View Full Version : How to convince wife 1 gun out of safe at night?
I have owned long guns all my life, I got my first .32 Winchester Special from my G-father at age 11. I had hunted as a teenager until I got out of high school and went to school for real. I have owned and carried a pistol since about 1992. My wife is fine with guns, she even carries a pistol and has her own AR style rifle.
The problem: Guns must always be locked in the safe.
Last night was a bit of an eye opener. I have a problem with racoons dumping my trash cans and spreading the contents all around my drive. I am laying in bed last night at about 10PM with the window open, lights off and TV on. I hear the sound of a plastic container thud off of the ground and realize that the racoon is out there doing his thing.
So I jump up (in my boxers only) and grab for a pair of PJ pants and move the 8 feet or so to the safe. My Glock is in the gun vault beside the bed, but I want/need a shootgun. So I grab the dial (after turning the light on so I can see) and open the safe and look at my Mossberg 500 desert camo 12ga loaded with 00-Buck and I decide to go with the Mossberg 500 hunting 20ga loaded with target loads.
By the time I run down 2 flights of stairs and come through the dark garage and peel the door open slowly... he has 3 cans over and opened. Had this been a bad guy, he would be skull ****ing me before I had a chance to get into the safe.
My wife (because of children 3yrs/9yrs/13yrs) wants the safe always locked and all guns in it unless we are actively carrying. How the heck do I convince her that when we go to sleep, a shootgun or AR needs to be near us? I don't want to ram it down her throught and tell her that she is wrong, I do not want to start a power strugle.... I want to calmly try to get on her level.... or her point of view... and softly introduce her to the +/- of each mindset and ease her over to seeing the light that I saw last night.
Honestly, until last night I never realized how flawed my system was. I thought I could very quickly and covertly get to my items. Fail.
Any one been down this particular raod?
Littlelebowski
06-16-09, 08:04
Get one of those safes that attach to the bedframe.
"Wife, this gun is going to be here in the bedroom tonight. You can be here in the bedroom tonight, too, if you want."
END OF LINE
The long gun can reside in the corner on your side of the room is one way unloaded, of course.
The solution lies with HER and YOU. But you know that.
Good luck with it.
CryingWolf
06-16-09, 08:31
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsV50T5uEyw
You can try one of these. I don't know if you can convince her but I think something like this is better then in the open in the corner. She might be worried about your kids coming in a night, while your sound asleep, and seeing a object in the corner.
http://www.home-backup-protection.com/index.html
Get a Gun Vault (http://www.gunvault.com) and mount it next to the bed.
I have a gun vault, that is where the Glock lives. It is bolted to the side of my waterbed headboard. But in an instance such as last night, I proved that the pistol is not ALWAYS the go-to tool, and I also proved that the other tools are honestly out of the desired time frame for access in a rush. I really think that the Mossy 500 12g or one AR is the better good-night buddy right in the corner beside my head.
CryingWolf
06-16-09, 08:39
"Wife, this gun is going to be here in the bedroom tonight. You can be here in the bedroom tonight, too, if you want."
END OF LINE
He'll end up on the couch for sure :p
CryingWolf
06-16-09, 08:46
You know your already using a gun vault. How about a trigger lock on the mossy? If set up right it would take you less time to get the trigger lock off then get into the gun safe, but probably take a little more time then the gun vault.
Why not leave it in the safe until you go to bed, get it out at the end of the night and then lock it up in the morning? I usually go to sleep around midnight and have to wake up at 4 something, the kids should not even be close to awake and searching for a gun to play with.
Why not leave it in the safe until you go to bed, get it out at the end of the night and then lock it up in the morning? I usually go to sleep around midnight and have to wake up at 4 something, the kids should not even be close to awake and searching for a gun to play with.
That right there was my defense a couple years ago when I suggested I just put 1 unit out during the sleeping time, but she fears being the bad parent in the news paper who allowed the children access to the gun that killed the sibling.
