Locking Up A Loaded Gun

[gvf]

I know it's considered unsafe to lock up a loaded gun, but naive or not, I don't understand exactly why.

I have a loaded gun in my safe, because I consider it safer to keep it loaded after carrying it, than unloading, clearing chamber etc., frequently. (It's a semi-auto). Under the theory the less handled the better when not in use or cleaning, that's the simplest. It goes from my holster to the safe. I keep it in the safe because of circumstances in the building I am in that makes it relatively safer than would keeping it ready at hand. You have to make choices after all.

So, why is it considered unsafe to keep it locked? I would like to keep doing this as it seems to work for me and present the least danger of an ND. But I could be wrong.

Thanks.

 

[Prepster]

As long as you use safe handling procedures, that sounds fine to me. The big concern as I understand it is that someone might put a loaded gun in a safe, leave it for months, come back, assume it's empty, and then potentially bad things might happen. If you do this with a frequently carried gun, I'd say there's no danger because you are aware of its condition and only you have access.

 

[rcmodel]

I don't know why it would be any more unsafe then putting an empty gun in the safe.

I subscribe to the "All guns are loaded until proven otherwise" school of gun handling, so it would be immaterial to me one way or the other.

As long as you, (and anyone else who has access to the locked safe) know you leave guns loaded, and practice safe gun handling, I can't see how it would matter.

Added: In the event of a fire, it is safer loaded in the safe , then it would be laying on the bedroom dresser. At least if a round cooks off in the safe, it isn't going to shoot a fireman!

rcmodel

 

[USAFreedom1st]

Yeah, I would say the don't lock up a loaded gun applies more towards long term storage. For what you are doing, it seems like when you place the gun in the safe, it needs to be "ready" in the event you need it.

 

[BHP FAN]

pretty smart ,really.if you need a gun a loaded one is much better than an unloaded one! Also,imagine the surprise on a crook's face after he says ''all right,buddy open that safe''!

 

[Treo]

I deliberately leave a loaded gun in my safe as a last ditch back up (think the home invasion worked the BGs got a gun to my head and I'm being forced to open the safe) But the gun I use is my secondary carry so if I pull it out my primary takes it's place in the safe. Eitherway both guns stay loaded at all times and I know they're loaded at all times

 

[WardenWolf]

Well, where you're saying you heard it's unsafe to lock up a loaded gun, is it possible whoever said that was, in fact, referring to trigger locks? Many trigger locks actually depress the trigger when installed, and by doing so, could cause a loaded gun to discharge, particularly if the safety were somehow disengaged while locked. Because of this, it is very dangerous to install a trigger lock on a loaded gun.

 

[hankdatank1362]

All my handguns are always loaded.

All HD long guns are stored "cruiser ready."

 

[dmazur]

I have two safes. The larger is for rifles (mostly) and everything stored in that one is unloaded. (I still treat them as loaded -- 4 Rules)

The small one is a "quick access" safe in the bedroom. 1911's in that one are loaded. For obvious reasons.

I think, as long as you have a routine and it isn't so complex it confuses you, you can probably do whatever you think best.

I like to keep my "defense" guns loaded and my "sport" guns unloaded. Others may have different opinions on this, of course.

 

[AMBASSADOR]

When I put my loaded gun into my safe it is loaded out of its holster and the safety is off.I consider it to be secure and ready for whatever may arise if I have to remove it to protect myself.

 

[gvf]

Thanks!

Thanks everyone for all the comments, I feel much better now with continuing what I'm doing.

By the way, I carry if very frequently, so I never forget it's loaded in safe.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I think this applies more to putting a trigger lock or other device through the trigger guard on a loaded firearm, not locking it inside a safe loaded. Some storage boxes that have a peg through the trigger guard (e.g., early Glock) should not be used with a loaded firearm.

 

[Walkalong]

I have a loaded 1911 .45, a loaded Mini-14, and a loaded AR locked up right now.

Like rcmodel said, treat all guns as if they are loaded anyway.

 

[buck460XVR]

I believe this rule goes back to the days when the only folk using guns for SD were police and military. It also dates back to the days when gun safety training was an option and many only learned it after they picked up a gun and went hunting. Also access to locking gun safes for the general public was virtually non-existent. This goes hand in hand with the old rule of not storing ammo in the same place as you store your guns.....again, not an viable option for HD/SD. I see no reason why a loaded gun in a locked safe would be any more dangerous as an unloaded one as long as all those that had access to the safe know basic firearm safety and realize that guns in there may be loaded.

Just remember......most firearm related accidents are caused by guns that were believed to be "empty".

 

[2nd 41]

I have one semi in the safe and loaded. The rest are cleared/empty.

If I shared the safe with another person(household member)I'd keep everything unloaded.

 

[rcmodel]

it is loaded out of its holster and the safety is off.

Now that right there is bothersome!

What in the world kind of crisis would require the safety be already off before you even got your hand wrapped around the grip?

That there is just plain dangerous!
I don't care who'ya are!

rcmodel

 

[wnycollector]

I have 3 loaded guns (2 revolvers and one shotgun) in my house and every one of them is locked since I have small kids. One revolver is stored on the 1st floor in a small quick access pistol safe, one in the bedroom (again in a small safe) and the shotgun in my large safe.

 

[ZeBool]

Yeah, the home invader forcing you to open the safe scenario is what comes to mind with me. If a home invader is forcing me to open my safe, obviously he got the drop on me, and a loaded gun in the safe may be the last resort.

 

[CDH]

I know it's considered unsafe to lock up a loaded gun, but naive or not, I don't understand exactly why.

I am unquestionably certain that the statement above refers specifically and only to the idea that if a gun used for self defense is then locked up, your access to it is hampered when needed in an emergency and seconds count.
That's all it means.

I have loaded pistols in the house, and I keep several loaded guns in my safe.
Both myself and my wife know exactly where all the guns are, and my wife (only other occupant of the house) knows that they are all loaded and ready. She would have to depend on that if I'm not home and she hears her dogs bark and then breaking glass.

On the other hand, I have taught her that even guns that are assumed to be empty are handled as if loaded unless or until they are cleared by the handler. There is no excuse for anyone that any of us know to have not been taught that. :banghead:

 

[moooose102]

i subscribe to the same process as rcmodel. even when somebody opens the chamber to show me it is empty when handing it to me, i still open it to make certain when i take posession of it. my brother asked my why i did that when he handed me his shotgun. i told him because you could have racked in a shell when you cycled the action. with guns, it isnt oops, its call 911! as for storing loaded guns in the safe, it will depend on who else COULD EVER have access to it. if you are the only one who could ever have access to it, OR the other person(s) all know that there ARE loaded guns in the safe, then it would be fine. like said before, the problem come when someone not knowing picks up a gun that is loaded, and presumes it is empty. that is when the trouble starts. we have loaded handguns in our safe, all the long guns are empty. all of us know that. hopefully there will never be any problems.

 

[gvf]

From OP

I'm the OP on this thread:

as for storing loaded guns in the safe, it will depend on who else COULD EVER have access to it.

Yes, to make that clear I alone have access to my safe. I live alone in fact.