Guns Throughout the Home

[Lone_Sheep_Dog]

Well said Tony_the_Tiger. Keeping unlocked firearms around children is wrong. It doesn't matter how well you teach them. Something could happen. My father tried to hide things from me and I found them every time. His mistake was not locking things up. The only way to hide things from kids is to lock them up.

 

[wannabeagunsmith]

Wow. My dad keeps his guns chamber- locked, locked in a metal case, ammo is stored in the basement in a safe, and the case of guns is under his bed. Oh yeah, and the magazines are also in a completely different location as well. I am not sure how he plans on retrieving them in time of a home invasion, cause he would have to go down 2 flights of stairs, find the keys, get ammo, go back up, get guns + magazines, load them, unlock gun case and guns, and by then we might all be dead. Sigh.... the price of his being parranoid about my younger siblings finding them-- but then again, he found his dad's .44 magnum when he was three, so that must be why. Oh, and my guns are locked away with his as well.

 

[davepl]

There is no such thing as a hidden gun your child will not find. And there is no mentally-normal child that will 100% of the time heed your warnings not to touch/play with them.

I have four kids and four handguns, each in its own electronic gunvault (big multilevel house). I do not leave a round in the chamber even in the safe. I put motion sensors in the yard instead, it's safer. I can open any of these in under two seconds.

As far as I'm concerned, a gun should be in a safe or holster.

I drill my 3 and 4 year olds on what to do if they find a gun. I show the 10 and 12 year olds the tamper-evidence indicator on the electronic safes. When they got curious, and they could recite the four rules by heart, I let them with my supervision hold and safely inspect them until they were bored/satisfied.

 

[davepl]

While I'm at it, one interesting moment. My ten year old was asking me about something related to guns, so I showed him my Beretta 92FS which, at that moment, was loaded with the safety on.

Anyway, I dropped the magazine out and said "See, it's unloaded now, right?". He agreed. I then said "Wrong." and racked the slide, ejecting the chambered cartridge. His eyes lit up with the obvious realization of "Oh, so -that's- why they have these rules. There really are scenarios where I don't know everything". It was priceless. He was only ten, but he even told me that unspoken moment has stuck with him ever since!

 

[3KillerBs]

...

As far as being tactically untenable, the reason why you have a gun in every room is because you don't know where you'll be when a home invasion occurs. ...

For me, this is why I wear the gun at any time I'm awake and dressed.

 

[Tony_the_tiger]

I also think finding a firearm you're comfortable carrying -even at home, if you feel you need to - would be an appropriate response.

 

[huskybiker]

Our children grew up around guns. Our son had a single shot H&R in his bedroom at age 12 (after he passed his hunter safety course). However, just because it worked with our children does not mean it will work with any child. Now that the children are grown and gone from our home, we do have a couple guns stashed here and there around the house. When our 8 yr old granddaughter comes to spend the weekend, they all go in the safe except for the one(s) we're carrying. Since her daddy also carries, we have adapted a standard "game plan" to be used in both homes. When we sit down to dinner or to watch a movie, the gun(still in the IWB holster) is layed, in plain sight, on the closest end table or other convenient area. We believe this removes some of the "mystery factor". It works very well for us. Just last night, I stopped by my daughter's house to drop off a few things they needed. I sat down on the couch and forgot to set my gun out. My granddaughter said, "Pappa, aren't you forgetting something? you forgot to lay your gun on the table." I think familiarity (with supervision) is crucial any time there are children and firearms in the same home. JMHO.

 

[jtl60047]

My girls have been taught gun safety from early on. When I would come home from hunting or shooting, from about 7 on up, they would help clean the weapons. The mystery was totally gone and they now kindof view guns as work - and we all know how the kids like "extra" work.

Good luck and be safe.

 

[jonn5335]

Build furniture with hidden compartments

 

[kozak6]

A gun in every room seems a little paranoid.

My wife has said she'd be okay just carrying a firearm on her person all the time, even at home, but I don't want to burden her with that.

