How can I ask you....

I have a daughter, so we've had little guests from time to time over the years. I've never had a parent ask me if we have unsecured firearms in the house, but I wouldn't have a problem if one did. I like my privacy, but those parents are letting their children come to my home. That's about as good a reason for those parents to be asking that question as I can conceive.

Assuming the question was simply, "Are there unsecured guns around the house?," my simple answer would be something along the lines of "no, there are not." If the parent were dropping the child off, I might even invite the parent in so that he or she could actually see the safe. However, if this aforementioned, hypothetical parent were to start asking for specifics (how many, what kind, 'high capacity' magazines?, etc.), then we'd have a problem.
 
Spats said:
If the parent were dropping the child off, I might even invite the parent in so that he or she could actually see the safe.
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Not me pal. I can't tell you how many residential burglaries I've worked that began with a guest, serviceman etc. becoming privy to the presence of neat stuff in the affected home. Often it was not the visitor, but some third party the visitor blabbed to.
 
I agree Sarge that how they are secured, and where they are stored is not relevant. For most of us "gun people" it is generally known we own guns. I am not going to discuss or show them to anyone I don't know and trust. I would answer the original question with a smile. Any further questions, not so much.
 
I have places my children do not go without my direct supervision (IE not out of my sight) because I know (as in I have seen them in just walking around with the parents) there are unsecured firearms in the house stored at very very best "casually"
 
For me it depends on how the question is asked and who is asking. Guns are NOT the only thing that parents should ask about or be concerned about. Prescription drugs, alcohol, poisonous chemicals, lighters-matches, motorcycle, ATV, power tools, and lasers are just a few things that can instantly do lots of harm.

If someone is so focused on guns and nothing else, that in and of itself is a concern to me. When I was 12 I went to a friend's house after school while his parents weren't home. We played with his CO2 pistol for a couple of hours, handling it very responsibly and treating it with due care. When we got bored with that, we decided to see what chemicals we could put together in a bowl and light it on fire. The bowl was plastic and melted, spilling acetone, oil and whatever else we dumped in it all over the table while the flames were burning. We managed to get the fire out before anything was seriously destroyed - holy crap, we were lucky!

One more point on this. I have an antique Remington 1858 revolver that I keep on display in an unlocked case. Many folks would see this as an unsecured gun that could be accessed by children. And, it is. As I don't even own any of the components that would make this gun work, it is completely safe. Still, I suppose if it posed a concern for some parents, its easy enough for me to put it away. If its brought to my attention in the right way, I am more than happy to accommodate with just a short explanation on why that gun isn't dangerous. Still, this can be confusing for kids (and adults) who have been taught that all guns are always dangerous. I get it.
 
As long as a simple "no" will suffice I have no problem with this type of question. I know how much I care for my kids and think that anyone has the right to make sure their children are safe wherever they are. Also, someone mentioned earlier that the parent of the visiting child should have taught their child firearms safety which couldn't be more wrong. Just like we have our right to own our firearms, other people have an equal right to not own or know anything about firearms. I don't think that a parent has to tell another parent if they own firearms if they don't want to, but it is our responsibility to make sure that person's child is safe which does mean no unsecured firearms in the house.
 
We were asked that actually many years ago. We replied truthfully that there weren't any.

As a gun owner, I feel we have a moral duty to make sure firearms are indeed secured if there are children about, just as wwe had child locks on the drawers when they were young and otherwise secured dangerous items (or even turned the handles of pots inwards to avoid young hands grabbing it). Its no biggie.

Another time we were asked if we had firearms. Now at that one the wife replied "you know you're living in Texas right?" and that was that. :D
 
Never been asked about guns but a mom asked if we smoked cigarettes when my son invited her son over to go swimming......she was a very overbearing parent as it turned out,her husband didn't care......
 
I was taught gun control at a very very young age. My kids are young, they know I have guns and they know what they can potentially do.
Things are different now I guess and parents could ask such questions. Never thought about it much till now.
 
I kept a 357 in my nightstand drawer - my kids knew it, they also knew that their friends were not allowed in my bedroom. Nor were they to talk about it or any other gun. Never an issue.
 
I feel for you guys, but I'm well past the point in my life where that question is likely to come up. Also, I don't know anyone who would bother to ask it.

