At the ready with children in the home.

[deafdogdief]

Any suggestions on a safe place at-the-ready of a firearm in a house with small children?

[TripleDigitRide]

On your hip.

Or somewhere out of their reach.

[Guest SureShot308]

In the vegetable drawer in the fridge. they would never look in there.

[Guest cowboy20th]

Liquor cabinet, until they became teenagers then you need a new spot.

[deafdogdief]

Hard to sleep with it on my hip. haha!

[TripleDigitRide]

I've always kept a shotgun and handgun sitting next to the bed when I'm sleeping.

How old is the child?

[BigPoppa]

Biometric gun safe....will only recognize the fingerprints you tell it to and allow access. The young'uns can't get at it, but you can in an emergency.

They make under-bed mount models too.

1 link of several.........................LockSAF Biometric Pistol Safes ? LockSAF Home

[deafdogdief]

I've always kept a shotgun and handgun sitting next to the bed when I'm sleeping.

How old is the child?

Old enough to get into trouble in a hurry!

[deafdogdief]

Biometric gun safe....will only recognize the fingerprints you tell it to and allow access. The young'uns can't get at it, but you can in an emergency.

They make under-bed mount models too.

1 link of several.........................LockSAF Biometric Pistol Safes ? LockSAF Home

Thanks for the link.

[kwe45919]

There's tons of answers and supposed cures for this. However, alot depends on the home, children and other factors such as children being home alone. You didn't give us much to go on for age of your child but in my situation with my 3yr old, either I or my wife is always in the home. My gun is on my hip and hers is in her safe under the bed. Right now, there's no time the child is alone so there isn't anything for me to have to worry about. In the future, changes will have to be made to ensure things are kept safe from other kids. I plan on teaching my child about the dangers and saftey of firearm someday.....when she's not worried about her dolls.

[RCCsDad]

I keep mine in a Gun Vault finger combination vaults on the floor next to the bed.

I have a three year old and have imagined her pushing the correct combination and the door flipping open. The biometric version may be a better option. Education is paramount, but you can only expect so much at a young age.

[Guest eyebedam]

I keep mine on me untill I get in bed then it's inbetween the mattress & boxsprings untill I wake up.

[Dropkick Murphy]

My kids are 2 and 3 and a half so this might or might not work for you, but thought I would throw it out there.

During the day all the guns go in the safe, and the safe is locked so the kids don't get into it. However, I let them know that if they ever want to look or hold the guns all they have to do is ask me, and they do. Removing the curiosity is the absolute best thing you can do.

When the kids go to bed, and we are turning in, I open the gun safe. My go to gun is at the highest place in the safe, with rounds in the magazine, but none in the pipe just in case the kids wake up in the middle of the night and I'm not aware.

I'm sure there will be some who think it's folly to not have one in the pipe while it's sitting out, but if not having time to put one in the chamber is a factor you're as good as dead anyway. This is also what works best for me and my family. Your mileage my vary.

It's hard figuring out what works best for your family, but after some though you will get the right combination of risk vs reward vs security.

[Guest Muttling]

Own an automatic and keep the chamber empty. Most young kids aren't strong enough to cycle a round into the chamber and most don't know that it is needed.

Next, keep it way too high to reach or in a biometric safe of some form.

[kwe45919]

Removing the curiosity is the absolute best thing you can do.

Quoted for truth.

[redneck]

The best thing , teach them to respect guns not fear them . I have owned guns since I was 6 . Knowledge is the best tool there is . I have a 5 year old daughter , i teach teach her about gun safety . She's even got a BB gun , daily shooter .

[Kelemvor]

Removing the curiosity is the absolute best thing you can do.

+1000

Absolutely, I remember being a kid, and once I got my mind set on finding or getting my hands on some mysterious thing that I knew I wasn't supposed to get, it was only a matter of time. If my dad had just let me see the gun and spent an hour or so explaining it all to me, I would have probably lost interest. Then again, the locked box it was in took a while for me to defeat when I finally found it, so safes are pretty good too.

