Securing firearms at home

[Guest Grubbah]

I have to, for a moment, think about the flip side of the coin.

 

I recall seeing in the news on several occasions recently where a firearm was used by a minor in justifiable self defense against a home intruder.  I have to wonder to myself, what would have been the outcome if the kids left at home were unable to access that firearm because it was safely locked away.  Would they have been kidnapped, killed, sexually assaulted, all of the above?  All I can say is thank God someone was reckless enough to leave a gun accessible by a minor in those cases, and thank God they were wise enough to teach their children how to use it.

 

I was raised around firearms, and more often than not they were accessible.  Even when they were in a safe, I knew where the hidden key was. 

 

The bottom line for me, was that I was raised by parents who taught me to be very strict about firearm safety.  I had plenty of opportunities to handle the various guns in the house under supervision and trips to the range were not uncommon.  By the time I was old enough to be trusted at home alone, I was also trusted to be responsible with everything in the house, including the guns.  Now, did I on occasion fondle a few lever actions when I was alone....well yeah.  But I still do that today and just like back then the first thing I do is visually check to make sure its safe to fondle it!

 

I was even present one time for a negligent discharge when I was pretty young, perhaps that left a big impression.  I still remember the look on my Grandpa's face when he put a .22 sized hole in the ceiling of the dining room and the sound of my grandmother yelling from the living room asking what the hell was he doing shooting a gun in the house....

Edited January 29, 2013 by Grubbah

[itchytriggerfinger]

I took the first step to solving my problem.  Thanks to The Safe House.

 

[peejman]

I took the first step to solving my problem.  Thanks to The Safe House.

 

Good deal!

[10-Ring]

I grew up around guns and always had access to them.  I got my first shotgun when I was 10 but I don't think I was allowed to keep ammo until I was about 12, which was when I was allowed to hunt alone.  By 16 I had my .22, a 12 gauge, and a .270, I kept them all in my room and was allowed to transport them to go shooting or hunting.  My guns were not allowed to come out when friends were over with the exception of a couple that my parents knew well and had shot with.  I can honestly say I never did anything that I wasn't supposed to do with a gun growing up. 

 

Now I'm on the other side of that equation and have a 3 year old.  We have exposed her to guns, she knows not to touch a gun without asking first.  It seems that she isn't very curious about them as we have let her handle them unloaded.  The curiosity just doesn't seem to be there.  We still take the necessary precautions.  Guns are either in the safe or on our person.  We used to leave them on top of the safe of fridge but since she started climbing on everything we have stopped that.  I'm torn on what to do as my daughter gets older and we add more children as well.  I fully intend to teach my children about guns and instill gun safety and responsibility into them.  I want to be able to leave them with a gun when they get old enough if need be when my wife and I are not here.  I also realize that teenagers will be teenagers and even the most responsible ones make bad decisions from time to time. 

 

I remember when I was coming up there were certain lines that you did not cross and guns were one of them.  I remember getting my ass kicked by a group of 5 bullies when I was about 14, I didn't go home and get a gun, never crossed my mind.  I knew that if I showed bad judgement one time my guns would be taken away from me permanently and I liked my guns and getting to hunt whenever I wanted too much to let that happen.  The fear of losing my guns negated any temptation I may have ever had to do anything stupid with one.