It is a tough argument to make to a mother. She worries as much about the children as she does worry about what other folks see her as... how good of a mom. She tries to be SUPER-MOM at all times... and she honestly hits damn close to the mark. But she is overprotective. My 13 year old boy is treated (by her) as if he is a defensless child unable to leave the yard without mom. When he is with me, he has similar freedoms as I do, so long as he remains in control and acts reasonable.
I'm not so sure I can win this one, I was thinking that a slew of ya'all had maybe been in this exact situation and had to B.S. your way around the boss.
Business_Casual
06-16-09, 10:02
"Wife, this gun is going to be here in the bedroom tonight. You can be here in the bedroom tonight, too, if you want."
I have to say I totally agree.
I don't have a perfect marriage and I don't pretend that I am in charge; but I also don't put up with nonsense about where and when I can have a gun in my own home.
M_P
30 cal slut
06-16-09, 10:08
quick access box (simplex) for a carbine AND a pistol.
http://www.vlineind.com/html/long_gun_case.html
Dial the combination all the way until you are ten clicks from the last number. Then if you need to get into the safe at night just turn the dial to the final combination number and "presto".
Unless your wife is an anti-gun person then why not sit her down and explain the concerns you have identified in your home defense plan?
Explain to her how not having your Carbine/Shotgun/Handgun more accessible slows down your response time and decrease the chances of your entire family surviving a forceable threat.
This time it was a Raccoon, next time it might not be.
Home invasions are a reality in this country and everyone needs to take those bumps in the night seriously. If she is a reasonable woman then she will see the logic in your being concerned and I am sure the safety of her family is a concern of hers as well.
I think as men we sometimes forget that nothing is more dangerous than coming between a Mother and her Cubs.
Involve the whole family in your defense/evacuation plan...come up with a survival/evacuation plan so everyone knows what is expected of them.
While I don't like the idea of scaring the bejesus out of the younger family members they need to have the knowledge available to give them a fighting chance of survival to.
If you have ever talked to the kids about fire safety and how to get out in such a situation? Then you should also talk to them about Firearm safety and what they should do if there is ever a danger to the household.
how about the ar in the corner and a 30 rnd mag in your gun vault next to your pistol? its unloaded and as long as you keep mags locked up as well this could be all about accessing projectiles.
Failure2Stop
06-16-09, 13:02
Bedroom door doesn't lock?
There are a few ideas that I like here, especially Tipy's. I live in the city and I'm LEO. A pistol is always with my reach, no matter what the wife says. I built a hidden shelf inside my nightstand that will hold my J frame or Sig P229 at night. During the day, the guns are either with me or in the safe. The kid isn't allowed in our room and she's good about it anyway. I also built a hiding spot for my AR that is out of reach for the kid and hard to see if you don't know about it, but the rifle is usually locked up too.
I feel better that there is accessible protection for the old bird when I work at night and she feels better that I perfrom some sort of saftey measure
K.L. Davis
06-16-09, 13:14
Dial the combination all the way until you are ten clicks from the last number. Then if you need to get into the safe at night just turn the dial to the final combination number and "presto".
Not to be too harsh, but have you ever really had to do something like this when someone was stabbing a member of your family to death?
MisterWilson
06-16-09, 13:22
"Wife, this gun is going to be here in the bedroom tonight. You can be here in the bedroom tonight, too, if you want."
END OF LINE
This.
The best advice I'd ever gotten for my marriage was "Son, pick your battles".
This is simply a battle worth picking.
And if that doesn't work, just do it anyway. Keep something on a shelf or get some pegs to hang it the interior of the closet or something. You can pick them up from a gun shop pretty cheaply while on your way home from dropping off your man card.
K L Davis,
It was worse than someone stabing a family member. I did it for 9 weeks in 1968 with SSgt St. Pierre, SSgt. Davis, and Sgt Kelsey constantly on my ass.
