. Pop out and put in magzines and clips. See how the safeties worked. She the different sighting systmes. Realized that some of them are really heavy, and some aren't. All while I was there to supervise them. I would stress the importance of watching where the pointed the barrel. Basic Gun Safety was discussed. But not pounded into them. The idea is to remove the mystery of those dreaded firearms right now.

I bet we sat on the floor for almost 30 minutes. 357's, 9mm, snubbies, Mini 14's, AK's, Shotguns, it didn't matter. They got to hold all of them. "They got to PLAY with them."

Then I told them if they ever wanted to see them again. Just ask, and I will let them do it all over again. (You usually have to do this one more time, till they are bored with them) I stressed that at no time should they touch them when I'm not around. Just ask, and I will show them to you right away. ( If they do make a point to ask to see a firearm. I immediately stop and immediately let them see it.)

I stress that if they have friends over, and they see the firearms, and want to see it. You come and get me, and I will let them see it. But I may not let them touch it. But I want to remove the mystic. I tell them that I will show them. (Once friends come over. They do get put away a bit better to be honest though.)

So what did this get me???? I have two young girls in my house, that could care less about the guns in the house. They have "PLAYED" with them all they want too. They know they are allowed to see them anytime they want. Takes all the fun out of it when your a kid.

[danp]

I've always considered the electronic keypad single-handgun safes to be a responsible balance between safety and the need to quickly access a firearm.

Short of them malfunctioning (which is a valid concern) you can open them pretty quickly.

Like anything in life you have to weigh the risks of your choices and decide which is the greater risk.

If I had a child I would use one of those.

[ca2pa]

I've always considered the electronic keypad single-handgun safes to be a responsible balance between safety and the need to quickly access a firearm.

Short of them malfunctioning (which is a valid concern) you can open them pretty quickly.

Like anything in life you have to weigh the risks of your choices and decide which is the greater risk.

If I had a child I would use one of those.

I concur with danp and emptymag, this seems like a good way to go, i dont have kids either so i keep my rifles in my closet in cases (unlocked) and my handguns here and there (in cases), other than my gf, nobody else visits us yet, so i havent had a problem, unless our little yorkie learns how to pull the trigger!!! yikes...(but not to worry because i never leave them lying around loaded) phheeww..

[Emptymag]

Dan,
I was amazed at how quickly that GunVault opens.

No key needed.(but there is a back-up key included)
Just program your own sequence of buttons to press on the handprint-shaped keypad... press your combo, and WHAM! That door springs open FAST! I mean, you'd better not have your other hand in the way, or it's gonna be hurting.

Like all things, it's a compromise... obviously a handgun on the nightstand, held upright with a custom made stand would put you "into action" more quickly, but...

I say it's up to the individual to determine the "safest" storage in their own home. This subject has been posted many times since I've joined the forum, but I don't think it ever hurts for folks to read about the different options that are available out there that they may have never considered. From "natural selection", to "Fort Knox"... there's a method out there that's right for YOU.

ETA:
There are also many "hidden in plain sight" options that work as well, but, as this is a public forum, I'll not elaborate on the ones I currently use.