How do you keep your children safe from your firearms?

[dragonsden73]

The ONLY firearm that is not locked up in my safe is ON ME. When I go to bed, I have firearms close by, but also locked. Sure, it may take a couple or even a few extra seconds to get to it in an emergency, but rather that then an accident at home.

 

[BUZO71]

Locked or under control are the only secure weapons. Kids should know about guns but giving a small child the responsibility at the ages of 5 and 6 is probably asking too much. IMHO......

 

[tac]

post deleted

 

[mobil1]

At what age do you teach a child gun safety?


Answer: As soon as they can understand.


The problem is, you can lock your guns up tightly and secure, but its the neighbors or friends house that I worry about. What if they visit a relative who doesnt have children, and the guns arent secured away? This is why its important to teach gun safety as soon as they can comprehend it.

 

[torpedoman]

Great thread idea.

I don't have children, so I can't comment based on experience. Growing up, from age 5 I believe, I knew where both guns and ammo were and how to use them. I wish I could tell you how my parents and grandparents instilled such a fear in me, but I knew there would be no worse punishment than if I were to ever touch a gun, loaded or unloaded, without adult permission. I was also taught to respect the privacy of others and not go through drawers/closets/etc. unless they were mine. I can't remember being allowed in my parents room when they weren't in there as well. I think a lot of it comes from having a healthy respect for adults and knowing that my dad wouldn't hesitate to come home early from work and use the belt if I misbehaved

I'm 26 now, and when I have kids I'm going to try to do the same.

thats the way i raised mine and it worked. you can be a parent or a buddy save the buddy part until they are adults.. I had my grandson shoot his favorite g.i. joe doll Then told him to fix it. when he said he could'nt fix it i told him that you cant fix anything you shoot because the purpose of shooting it was to destroy it. (had to buy hin a new one) but he learned gun safety real quick.

 

[snkkpr01]

The way we have done it around here is simply teaching from day one. Since my daughter could understand she has been being taught. She kows what guns are, she knows when she is allowed to use them. My wife brought my pistol in from the truck a few days ago and got this from our 4 yr old " You don't touch that, that is daddy's gun and only he is allowed to touch it" I actually had to explain that I asked mommy to get it for me.

She also knows when she is allowed to shoot. I use airsoft as a training aid. It works great for safety training and I considered using it for some adults I know. She has been taught what direction to point, muzzle control, finger safety, and she is even a pretty damn good shot. I believe that for guns knowledge is power. If kids are taught about something then most of the temptation is eliminated. I know it was that way for me. Since I was given a BB gun when I was 9, I never shot it when I was not allowed to, and it was kept in my bedroom with the bb's close at hand.

BIGFOOT

 

[GUN1PDX]

Education is key, however...we hear daily about adults shooting themselves, so safety on our parts as adults is vital. Put it in a safe, keep the ammo and the gun seperate, preferably the gun locked away somewhere.

 

[Deavis]

1) gunvault and gunsafe
2) training/responsibility

 

[necrontyr]

I'll relate my experiences in this area. I learned to shoot when I was round 8, how to handle a weapon, and the power that comes from them. Especially at 8, a gun going off is pretty scary.

I just took my son (will be 8 in March) up to Larch Mt. and taught him how to shoot too. He knows how to handle a gun, how to treat them, and respects their power.

Knowledge is power, and nothing beats experience.

 

[brandnew]

Family friends of ours have autistic children, so of course you know they have put a lot of thought into how to store their firearms. I believe they lock all their firearms and ammunition in safes, with the exception of one loaded pistol each stored in lockboxes attached to their respective nightstands. I've never actually seen it but I believe they are bolted inside the stand. This way they can keep a loaded firearm in the house for quick access in case somebody breaks in, while also being of sound mind that the children won't be able to get their hands on that loaded firearm.

There are a number of boxes out there that I'm sure you've seen, and you should find a good site that shows user feedback so you can see what people's experiences with each particular lockbox has been. Some are just too flimsy. I had been looking into a box that I could attach securely to an inside wall of my trunk of my car but haven't gotten around to choosing one yet. Good luck!

 

[unionguy]

I have the same issue with a 6 & 9 year old. Safety plans: not in order:
1) Teach kids from young age firearms safety...I do surprise quizzes on my kids on this issue to test if they're listening!
2) Do a true assessment on whether you need quick access to a firearm in your home...I don't think everyone does...which may infuriate some!
3) If you do need quick access; I think the biometric safes are the way to go...quick, no combo to memorize, but should keep the kids out.
4) take kids shooting as soon as you can and teach safety and to respect the power of the firearms.

best,
Ron

 

[Weathermaker]

.....as I have no childhood experience to draw upon.jc

Was that a pun?