Semper Fidelis,
Tipy
A locked up gun is a worthless one
FOllow the below steps-
1. Gunproof your kids, take the curiosity away from your guns by showing them to them and let them 'play' with them in your presence(not like play play, just manipulate)
2. Keep a gun out and ready in an off limits area, like the Master BR, or a high place like a shelf until step 1 is done
3. Keep it where you please until y'all leave THEN lock them up
My parents never had a safe, all their arms were stacked on a corner, most loaded and ready or ammo nearby, their room was strictly off limits
I have a safe but did the above and can now leave a gun anywhere even in reach of my kids and not have an issue if I chose. I am always within a step or 3 of a rifle or pistol
"Wife, this gun is going to be here in the bedroom tonight. You can be here in the bedroom tonight, too, if you want."
END OF LINE
What Todd said. For me it's a subject not even open to debate as it's a potential life and death decision.
Have her watch a show called "Serial" where they look at various serial killers. In a recent episode, they reviewed the case of the night stalker who spent several months doing home invasions in the middle of the night and then raping and killing the people at home. In one of the early murders, there was a husband/wife that kept a shotgun under the bed. When the night stalker came in the home the husband got up to check and the wife heard the scuffle and knew that the husband had been killed. She pulled out the shotgun, had the drop on the killer, pulled the trigger, and? Click. Nothing happened because the gun wasn't loaded.
If they had kept that gun loaded, she would have lived and so would a bunch of other people. My wife and I were watching that the other day and she just looked at me and said "if they would have kept their damn gun loaded all those people afterwards could have lived". To which I replied, "that is exactly why I load one gun every night and unload it every morning".
Seeing that situation and hearing how many murders could have been prevented if that one couple would have kept that gun not only accessible but loaded, really brought the point home...
CryingWolf
06-16-09, 18:30
A locked up gun is a worthless one
FOllow the below steps-
1. Gunproof your kids, take the curiosity away from your guns by showing them to them and let them 'play' with them in your presence(not like play play, just manipulate)
2. Keep a gun out and ready in an off limits area, like the Master BR, or a high place like a shelf until step 1 is done
3. Keep it where you please until y'all leave THEN lock them up
My parents never had a safe, all their arms were stacked on a corner, most loaded and ready or ammo nearby, their room was strictly off limits
I have a safe but did the above and can now leave a gun anywhere even in reach of my kids and not have an issue if I chose. I am always within a step or 3 of a rifle or pistol
It is the same with my kid. He is really good about not touching anything. I have had many a talk with him and grilled him on gun safety. When I was a kid we had guns hanging on the wall. Shoot by the time I was twelve I had three guns in my room hanging on the wall.
CryingWolf
06-16-09, 18:33
Have her watch a show called "Serial" where they look at various serial killers. In a recent episode, they reviewed the case of the night stalker who spent several months doing home invasions in the middle of the night and then raping and killing the people at home. In one of the early murders, there was a husband/wife that kept a shotgun under the bed. When the night stalker came in the home the husband got up to check and the wife heard the scuffle and knew that the husband had been killed. She pulled out the shotgun, had the drop on the killer, pulled the trigger, and? Click. Nothing happened because the gun wasn't loaded.
If they had kept that gun loaded, she would have lived and so would a bunch of other people. My wife and I were watching that the other day and she just looked at me and said "if they would have kept their damn gun loaded all those people afterwards could have lived". To which I replied, "that is exactly why I load one gun every night and unload it every morning".
Seeing that situation and hearing how many murders could have been prevented if that one couple would have kept that gun not only accessible but loaded, really brought the point home...
Whole reason my wife has a loaded revolver in her nightstand. I have a 1911 on mine and a shotgun in the closet.