It's less of a burden to purchase, hide, and secure a gun a gun in every room? I think your wife has the right idea. It's also a lot easier to manage if there are going to be kids around.

It is also a hell of a lot faster to pull a gun off your belt or out of your pocket than to try to pull up some floorboards or swing back a painting and open a safe.

I think leaving them having to be cocked is important. The two guns both take muscle to cock. My wife has to use most of her strength to cock them, but is now proficient in the action. No young child would be able to cock either gun. I will have to revisit once the children in our house get older, as kids can be resourceful.

No. This is irresponsible. You yourself quite clearly state why this is a bad idea.

 

[Captaingyro]

Guess what the number one contributor to child mortality rates are in the USA? I can tell you right now it's not homicide or home invasion. Statistically, it is unintentional injury. Although most of us here on these forums own firearms and advocate for them, lets not be blind to the data. Unintentional injury is the number one killer of children in this country, and firearm related accidents are a part of that.

Like so many anti-gun alarmists, Tony the Tiger tells the truth, but is careful not to tell the whole truth. "Save the children" is trotted out repeatedly by the Left as an excuse to deny the basic human rights of gun ownership and self defense, yet their statistics are carefully chosen to disguise the truth: that accidental death by firearm poses a miniscule threat to children, especially when compared to other causes of accidental death (many of which we choose to do nothing about.)

So, do you want the whole truth? Here are the statistics for Unintentional Injury Deaths, by age group, for the year 2004 (the latest year I could find last time I looked). These data are published by the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control. To save space, I only copied the top seven causes for age groups from infancy to fourteen. Firearms do not even show up in the top seven causes until you get to the adolescent years.

 

[ROGER4314]

So what do you do with all the guns when you leave the house? I live in a rural area also and we have a greater risk of B&E then home invasion and folk’s gun are always being stolen.

Ours is a small neighborhood (26 homes) on a dead end street in rural Texas. All of the neighbors know each other, participate in a Homeowners Association and look out for one another. There is only one way in and out of our little camp and virtually EVERY homeowner is armed! Entering our neighborhood means that 100 eyes are on you at any given time from armed friends and neighbors.

Many of us are retired and hang around the house a lot. We challenge strangers who come here and ask them what their business is. We don't bother legitimate business and service people but one guy who was driving an unmarked, personal vehicle, gave me guff and refused to identify himself. I called the Sheriff immediately who came out, shook the guy down and I heard him say "We don't have trouble in this neighborhood. When they ask who you are, identify yourself." Later, he told me he'd prefer that I didn't confront a stranger and that I should simply call the Sheriff's office to have THEM check it out.

I pity the hapless crook who breaks in and starts packing out a neighbors property here. It will not go well for him! There isn't a gun safe made that is as effective as a neighborhood and neighbors who work together.

Flash

 

[gym]

