Posted on 06/24/2013 9:18:46 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel
Folks, I need some advice here.
I own two weapons, a Ruger 9, and a Mossberg 500. Both are primarily for home defense, although I have a CC and take the 9 with me occasionally.
I live in the city, South Philadelphia, in a three story row home, and there are very few break-ins, not a great deal of crime in my neighborhood. I also have a wife, who has no interest in fire arms, and two children, a daughter 13 and son 11, who also have no interest in firearms.
Now I keep the Mossberg in the bedroom (3rd floor), where it can’t be reached by anyone but me. The question is: Where should I keep the Ruger? Currently, it’s in the bedroom with a gun lock on it, but it occurred to me, if I was downstairs and needed it suddenly, it would be useless.
I have a table with drawers near the front door, maybe that would be a good place? But should I lock it? The one factor is this Ruger needs to be racked to get the first round in the chamber and I’m really confident that I’m the only one strong enough to do it, and I doubt anyone else knows this needs to be done.
Yes, I know ideally it would be safest to keep the guns in a safe with locks on them and the ammo somewhere else all together, but if there was a break-in, they’d be useless.
Essentially, I’m looking for a balance between ease of access and safety. Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated.
Carry it. If I’m in a house with kids, I carry on my person indoors or out. Period.
I keep my glock with me on my nightstand as I sleep and downstairs with me when I am down there. No kids around with me.
Train your kids and wife and leave it in the drawer.
Put it in a drawer with a biometric lock. This would be for daytime use only and only if you were in the house.
I would leave it in the drawer ready for defending your life and that of your family.
If you leave the house take the gun with you or put it back in the safe.
I don’t like having my gun unsecured (especially with kids) I keep mine in my pocket.
One of those handgun safes might work. A good one which opens with a fingertip combo costs about $140 but you aren’t fumbling with a padlock trying to get your gun.
Also depends on your kids and how many visitors you have. I trust my kids more than my neighbors. So I taught them how to use the gun.
IMO everyone needs to know the basics of gun safety.
I agree with the other poster, carry at all times. Or, you could get one of those bio-metric safes and bolt it into the drawer by the door.
You can get a small gun safe big enough for the pistol with a combination lock and a code known only by you and keep it where you like. That adds time to the process of retrieving it but given the circumstances of a house full of people who don’t know how to operate the pistol that’s not only best for their safety but best from a legal perspective as well.
lock up the unloaded guns in a safe, and get a big family dog!
this is a conundrum I have considered myself, and I’m not sure there’s a good answer, except to say as a mom of a 10 yo boy, I would be careful in assuming that your children have no interest in firearms.
I carry mine while home, and have several small pistol safes around my house.
If I’m wearing my jammies and no belt for a holster, I use a shoulder holster.
If you’re planning to have a pistol in your bathroom, use a lot of desiccant to keep things dry in it.
Maybe they don't have any interest in firearms. But the friends that they have over might have a great interest. The friends could be carelessly curious. Or they could have a bit of larceny in them. Please keep that in mind.
Safest? Not if your safety is threatened and you need a gun Right Now. As you wrote, stored that way they'd be useless if there was a break-in.
It absolutely vital that your kids are trained properly. They need to know how to handle all of your weapons in a safe manner. Regardless if they are interested, they must be trained and have some range time.
The safest place for a pistol is a holster.
there are a number of hiding places out now-a-days. Some use a mantle clock, others “books” that would permit concealment in other parts of the house. Most important is proper training of wife and children. Get them to take a NRA entry level class on gun safety.
I have the same strength and complexity issue with my women, and have made sure they are equipped with revolvers. The new composite 5-shots are sweet.
Never under estimate kids.
There are small gun safes on the market that will hold one or two handguns. There are models that require a fingerprint or a combination that can make hand gun available to you in a hurry if the need arises.
Check the web sites of Cabela's and others for the hand gun safes.
If your city/state requires gun locks even while the firearm is in storage, good luck on protecting yourself and your family.
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