However, were I to be asked (and IF I were disposed to answer honestly), I'd say,.. "why, yes, but only in three rooms...and only loaded in two of them..." :rolleyes:

"and, don't worry, there's only between 15 and 30 thousand rounds of unsecured ammunition (spread out over 30+ calibers) on hand, currently..." :D

What I don't have, or allow, is unsecured CHILDREN. My youngest is in his mid 30s, my only grandchild is 12 and 1,500 miles away. Small house, cluttered to the point hoarders would be impressed, miles from town and fairly isolated. No one visits, and I LIKE IT that way! ;)

Seriously, though, there was a time when my children had friends over, and back then, things were a bit more "put away", but not to the point of locking everything up. Nor was there ever a time without at least one responsible adult "on duty". House apes simply did not get to roam freely and see what mischief they could get into. And yes, they did try...;)

Everyone's situation is different, and I don't doubt yours is vastly different from mine. Do as you think best, but if you (or a trusted other) isn't going to be there, and in control, securing valuable and dangerous items is simply prudent.
 
44 AMP said:
I feel for you guys, but I'm well past the point in my life where that question is likely to come up. Also, I don't know anyone who would bother to ask it.
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You may not know them, but a lot of parents today would (and undoubtedly do) ask. They are being coached, counseled and cajoled into doing so by the media and bt their pediatricians. However, as has been pointed out above, those same parents should also be asking about knives, prescription drugs, swimming pools ... and possibly even about peanut butter.

Remember, we are now living in an era when teenagers need a degree and a license to be a baby sitter, and little kids need zoning and health department permits to sell lemonade from their front lawns.

Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas any more.
 
The only people I know who have kids which might come over....are all gun owners. We are all on the same page about things.

To be honest, I would be more concerned about the children/guests coming into the secure perimeter of MY castle.

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Ive been asked before, it was easy to answer... it would be impossible for any child to access any gun in my home as I am the only one who knows the combination to the safe. For all I know the parent is/was presumably anti-gun.... but had no problem letting their child visit mine. I honestly don't know why any gun owner, no matter how deeply they support gun-rights, would have a problem with this question? Were supposed to be stewards to safe and responsible gun ownership, answering the question should be a no brainer kids dont have access to guns.
 
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I would suggest that answers other than yes or no to a simple question, maybe even a volunteering to show by example are why "we" are "losing" the gun rights battle.

I'm sorry but some of the answers here come off as either extremist or avoiding the subject. We don't "make friends" of the non gun owners when we do either of those things.
 
I agree Lohman. As I said earlier, 'no' is an acceptable answer in my opinion. It tells the person asking nothing regarding my gun ownership, my position on guns, or anything other than I have no unsecured guns in my home. 'None of your business' is also acceptable but it fails to answer a legitimate question and gives a less than positive impression of gun owners in my view.
 
'None of your business' is also acceptable but it fails to answer a legitimate question
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IF you consider the question legitimate...

I grew up in a time and a place where it was RARE I would visit a house that didn't have (at least) one gun in it, and generally "secured" was a glass front case that only the more well off could afford.

Guns (often loaded) lived in closets, behind kitchen doors, and on racks on the wall. Snooping in someone else's dresser drawers was an offense that got you punished, physically, and deservedly so.

Times have changed, today people are afraid of much more than they used to be. I don't think we are better off in that regard.

Personally, I find the question illegitimate, offensive and insulting.

But, that's just me, an old recluse who decided social skills were a waste of the limited time I have left. :rolleyes:
 
I view these as tough questions for gun owners.

I keep my guns secured, but I don't show them to visitors, unless appropriate.

If my daughters friends see my guns, it is at the range.


These questions never come to me....people don't talk to me about this....My wife generally answers the questions. Her talking points are:
- All guns are locked up.
- Not sure how many we own.
- Don't know when my husband is carrying.

Some of these might be a white lie, but we don't need to advertise unless we are reaching out to you to get you into shooting.


I ask this because I'm beginning to realize there is a gun owner type on the rise. I call that the "fear" owner. They are freaked out by something....buy a gun....load it....put it somewhere. Often they forget where, but originally it was put in a handy place...sock drawer, coat closet, drawer in kitchen, on shelf....

Then 8 years later, their kid, a neighbor kid, nosy babysitter, etc finds it and maybe does nothing or maybe pulls it out. Worst I ever experienced was when the neighbor kid thought it was sooo important they said look at my dad's gun, it's loaded. My daughter came home and told me right away. We dealt with the issue, but something easily could have happened. This has not and will not occur at my house.
 
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