Where to keep you home defense weapons?

[2012Survivalist]

Hey all i've been wondering where most of you keep your home defense weapons. I have small children so that's a big issue, so I've been having a hard time trying to figure out how to keep it accessible enough to get to it in an emergency, and to keep it away from my children's reach..... I have a pistol and a shotgun, currently got them locked up high in my closet but it seems like its going to take to long to get to them if someone broke it and rushed my bedroom..... What are you suggestions ?

[Soldier415]

They have a simple rack, forget the name but you screw it into the wall at whatever height you want. It has a tensioned clamp that holds a shotgun. High enough to be out of kids reach, but all you have to do is grab and pull if something goes bump in the night.

Without breaking opsec on my home setup. I keep a loaded gun within relatively easy reach in each area of my place.

If i'm sitting on the couch and someone kicks my door in, and my HD gun is on the nightstand...wrong answer.

[will227457]

I do not currently have children so it is not an issue for me, I have put some thought in to this because my wife and I will be starting a family soon.

1. leave the shotgun locked up during the day only bring it out at night and put it by your night stand, I would hope your children are not sneaking into your room at night while you are sleeping, lock it up in the morning.

2. Carry your pistol on your person while you are in the house, and when you get home from work. Lock it up while you are out of the house. This way the gun is always in your posession, and cannot fall into the hands of a child or visitor.

take this with a grain of salt as I do not currently have kids and do not know the dynamic in your home......

[Capt. Speirs]

Hey all i've been wondering where most of you keep your home defense weapons. I have small children so that's a big issue, so I've been having a hard time trying to figure out how to keep it accessible enough to get to it in an emergency, and to keep it away from my children's reach..... I have a pistol and a shotgun, currently got them locked up high in my closet but it seems like its going to take to long to get to them if someone broke it and rushed my bedroom..... What are you suggestions ?

I got news for you, if they rushed your bedroom while you are sleeping, you aren't going to do much even if you sleep with gun in hand.

Keep a handgun by your head in a locked box that opens very quickly like those finger combinations. Mind you the box will only keep small children away from the gun, a thief will be able to open it in less than 10 seconds, unless someone found a better one on the market than I did.

[tmuller]

You can find small handgun safes but for your shotgun you might be SOL.



ETA: the one pictures is available at Cabela's for around $75, you can find less expensive ones too.

[paintballergb]

Perhaps something like this under a nightstand, behind a head board, etc.

http://quickdrawgunmagnets.com/

[Capt. Speirs]

Perhaps something like this under a nightstand, behind a head board, etc.

http://quickdrawgunmagnets.com/

And the safety of his children?

[paintballergb]

And the safety of his children?

Well obviously put it some where they can't reach it. If he wants true safety then locked up is the ONLY way to go.

[Sam]

2. Carry your pistol on your person while you are in the house, and when you get home from work. Lock it up while you are out of the house. This way the gun is always in your posession, and cannot fall into the hands of a child or visitor.

I get to come home with it on! Sorry, had to brag. Anyway, I like the gunvault series and I currently am using the Ft. Knox handgun safe. It's pretty heavy duty, but really just stops the smash and grab type burglars. I have no ideas about long gun storage.

[SanSacto]

I do not have children, but I do have roommates. Because of that I keep a pistol on my desk and a AK leaning behind my bookshelf, both unloaded. I do not keep a loaded mag in either, although I do have loaded mags out of sight but quickly accessible.

[paintballergb]

What about a wall safe. Cut a hole in the drywall, screw it to your studs from the inside and you'll have yourself a secure weapon right next to your bed and no chance of someone running off with your safe.

[fishmaniac]

Just get a nice bedroom door lock and you can keep bedroom rushing perps and nosy, curious kids out.

Regardless, you should always leave guns locked up 24/7 when kids are around. It's the right thing to do.

[sorensen440]

Its simple really
keep them locked up when your away and carry while your home

[maxicon]

With kids, there is only one responsible option, IMO. You have to keep them locked up in whatever ready state works for you.

Hiding stuff from kids or roommates is a disaster waiting to happen. Even if you train your kids well, they have friends who might get into things. Hoping they won't find dangerous gear - well, you know what they say about hope.

Handguns are easy - use a Gunvault or something similar. Fast, easy access, keeps kids out until they're old enough to use a prybar (and hopefully they've got the appropriate values not to by then), and California certified as a lockbox.

I prefer the Gunvault because it's very fast, easy to work in the dark (try that with the 12 key pad posted above), and the door opens out of your way. Downsides are the electronic lock and that you can lock yourself out of it if you don't practice fumble recovery.

Others prefer boxes based on the mechanical Simplex lock, which is reliable but slightly more complicated to use. It's a matter of personal preference -try both, and practice, practice, practice.

Keep a hand held light either next to the lockbox or in it. A light on your gun is good, but you don't want to be pointing your gun at noises in the night to identify them if you've got kids - one of the basic rules of gun safety.

For long guns, it's harder - they need to be ready and locked, and that's not as easy as with handguns. There have been products to lock them on the wall, but some families are uncomfortable with guns displayed in the open. Other options are to lock them in a closet, but whatever you choose, you have to be able to get into it quickly.

Again, you need a light, but with a long gun, you're hampered by the fact that both hands are full, and you're back to pointing your gun at what you want to identify. Also, if you want to get your kids into one room (like your bedroom) at 3 am, they're going to be groggy and sleepy, and you'll need a hand free to help them along, or even carry them.

My recommendation is to practice at night with the lights out, using your various weapons of choice. Pretend you're bringing a 2 and 4 year old back to your room, where your wife is on the phone to 911, while checking that the various doors you pass by don't have bad guys hanging out nearby.

There are a lot of choices to make, and many of them are personal decisions. Practice, read up on techniques, and take some classes on home defense if possible.

[2012Survivalist]

Great suggestions everyone thx, I think that small pistol/gun safe in my nightstand is the best answer for me, and i guess ill just keep the shotgun unloaded at the top of my closet for now, when the kids get older ill probably have to lock it up, Hopefully my dog will wakemeup/ buy me enough time to get to them, I don't expect anyone other than a trained assassin to be able to get all the way to my bedroom without me hearing anything anyway