IrishDevil
06-16-09, 18:45
It wouldn't even be a discussion, just do it.
teamacacia
06-16-09, 19:03
A locked up gun is a worthless one
FOllow the below steps-
1. Gunproof your kids, take the curiosity away from your guns by showing them to them and let them 'play' with them in your presence(not like play play, just manipulate)
2. Keep a gun out and ready in an off limits area, like the Master BR, or a high place like a shelf until step 1 is done
3. Keep it where you please until y'all leave THEN lock them up
My parents never had a safe, all their arms were stacked on a corner, most loaded and ready or ammo nearby, their room was strictly off limits
I have a safe but did the above and can now leave a gun anywhere even in reach of my kids and not have an issue if I chose. I am always within a step or 3 of a rifle or pistol
Agreed. This is what my folks did with my and my younger brother when we were little. Dad kept his shotty in the closet directly next to the bed. We knew it was there and we knew not to touch it.
Though I don't have any children at the present, it took awhile for my wife to get comfortable with me having a couple pistols ready to go on the nightstand every night.
When we have children I'll probably go for one of the gunvaults or similar quick-to-open pistol safes. Do they make a quick open safe to store a long gun under the bed???
"Wife, this gun is going to be here in the bedroom tonight. You can be here in the bedroom tonight, too, if you want."
END OF LINE
Exactly right.
Get one of those safes that attach to the bedframe.
Do you have a source for these? I have one I bought years ago and I've not been able to find another.
"Wife, this gun is going to be here in the bedroom tonight. You can be here in the bedroom tonight, too, if you want."
END OF LINE
This.
Best of luck, bro.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j18/Skintop911/MISC/testicles2.jpg
MarshallDodge
06-16-09, 20:59
"Wife, this gun is going to be here in the bedroom tonight. You can be here in the bedroom tonight, too, if you want."
END OF LINE
My wife would be cool with that statement.....but then again, maybe I have a really cool wife because she always has a loaded gun nearby. :cool:
Before we were married, almost 20 years ago, my wife knew that I kept a loaded gun in the house so I don't remember there being an issue.
How is your wife about shooting guns? Are there any ladies in the area that shoot and would be willing to take her under their wing to show her the ropes? That's how mine got serious about guns. She liked them and shot them but one day she joined some ladies at a shoot and now I can't keep the Dillon running fast enough. Slideshow (http://home.comcast.net/~fun2shoot/ucc/uccladiesshoot082008.wmv)
The kids are a tough issue. I am blessed with two boys that have always respected guns but you need to use your own measuring stick to see if ours are ready to have a loaded gun in the house. If they spend a lot of time around guns and get to shoot them, it will be easier to teach them respect and the curiousity will wear off.
My wife is cool with it, the AR, 12 ga and my SIG 226 are all loaded and ready to go, my wife's pistol is next to the bed.
Just tell her you are doing it for her protection, guns are things that when you need it you need it right now.
My son is 7 and shoots all of my guns when I am home, I am considering getting him his own AR15, he remembers me as a Drill Sergeant and was around soldiers all his life until this year.
Training and common sense should win the wife over.
My woman tripped out on me about the same crap a couple days ago. The AR I usually have within arms reach has been in the safe since, but it's coming out tonight. I'm sure it'll start a fight... oh well.
The security of my family and home is my responsibility. I'm not going to watch them die because my wife is a woman.
HAMMERDROP
06-16-09, 22:44
I understand two way streets and worriesome Mothers but what she dont know about she cant complain about. Just hide it and monitor it when you are home put it away when your not. I mean you know the condition and whereabouts of all the firearms in your house anyway right?
Or call your area Humane Society they will usually provide traps for the racoons or do you mean high crime zone? Rural, inner city? :confused:
Or metal trash cans!
I got a keeper, Kathy has a .40 P239 with CT grips night sights loaded with Glaser Safety Slugs 1 in the spout and two spare mags stoked with
Mag-Safe 74 gr. smackers in each. Hers is the only hot weapon at all times in my house.
Here is an angle; tell your wife its her job to stow a handy firearm safely in the house so its accessible when your family is at home let the responsibilty fall on her shoulders. ;)
Mention that you'd really rather keep them at a storage locker across town disassembled and she might cave-in for you, reverse psychology.
