Child proofing your home defender.

[GunTroll]

What did or do you parents do about this? What do you use or come up with? I'm not so sure I like that finger combo small safe thing to keep it safe. Seems like it could fail at a real bad time! I got a two year old and he's getting into everything. I keep a pistol around for the home defender. I don't keep rifles or shotguns around for home defending. What did you do?

[HunterCO]

My parents where actually parents so they did not need safes or child proofing. I had my first gun with ammo at 12 years old in my bedroom on the gun rack.

It worked like this if I did anything stupid the last thing I was afraid of was the cops, The fear was my father he would whoop my ass. I would have chose being stoned to death than face my father when I did something stupid..................Funny how that works.

Not saying you should not child proof, All I am saying is don't let it take away from the most important and lost job of all being a true parent.

Your children will thank you someday, I know I thank my parents for not letting me be stupid.

The best child proofing is being a good parent.

[GunTroll]

Agreed but I'm dealing with a two year old who is into everything. I have to do something. That's why I asked for what you (meaning all) did/do to be safe and safe. Parent lessons not needed thanks.

[Colorado Osprey]

I store guns and ammo in 2 different locations above height child could reach without some type of assistance.

I did the introduction thing as well.
"You can look and touch as much as you want, just ask me first so I can get it for you.... "
Anytime... and never ever say no... or... now is not a good time.

Mine now shoots with me regularly and takes his hunters safety course next weekend.
He's 8 years old.
Doesn't like recoil either, but shoots 20 ga shotgun light loads and 22lr pistols/rifles.

[sniper7]

I can't really help because mine are everywhere...

but my dad did keep one in the house. revolver, bedside, on an empty cylinder. I always knew where it was. I also always knew if i did anything stupid or got caught playing with it or showing it to my friends I would get whopped.

All I had to do was ask to see it. very plain and simple. I was told you can't look at this by yourself but if you want to see it, just come ask.

I wasn't 2 at this point...maybe 5, so i don't really know what my dad did. It was hidden well enough I never got into it.

[blackford76]

My 1911 is on my dresser, safety on, empty chamber. For a two year old, first they have to see it, then figure out how to reach it, release the thumb safety, rack the slide, then grow hands big enough to engage the grip safety. That is a lot of what ifs. To make that process even better would be to store the pistol with an empty mag, with the loaded one close at hand. A couple second change for you, but doubtful the munchkin could pull it off. This worked for both of my kids. Added bounus of good night sights, easy to find the gun in the dark, even w/o glasses.

[GunTroll]

So I'm getting that no one uses the mini safes?? I just don't trust em'. Too slow to open and the worst scenario....will not open for lack of battery or light to see the dials. I thought these weren't the idea. I'm not trying to sound naive or anything but this thought crossed my mind recently and this is my first kid so obviously I'm new to this. My father didn't own firearms till I was a teen. Thanks for the input all you dads.

[Mtn.man]

Duct tape...

[Colorado Luckydog]

Just keep it on your hip until you go to bed.

[Colorado Osprey]

Just keep it on your hip until you go to bed.

That works if you only have one around that is not locked up.........

[theGinsue]

I did as my parents did which is exactly like HunterCO says, but I now have one of those finger combo safes (A "Gun Vault 1000". My youngest is 17 - the safe isn't for the kids but in case someone breaks in while we are not home).

You are right not to trust the finger combo safe. It's hard enough to open when you have all of the time in the world and are not under any stress. It's easy to press one of the buttons that you don't mean to press throwing off the whole combo. Too many failed attempts disables the combo for a few minutes. If you are rushed and under stress because someone is breaking into your home, this is NOT the time to prance around with this mechanism.

Pic of Gun Vault 1000:
(http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/22/06/59/i220659sn02.jpg)

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/22/06/59/i220659sn02.jpg

I fully recommend a biometric safe, but they certainly cost! I have a co-worker who has a biometric wall safe. He loves it and says it slides open in ".2 seconds" from the time he puts his finger on the reader. I plan to get one of these for myself and sell the Gun Vault.

Here is the info on the wall safe:
http://www.buyasafe.com/Wall_Safes_p/sl-20700.htm (http://www.buyasafe.com/Wall_Safes_p/sl-20700.htm)
http://www.buyasafe.com/v/vspfiles/photos/SL-20700-2T.jpg

[GunTroll]

Now were talking!

[theGinsue]

Just keep it on your hip until you go to bed.

That works if you only have one around that is not locked up.........

Are you all talking about the kid, or the gun?[ROFL1]

[Pancho Villa]

All guns not kept for "ready" self defense: in some sort of locked container, with their actions locked open with one of those loop locks gun stores give away, and not readily accessible (ie a closet or something in the bedroom.)

Guns kept for "ready" self defense are to be on the person of one of the parents at all times except bedtime.

Bedtime gets a little trickier. I would consider some kind of shoulder-holster type setup draped over the top of the headboard. This way you can get to your gun if you need it in a hurry at night, but the kid can't sneak into the room and take it while you sleep (unless both of you sleep so heavily that your kid can get into bed, stand up and take your gun and get out without awakening you, in which case I hope you have a darn loud burglar alarm!)

Wife & I have discussed that, and thats our tentative plan.

[theGinsue]

Wife & I have discussed that, and thats our tentative plan.

Some folks have fire drills in their homes (okay, so do I), but we have "home invasion drills" too. Gets us in the frame of mind to know what to do in different scenarios.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Duct tape...

The kid or the gun? [ROFL1]

EDIT.. oh nm.. ginsue sort of beat me to it.

[gnihcraes]

Gun vault 1000, works great, haven't had any issues "not" getting into it. It has a Key bypass if needed. Batteries have lasted years... that reminds me, time to replace them...

kc.

[SA Friday]

I've seen video of a 4 year old figure out how to rack the slide of 1911 using her body weight and the side of a coffee table. Some experiment they ran back in the late 70's early 80's. It scared the sh!$ out of me. Mine are in a finger combo safe. I check it weekly, change the batteries regularly, and it's faster than digging out the gun and mag, and then loading.

My primary defense is anyone getting into my house has to go through the 110lb Akida and manage to walk across the main floor with umteen-million toys on the floor with the lights off and not trip and fall doing both of those. By the time the actually did that and the door/window locks, they have to get upstairs. Hell, they can manage that without waking my very light sleeping wife, it wouldn't have mattered how I kept the gun.

[ryanek9freak]

I agree, if you can make it past my dogs, we'll have a chat.

I carry my 1911 on my hip at all times, even in the house. It stays on my nightstand locked and loaded when I'm sleeping. Bedroom door is LOCKED, no kids allowed to sleep with mommy and daddy. We broke them of that a long time ago. The guns I don't carry are locked away in a spare bedroom, that they kids wouldn't be able to get into without a chainsaw. I have an alarm system as well.

[Colorado Osprey]

Colorado Osprey wrote:
That works if you only have one around that is not locked up.........


Are you all talking about the kid, or the gun?

The gun....
I Don't lock up the kids..... but wouldn't it be nice sometimes??

[GunTroll]

Indeed

[newracer]

I also have a gun vault. It has worked great for many years. Put my CCW in it when I go to bed and retrieve it in the morning. The finger combo is very easy to use.

I trust my boys around firearms (7 and 10) and they both have their own but we often have other kids in the house that I do not know how they would react.