It's been mentioned, but when there is a home invasion, you don't have time to go anyware or look for anything.When I had mine, 31 years ago, I turned the door knob, and they smacked me right in the head with the door. I was still going backwards as 5 of the came in. I couldn't have drawn my gun, I got hit in the head with a pistol knocking me into the kitchen. Now this is all in the NYC police files because they stole a registered carry gun, they grabbed my live in girl friend, and took her away into another part of the house, it was a small apt, "as most NYC apts are. But to have a gunfight with 6 people holding shotguns and handguns would have resulted in either her or both of us getting killed. I knew I could take two of them with me, but she would have most likelly died. So all I am saying is that all the planning in the world wouldn't have helped, as much as a dog and an alarm, neither of which I had in the 70's. A dog would have alerted me that someone was outside the door. And a push in would have triggered a silent alarm with a dummy shut off code. All i needed was another second and that first guy would have been dead.That would have more than likelly stopped the whole thing. As it turned out he died 6 months later, I found out through great people on the side of the law, who did this, and they had done 17 of these. I got lucky and I was nasty as hell cusing and threatning them as they tried to find the 50,000, in cash that an ex girlfriend told them I would have on me, "Christmas bonuses and payroll". She's also gone as are all the others. This all was a setup from a girl I had dated off and on for over a year.
She turned out to be a Federal whitnes who rolled on her husband. She had a business drove a Vette, no one would have known that she was part of a "crew". She had gotten mad that I stopped dating her and had a live in, so she turned me over to them with this story. Since then I have always had a big dog or dogs, and an alarm that is always on when I go to bed, untill I get up and walk the dogs.I don't just carry, I have my hand on my gun when I leave or come back to my house. The same group hit a guy who I became friends with because of this, in Lido Beach. They lit his house up on the way out, because they couldn't find the "safe" he didn't have. They also took his kids '2", for a few hours. She worked for him, at one time.
The best thing was that they were federal whitneses, playing both sides. When my detective buddies asked about them, they were told to stay away from it. I got the name from my other friends, the ones who can find out anything. I gave it to the cops they had good intentions, but feds just screw up law enforcement. They allow bad guys to do business, as long as they keep giving up dealers and other bad guys, The police weren't able to touch them, I ate lunch with more top state and local law enforcement people that I finally told them to just take a hike. Having a gun on you may be the only "real" protection . You have to have a dog and alarm. When I hear my neighboors say they don't use their alarm, I just get so pissed off that they can be so stupid. The houses here come with them.Just try to remember that it's all over in seconds. If you can't get the gun up and running ina heartbeat, it's not going to help stuffed in a chair in another room, Take it from a guy who survived a serious event. I heard the head guy being told, "this guys nuts, he isn't gining us anything, either shoot him or let's get out of here". They spent 1/2 hour ripping my house apart. I even promised not to call the cops if they left the gun, which they promised to do but didn't. They kenw the girl knew nothing, the phone kept ringing and my receptionest was sending people over so they heard it on the machine and left. Her calling probablly helped save my ass that day, she knew I would never be that late and not answer, I lived 5 minutes from my business.
So it's all chance, I could have been killed, I chose not to fire, it worked that day. Maybe the next day it would not.
I decided back then I would never leave it to chance again. If I am going I am taking somone along. Having guns all over your house is not the solution. Having guns available is. How available is up to how seriouslly you take all this. Most folks say I can't live my life that way, well fine, then don't ask me what I think you should do, or why I carry.
Don't tell me you have a gun hidden up in the closet someware, and you are ready. Ready to get killed maybe. If it's not on you it's of no use to you in an instant. And if your guests don't like alarms, too bad, I tell anyone who comes and stays here, including family, The alarm goes on when I go to sleep, and stays on till I get up. You don't like that ,Go to a hotel. You don't like guns don't come here. And my dogs go where ever they want to go. Don't lock the dog out or your not coming back. This helps cut down on the number of unwanted guests also.

 

[FAS1]

Usually pocket carry around the house. Always have this available as well as a loaded 12 ga in the RSC too. I don't like leaving unsecured guns around the house with so many ways available to have them reasonably secured yet accessible.

http://youtu.be/CcJUGuB35y8

 

[Onward Allusion]

gym
It's been mentioned, but when there is a home invasion, you don't have time to go anyware or look for anything.When I had mine, 31 years ago, I turned the door knob, and they smacked me right in the head with the door. I was still going backwards as 5 of the came in.<SNIP>

Did they kick the door in or were you in the process of opening the door? Glad you made it out of that one. I'm sure even after so many years, it's still uncomfortable thinking about it.

 

[JohnBT]

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_163_27/ai_99130342/

"Lead and diamonds: the Richmond jewelry store shootout - The Ayoob Files"


There is something to be said for firepower. I thought somebody might enjoy the story of the 1994 Richmond, Virginia jewelry store robbery.

The store owner had purchased eleven Rossi .38s and had one every ten feet behind the counter. There was a shotgun in the office and a .44 Magnum with a 10" barrel.

The two robbers came in with a .45 and a sawed off shotgun.

