Securing firearms at home

[itchytriggerfinger]

I know what it was.  Introduction of Child Access Prevention Laws.  I don't think TN has one, but they pretty much read like this:

 

A person commits the crime of criminally negligent storage of a firearm if the person stores or keeps any loaded or unloaded firearm with ammunition under his or her control and knows or reasonably should know a minor is capable of gaining access to the firearm and the minor uses the firearm to threaten or cause the death of or injury to any person.

[itchytriggerfinger]

Ah, I found it.  I knew I wasn't crazy....

 

TN 39-17-1320

 

( a ) It is an offense for a person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly to provide a handgun with or without remuneration to any person that the person providing the handgun knows or has reason to believe is a juvenile in violation of § 39-17-1319.

 

( b ) It is an offense for a parent or guardian intentionally, knowingly or recklessly to provide a handgun to a juvenile or permit a juvenile to possess a handgun, if the parent or guardian knows of a substantial risk that the juvenile will use a handgun to commit a felony.

 

( c ) Unlawfully providing or permitting a juvenile to possess a handgun in violation of subsection ( a ) is a Class A misdemeanor and in violation of subsection ( b ) is a Class D felony.

 

 

 

Edit: formatting

Edited January 21, 2013 by itchytriggerfinger

[RobertNashville]

No children in the house so I have a pistol within arms reach in every room I spend time in.  Of course, when I have guests and especially guests with children they all go in the safe and I simply carry as I would were I out in public.

 

I do understand that not everyone has the $$$ or even the need for a "safe" but I do find it disappointing that some gun owners treat securing their weapons from children in such a caviler fashion - it's just not that difficult (nor does it need to be expensive) to secure them from young hands.

[Guest carter]

I grew up with gun as a kid... my father hid the pistols but not the shotguns and rifles... they where kept in a hall closet... he had a revolver in his top drawer of this dresser and another on a top shelf in his closet... some how he would always know when i messed with them... he kept them loaded too...but i was always safe and knew how to handle a firearm... by the time i was 12 i had my own rifle... i got a marlin camp 9mm... then joined the school shooting team... then i got my own shot gun ( remington 870 ) my own 22 rifle (ruger 77/22) and a bow (jennings genesis in black gold and red) when i turned 16yo i got my first hand gun,  my parents always just took me out to buy my xmas gift... i went to Jims pawn and gun,  and found it, brand new colt king cobra .357 with 6 inch barrel... i was in love... and it stayed in my night stand :)...  OH and i also played shooting video games...wolfenstein then went to doom... heck i currently play COD black ops 2... and NEVER had the urge to randomly shoot anyone... i do remember pulling my pistol once... my father worked night and me and my mom where at home... i slept up stares and parents down stares... my mother yelled at me in the middle of the night and i woke up...she asked if i heard anything... i said no...she then pulled her S&W 686 6" barrel out and cleared the house... i stayed up stares and looked out the gable windows... nothing was to be found... so i went back to sleep... I'm sure she stayed up for a while... but something is going on with these kids now... not sure what it is but its not the guns doing it...

[VERO1]

Coming from Florida where it was  law that all guns had to be secured from children, I keep all of mine in the safe.  Will I be able to get to them in time?,probably not.  I would still rather take that chance, over a tragic gun related accident that we read about all to frequently.

[Guest Wildogre]

No kids in the house now. When I did they were taught firearm safety. Even tested them with an airsoft gun left on the table all day long and it never moved. Now I have one in reach most of the time but the rest are locked up.

[JReedEsq]

I have a 2-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old son.  Unless I have one in a holster on my person, all my guns stay locked up.  Most of the time they are all locked up in a big safe with at least one pistol in a small "quick access" safe.  My 4 year old son is smart and curious.  I don't trust any tall shelf etc... to keep dangerous things away from him.  I also don't hide the existence of my guns from him.  He knows what they are, that they are dangerous, not to touch them and that if he sees one somewhere else he's always supposed to tell an adult immediately.    