I have a full sized .45 Kimber laced up in my back brace as I type this fits under my arm and doesn't print w/ a tee shirt on. I dont even know its there its like a big Thigh Rig 'cept covers me from the waist up.
And my wifes hugs me goodnight with a lanyard loop gouging her and doesn't say a word, life can be fair. Sorry you have this problem. Good Luck
Michael
Take it out after the kids are asleep and lock it up in the morning. Disregard this advice if your wife has more experience and is more qualified in making decisions about defending hearth and home than you are.
Shadow1198
06-17-09, 01:42
Locked up guns are paperweights. Think of it from this perspective, if you wake up and someone is already stabbing you in your sleep, how readily accessible is your firearm? Mine is a trigger pull away when I'm at home and asleep, and when I'm not around it's locked up and not accessible by anyone else. Having a home defense gun stored in any other manner is like having a concealed carry gun and carrying with a keylock on it. ;)
hotwheelsjr
06-17-09, 04:32
Sounds like your wife may already have her mind made up...good luck with that. I don't have any young ones, so the point is mute -- my locked and loaded XD-40 is on the night stand next to my head and the 18.5" Remy 870 is at the head of my bed with 7 loads of 00 buck in the tube waiting to be racked. At first my wife questioned it and I explained to her how useless a gun is locked in a safe if SHTF -- she agreed and hasn't said a word since. :cool:
My "kids" are 18 and 21 and have been raised around my guns, so they know not to "play" with them. My son just turned 18 a couple of months ago and I am comfortable with him OCing one of my .40 cals. He knows it's not a toy and how quickly an "accident" can happen. Trust goes a long ways... :)
I guess that I am Lucky. My Fiance and I have a plan for those situations. I have a 1911beside the bed in the night stand. If i need a larger gun I throw the .45 to her while she covers the door and I get the moss 590/AK/AR/870... This was our compromise. She learns to use a pistol and I only Keep one gun at a time out.
QuietShootr
06-17-09, 16:43
"Wife, this gun is going to be here in the bedroom tonight. You can be here in the bedroom tonight, too, if you want."
END OF LINE
Yup. Got a new g/f (which became my wife) last time this became an issue.
QuietShootr
06-17-09, 16:51
so the point is mute
No, the point is not mute, it's MOOT.
I have to say I totally agree.
I don't have a perfect marriage and I don't pretend that I am in charge; but I also don't put up with nonsense about where and when I can have a gun in my own home.
M_P
I didn't want to go there...
I'm single.
The root of the problem here is simply training. When I met my wife she was basically afraid of and against guns. A few short range sessions later and a realization that if someone was trying to hurt our children, then a gun is the best defense tool, as now I have a "Gun Totting Mama." We keep them away from the children, but they are trained as well.
I wouldn't convince her, I'd tell her how it's going to be :)
SO how'd it go, its been a few nights?
hotwheelsjr
06-18-09, 02:55
No, the point is not mute, it's MOOT.
:rolleyes: Thank you Mr. 2009 National Spelling Bee Champ...
SO how'd it go, its been a few nights?
I'm still contemplating my attack. I have just been reading the posts as they flow in and some make me LOL and others make me a bit frustrated... but all in all I am just reading and weighing my options.
I will clear up a couple things:
My wife carries a pistol, Beretta 3032 TomCat .32ACP.
My wife has her own AR, it is a light weight Bushmaster carbon 15.
She does not fear guns in general, she grew up as a daughter of a redneck with two redneck brothers. Guns had been at least near her since she was born.
Yes, she is the boss. It is just so much easier (for me) that way. She is not a tyrant, and I am not a pushover. One of us had to be in control of the house and what goes on there, and since I travel for long periods of time all over the world.... it made sense to allow her control of the house and kids and when I came home for my couple months break I would not challenge her. Even though I recently changed jobs and stopped moving about the world, I'm not going to rock the boat that has been sailing for 15+ years. Yes, we had made 15 years June 4th 2009!
