How you carry with YOUNG children around.

[MississippiBoy]

As the title states I want to know how (if any) have a small child around affects your carry habits.

Background, as the proud father of a 5 month old baby girl. I have evaluating my current carry methods. I normally carry a Glock 26 in a IWB Compt-tac Minotaur. I carry fully loaded. I lock it in a safe when going to sleep as I have a 34 that I keep on my dresser (unloaded with a full magazine next to it). As my daughter becomes more active daily I become more concerned about carrying while playing and interacting with her. At home of I am playing I disarm and put it on top of my kitchen cabinets (~7 feet) where not even my wife can reach. But as she grows and we start venturing into parks and okay areas I see a problem arising...

What have done or seen done in these situations, or what thoughts do you have? I don't like carrying without one in the chamber, but may to reduce the possibility of a AD.

[daddyo]

If it's safe for you to carry around other people without fear of a ND, I don't know why carrying around children would be any different.

I have sister who is opposed to concealed/open carry, and for some strange reason she is even more opposed when it comes to her grandchildren. I've never been able to understand why.

So, I just carry concealed when I'm around them. No one knows I have it on me. So far my weapon has not gone insane, unholstered itself and gone on any murderous shooting sprees. Edited November 21, 2012 by DaddyO

[JReedEsq]

Guns are dangerous. You should always carry them in a way that is still safe if you were to fall down, get bumped into, have someone jump in your lap etc... Obviously this means using a quality holster (fitted to your weapon with complete trigger guard coverage) and being very careful holstering and unholstering. I have a two and four year old and if you are already exercising proper precaution traveling with your kids really shouldn't change things that much. A few things I've thought about is that when you are constantly chasing around a small child you do have to be more concerned about printing in public since you will be bending over so much. Second, if I have to go into an area that doesn't allow firearms, my pistol immediately gets locked in a trunk or glovebox, period. No stashing it in a bag or under the seat of a vehicle. I don't [i]think [/i]either of my kids can get themselves out of their carseats yet but [i][u]I know[/u] [/i]they cannot unlock the glove box if the car keys are in my pocket.

At home I have a small quick access safe that usually has one pistol with an extra magazine and everything else is locked up in a big safe.

[JReedEsq]

[quote name='DaddyO' timestamp='1353531446' post='849221']
If it's safe for you to carry around other people without fear of a ND, I don't know why being around children would be any different.
[/quote]

Exactly! You should always carry as safely as you would if your kid is in the room.

[MississippiBoy]

Let me say this quickly. I carry safely and always have. If it because of my mindset that I ask this question. Before I use any weapon, firearm or otherwise, I evaluate my personal abilities and comfort level with the weapon.

The Minotaur is the holster I choose because of the design that is rigid enough for safety and comfortable enough to allow me to carry it daily. It completely covers the trigger guard and I buy the holster that will fit the full size version on my firearm and adapt it so even the muzzle is fully protected.

Yes I am a little OCD about handling weapons, but my life may depend upon it.

I am not concerned about carrying while with my child, but am looking for options for when I am out and active with her. As in playing in a park or playground.

[MississippiBoy]

[quote name='DaddyO' timestamp='1353531446' post='849221']
If it's safe for you to carry around other people without fear of a ND, I don't know why carrying around children would be any different.

I have sister who is opposed to concealed/open carry, and for some strange reason she is even more opposed when it comes to her grandchildren. I've never been able to understand why.

So, I just carry concealed when I'm around them. No one knows I have it on me. So far my weapon has not gone insane, unholstered itself and gone on any murderous shooting sprees.
[/quote]



I appreciate the humor, but when actively playing with a child things can get bumped and fall out. Most holsters are not equipped with level II or III retention.

[QuietDan]

Yeah, you gotta baby-proof the whole house.

Kitchen cabinets below the sink are the worst, with household chemicals. There are baby books that talk about how to do a house sweep for issues and the locking devices needed. Glass "object de art" off of coffeetables, all that bit.

Holsters, yeah retention. Out of sight. Don't touch guns speech when they're old enough. It's OK to touch guns speech years later when they're old enough.

Nightstand gun into the fingertip safe:
[url="http://www.gunvault.com/mv500-std-microvault.html"]http://www.gunvault....microvault.html[/url] Edited November 21, 2012 by QuietDan

[cj0e]

I don't carry full size or compact around my nephews. Only my airweight. I'm very confident in it, and am more accurate with it than with my pistols.