[JReedEsq]

Coming from Florida where it was  law that all guns had to be secured from children, I keep all of mine in the safe.  Will I be able to get to them in time?,probably not.  I would still rather take that chance, over a tragic gun related accident that we read about all to frequently.

 

I'm of the opinion that you probably don't have to choose.... What do I mean by that?  My doors and windows are all alarmed and our boxer roams the first floor of our house at night.  He's a big baby, but he is loud and displays typical protective mannerisms for my wife and kids.  I'm a light sleeper... I open and close the "quick access" pistol safe so often that it is automatic to my fingers.... 

Edited January 22, 2013 by JReedEsq

[Andyshowfan]

I may be way off here, but I grew up with guns and my dad thought me to respect the guns and to respect his wishes about them as well as anything else. He never locked the guns up at all. Dad never kept them loaded, but I knew exactly where the ammo was and how to load the guns.  I am under the thinking that if you teach a child to respect the weapon, take them out and show the kids what the gun can do and the damage it can create then it will take the "curiosity" out of it all together. When my kids were very young, up till about 6-7yrs old I kept my guns in a locked cabinet. Once they were old enough to comprehend the proper and safe functioning of the weapons I have allowed them to either shoot, if age/size appropriate or watch me shoot each of my guns, teach them how to load, shoot, unload, clean and properly store the guns. In doing so I feel I have taken the "wow, look what I found!" curiousness out of it. I keep all but one of my guns in a safe, but have my sidearm on the end table while awake or on my chest of drawers while asleep. If any of my children's friends come over I show and tell about the gun, but then keep it on my side as I'm not sure what their parents have thought them. I did this with all the cleaners, chemicals, etc as well and never put cabinet locks on the doors. I have never had any of my 3 kids, shoot, shoot someone, or poison themselves yet. 

[RobertNashville]

I may be way off here, but I grew up with guns and my dad thought me to respect the guns and to respect his wishes about them as well as anything else. He never locked the guns up at all. Dad never kept them loaded, but I knew exactly where the ammo was and how to load the guns.  I am under the thinking that if you teach a child to respect the weapon, take them out and show the kids what the gun can do and the damage it can create then it will take the "curiosity" out of it all together. When my kids were very young, up till about 6-7yrs old I kept my guns in a locked cabinet. Once they were old enough to comprehend the proper and safe functioning of the weapons I have allowed them to either shoot, if age/size appropriate or watch me shoot each of my guns, teach them how to load, shoot, unload, clean and properly store the guns. In doing so I feel I have taken the "wow, look what I found!" curiousness out of it. I keep all but one of my guns in a safe, but have my sidearm on the end table while awake or on my chest of drawers while asleep. If any of my children's friends come over I show and tell about the gun, but then keep it on my side as I'm not sure what their parents have thought them. I did this with all the cleaners, chemicals, etc as well and never put cabinet locks on the doors. I have never had any of my 3 kids, shoot, shoot someone, or poison themselves yet. 

Actually; I'd say teaching your children how to properly handle and respect guns is exactly what should be done. My only caution is about securing the weapons; not from your children but from "others".

Mine stay in my safe for the safety of the firearms. :)

[itchytriggerfinger]

I disagree with all of you guys that think it's OK to teach a child about gun safety, and if you do, then you shouldn't have a problem.  Keep them locked up and out of reach of all children INCLUDING teenagers. 

 

True story follows...

 

There is a lady here at work who has a 15 year old teenager.  This kid is a good kid, and I'm not one to give that compliment easily.  I've met him several times and his head is square on his shoulders.  He's an A-B student.  Moreover, he's grown up around guns since a kid, and is currently eying the prize for top trap shooter in the state.  He knows guns.  He knows how to be safe with all guns.

 

Well, I'm sitting in my cube one day and I hear her take a call.  She's getting very upset.  30 seconds later I see her leaving telling everyone, "I have to go, I have to go, I have to go." 

