Where do you keep you HD Shotgun w/ kids in house?

[TYFOON]

I have a two story house and a active 4 year old.

I am thinking I will create a mount upstairs, inside the master closet, horizontal above the door.

This got me to thinking about where else would be a good spot.

I use to let the FNP-9 run night watch but with the 870 back I like the idea of having it handy:)

[Carlo1137]

I have a two story house and a active 4 year old.

I am thinking I will create a mount upstairs, inside the master closet, horizontal above the door.

This got me to thinking about where else would be a good spot.

I use to let the FNP-9 run night watch but with the 870 back I like the idea of having it handy:)

I keep mine in my safe in the morning and then when my kids a sleep I take it out and keep it close. Also its never too early to start teaching kids early about gun safely

[Synchronizor]

Also its never too early to start teaching kids early about gun safely

I second this. Growing up in Alaska, guns were a part of life. Once, when I was really little, my dad had his old Ithaca 12ga out to clean it, and I reached over and pulled the trigger when his back was turned. That loud snap of the gun dry-firing did not go over well.

He gave me the full lecture, but never tried to sell the "guns are evil, never touch them" concept. He just explained the dangers, then later (when I was a year or two older) enrolled us together in an in-depth hunter/gun safety class that included live range time.

I always knew where his guns were stored, but respected what they were because I had been taught, so I never felt the need to sneak in and screw with them. They weren't outright restricted or forbidden; if I was curious, all I had to do was ask. When he next had time, dad would pull out the firearm, and we would handle it and discuss it under his supervision.

Of course, every parent should gauge whether or not the child in question is ready to be introduced to firearms, and to what extent. However, it's far safer to teach them to respect what guns are capable of and satisfy their curiosity in a controlled manner than it is to hide them away and make them some dangerously tantalizing "forbidden fruit".

I don't have any kids of my own yet, but when I'm around them (guests, traveling, visiting, etc.), my guns are always either unloaded and action-locked, or secured firmly on my person with the trigger covered.

[spsreef]

I have boy/girl 3-year old twins. I keep the guns in a locked cabinet in the master bedroom closet. The door opens with a key that I keep with me. The key was modified to be able to find the right position in total darkness. Just in case, there is an led lamp magneted to the cabinet door. I have struggled with keeping it loaded or not. I presently keep it with six rounds in the side saddle, with the chamber open. I have considered keeping rounds in the magazine with a closed chamber.

[Kentactic]

I dont have kids so i cant answer out of experience. But i will say id still have it readily available in some fashion. At night it would still be leaning in the corner next to my bed. Best way to keep your kids from hurting some one with a gun is to teach them about guns. Take them shooting as soon as you think they can handle it.

[bigjim]

When my kids were very young I kept it on vinyl covered hooks horizontally above my closet door with shells in the magazine. When they got older I purchased a handgun safe for my night stand and kept the shotgun in a case with a cable lock and box of buck shot with it I had the key hidden under my mattress (I figured I would get the pistol first and if I had time I would get the shotgun).

I am currently rethinking things as my handgun safe no longer reliably opens using the combo (I have to have the key to open it). I have quite a bit of trust in all of my children 2 girls 18, and 16 and my 12 year old son. I introduced guns to my children when they were around 5 took them shooting and sat down and had them help me take them apart and clean them. The rule in our house has always been they can see touch etc. the guns any time they want they just need to come get me or my wife first. I have made sure that any time they have asked I drop what ever I am doing and accommodate their curiosity. We have spent a lot of time as a family Jeeping, camping, hiking and snowshoeing, and I have always open carried my glock, or had the shotgun in the tent with us so guns are a normal part of life for them.

After reading an article about a 15 year old boy using his fathers ar15 to protect him self and his little sister. I have been thinking about building up a 20ga HD shotgun with an adjustable pull stock and mounting it back above the closet door again, with no lock and shells in the magazine, with the idea that my kids would be able to use it to protect them selves if I was not home.

[Synchronizor]

I have been thinking about building up a 20ga HD shotgun with an adjustable pull stock and mounting it back above the closet door again, with no lock and shells in the magazine, with the idea that my kids would be able to use it to protect them selves if I was not home.

You must have read some of Massad Ayoob's work. A 20ga semi-auto with an adjustable stock is exactly what he recommends for a family HD weapon. You'd be the best judge, but it sounds like you've raised your kids to be able to handle the responsibility.

[rythomas0704]

I have a two story house and a active 4 year old.

I am thinking I will create a mount upstairs, inside the master closet, horizontal above the door.

This got me to thinking about where else would be a good spot.

I use to let the FNP-9 run night watch but with the 870 back I like the idea of having it handy:)

I keep mine in my safe in the morning and then when my kids a sleep I take it out and keep it close. Also its never too early to start teaching kids early about gun safely

I fully agree with you here. I have a 5 year old step son whom myself and his father teach him safe shooting practices and make sure that he FULLY understands what guns can do. He is quite adept with my old Marlin 995 .22 and his grouping is within 6" at 50 yards... by himself. He knows that when the gun is hot to NEVER place finger in the guard or disengage the safety when there are people in his line of sight or peripherals. He is quite a smart little guy.

Regarding where to keep the guns... well that is totally up to you but NEVER keep them loaded. I keep loaded magazines for my handguns/rifles on the top shelf of my closet while my guns are in the safe with exception for my 870 and a 9mm. The 9mm has a custom holster mounted behind the head board that requires a trick to unlock the gun from the holster and the 870 is mounted above the closet door with 00 buck in the side saddle. I also make sure that my kids NEVER know where those guns are... EVER. They believe that they are ALL in the safe.

[Zebra62]

Weapons safety and storage has been an uphill battle for Gypsy and me. She has not in the past been a very strong advocate of guns of any type, but since moving to Texas, she has warmed to the subject slowly. We have four children with an age spread of twenty years between the oldest and youngest. Hers, mine and ours.

I was born and raised in Texas and have been around guns all my life, learning my first rules of safety with my Dad's old Marlin .22 way back in the 60's. Then it was his lever action 30-30 and then his Browning 12 ga. autoloader. They all slept in the front closet back home and no one ever touched them without Dad's permission. He never minded if I used them to go plinking or hunting, but NEVER without his Ok.

The weapons we have at home now are few, but effective. I have a Taurus .380 in a safe box bolted under the bed, a Mossberg 500 Cruiser in a soft case which goes with me everywhere. At home it sleeps in the top of my closet with our other two weapons - A British .303 Mk. 1 No. 5 Jungle Carbine and Gypsy's shotgun, a NEW Remington 870 Express Youth model in 20 GA. I got her the youth model because she is so short.

All of our weapons are loaded.

I am currently teaching our 8 year old son about weapons safety. He is a very active and highly enthusiastic young boy with the focus of a goldfish. It is an uphill battle for me as he is not taking to the teachings as quickly as I had originally hoped. He still thinks a gun is something to shoot his brothers and sister with. Thank you NERF, for ruining my efforts. Still, I try to teach him as best I can.

So, in answer to the questiopn of the original post - in the top of the master closet, behind a locked door. Should she have a break-in while I am away, Gypsy will barracade herself and the children in the Master bedroom and fetch her shotgun. She also has the key to the safe to get the .380.

Hopefully she will never have to.

[rythomas0704]

Sounds like you got it together pretty good. Yeah I was recently away for work for 5 days and my wife was not hearing anything I had to say about what to do if SHTF while I am gone. I am glad it never did... but man was I worried.