[raydog1]

+1000

Absolutely, I remember being a kid, and once I got my mind set on finding or getting my hands on some mysterious thing that I knew I wasn't supposed to get, it was only a matter of time. If my dad had just let me see the gun and spent an hour or so explaining it all to me, I would have probably lost interest. Then again, the locked box it was in took a while for me to defeat when I finally found it, so safes are pretty good too.

I think my dad saved my life by showing me his gun when I started getting curious about "that strange box" on the top shelf of the closet that I couldn't reach. My curiosity got me into a lot of trouble when I was a kid (fire, electricity, animals, etc.). After he showed me the gun and actually let me shoot it, I lost all interest in guns until adulthood. I'm pretty certain I could've easily been a gun accident statistic had he not done that.

[Guest Tiny G]

I keep mine in a Gun Vault finger combination vaults on the floor next to the bed.

I have a three year old and have imagined her pushing the correct combination and the door flipping open. The biometric version may be a better option. Education is paramount, but you can only expect so much at a young age.

I've also got the small one with the four button electronic lock. But you can program it so some of the pushes have to be two buttons at the same time. I don't think anyone is going to accidentally figure that one out. Also, after a certain number of bad tries is sets off the alarm. When you go to open it, it will give an indication that someone played with it enough to set off the alarm. I've got the $8 cable attached to it that wraps around something big and heavy. They aren't cutting that cable with anything I've got in my house, they would have to bring it with them.

[Guest TurboniumOxide]

I keep my kids in the safe. Easier that way.

[Kevo]

You guys are very funny and also very informative. I've had a GunVault pistol safe for about ten years and highly recommend it. I would definitely change the code to at least 6 entries long. Didn't know about 2 buttons at a time though too late for me to change the code. This was my only safe for years, I would keep the boltgroup? from my 22 wrapped up in the back while it hung out in the closet. The only time I keep a round chambered is if my Glock is going into my holster on my hip. I am usually lazy and simply tuck it slightly behind my hip IWB no holster and checked twice for no round in chamber, no magazine inserted before I safely dry fire, insert magazine and tuck in. HOWEVER as soon as I can stop wasting my HCP class money on ammo I plan on getting a "real" IWB and carrying around the house like I will in the rest of the world. The key is to develop habits that both of you will remember. For instance if you get a safe hide her keys in it every morning so she will get used to opening it. I also give marriage counseling and can offer you divorce tips. Basically locked up or on your person is the only way to go in my opinion. Educate your children and loved ones about firearms. Don't leave it up to their teachers, news or TV shows. FWIW a good friend gave me the GunVault for Christmas one year. Previously I had wood screwed a Uncle mikes holster inside the boxspring. I was only twice as dumb back then. Kudos to you for being safe!

[Guest oldhack62]

I keep mine in a Gun Vault finger combination vaults on the floor next to the bed...

GunVault GV1000 DLX Shipped Free

The price at this site is on the high side, but you can find it around in many places, hopefully cheaper.

[gregintenn]

As others have said, educate your children. Nothing is as interesting once the curiousity is removed. My children have lived in a house full of guns all their lives. I let them shoot, using each opportunity to educate them on firearm safety. You should teach them from a very early age not to touch a firearm UNLESS mommy or daddy is there and letting you. Then you need to be prepared to let them handle your firearms when they ask. This is when you teach safety. A good lesson for young children is to take them out and shoot a watermelon, tomato, or other similar item in front of them. They will be amazed. Explain to them that it will do the same thing to them or their buddies, and that's why you don't touch them unless you are supervised. Children are very open to learning this stuff if you take the time to teach them. You will NEVER hide anything from children. They WILL find it!

[GoVols]

+1 . . . Great post, great info. I have a 9 month old, and this has been on my mind a lot.