Arms at the ready...with children

[freakshow10mm]

I need help with a problem I've been wrestling with for some time.

I have a 2yo son at home, will be 3 in October. All guns are locked up, carry gun is either on my person or locked in safe on nightstand with key about 7 feet up on a shelf (out of reach for him).

I've never hid guns from my son. He has, since day one, watched me arm up when getting dressed, watches me assemble ARs, clean guns, do transfers. I let him shoot my suppressed .22 I made specially for him. Being 2 years old, he has never touched a gun without my permission; we check the chamber together, etc.

Anyways, I'm getting more and more serious about home defense. Currently I just have my pistol locked in the safe of my bedroom. The nightstand is an octagonal table that has a "cubby hole" in the corner of the room that I could store a long gun for primary defense.

My question is what is the best way to store an AR in a ready condition with a child around?

One of my thoughts was to have a loaded mag and empty chamber, but with hammer cocked and safety engaged. If I have to investigate I'd be able to quietly chamber a round and the weapon would be on safe from the get go. I'd bring the rifle out of the safe at night, put it in the corner by the nightstand, then put it back in the safe for the day while I am armed with my pistol. If I think there's an intruder, I grab the rifle and investigate, my wife gets my pistol and heads to our son's room for his protection.

[rob_s]

I have gone about this a few ways. One of which was to use one of those locking cabinets that use the round keys. I kept the key on my regular everyday key ring and the keys stayed in the lock at night. Simple matter to turn the key, retrieve the gun, and in the morning the keys went with me when I left the bedroom.

The solution I like the best is having an actual safe with an electronic lock in the bedroom.

This is what I want (http://www.gunvault.com/55005900.nxg). About $500 shipped, small enough to hide away, etc. I would like to know more about this (http://www.hitechsafes.com/rifle.html) though as it's an in-wall and has an electronic lock.

[HiggsBoson]

I have gone about this a few ways. One of which was to use one of those locking cabinets that use the round keys. I kept the key on my regular everyday key ring and the keys stayed in the lock at night. Simple matter to turn the key, retrieve the gun, and in the morning the keys went with me when I left the bedroom.

The solution I like the best is having an actual safe with an electronic lock in the bedroom.

This is what I want (http://www.gunvault.com/55005900.nxg). About $500 shipped, small enough to hide away, etc. I would like to know more about this (http://www.hitechsafes.com/rifle.html) though as it's an in-wall and has an electronic lock.

I have the pistol-sized GunVault GV2000C- DLX (http://www.gunvault.com/multisafes.nxg) next to my bed . It works great for keeping my pistol(s) locked up but quickly accessible. I've been eyeballing the larger ones too, but I really want to see one in person before I do. Rob_s, if you do end up buying one of those, I'd love to see a review of it. :)

[wake.joe]

You're already doing the number 1 idea; Teaching the kid! :)

Good on you.

But, and this might upset people, I don't lock up my guns. I built a wooden "crate" that they sit in at the foot of our bed. I could easily pad lock it and be done, but I don't.

My carry gun sits on the night stand. Sometimes when I get home, though, I head straight for the couch and plop down. Sit on my laptop, etc. But take off my gun and holster, and set them next to me. When the Wife and Kid get home, he knows not to touch. Nothing needs to be said. Two times now, he asked "Dad, move it?" and pointed at my gun so he could sit down. He's just over three years old.

Just wanted to share. I fully support locking up guns, 100%. But I also think there can be other ways to be safe. My father never locked up any guns, and I knew right where they were. I don't ever remember being curious or anything.

[Jeremy]

My experiences echo Wake.Joe's. My son is 4 and a half now and we have never locked up the guns. They have never been within his easy reach, especially when he was learning to crawl.

As soon as he showed he could follow simple rules, we began letting him handle the guns. He has helped me load mags for years now and really likes to help. His biggest fascination is working the lights on all of the guns.

He knows the rules that he doesn't touch them without asking first and then having adult supervision. He has never snuck into the closet to look at or handle them. There is no curiousity. The guns were never locked up for me and my sister and the rules were the same, just ask.

Pistols are kept loaded out of his reach although he could easily climb and get them, he just has no desire. Rifles are all kept with empty chambers and loaded mags.

My wife and I figure we will take him to the range next year.

[Savior 6]

I'd go with the key in the lock idea. When you leave your keys go with you and the safe is locked.

[BLACK LION]

I have an almost 3 year old daughter... Mom and I agree that I will not keep any of my rigs "hot" but I will keep a loaded mag in it ready to rack...
Mom understands what it takes to rack my .45, 12ga and AR15 so she knows our child is unable to load my firearms. She also understands the safety features.
I have made it a point to show our child as much as she will absorb and she knows not to ever touch "daddys stuff"...not just my rigs but the locks to my gear locker or safe...in fact she knows not to even put her hand on the surface... She doesnt touch my other tools or cleaning materials either....

It only takes a plit second to rack and gives the audible alert that your are coming out loaded...
I normally cover my rig with a t-shirt and put it inconspicuously next to me under our bed when I lay down for the night...
If I am just hanging around my house I either have is slung and hung / holstered or standing tall in the locker...

[freakshow10mm]

The key in the lock was good until he started walking. I have a concern that he would access the weapon if he comes in the room when I'm still sleeping unaware of his presence. Maybe an electronic lock would be good, with a key backup because batteries fail.

[mpom]

I have 2 Amsec handgun safes, one upstairs in the bathroom adjoining my bedroom and one downstairs in the kitchen. The safes are Simplex operated; no keys or batteries. Inside are loaded handguns and spare ammo. A flashlight is next to each safe. Longarms are kept in a locked closet. Before kids I would rarely leave a loaded pistol unsecured, but no more. The kids shoot and I don't really worry about them, rather their friends who are not as disciplined.

