Securing Your Guns at Home - A Lesson

[etrain16]

I saw an interview on the news last night about this...

In the 'Lessons Learned' corner of gun ownership - putting your gun under your mattress is NOT a secure location, as a guy in Michigan learned when he came home to find an intruder in his house, drunk, and pointing his own gun at him. He briefly confronted the man who began to fire when the homeowner turned to get out. Thankfully the intruder missed him.

While the homeowner got out and took cover while calling the police, Mr. Bad Guy hung around drinking beer and watching TV. When the police arrived, they were able to subdue him with a taser and take him into custody. The home invader even tried to claim it was his house and the homeowner had broken in and attacked him.

Some takeaways for us gun owners: First, the homeowner wasn't carrying, which could have given him the edge over the bad guy - if you carry, always carry, every day, everywhere (not specifically prohibited by law of course). Second, your guns at home need to be secured in some way not only against children getting them, but also against an incident like this. Bad guys aren't stupid - they will figure out your 'under the mattress' hiding spots. Either have them in a read-access type gun safe or concealed using concealment furniture (ones specifically designed to hide guns) or keep them otherwise locked away when you're not at home. No one wants to have their own gun pointed at them when they walk in the door.

Some links to the story:

Homeowner: Man broke in, drank my beer, wore my clothes, slept in my bed then shot at me

Intruder Fires at Clinton Township Man's Gun at Him When He Comes Home for Lunch: Police

Read More

 

[scott_see]

Great story. Yes, carrying from the minute you get out of bed until the minute you get into bed makes so much sense considering the unpredictability of home invaders. And if you don't have a safe, at least hide guns in non obvious places.

 

[Medic!]

[Space reserved on page one of this thread for future comment.]

 

[etrain16]

[Space reserved on page one of this thread for future comment.]

 

[11Charlie]

well lets take it a step further. I have been looking for a good hand gun vault and haven't found one that I really like. Does anyone have any suggestions maybe ones that they are really happy with? Because having the fire arm in a safe in my shop does me NO good if the need should arise.

 

[etrain16]

I have a locked method of storing one of my guns for ready access, and I unlock it each night at bedtime. I'd rather use a more dedicated storage solution in the bedroom. My brother uses this GunVault model and really likes it - it's at the top of my list. I believe @PlayboyPenguin uses the same one if I'm not mistaken.

SVB500 SpeedVault | GunVault | GunVault

 

[Joe13]

well lets take it a step further. I have been looking for a good hand gun vault and haven't found one that I really like. Does anyone have any suggestions maybe ones that they are really happy with? Because having the fire arm in a safe in my shop does me NO good if the need should arise.

IMO the battery powered with a "key just in case" "biometric" safes are all crap.

But I'm an analog guy when it comes to gun safes and you can expect to pay about double for one.

I could find mine and can't remember the brand name but it's almost the exact same as the pic.

Found it on CL for $60 a few years ago and had to jump on it.

Don't let people fool you, it's no harder to open with my eyes closed then the ones with fancy finger grooves - just open and close it a few times a day and in a week you can open it in 1 sec blindfolded.

 

[Joe13]

I have a locked method of storing one of my guns for ready access, and I unlock it each night at bedtime. I'd rather use a more dedicated storage solution in the bedroom. My brother uses this GunVault model and really likes it - it's at the top of my list. I believe @PlayboyPenguin uses the same one if I'm not mistaken.

SVB500 SpeedVault | GunVault | GunVault

View attachment 316822

If I needed one under a desk I would consider that one - other then that I don't like batteries.

 

[etrain16]

IMO the battery powered with a "key just in case" "biometric" safes are all crap.

But I'm an analog guy when it comes to gun safes and you can expect to pay about double for one.

I could find mine and can't remember the brand name but it's almost the exact same as the pic.

Found it on CL for $60 a few years ago and had to jump on it.

Don't let people fool you, it's no harder to open with my eyes closed then the ones with fancy finger grooves - just open and close it a few times a day and in a week you can open it in 1 sec blindfolded.

View attachment 316823

Regardless of type, I'm of the opinion to unlock whatever safe I have before bed so I don't have to worry about waking up from a dead sleep and trying to fumble with a lock, or, more importantly, have the lock somehow fail, which I've seen happen with mechanical locks too.

Some folks may disagree with that POV, but it's how I view it.

I agree though, not a big fan of electronic/biometric locks, at least when your life is on the line.

