Home Defense Shotgun Safety

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wildcat1950

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I'm considering adding a short barrel 12 or 20 gauge pump as an addition to my carry and night stand pistols. I'm retired and live alone with my wife in a typical subdivision home. If we are alone, one of my handguns is either on me, in arms reach or in my small handgun safe. If we have company, especially grandkids, it is on me or in the safe.

I'm concerned about leaving a loaded shotgun, even without a round chambered, under the bed or otherwise in reach. What is recommended to balance rapid access and home safety with long guns?
 
I keep an unloaded shotgun under the bed behind a row of shoes. The shells are in the top drawer of a very high chest of drawers. It would take a little time to get the shotgun out and load it, but I don't have to worry about my curious grandchildren getting the shotgun and loading it. My shotgun is a Rem 870 12 ga. Home Defense model with a short barrel, extended magazine, and "youth" model buttstock. Two handguns are readily accessible (but not to the grandchildren.)
 
There are lots of dead kids who found supposedly hidden guns in their own or other's homes. When my kids were young I trusted them never to go near my gun or guns but I had no illusions that when their friends were at our house anything could happen, so I locked the guns accordingly. Now with grandkids I certainly will not rely upon a gun being "well hidden" or on a high shelf or some other supposedly safe location. Curious kids will find things no matter how well you think you have hidden them, and the consequences are far too great to let this happen.

For many years I have kept only handguns in my home. Most are in a real safe, but my carry guns and my primary home defense handgun are in a GunVault which is secured into my dresser. It is easily accessible with a four button code but fully safe from children's curiosity.

Recently I added a 12 gauge 20-inch pump to the mix due to rising crime in this city. I purchased a Shotlock which I will be mounting on the wall of my closet, again giving me a good balance between accessibility and safety. I plan on keeping a round in the chamber, safety one, and 8 in the tube of 00 Buck. The extra $125 for the Shotlock is a modest price to pay for the peace of mind it brings me.
 
I looked at the link to the trigger lock you showed (which is listed as "Out of Stock"). I'm not sure those locks are easily opened when you are awoken with a crash during the night and have to insert a key into a lock. Obviously you can't leave the key already in the lock if you want the gun to be secure, and picking up a key and properly inserting it can be a real task when the adrenaline is pumping and your eyes are just adjusting to being awake. A keypad lock seems much less problematic. But I guess if you are sure when you go to bed that no one is coming into your room where the gun is, then leaving the key may not be such a bad idea.
 
The least expensive and practical option may be a Pelican case which has multiple lock points, since you don't have a full size safe. This will be adequate to keep the kids out, and as a side benefit you will have a good case for transport.

Since you already have pistols and secure, quick access storage for those, I would just be concerned about keeping it safe from the kids.
 
I keep an unloaded shotgun under the bed behind a row of shoes. The shells are in the top drawer of a very high chest of drawers. It would take a little time to get the shotgun out and load it, but I don't have to worry about my curious grandchildren getting the shotgun and loading it.
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Its your house, and your business, and I'm glad you don't worry. But I've got to tell you that, no matter how well behaved they might be when someone is watching, if little house apes have unsupervised access to an area, they WILL find everything you think you have hidden, unless it is behind a locked barrier!

I never saw any point to hiding, or putting a trigger lock on an unloaded gun. Unloaded guns are simply NOT dangerous. And, putting a trigger lock on a loaded gun is the act of a FOOL!!!

IF you have concerns about children (or anyone) getting their hands on a loaded shotgun, simply don't store the gun loaded when you aren't there. You have a handgun(s), for defense, so there's no need for a shotgun to be instantly "ready" 24/7.

Keep the ammo in a locked container, and you don't need to hassle, or worry about a lock on the gun. If the shotgun is to be your "grab in the middle of the night" gun, store it unloaded during the day, and make loading it (or just loading the magazine) part of your nightly lockup ritual. Lock doors, turn off lights, put out the sabertooth cat, load shotgun, put it in an accessible place, and go to bed. UNLOAD and CLEAR the gun in the morning, before leaving it unattended, returning the ammo to secure storage.

It may seem like extra work, but if you don't have a secure storage for a loaded gun (such as a safe) store the gun unloaded!! Secure (lockbox, etc) storage for ammo is easier to do, and solves all safety concerns, quite handily.

People have become fixated on the mantra that in order to be safe, guns have to be locked up. While it does work, it's not the only way things can be safely done.
 
My kids are grown. Like you, my wife and I live alone, except for the occasional grandchild spending the night. When were alone, I also have a gun with me, or within very close proximity. We keep a loaded short barreled 12 gauge pump in our bedroom in close proximity to the bed, along with a handgun (both hidden, but with quick access). If we leave the house, or have visitors or grandchildren over, all guns go into the safe except my one personal carry.
Better safe than sorry.
 
"I looked at the link to the trigger lock you showed (which is listed as "Out of Stock"). I'm not sure those locks are easily opened when you are awoken with a crash during the night and have to insert a key into a lock. Obviously you can't leave the key already in the lock if you want the gun to be secure, and picking up a key and properly inserting it can be a real task when the adrenaline is pumping and your eyes are just adjusting to being awake. A keypad lock seems much less problematic. But I guess if you are sure when you go to bed that no one is coming into your room where the gun is, then leaving the key may not be such a bad idea."

FYI:
A. The link was for illustration only, not an advert.
B. You don't need a key to open the GUNLOK trigger locks. Do the reading.
 
We keep a loaded shotgun available, but it's not our primary weapon. It is in the safe in the closet and our handguns are available next to the bed as primary weapons when we are sleeping. None of our guns are laying around unsecured. It would take a little more time to get the shotgun, but again it's not our primary weapon. I also pocket carry at home so I guess during the day, it would be my primary weapon.
 
From 44 AMP:
"Its your house, and your business, and I'm glad you don't worry. But I've got to tell you that, no matter how well behaved they might be when someone is watching, if little house apes have unsupervised access to an area, they WILL find everything you think you have hidden, unless it is behind a locked barrier!
"


Indeed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyvQ9rED0Ns
 
I never saw any point to hiding, or putting a trigger lock on an unloaded gun. Unloaded guns are simply NOT dangerous.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, unloaded guns are readily converted into loaded guns. And if kids can find the guns, they can find the ammo.
 
I agree with 44_Amp. My children all know about guns, have held them and know the safety concerns. Personal guns on display are not locked, but neither is my Louisville slugger; without the ammunition, they are in essence equals. My kids are taught to be mindful of their guests and share accordingly the responsibilities of gun ownership should the subject arise. Ammunition however, is locked in one of two safes, either by dial combination or by electronic code.

This will be passed on to the next generation in my household as well. Empower the knowledge, steal the magic of curiosity.
 
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