 

[Mutoman]

I have the same issue with a 6 & 9 year old. Safety plans: not in order:
1) Teach kids from young age firearms safety...I do surprise quizzes on my kids on this issue to test if they're listening!
2) Do a true assessment on whether you need quick access to a firearm in your home...I don't think everyone does...which may infuriate some!
3) If you do need quick access; I think the biometric safes are the way to go...quick, no combo to memorize, but should keep the kids out.
4) take kids shooting as soon as you can and teach safety and to respect the power of the firearms.

best,
Ron

Sounds like a pretty solid solution for your situation, I used a similar routine for my boys when they were growing up. My 7 year old daughter is getting the same routine.

My Taurus PT145 is so hard to pull the slide back, she could never put a bullet in the chamber if she wanted to. For this situation, I just keep the chamber empty when stored at home.

A few years ago, I was watching my nephew, who had some severe emotional issues due to his father/mother situation, there was no way I could trust a loaded weapon or even a weapon with the potential to be loaded around him. I locked them up.

Some situations are going to provide difficult solutions, you just have to decide on the safest solution. I really like the "finger-print" safes, I am considering picking up one for the added security.

 

[Visceral]

I really like the "finger-print" safes, I am considering picking up one for the added security.

I do too.

If anyone picks one up, please let us know what you think. I saw one at Costco in person a few weeks ago. They have them online at the moment.

 

[Teufel_Hunden]

I use my fullsize gun safe to lock down the bult of my valuables. Also I have two "stack on" quick access safes mounted in my home. In each I keep a handgun that is easily accessible in under 30 seconds (more like 10 in most cases). I purchased these at my local GI Joes for ~ $50.00 each. Keeps the kids out and honest people honest all while ensuring fast access.

You can check em out at:

<broken link removed>

 

[SimonJester308]

I will never "protect" my children from firearms. After reading the posts to this thread I have come to the conclusion that somewhere along the line our balls fell off in this country. My daughter is not even two years old and she hands me cartridges one at a time as I load magazines, counting them out. Granted she can only count to three, but at she does it ten times for each magazine. She hands me patches when Im cleaning firearms, and when I ask here to hand me the bolt or slide she knows what Im talking about. Does that mean I leave a loaded firearm within reach? Of course not. In our house we know what guns are where, at all times. Do I have a way to secure our firearms, yes, but not from our child, from other peoples children. Its about safe firearms handling, personal responsibility, attentive parenting, and keeping track of both your firearms and your children. A physical or mechanical device is only to bring you peace of mind if you want to go about it the lazy way. That is my opinion, fire away at what a fool you think I am, but know this, its about choices. You make yours, I'll make mine, and having opposing views is fine. I just thought someone should pipe up with a different viewpoint.

 

[Mutoman]

Sounds like your methods are working fine for your situation, of course you would be foolish to assume all situations are the same.

Like I tell my kids, the graveyard is full of fools who thought they had it all figured out. You just have to do what is best for your own situation, that's all, and realize that the world does not necessarily revolve around you.

Oh and I asked my wife, she said my balls are around here somewhere.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

I haven't had kids, not going to, either, thanks, but reflecting back to our home when we were all in grade school, the guns were in dad's office on a rack on the wall, with the ammo someplace, probably the garage? We never touched the guns without permission and never went looking for the ammunition.

It never even occurred to us to try doing anything without approval. When we were old enough, like about 11 or 12 we would get our own .22, would take the shooting courses at Boy Scouts, go hunting with the adults. That's the way it was.

Sounds like the way SimonJester308 describes it, to me. It worked for us.

 

[SimonJester308]

Oh and I asked my wife, she said my balls are around here somewhere.

I asked my wife where she keeps mine, she says her purse, and adds that its for my own good.

 

[SimonJester308]

Aside from my rant, it just bothers me that people are actually afraid that their firearms are going to hurt their children. Its not the instinct to protect a child so much as to the level of the general sub conscience that the media propaganda has saturated. More kids are killed by swimming pools than accidents with firearms. Yet no one seems to be concerned with letting their kids go over to their friends houses that have pools. It makes sense to protect your kids from injuries you may have suffered as a kid. I rode a bike w/out a helmet and knee/elbow pads, but I busted my butt enough times to know that my daughter will wear protective equipment when she starts riding a bike. But I doubt the desire to "protect children from firearms" stems from childhood memories. More likely its brainwashing. The blown out of proportion boogie man the television has created. Children mimic their parents. If a person truly has a logical fear instead of an emotional one, that a firearm might harm a child, then to protect the child from a firearm would be not to have guns in the house ever. Anything less than that is giving credence to the civilian disarmament movements manta that their infringements of the Second Amendment are "for the children"