 

[nammac]

Great reminder to always be diligent with your sidearms.

Personally, if it's not in my direct control (i.e. not on my person or within arms reach), then it is indeed securely stored away from unauthorized access.

See, I treat my firearms as I would treat a bundle of $100 bills, it's never going to be out of my control without being safely stored away...

As for carry from the moment one wakes until one returns to sleep, that's my motto. At first the wife didn't understand, but as more and more
Of these stories surface, now she sees the value of being prepared.

 

[DB is Here]

I carry all waking hours, that said, at night I sleep with it in my nightstand next to my bed. I still feel a little unsure if that is the best method but messing with locks out of a dead sleep gives me pause.

 

[11Charlie]

Regardless of type, I'm of the opinion to unlock whatever safe I have before bed so I don't have to worry about waking up from a dead sleep and trying to fumble with a lock, or, more importantly, have the lock somehow fail, which I've seen happen with mechanical locks too.

Some folks may disagree with that POV, but it's how I view it.

I agree though, not a big fan of electronic/biometric locks, at least when your life is on the line.

In my mind that makes total sense. I am not sure what it is but I can sleep through anything unless its the smallest sound that I know doesn't belong and then I'm bolt upright in bed. I would rather have quick easy access when I need it but know that its secure when I'm not around.

 

[DeanfromOregon]

IMO the battery powered with a "key just in case" "biometric" safes are all crap.

But I'm an analog guy when it comes to gun safes and you can expect to pay about double for one.

I could find mine and can't remember the brand name but it's almost the exact same as the pic.

Found it on CL for $60 a few years ago and had to jump on it.

Don't let people fool you, it's no harder to open with my eyes closed then the ones with fancy finger grooves - just open and close it a few times a day and in a week you can open it in 1 sec blindfolded.

View attachment 316823

I have two of the gunvault fingergroove safes. Love them, they're not crap, and they stand behind their stuff. Had one go bad after 10 years or so and they replaced it for free.

 

[Lilhigbee]

I have two of the gunvault fingergroove safes. Love them, they're not crap, and they stand behind their stuff. Had one go bad after 10 years or so and they replaced it for free.

Fortunately it didn't go bad at the wrong time, or there wouldn't be any need to send you a replacement!

 

[DeanfromOregon]

Yes indeed. But watching the locksmith I took it to pick the cylindrical lock was worth the price of admission.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I use one I found at Coastal for about $50 that has a button combination and batteries (with a key just in case). That'll do until something better comes along. I have the combination set up so I can open it in under 2 seconds blindfolded. I can be firing from a dead sleep in about 5 seconds. I have to have my guns locked up because I have a 2 yo and a 6 yo in the house. I replace the batteries on my birthday every year.

BTW, this is not one made by Homak or some of those other cheap safe makers. I've seen videos of those falling open when struck on the floor at the right angle. It seems that the lock mechanism in some of them can be operated by momentum, and a toddler just banging it on the floor can get it open.

 

[Joe13]

Regardless of type, I'm of the opinion to unlock whatever safe I have before bed so I don't have to worry about waking up from a dead sleep and trying to fumble with a lock, or, more importantly, have the lock somehow fail, which I've seen happen with mechanical locks too.

Some folks may disagree with that POV, but it's how I view it.

I agree though, not a big fan of electronic/biometric locks, at least when your life is on the line.

My safe always has a gun in it and my carry gun is on the night stand just out of reach so if I had a nightmare I'd be awake enough to it before I grab it - that's normally the gun I would hand my wife and then access the bump in the night gun.

I don't really keep cheap locks and never had one fail on me but I supppose if it was the only gun available too me I might do what you do too.

 

[Joe13]

I have two of the gunvault fingergroove safes. Love them, they're not crap, and they stand behind their stuff. Had one go bad after 10 years or so and they replaced it for free.

Didn't mean to insult but if my 5 digit, 8" thick steel safe weighing in around 4000lbs had a backup key to unlock it then I would call it crap too...

 

[DeanfromOregon]

Oh no not insulted. It's been more than acceptable for me. The main reason is my wife can access it easily. That was the big thing for me especially back when the kids were small and I travelled quite a bit. These days what I have is usually on me, on the nightstand, or in the liberty.

 

[Joe13]

I'll admit I'm highly biased on this subject. Spending most of my adult life either as an electrician or tinkering with electronics I just don't trust them with my life.

I'd take a pointy stick over a "smart gun" and go analog safes over digital for the same reason.