John

 

[OARNGESI]

thanks johnbt that was a interesting article

 

[asia331]

I used to; not in every room but here and there.. well hidden. Now I find it far more prudent to simply carry an OWB SP101 at home while my regular EDC 1911 resides in another room as an alternate. When I leave in the morning the 1911 comes with me on the hip while the SP101 takes up residence as an ankle mounted back-up.

It works for me. I know others will find a way that works for them.

 

[Cleburne]

Got one by my chair in the living room, one in the computer room and more in the bedroom.

 

[gym]

OA, here is a link to the girl, don't believe half of what you read, the athorities, had little to no clue what happened, she lived in North Shore Towers, in Great Neck, not in Manhatten. Most of what you read on her is hype, she spent summers in the Hamptons and even lent me her vette for a month while my porshe was smacked up while parked. I never saw any of what they claim, other than a girl who owned a shop, and went to work every day.She worked for the guy she set up along with opening a shop with his partner, both were set up, including names that are big in the hair business, that is how we figured out that it had to be somone we knew, being that he and I had not met until someone told me of an incident that sounded too familiar.the Teresa ferrara, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theresa_Ferrara If you grew up in certain areas of NY like Corona, Forest Hills, Astoria, half the guys were cops and the other half were crooks. I met Henery Hill at a poker game in my friends apartment, had no idea who he was either. They were just guys from the neighboorhood. She was attractive, but not the way they say in the articles, she knew how to make hersef up, she was in the business. All in all, there were 17 people in my industry who were set up by her, "she knew all the biggest salon owners", before it was over. Two of the guys died soon after, one in another robbery, and one OD'd on heroin. That's why I am a stickler for security, but like they say, if someone wants to get you eventually they will figure out the best time and place, the most you can do is make it a fight not a slaughter. When I finaly figured out who it was after getting names and the like, I called her up around midnight or later, "I wanted to catch her flat footed", so she answered, and I told her what happened, "as if she didn't know", it worked, she didn't know how to respond, I knew right then that it was her, usually someone would ask if you are ok, not her, she tripped over her words, and said I have to go now. I replied, it Was you wasn't it, she hung up the phone. That was the last time we spoke.

 

[Tinkerman]

Leaving guns around the house is excellent, but they must not be available to children or guests, especially uninvited guests. Nor should they be available to someone in the house while you are not there; you don't need to face your own defenses.

Hiding places? Under a coat in the closet (suspended, up a sleeve, in a pocket...), suspended or mounted behind drapes or curtains, mounted under a bureau or other long furniture, or a handgun in a gunsafe disguised as a Kleenex box.

Again, make sure they are not accessible to children or anyone else you don't want to have them. Lock them away when you leave - even cable locks to disable them will do.

 

[marv]

Our house is 10 mi. from town. Law Enforcement is at least 1/2 hr. away. Dense woods 30 ft. from back door. Medium security prison 10 mi. away. YES there are firearms all over the house and on my person 24/7. And they are loaded. Kids are all gone.

 

[Mike1234567]

I live alone... no kids. I have a firearm within arm's rich in every area which I spend any significant time. Paranoid? Maybe. Self-protected? Heck yes. I'm not afraid to die but I'll never make it easy for some scum-bag to do the deed.

 

[sugarmaker]

Risk balancing. I was taught never keep a loaded gun in the house. I have kids. They have friends come over, ages 8 to 14, when I'm at work. Guns live in the safe, no exceptions. Before kids, they lived about the house, some with ammo nearby, mostly for pests.

 

[Hunter125]

My dad used to work with a guy who duct taped holsters behind every curtain and kept .357 Mags all over the house.
I am in the keep one on you, keep the rest locked up camp. I carry when I'm home and a pistol sleeps on the nightstand at night, both locked up during the day.
I have seen safes that are made to fit between the studs and are flush with the wall. When we finally buy our own house I will seriously consider putting one of those in each room. There will never be unsecured guns out in my house.