It goes in a Black Hills leather j frame pocket holster, and then into my pocket and doesn't come out. I carry it in jeans, loose and straight fit (nothing tight though), cargos, khakis, slacks and a suit. It conceals very well. Granted, it owns the pocket, nothing else goes in with it.

The leather has been tough on the finish of the gun, But only the high spots and sharp corners show much wear. Also, I clean and oil the gun regularly to prevent rust, as pockets carry has been picking up moisture and lint for me, no matter the season.

In my other pocket I've got a knife and a speed strip with 6 extra rounds, as well as a pen. Back pockets get my wallet, knife and cell phone.

A lot to carry, but it can be pared down easily. I don't particularly like things in my pockets, but as the day goes by, you get used to it being there. Never able to forget it's there, but it becomes less of an aggravation.

EDIT: Nephews are 1 and 3, and we run/climb/wrestle, etc,. and it's never fallen out. I do take care to keep them from bumping into the pocket though, as it's a big peice of metal. But that's no different from keeping them from running into a bookcase/coffee table or what have you. Edited November 21, 2012 by cj0e

[peejman]

I suppose I'm weird, but I don't carry around the house. So no issue with play time. I have a simple key-locked cabinet where my rifles stay (unloaded with trigger locks installed). On top of that I have an electronic pistol safe where the keys to the rifle cabinet stay along with the loaded pistols. The home defense gun moves from the safe to the drawer in the bedside table when I go to bed, and moves back to the safe when I get up.

When we're out, I pocket carry most of the time. I have 2 little ones (4 & 2) and I've found my left arm gets really tired holding the little one when I've got my gun IWB on my right hip. Printing (or exposing completely) while frequently bending over is another issue. Pocket carry solves both of those problems. Granted, the .380 isn't as much firepower as the .45, but it's better than nothing and a lot more convienent. A purist might call me lazy, but it works for me and I'm good with that. Once the kiddies get bigger, I'm sure I'll belt carry more.

[runco]

Well I am probably qualifed to help. I have a 8 yr old, 7 yr old, 3 yr old and 3 week old. When I am carrying, I use the iwb crossbreed, and no one knows that I am carrying. My kids have seen me suit up many times witht the iwb, and just thinks its as natural for me to carry as carring my cell phone or wallet. Now with that said, I do have several of these gun vaults for the cars, for just in case I can't carry into a business or do not want to carry when out:

[url="http://www.amazon.com/GunVault-NV300-NanoVault-Combination-Lock/dp/B003841ZBS/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1353535837&sr=8-9&keywords=micro+gun+safe"]http://www.amazon.com/GunVault-NV300-NanoVault-Combination-Lock/dp/B003841ZBS/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1353535837&sr=8-9&keywords=micro+gun+safe[/url]

Then when I am home, I always 110% of the time secure the guns either in the large safe that I have or in more of those little safes that I have scattered around the house. All of these little safes are cabled locked to something secure. I have been carrying since year 1 of Tennessee carry program, and never have had one incident. One more point, since the kids have been born, I have kept one out of chamber, just an added safety feature.

[Will H]

I have a 5 year old, and whenever we are going to get down and play in the floor at home or at a park I just reach down and put my Beretta's safety on. The firing pin block rotates up and that extra level of security is there just in case of horseplay. Simple.

My 5 year old already knows gun safety too. That's the biggest thing.

I know a lot of people will take this personally, but I don't mean it that way. Glock makes, in my opinion, some of the very best range/duty guns on the market today.

That said there is no way I would ever CC one no matter what. I want the manual safety in an active family lifestyle with kids jumping on you as soon as you walk in the door, a dog that got to ambush you when you walk in the backyard, etc. Now, not any old safety will do. I want to know that firing pin block is moving and the gun will not go off. I also want to use it when holstering my weapon. I can then flip the safety off when leaving the house.

No, I do not rely on a mechanical safety, but I like to have it as that extra layer of protection. Edited November 21, 2012 by Will H

[JWC]

I too flip the safety on on mine in the house. 98% of the timei carry a ruger sr9c in a iwb Theiss holster. If me and my son are horseplayin' i usually take it off and put it up secured. I don't like horseplayin'/wrestlin' with him with it on bc it's uncomfortable to me. I don't go to parks so that works out. At bed time i keep my night time firearm on the shelf in the closet. Not ideal cause i feel its too far from me. I want a bedside safe like the linked gun vault but its not funded in the budget just yet.