Mark

[esskay]

The solution I like the best is having an actual safe with an electronic lock in the bedroom.

This is what I want (http://www.gunvault.com/55005900.nxg). About $500 shipped, small enough to hide away, etc. I would like to know more about this (http://www.hitechsafes.com/rifle.html) though as it's an in-wall and has an electronic lock.

This is what I did. Cannon used to make an in-wall rifle-sized safe with electronic lock. Unfortunately, they must have discontinued it because I don't see it in their product line up anymore. I liked it because it was made by an established gun safe maker with similar type of construction.

Another option in addition to what Rob posted:
http://www.vlineind.com/html/products.html

There was another maker based in CA but I just searched and couldn't find it, guess they discontinued as well...

The one Rob posted looks interesting with the concealment option! Just looked more carefully, doesn't show a price unfortunately. It does looks pretty shallow, so would have to make sure it will accommodate an AR-pattern rifle. e.g. if someone has a 3 or 6 o'clock mounted flashlight, not sure it would fit...

[BT2012]

My question is what is the best way to store an AR in a ready condition with a child around?

My suggestion would be:
1. Mount your AR high up in a closet. Ensure there is no object (chair, box, etc.) for your child to attempt to reach up. or,

2. Install a home alarm with an indoor and outdoor siren. This would alert you to an intruder and hopefully give you time to unlock your safe and take out your firearm(s). You can also choose to mount your handgun high up in your closet and not worry about unlocking your safe. Ensure there is no object (chair, box, etc.) for your child to attempt to reach up. I strongly recommend this option, if you can financially swing this.

I just find it disheartening to hear a child getting access to a firearm and end up shooting themselves or someone else. I always say, life is not a movie where you can say stop and let's re-shoot (no pun intended) a scene.

[k_cheerangie]

Don't personally have this (http://www.bedgunsafe.com/index.html)but http://www.itstactical.com/ (which is an excellent site by the way), has a very good article on it

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

I have a four-year-old son and I would have loaded (even unchambered) guns where I know he can get at them only if you pointed a gun at my head. My son is somewhere between a drunk monkey and MacGyver. He gets to places I had no idea that he could get to, can screw up an iron ball, and figure things out thru trial and error. If you think boy under the age of eight has any sense of consequences, keep them away from my daughter till they are 25.

Boys love mechanical things and experimenting.

The boy has no toy guns, and I discpline him when he makes a gun out of anything and points 'it' at people. He knows guns are for daddy and he is not to touch one. If he sees one, he is to come get me. He has no idea where they are stored.

We have a Red Ryder I want to start to teach him with soon. I have been encouraged by how well he is taking to golf lessons, but his attention span is shorter than the Red Ryder barrel.

We do live in suburban type area, so there is no need to have a gun omnipresent. I've been carrying for about three months now, from the time I put on pants till I take them off at night, and the 2 &4 year old have no idea.

My kids aren't going to touch a real firearm until they can explain, not just recite, the four rules to me.

[Alpha Sierra]

All my guns are locked up except the one I carry daily. It is either on me or in the nightstand drawer. It is always in condition one.

My daughter has grown up with it. She knew what it was as soon as she was able to understand what BAD meant. As time went on and her cognitive ability grew, I explained to her what a handgun really is, what it does, and what daddy uses it for.

She has always known that she can touch any of my firearms with my permission. She disobeyed me once and she got a spanking. Now she is seven, pays them no mind, and treats them with the respect that they are due.

[BLACK LION]

Gunvault safe and/or lock box may be feasible since they can be accessed from a sequence of finger presses... the combination possibilities are infinite...

[Erik 1]

My son is somewhere between a drunk monkey and MacGyver. He gets to places I had no idea that he could get to, can screw up an iron ball, and figure things out thru trial and error. If you think boy under the age of eight has any sense of consequences, keep them away from my daughter till they are 25.

My son was exactly the same way and this is probably the best description I have ever read of kids at that age, period.

[militarymoron]

my son is approaching two, and i'm going to have to do something pretty soon. i have a pistol in the night stand and a loaded AR in the walk-in closet. everything else is locked up or in the safe.
he's too young to understand or know what guns are, but he's seen and touched them when i'm handling them. i'm exposing him to them so he's familiar with seeing them and so they're not something 'new'.
i will continue to expose, educate and explain guns to him as he grows older, and encourage him to shoot if he's interested, but i am not going to allow him access to them unless i hand one to him. they're going to be out of his reach.
i agree with colddeadhand's point of view. no disrespect to anyone else's kids, but if my son is anything like me when i was a kid, he's going to be a curious nut who doesn't really 'get' the seriousness of consequences. i don't think kids really understand, to the depth that most adults do, what their actions can really result in. not even through the teenage years.
i remember what i was like. i heard my parents, i understood what they were saying, but i'd always think to myself 'that isn't going to happen to me', and i'd follow my curiosity into an 'oh SHIT!' situation (and i had a LOT of them).
m parents knew i was inquisitive (i'm an engineer now, go figure) about all things mechanical. and things that blow up. or light on fire.
and i played with all that stuff without their knowledge, in secret. i turned out okay, and it's a wonder i'm not dead, but i'm going to do everything i can to keep my child safe, even from himself. i'm not going to make the mistake of equating intelligence with maturity, like some of my friends did with their kids.
even smart kids do dumbass shit when you're not around. why? because they're kids. i estimate a kid's IQ is cut in half anytime he's alone with his buddies. mine sure was.

anyways, on a lighter note, here he is getting 'familiarized' at 3 months while i test out my rifle's resistance to drool and baby food.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/militarymoron/avatar.jpg