What age should I start locking my gun in the safe so the little one can't get to it?

I have a 10 month old, she's starting to pull herself up and stand. She should be walking soon. I have all the childproof stuff setup and the baby gate. I lock up the guns in the safe in my closet except my CC. I usually keep it in my dresser drawer at night but sometimes when I come home from carrying it I unload the chamber and put it on the kitchen table until bedtime which is pretty high. My question is to be safe for her when should I start locking it away so she can't get to it?

I am guessing she won't be tall enough to get to most things for a while but I don't know at what age them little ones start snooping around. I probably have a while but I thought about getting a handgun safe and bolting it down to the ledge above my bed and just putting it in there at night.

To be safe and to build the proper habit, I either keep my handgun on my person or locked up. This results in me carrying around the house a lot as I'd rather not have my handgun locked up in the event that I need it.

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Originally Posted by dropped_71chevy

To be safe and to build the proper habit, I either keep my handgun on my person or locked up. This results in me carrying around the house a lot as I'd rather not have my handgun locked up in the event that I need it.

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This!

Your house, your call. For me, the first problem was me. I need to build a routine to establish self discipline on properly storing my weapons. The kids are only a secondary issue. They will surprise you in many ways as they are growing up. Often their first steps or first (insert verb) comes before you are prepared and may happen when you are not present.

I pray that no one reading this ever has to go through the horror of having someone injured by their gun because it was not maintained in a safe manner.

Once more; Your house, Your call. You do what you can live with and no one else can tell you what is right or wrong for you. [Beer]

Be safe.

I think you guys nailed it! I'm not good at getting myself into a g habit but easily form bad ones. I should get into the habit and now because I couldn't live with myself later if I thought it was safe and left it out and she still got to it. I think I'll snatch me up a good handgun safe like I said to bolt to the ledge on the wall by the bed to lock up at night. Need to figure out something for the day because I'd hate not to have it accessible to me if needed downstairs in another room but I don't know if it'd be comfortable wearing it all day long.

i have a 2 year old my handgun stays on me at all times and the ar is unchambered(bolt closed) and on safe.....that being said shes been taught to steer a wide course around all the gun stuff anyway

Cofi brings up another good point. Teaching your child to treat firearms with respect can start at a very early age.

I think the answer lies in the commitment you took when you became a parent, to love and protect your child. My suggestion would be to start the practice now, to get in the habit now. Just in the last several months, we had an incident in the Denver area where a young child found a gun and a young child died because of it. What you may consider is to find a high place or two and put a couple of quick-access gun safes. A couple hundred bucks is well worth it where a child's safety is concerned. Just a thought. I'm sure you'll get some other good ideas from other members, too.

My stuff is always locked up.

I have a 3 and almost 5 year old that I expose to them all the time; however no free access so to speak. When my oldest turns 5 I will introduce him to a BB gun then a .22. ( as my father did with me)

I also have Foster Kids that by state regs I CANNOT expose them to it. (goofy rule) I do not let them see it and do so when they are not around or I go to my man cave (the garage).

I also agree with cofi, respect for firearms goes without saying. That being said, curiosity, peer pressure, and "double-dog-daring", plays a bit part in a kid's life and, even though they know what's right, they don't always do the right thing (sounds like us adults, also). If an adult can have an ND (Negligent Discharge), so can a child. Sounds like you've made a good decision.

The most important thing is educate her at the age of understanding, both of my boys have been thoroughly educated since 5 years of age and know the drill when it comes to firearms, they shoot regularly and I believe I successfully removed all the mystery that motivates kids to get into dads stuff. That being said until you have done so its best to keep them locked up.