 

Come to find out, this outstanding son of hers and a friend were home alone, and bored.  He thought I would be cool to show his buddy his dad's Glock from the top drawer of the dresser.  They were screwing around with it, and he managed to blast a hole through the brand new flat screen TV.  No one was hurt, but it gave everyone the scare of their life.

 

 

So someone please tell me why you think your kids are any more mature than this one. 

[1gewehr]

When I was growing up NONE of my family's guns were secured.  The only one that was left loaded was my Dad's .45 in his sock drawer.  When I was old enough to get into things (3-4), my father blew up a melon with the .45 close enough to splatter me with juice and rind.  He then very firmly told me to never touch a real gun without his permission.

When I got to 12, my grandfather started teaching me to shoot with his old Remington M12 .22.  By the next year, he was handing me the Remington and a box of shells before sending me off to go play in the woods all day.

 

My son went through Eddie Eagle gun safety at 6 years old.  My wife and I have always had our carry guns loaded, available, and under our control.  Our son has never touched them without permission.  Our other guns have been unloaded, and most have been secured.  Growing up, he spent plenty of time on ranges and had safety and instruction.  He's grown up now, and we have never had a moment's worry about the guns.

 

I have seen kids that grew up with guns that I feel perfectly safe to spend range time with.  I have also seen kids that grew up in the same family as the other kids, but who I would not trust with a loaded squirt gun.  You have to know your kids, and treat them as the individuals they are.

[jlautiger]

I have a bunch of kids that range from 2 months to 16.  Those over 6 have shot with me and enjoy shooting, particularly Ruger 10/22 rifles.

 

I have tried to take a balanced approach of training, respect, and understanding real vs fake.  Whenever I can, I take kids shooting so they can know the difference between real and imaginary guns and the true damage real guns can do.  We reinforce gun safety, even with their "toy" guns, particularly pointing (only at what you are willing to destroy) and trigger control.  We limit violent video games and time on video games to try and keep them in the real world; for us, we see the differences in our kids based on too much time on games.  On a side note, I do think there's an issue with some kids today that don't live in a "real" world and, therefore, don't know how to respond, interact, react, etc. to conflict and issues in the real world.  But, that's another topic for another day...

 

Even with the above, though, kids are kids and boys, in particular, are boys.  There's only so much reinforcement and training we can give them.  They will push the limits as we did and some of them will lie about what they did or didn't do. 

 

So with all the above, besides a Glock I keep near me and a couple shotguns that are being worked on, we keep all firearms locked up.  The Gunvault safes are great for locking up handguns and providing quick access in case of need.  I still haven't solved how to get to a loaded shotgun or rifle fast, but, thankfully, haven't need to yet.  That's on my list to solve.

[peejman]

I have to figure this one out as well.  My son is 4 and we keep a piece on top of the fridge and on a high shelf in the bedroom.  Otherwise, everything is in the safe. ...

 

 

I disagree with all of you guys that think it's OK to teach a child about gun safety, and if you do, then you shouldn't have a problem.  Keep them locked up and out of reach of all children....

 

 

I also have a 4 (nearly 5) year old.  Top of the fridge or bookshelf isn't remotely out of reach.  Ever left the room to pee and come back to find him/her on top of the fridge?  I have.

[itchytriggerfinger]

peejman, I agree with you.  I need a new solution.  Probably the small finger lock safes, both upstairs and down.

 

I'm just hoping everyone recognizes training and trust isn't enough. 

[runco]

I have a 9 year old, 7 year old, 4 year old and a newborn. All of my guns are secured in the main safe, but I do have two others that are in those little safes with a cable and combo lock. My kids are fully trained on how to handle a gun, I just am not of the opinion that I can trust their judgment. I know how they get each other in trouble, and there are neighbor kids here all the time, and defintely don't trust them.

 

This is opposite of how I was raised. Like another poster, my folks (mainly dad) kept guns all around, closets, under beds, on the couters, etc. I never once touched or tried to handle without my dad present. Never thought about it, never wanted too. Just like matches, knives and other dangerous items, I was taught those were for adults only. I was likely an exception, but as a parent, after all the stories I read on the internet (I read alot of newspapers and other internet material), I just can not do as my parents did.