[JayC]

Level 2 retention holster, the gun isn't ever going to fall out while goofing off... The entire holster will rip/fall off long before the gun comes out of it.

I have a 2 year old daughter myself.

[TMF]

To the OP, I was in same boat with my first. I always stayed one step ahead of his capabilities. Once he went mobile I started keeping my pistol in a high drawer. Once he started walking I went and got a bedside safe to keep my pistol in, and all other guns went in the big lockup. It's too easy to forget when you're chasing kids around, so better safe than sorry.

When I go to kid places I tend to IWB a smaller pistol than my full size so I don't print or have it peek out.

[UncleJak]

I have 2 kids myself and the best thing I ever did was talk to them about guns. I know your child is too young for that, so just be safe until then. Just a few weeks ago we were at a empty house where I was doing some work and my son came to me and said, "dad, there is a gun in here". I had been through the house at least 10 times and never saw anything. I asked if he was serious and he said he was and it was a rifle of some sort. He did not touch it, instead he came and got me right away. Turned out to be a bb rifle hidden behind a door. I praised him for his good decision and ended up giving him the gun.

[Guest Gen. Patton]

I have a 6yo daughter that I get on weekends religiously so I have to make a lot of little changes before I bring her back to "Daddyland". My tactical hiding places for my AR and my 12 guage are abandoned and they go up. I have a mounted gunsafe that stores all my handguns so they go up. To compensate for this lack of options I MUST make sure that even and especially in my home I can defend us with maximum force and if a particularly stealthy armed intruder is in room A and my firearms are in rooms B and C under lock and key that could be a bad day for us. I carry my 1911 in an IWB holster and when I play and wrestle with her I take it off and put it somewhere out of her reach but easy to access by me at a moments notice. I tend not to play with other peoples kids so that keeps confusion down and her sisters that she has through her mother (7 and 10), that I think of as my kids in a way, already know not to jump on daddy in certain places so that's not a problem especially when you anticipate that they might forget sometimes and to pivot and turn your non-gun side to them when they're running to jump on you. There's a lot of considerations but it can be done. Just be safe all the time anyway and everyone will be fine. Edited November 22, 2012 by Gen. Patton

[EastHipster]

Unload/clear your pistol and test your holster retention.

Short of doing handstand push-ups (and even THAT was mostly ok), I had a hard time getting my Glock 17 to fall out of my IWB.

You want to make sure kids can't grab it out of the holster.
But 'bumping' a Glock won't make it fire.

[Guest DarylDixon]

I have a 5 year old, a 3 year old, and a 6 month old. Around the house I carry a Springfield XD 9mm sub-compact in a Minotaur IWB holster. I don't keep a round in the chamber because I feel that in my situation it is safer. Check out this article for an intelligent and different perspective http://thinkinggunfighter.blogspot.com/2010/09/myths-of-israeli-method-of-carry-or-why.html?m=1
My guns are kept in a large quick access bedside safe. The 9mm goes in the nightstand drawer at bed time and then goes in the top shelf of the closet first thing in the morning while I get dressed, and then it goes with me.

[MississippiBoy]

Thanks for all the food for thought. I am looking at either practicing with condition 3 carry or a pocket pistol with a manual saftey such as a Bodyguard. 380. I will have to play with my timing and see which is a faster carrying method and will probably utilize both at times. I was already looking at a bedside pistol safe, and I keep all my rifles and long guns in a safe.

Thanks again.

[wstrnrdr]

I have carried for several years, with previous military and LE experience. Experince with a carry weapon is key, not just firing on a range, but handling on a daily basis. To the point your safety habits are ingrained.I carry at all times not at work, with a holster with good retention. I have a custom holster and a blackhawk serpa as well. No way to lose the weapon. I do not handle my weapon with the kids around as well. With 2 5-6 year old grand kids and a 2 year old neighbor around at times my safety habits are paramount. The only weapon not in the safe at all times is the one on my hip, just good common sense. I have also taught the older ones that they should never touch a weapon they see or find, get an adult. I also realize sometimes kids are curious hence all weapons are locked up, Basic weapon common sense and good second nature safety practices are the best protection. Also in some cases you may find a parent may not like the thought or idea of you carrying a weapon around their child, you will have to find the solution that best fits the particular situation. I have no family or friends that have a problem with my carry. I do have a small pistol safe where I could lock up if need be. A neighbor did have an issue a couple years ago, so I left my weapon in the safe in my truck. But after 2 trips to the range ( have our own range on our property ), their attitude did an about face. Teaching kids what a weapon is about and the safety that goes along with it is a lesson for life.