So, I will think about it and read the posts and go to her armed with the best of the best. If I get shot down I will argue and try to make a stand to some extent, but I wont crash and burn over it.
Cardiac Nurse
06-18-09, 08:17
larry0071, I have been following the posts for several days. As a woman, wife, mother I guess I look at things differently. Obviously you care for your wife and it's important that you be on the same side of this equation. Telling her how it's going to be doesn't seem to be the best tactic in my book, maybe it works for others but it would just make me more stubborn which is never a good thing.
Your wife already knows how to handle a gun and it sounds like she has been around guns most if not all of her life. Have you guys had a long sit down conversation that took place in a neutral environment without interruption where you could just discuss how you both feel about a gun out at night and your reasoning why pro and con? Maybe you can find a compromise that would allow you to have a weapon out as well as maintain a level of comfort for her particularly if you have access quickly without having to unlock a safe/door etc and yet the kids would not be able to easily access the weapon if they wandered into your room at night.
I,too, have concerns about the safety of my children (10,6, and 4). However those concerns do not prevent us from having a gun available at night when we feel it is necessary for our safety. We have trained our children about gun safety from the get go but we still maintain extra precautions because kids are unpredictable just due to their age and maturity levels.
Hoping the conversation goes well...
How about getting a couple of those heavy duty hooks (the large ones) used for hanging stuff in the garage...
Mount them inside your closet, over the door (out of sight) and keep a mag (or shells) handy...
Telling her how it's going to be doesn't seem to be the best tactic in my book, maybe it works for others but it would just make me more stubborn which is never a good thing.
Not to turn this into a debate about marital partnership in general, but ...
She is the one who started with the must-be I've-decided one-sided decision making.
If she can say, "My mind is made up already: no," then he can say, "My mind is made up already, too: yes."
Compromise is a two-way street. So is refusing to compromise.
Again, not getting into a marital debate...
But in all relationship you have an alpha and an omega. One naturally is the controlling voice (alpha) of the pair that make the unit complete.
My wife and I do not have problems, we don't have frequent arguments or power strugles. But I do not pull the "I am man, hear me roar" card on her. I am married to a smart woman, and she has a free mind to do things as she sees fit without coming to "her man" for an approval.
Because of our unusual living arrangements of the past, and with me being out of state and/or country for months at a time, she has become fiercely independant and aware of every detail in making our home run flawlessly. My wife does not depend on a man to get her through, she depends entirely on herself.
I know that there are all types of men as well as women, but I am comfortable with the way we coexist in harmony.
The point of this thread was asking how some of you may have appraoched the subject with thier spouse so that I can hear some versions of what may hae worked or what may not have worked so well.
I do appreciate the input from all of you, and believe me, I take no offense from anyone saying that I should be forcefull. I choose to be married to this fine woman, and what works in my home may not be fitting to others. I will of course respect all of your input and take heed of all comments, and I think this weekend I will approach this subject (with due caution) with my wife and try to come to some agreement that we are both comfortable with. I may even set the laptop on her lap and begin by letting read this..... maybe that is a bad idea, I am undecided on that point as of the moment!
Larry
I understand not rocking the boat and all that, but you should be willing to crash and burn on this as its a matter of life and death(or could be) and you yourself admitted it takes way to long
SOunds like she isnt compromising, so meet on some middle ground, because 'I said so' from her is not conducive to anything
You say you wont do that, but she already is...thats not comrpomise man!
I might suggest you use the other nights situation as an opener. "Honey, I've been thinking... The other night when I went to check on that raccoon, it took me a while to get up, open the safe, grab the shotgun, get down stairs and check on the noise. I worry that if it had been a prowler/home invasion, instead of a raccoon in the trash, I might not have really had ample time to arm myself before something bad happened."
