[FAS1]

You could keep a dedicated HD gun is a good quality quick access handgun safe and a pocket gun on you when at home. Works for me in a similar floor plan.

[Ledbetter84]

Originally Posted by winds-of-change

It is much better, I think, to be overly cautious than to regret a terrible tragedy and spend the rest of your life thinking, "If I had only......".

What she said

[Tackleberry1]

Originally Posted by winds-of-change

As you probably know, I am in the process of looking for a small gun I can carry around the house and property. I live in Illinois so I can't carry out on the streets (yet). I think your best bet would be to carry on your person around the house. At night I have a small safe next to my bed that I can access within seconds. I recommend that to you, too. I don't have any small children but I do have a very beloved granddaughter that comes to my house often. My guns are always either locked in the safe or with me. When I find a small carry firearm, I will carry it on me. I would never leave a loaded gun unattended in my house. But that's just me and I know many others have differing opinions.

So, on your person when you are awake. Just an arm length away, locked, when you are sleeping. I know there are those who say you won't have time to unlock your safe in a crisis but I believe my dogs will give me enough notice that something isn't right to open my safe and grab my gun. With three dogs in the house I don't expect to wake up with a BG standing over my bed with no notice.

These are my guns, I am responsible for them. It is my job to keep them from being messed with by children or adults and it is my job to be sure they are not stolen. The way I do that is to carry it with me or to keep them in a safe. That's the way I look at it.

+1 Winds. If you have kids it's either ON YOU or locked up. 100% retention.

If you can't handle that then keep them all locked all the time. The likelihood of suffering a home invasion is pretty small compared to the potential for a toddler finding a "stashed" gun.

Tack

[Vikingdad]

I have posted on this subject many times. Your kids are of the age where they must be taught firearms safety, but at the same time you must practice absolute safety in keeping loaded firearms completely out of their access.

It is not easy, but nothing worthwhile is easy. Raising your kids to be responsible humans pretty much starts at birth. If you start early you will rarely be disappointed. If you try to hide anything from your kids you will inevitably fail. So involve them, teach them.

Hard-core safety is not a weakness.

[DrumJunkie]

Carrying one on you would be the only way make sure that it's not getting into hands that it doesn't need to be. I agree that getting to hem early as possible and teaching kids about safety is a great thing to do. At 2 i might be a little too early for the ADD prone toddlers. I started really getting the gun safety thing into my little ones heads around 4 years old. I always had one weapon out of the safe but it was always with me until they got a bit older. Elevation is still your friend if the are still around 2 yrs. I don't know if that's a good option for you or not though. The only real safe method though is keeping it on you. It's the only way to really know..you know? Maybe a pocket gun of some kind? Could at least buy you time to get to a bigger one.

[MobileMarine]

Well the only ones I keep out are my taurus's and both have the second safety that requires a tool to unlock , but I dont have the tool , i think i can use a security hex drive to do it but . I ruff house to much with them to carry while home . He has a 6in s&x 357 plastic gun but the scary thing is , he knows the difference . And yes I have realized its too early to start teaching them . Maybe a 20lb trigger pull would do the trick ? lol
Do you guys keep one the chamber or do you prefer to rack one when need be ?
I have a habbit to keep all ready to rock with safety on .

[BigB]

Originally Posted by MobileMarine

Well the only ones I keep out are my taurus's and both have the second safety that requires a tool to unlock , but I dont have the tool , i think i can use a security hex drive to do it but . I ruff house to much with them to carry while home . He has a 6in s&x 357 plastic gun but the scary thing is , he knows the difference . And yes I have realized its too early to start teaching them . Maybe a 20lb trigger pull would do the trick ? lol
Do you guys keep one the chamber or do you prefer to rack one when need be ?
I have a habbit to keep all ready to rock with safety on .

Rack one when need be, no need to take any unnecessary chances. I'd hate to live the rest of my life wondering as they stated earlier! Safety first!!!!

[JTJ]

My biggest worry was the kids friends. Mine were trained very early on that certain places were off limits. They started handling training at 5 and before that it was no touch. I showed them several times what a gun can do on an orange or melon. They understand more than you think. There were some "child proof" drawer locks available but it has been a very long time. You can put a hasp on a high drawer and a clip or lock if you dont have a safe. It always amazed me what kids are capable of mechanically. If my daughter had gotten hold of a gun, she probably would have taken it apart and had everything neatly laid out. And that was at 2. My son probably would have shot it at that age.

[FAS1]

Originally Posted by JTJ

My biggest worry was the kids friends. Mine were trained very early on that certain places were off limits. They started handling training at 5 and before that it was no touch. I showed them several times what a gun can do on an orange or melon. They understand more than you think. There were some "child proof" drawer locks available but it has been a very long time. You can put a hasp on a high drawer and a clip or lock if you dont have a safe. It always amazed me what kids are capable of mechanically. If my daughter had gotten hold of a gun, she probably would have taken it apart and had everything neatly laid out. And that was at 2. My son probably would have shot it at that age.

When I decided to make the handgun safe that I now sell it was when my son's friend said "I know where your gun is" while I was reloading in the garage. They were around 12 years old at the time. I only had one gun that wasn't in the safe at that time and it was a small loaded pistol in my toolbox in the garage. Even though nobody touched it, in my mind I could see him say "Cool" and grab for it.

[Jeepergeo]

With your kids in the house, and maybe kids visiting from time to time, you have got to positively secure the firearms. Kids are creative, and they will find things in a matter of time....those little eyes observe and those minds think at an amazing rate.

A safe for long term storage, and maybe one of those quick access finger vaults for your home defense weapon might serve your needs. Check local laws.

Consider improving your perimeter security so that you have more time. Better doors, better lighting, fewer hiding places, etc. might help give you the time you need.