[10-Ring]

I have a 3 year old, my wife and I are simply raising her into the "gun culture." At 3 she knows what a gun is and not to touch it. That does not mean that we leave guns lying around. My wife usually checks her gun when she gets home. That means either on top of the refrigerator, dresser, on or in the safe, just depends on what we are doing. I will usually carry on myself and check my gun if I'm playing with my daughter. Seems that it does make it a little harder to conceal in public while picking her up and whatnot so I'm always conscious of that. My best advice is to talk to your kids about guns even if you think they aren't big enough to understand what you are saying. We've tested out daughter by leaving an unloaded gun on the kitchen table. She immediately came and got us to tell us there was a gun. If you shield your kids from guns completely and they come across one they will not know not to touch it.

[maroonandwhite]

[quote name='10-Ring' timestamp='1354203005' post='852412']
I have a 3 year old, my wife and I are simply raising her into the "gun culture." At 3 she knows what a gun is and not to touch it. That does not mean that we leave guns lying around. My wife usually checks her gun when she gets home. That means either on top of the refrigerator, dresser, on or in the safe, just depends on what we are doing. I will usually carry on myself and check my gun if I'm playing with my daughter. Seems that it does make it a little harder to conceal in public while picking her up and whatnot so I'm always conscious of that. My best advice is to talk to your kids about guns even if you think they aren't big enough to understand what you are saying. We've tested out daughter by leaving an unloaded gun on the kitchen table. She immediately came and got us to tell us there was a gun. If you shield your kids from guns completely and they come across one they will not know not to touch it.
[/quote] That's a pretty good idea about testing them. Of course I am sure you made sure there was no ammo around anywhere. I look forward to shooting with my kids when we have some.

[LI0NSFAN]

I am a stay at home dad and I made comments about this before and am glad to see this was more of a positive thread. I have a 1yr old and a 2yr old and I tried alot of things for safe carry. I got a couple of different holsters and tried them out. I bought a tranning barrel to put in my glock and sig so they could not be fired at all and cleared and filled the mag of my 380 with dummy rounds. I tried out all the combos I could think of while at home. I wore each set up for 1 week and had some scary realizations. I found that a pocket pistol is not for me, within 2 hours I was playing with the kids when I heard the unnerving click of the trigger. I had one of those shoot through holsters. My son hit it just right, he is very active and kicks that area a lot. I moved on to the larger guns and found that the IWB seem better. the OWB got caught on stuff and got bumped when picking up the kids. I never had a dry fire with the full size in a holster. I used to carry OWB all the time and it took me a little bit to get comfortable with IWB but It is barely noticable now

[Guest MilitiaMan]

I carry as safely as I would anyother day or in any other situation or around anyone else. One thing I do find myself doing is that, if walking holding my little one's hand, I have them walk on my off side. Just common sense in my opinion.

[Jonnin]

Same as always. I have no children so the house is absolutely not kid safe and I tend to clear out a couple of rooms & keep the kids in those if someone comes over. Most of my friends are at that age and starting to pass it (kids are getting closer to 10ish in general) but I have not had a bit of trouble being around them with my normal carry. I pocket carry so lifting kids or playing is not going to expose or drop the gun.

As for exposure, yes get them used to them. IMHO the best thing you can do with guns and kids to get the kids to classify guns as "boring and dangerous adult stuff" --- about as exciting and interesting as a clothes iron, hot stove, or lawnmower. If they want to see it, show it to them. Explain the rules and that touching it can get them hurt. IMHO again, the worst thing you can do about guns and kids is to make them want to touch/play/poke at them due to an aura of mystery or boundry testing.

I do not care for kids toy guns for gun owning parents at a young age so there is no confusion between a toy and the real thing, and so there are no bad habits from shooting each other with nerf projectiles etc. Once old enough to understand the difference, the toys are OK, but at age 3 or 4? They could think the real thing is a toy...!!! Edited November 29, 2012 by Jonnin