[jlautiger]

It's hard to beat the GunVault Minivault safes with the finger combination for storing loaded handguns with relatively easy access.  They can sit next to your bed or in a drawer or cabinet. Once you've programmed it and practiced a few times, you can open it in the dark and very quickly.  It locks itself if the kids play with it (and get the combo wrong).  They also make a biometric one if you don't trust yourself to remember the combination under stress. 

 

I actually carried one with me on family vacation before I realized they made a smaller one (a Microvault).  My wife gave me they eye but didn't say anything.  She knew what is was for.  We had the kids with us and it was easier for me to have a safe place to put my pistol without having to sleep with it (on it really). 

[arBar]

I keep all but one gun in a lockable steel cabinet, and my wife and I both have keys.  The lone exception is my carry gun, which either is on my person or tucked away on a high cabinet when I'm home.  Both my kids have been taught gun safety and are familiar with them.

 

In the very rare case that I leave the house without my carry gun, it goes in the gun cabinet too.

[gregintenn]

I may well be proven wrong one day, and I pray not, but I trust my children with firearms more than a large percentage of adults I come in contact with.

[Wheelgunner]

We don't have kids yet so normally everything stays loaded at home. On the rare occasion when we do have kids in the house, I put a padlock through the chamber of everything except my carry gun (which stays on my hip).

[itchytriggerfinger]

You have to watch some of these videos. http://www.thesidebar.org/insecurity/?p=793

[TripleDigitRide]

You have to watch some of these videos.http://www.thesidebar.org/insecurity/?p=793

That is some very scary stuff.

[Will H]

I will admit it.  I do not own a safe.  I have a cheap Snap-On brand locked metal cabinet most of my guns stay in.  My collection is your run of the mill lever action-pump-revolver deal, and a good safe would cost more than any two of my guns are worth.  It's just not a financial possibility for me right now anyway.

 

My children are very gun-educated, have no curiosity, and are fine.  I keep the Snap-On brand cabinet as a discouragement to visitors, especially those in their age group, and so that if there was a break in the insurance company would pay up.

 

All that said if someone wants to give me a safe they don't need anymore I will be happy to take it.   :wave:  

[Guest Frightful1]

I did not grow up around guns, but always had an interest in them.  When I was 14, my dad succumbed to what he called "overwhelming" pressure and allowed me to take possession of his father's 16 gauge shotgun.  That started the lifelong gun association.  My kids grew up with guns in the house.  With the exception of the one on my right hip, all guns were unloaded and locked away.  The kids knew where they were, and knew if they want to look at and handle them all they had to do was ask.  The kids have long moved out, to be replaced with grandkids on occasion.  The guns are still locked away and unloaded, again with the exception of the one on my right hip.  The same rules still apply.  Just ask.

 

I never locked up the guns from my kids or grandkids.  I locked them up to keep the criminal element from having easy access to my guns.  They are locked in a safe which is itself locked in a storgage closet secured with a key operated dead bolt.  I feel I have done everything I can to safeguard my guns.  Not the least of which was to teach my kids and grandkids about guns and gun safety. 

[Guest chuck66]

It's not the gun it's the mystery that get kids in trouble.

 

Quoted for truth. ^

 

Heck, I got to shoot my families guns fairly regularly when I was growing up, but I still took the opportunity a couple of times to get into my grandparent's gun cabinet and check out the guns all by myself.  I was probably around 11-12ish.  I'd have been in major, major trouble if I'd been caught.  I keep that experience in the back of my mind when planning the security of my own guns around my kids. 

 

Any gun of mine is under lock and key unless I'm wearing/holding it.  My kids are only 7 and 3 right now, so they're not really gun conscious yet, but we've already been working on my son for years about gun safety. Familiarity and respect for the weapons are the big keys.  Takes away the mystery, and an understanding of the lethality of the weapon will teach them to adhere to the basic rules of firearms safety any time they're handling one, for any reason.