Maybe then a role play episode, where you take turns being the "burglar/BG" while the other opens the safe, and pretends to arm themself and "investigate". Keep the door unlocked and bang it hard a few times before forcefully opening it and charging in, you could add some yelling and taunting to further get the adrenaline going to get some fingers stumbling over the dial, etc.
I bet it might be an eye opener for her too. ;)
If you can get her to give it a try. Just a try...
But what do I know? My wife is cool with a Gock on the Nightstand and an SBR in the corner. :D
-RD62
I may even set the laptop on her lap and begin by letting read this..... maybe that is a bad idea, I am undecided on that point as of the moment!
Well, in case you do, I sure am glad I was smart enough not to mention my other recommendation (http://www.taser.com/pages/default.aspx) for dealing with an argumentative spouse.
Mr.Goodtimes
06-18-09, 22:37
i would tell her to get over it cause the guns staying beside the bed.
i dont tell my girlfriend what to do, so i expect the same in return. then again, im not one to take orders, from anybody, you can ask me, but dont push me around.
condition 1
06-19-09, 18:30
This wouldn't work for me, I can only get about half of my gun's in the safe.
Have you considered just doing it and not having a discussion about it? Maybe if she sees you just take the reigns on this she will back off. Sometimes you just gotta test the waters by jumping right in.
Mr.Goodtimes
06-19-09, 19:14
Have you considered just doing it and not having a discussion about it? Maybe if she sees you just take the reigns on this she will back off. Sometimes you just gotta test the waters by jumping right in.
i agree. this idea sounds like fun too.
I might suggest you use the other nights situation as an opener. "Honey, I've been thinking... The other night when I went to check on that raccoon, it took me a while to get up, open the safe, grab the shotgun, get down stairs and check on the noise. I worry that if it had been a prowler/home invasion, instead of a raccoon in the trash, I might not have really had ample time to arm myself before something bad happened."
Maybe then a role play episode, where you take turns being the "burglar/BG" while the other opens the safe, and pretends to arm themself and "investigate". Keep the door unlocked and bang it hard a few times before forcefully opening it and charging in, you could add some yelling and taunting to further get the adrenaline going to get some fingers stumbling over the dial, etc.
I bet it might be an eye opener for her too. ;)
If you can get her to give it a try. Just a try...
But what do I know? My wife is cool with a Gock on the Nightstand and an SBR in the corner. :D
-RD62
With the way the OP's marriage works, this would appear to be the best suggestion.
Here is a rifle sized mechanical button lock (not battery) that can bolt to your wallstuds. http://www.vlineind.com/html/long_gun_case.html
You could keep a ready-access rifle & pistol in it at night and lock the big safe up for the other firearms.
Thomas M-4
06-19-09, 19:51
This wouldn't work for me, I can only get about half of my gun's in the safe.
HELL YES LOL!! Thats how you do it.
My suggestion is to meet her half way some how maybe some kind of closet rack or quick opening security box. Until you get enough guns that they all wont fit into the gun safe. :p
Well.....
It went much easier than expected.
I talked to her and mentioned leaving one AR or one shotgun out, and she kind of cut me off and said that she agrees because of the racoon incedent, that I would not be able to defend the children in a real time-crunch if someone had breached our home. So, she suggested to me that we keep an AR out with a magazine setting on the desk beside the bed. That way I could grab the AR from beside the headboard and grab the mag and slam it home in just 10 or 20 seconds and I would have the flashlight with me by default because it is a part of the rifle.
Now that was not what I expected.... to be cut off and told by her that she was thinking the same thing I was basically thinking. So, I will be sleeping beside Charles Daly Defense from now on.
That pesky racoon may have been the best thing that could have happened, it showed both of us that our plan with putting the safe in the bedroom was not exactly working out as expected, and we needed to go one step further to be sure to afford ourselves a true defensive stance in the case of a home invasion. And really, a home invasion is what this is all about, we don't go running down the street with guns shooting at folks, we protect our castle and those within.
