Storing firearms when not at home

[Briarfox]

I'm just wondering If I'm totally off on the stroing of firearms when not at home.

My sister keep a shotgun with shells in the tube by her bed and a handgun in her nightstand. I have no issue with this when she is home but she keeps them out 24/7. She is gone for the weekend and my little sister is staying at her place. She has no firearms experience and it worries me that the guns are not at the bare minimum locked with a cable lock.

I think having the guns always unlocked is a very bad idea. If someone were to break in when she was not home, she would be arming the intruder. She also lives next to a school and I worry about kids screwing around and breaking in. Would she be liable if one of them got hurt if the played/used the firearm?

What do you guys think.

Thanks,

[puropuro]

Nightmare scenarios....
1) Coming home to a burglary in progress and facing down the barrel of your own gun.
2) Visitor to the home getting hurt while handling unlocked gun.

solutions:
Gun safe
quick release rack
minimum - trigger lock

She's totally liable for most scenarios.

[Fjold]

All my guns are locked in the big safe or the smaller pistol safes except for the one that I'm carrying.

[Briarfox]

Thanks guys for taking the time to read and respond. I agree 100% but my arguments fall on def ears....

[SDI]

Sounds like little sister needs some firearms training. I usually look at these things from a different angle. Instead of locking up, I always prefer to see education.

If the house is locked and someone breaks in and steals a gun loaded or not, she is not liable.

[SeanCasey]

A safe recommended. Lowes sometimes has an entry level 14 gun safe for a fairly affordable price. It is better than nothing. Heck, even a basic locker is better than nothing.

When I am home my guns are unlocked and loaded. When I leave home they go in the safe and locked up.

[stix213]

She'd likely be liable if the little sister hurt herself or others, but I don't think she would be if they were stolen. Stealing an entire gun safe is no problem for a thief with a little time on their hands anyway. Its not like they have to hurry off out of someone's house because they need to get to work. No, they have all the time in the world if you aren't home.

[NotSoFast]

Mine stay in a safe loaded when I am not home. When I am home, they are loaded and readily available.

[norcal77]

Thanks guys for taking the time to read and respond. I agree 100% but my arguments fall on def ears....

You have a couple options..these depend on how close you are with your sister.

Both of these involve you being the instigator/jerk.

1. Sit and wait for your sister in a disguise in her home until she gets home and point her UNLOADED firearm at her when she walks in the door claiming it's a robbery. This will scare the crap out of her and get your point across pretty bluntly. My uncle did this to his sister and it worked rather well.

2. Other option..not as dramatic. Simply make the firearms disappear and play dumb when she can't find them. She'll naturally worry about it as you plant seeds of incrimination in her head. If she tries to call it in to LE then distract her..i.e..what if little sister took it?, do you want to throw her in jail and rail road her?..typical guilt trip crap. She'll think twice after that...

FYI..I came up with these 'creative' solutions after hearing people grip about things..I personally have never done them but I suggested them to people and it worked. They are somewhat harsh and they definitely trigger emotions but that is what I go for when I want to change someones behavior/mentality.

That's just me though.

[SeanCasey]

#1 is just a bad idea. I violates a couple of the biggest rules of gun handling (all gun should be considered loaded, and never point at something you are not prepared to kill/destroy), is probably illegal (brandishing), and could easily sway the person to the anti-gun side or at least ruin any relationship. Worst case is someone seeing this but having a loaded gun and deciding to defend the victim.

#2 is a better idea, but I wouldn't take it, I would disassemble it and hide the parts in different areas of the house.

[IEShooter]

Stealing safes

Stealing an entire gun safe is no problem for a thief with a little time on their hands anyway. Its not like they have to hurry off out of someone's house because they need to get to work. No, they have all the time in the world if you aren't home.

Not if you properly secure it inside your home as you should. Mine weighs nearly 2000 pounds empty and is bolted to the foundation of the house. They'd need a forklift to get it out.

Regards,

John

[evidens83]

Please have her securely store it before somebody pokes their eyes out All it takes is an innocent unknowlingly curious person to cause a ND or worse.

[bsg]

i may get criticized for this suggestion but they are both your sisters; would your older sister respond favorably if you bought her a $120.00 stack on type storage safe for the guns? would you be willing to do that? the worst case scenario is already in place; the hammer falling is next. i am glad that you are concerned....

[DiscoBayJoe]

Is your Sister Hot and Single?

A Woman that is comfortable with her firearms is great! I wish my Girlfriend was that comfortable.

I keep a gun cocked & locked on the nightstand at all times, whether i'm home or not. I get grief for it from the woman. The rest are in the safe. I leave 4 dogs in the house when i'm not around. Anybody that makes it past my dogs and upstairs to my nightstand will also make it thru the metal on the safe. Other than my dogs, I have no children to worry about.

[Rob454]

IMO if I were on a jury and I had each of the circumstances you described I would find her completely negligent. She should at the minimum get a gun lock. When im not home my guns go in a safe. When I'm home gun comes out. its a slight PITA but I'm used to it and its no big deal.