So, thank you all for providing input, and for putting up with me panicking over how hard this would be to pull off. It turns out that she is more aware of this particular situation than I had given her credit for. My bad.
Like a said, she is a smart girl, and a great wife and mother.
Larry
meisterhau
06-19-09, 21:15
Well.....
It went much easier than expected.
Glad to hear it.
I didn't have anything to contribute to this before now, but the thread did generate some good dialog between my wife and me, too. She's already quite pro-gun, so it wasn't about that, but trying to understand why other folks feel "concerned" or "uneasy" or downright "scared". I think it settled down to not really understanding the gravity of the situation. If more folks would have an uneventful eye-opener, or let go of some "fear of the unknown" and get a bit more factual info, this would be less common.
Like a said, she is a smart girl, and a great wife and mother.
Don't just tell us... tell her. Also, count your blessings. You're a lucky man.
Glad it worked out, Larry! More importantly, glad she's the kind of girl who's thinking about the same things you are.
Thomas M-4
06-19-09, 21:35
That is good to read LOL glad it worked out for you.
My woman tripped out on me about the same crap a couple days ago. The AR I usually have within arms reach has been in the safe since, but it's coming out tonight. I'm sure it'll start a fight... oh well.
The security of my family and home is my responsibility. I'm not going to watch them die because my wife is a woman.
not being a woman, i cannot recall every word in sequential order- but i did tell my wife 1 carbine would remain out of the safe at night, and the conversation went something like this:
Me: one carbine is staying out of the safe at night
her: you told me you'd keep them all locked up at night
me: yes, and i apologize for making such an irresponsible promise.
her: the kids could get it
me: the kids are alseep at night
her: a badguy could get it and use it on us
me: what are the odds of an intruder getting into the house in the silence of dead night, getting all the way into our bedroom, being able to perceive the gun in pitch black, getting ahold of it, figuring out what condition it's in- which you have to establish before you can use any firearm- all without you or me waking up?
her: i just don't like the idea of loaded assault rifles in the house with children!
me: do not call them "assault rifles!" and not liking the "idea" of something is the exact same bull crap liberal mentality that's eroded away our rights in this country!
her: so i'm a lib because i'm worried about the safety of my children? you don't think a loaded assault rifle is overkill??
me: THE SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN IS WHY IT'S STAYING OUT! AND STOP CALLING IT AN "ASSAULT RIFLE!"
her: that's what they are! what else am i suppose to call them? AR! Assault Rifle!
me: (laughing) baby, AR doesn't stand for "assault rifle," it's short for "Armalite."
her: oh, well then what do you call them?
me: sport rifles, defense rifles- anything but the incorrect term "assault rifle."
her: well where are you going to keep it?
me: probably under the matress at the end of the bed.. easy to grab.
her: it's staying on your side.
odd, isn't it? i'm sure there's a lesson here, but i dont think i have the energy to grasp it.
you already crossed a major hurdle, but if you want to add a bit more security that won't slow you down at all
http://www.m-guns.com/photos//aeu_small.jpg
highly visible and as soon as pull the charging handle back, the safe-port ejects allowing you to seat a round; you do not have to manually extract or remove it. I use one and it's nice to be able to see at a glance, the load/unload status.
brownell's sells them.
woodandsteel
06-20-09, 23:32
With the way the OP's marriage works, this would appear to be the best suggestion.
Here is a rifle sized mechanical button lock (not battery) that can bolt to your wallstuds. http://www.vlineind.com/html/long_gun_case.html
You could keep a ready-access rifle & pistol in it at night and lock the big safe up for the other firearms.
I have the opposite problem that the OP does. My wife keeps talking about having a rifle up in our bedroom. She wants me to figure out a way to put a gun safe up in our room that could hold at least one of our rifles.
The vault listed in the above quote looks promising. Does anyone have any ideas how much one of those would cost? And are there any other alternantives?
Cardiac Nurse
06-21-09, 07:54
glad it went well...
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