Well, the original thread on how to secure a residence that is inhabited by more than one person was shut down due to a major violation on the part of the original poster. I feel that this thread contained some good information and conversation. For the sake of more conversation, lets continue. The assumption being that a person feels the need to keep a firearm for protection and the residence is subject to frequent gatherings by friends and acquaintences. How does one accomplish this safely? What are major concerns related to being in a collegiate atmosphere? As some of you know, the "U" in my username is for "University" so I am a bit schooled in this area. Lets hear some thoughts...
Room Mates Part Deux
- Thread starter VUPDblue
- Start date
As much as I hate to write this I just don't think college and dorm life are safe environments for guns. Some people will be able to provide a proper safe and ensure that the guns don't end up in the hands of the wrong person but it's very difficult to do. Where do you bolt the safe? To a stud in a low rent apartment? Once it's known there is a gun in the house the risk of theft is very high. Sometime patience is a really good thing.
My 2.
B
My 2.
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Wildalaska
Moderator
Party atmospheres and guns don't mix.
WildtrustmeAlaska
WildtrustmeAlaska
Wildalaska
Moderator
Absolutely. Day after first bash or wandering strangers or unkown chicks on the floor (well scratch that one maybe
)WildnoquestionwhatsoeverAlaska
MortalWombat
New member
Yes, move. But don't forget to come back for the parties.
JoeBlackSpade
New member
Let's face it: only YOU really know if you can store a firearm safely in your pad- roomates or not.
With regards to alcohol, its stupid to think that guns and drinking can ever mix. If you want to know what happens when they do, even under the best intentions, just look back at the Old West, when men carried their sidearms into the Saloon. Undertakers were very busy back then. With alcohol, tempers flair and judgement is the first thing to go out the window.
If you're going to live in a fairly confined space, where there is alcohol, don't introduce a firearm into that environment. Its a recipe for disaster. Not only for you, but for your roomates.
Personally, I'm NEVER going to trust others around my weapons. I paid for my training with sweat and tears, and unless I know that the "next guy" has been through the same thing, I'm going to assume that he's a blithering idiot when it comes to guns, until he proves me wrong.
This is a good rule. Say it with me now: "EVERYONE ELSE is a blithering idiot when it comes to firearms". LOL. Believe that about everyone who may gain access to your firearm, unless you have sufficient reason not to, i.e., they are law enforcement or military with experience. Even your best buddy who shoots a squirrel gun may not be familiar with handguns.
If you go back to the thread that was closed, I posted a picture of an extendable baton. This is perfect for your needs. Not every problem finds its solution with a firearm. Being able to understand that is the first step towards mature and responsible ownership of a firearm eventually.
I happen to know for a FACT that the D.C. Park Police SWAT team carries these, and many, many Marine and Army MP's and Security Force Battalions carry these as standard issue weapons when on post. I carried one as well. My opinion is they are awesome. And non-lethal. Check them out.
With regards to alcohol, its stupid to think that guns and drinking can ever mix. If you want to know what happens when they do, even under the best intentions, just look back at the Old West, when men carried their sidearms into the Saloon. Undertakers were very busy back then. With alcohol, tempers flair and judgement is the first thing to go out the window.
If you're going to live in a fairly confined space, where there is alcohol, don't introduce a firearm into that environment. Its a recipe for disaster. Not only for you, but for your roomates.
Personally, I'm NEVER going to trust others around my weapons. I paid for my training with sweat and tears, and unless I know that the "next guy" has been through the same thing, I'm going to assume that he's a blithering idiot when it comes to guns, until he proves me wrong.
This is a good rule. Say it with me now: "EVERYONE ELSE is a blithering idiot when it comes to firearms". LOL. Believe that about everyone who may gain access to your firearm, unless you have sufficient reason not to, i.e., they are law enforcement or military with experience. Even your best buddy who shoots a squirrel gun may not be familiar with handguns.
If you go back to the thread that was closed, I posted a picture of an extendable baton. This is perfect for your needs. Not every problem finds its solution with a firearm. Being able to understand that is the first step towards mature and responsible ownership of a firearm eventually.
I happen to know for a FACT that the D.C. Park Police SWAT team carries these, and many, many Marine and Army MP's and Security Force Battalions carry these as standard issue weapons when on post. I carried one as well. My opinion is they are awesome. And non-lethal. Check them out.
The fact that the original thread was closed because the guy was using multiple identities should show that his judgement is poor to begin with.
Try to plan how any given day will go, and see if things turn out as you planned. never happens, does it?
I'm sorry if it offends college kids to say that they are immature, but they are. It's a matter of time on earth. A gun in a party house is a bad idea no matter how you look at it. As a sailor, I can say with certainty that the unexpected WILL happen.
Try to plan how any given day will go, and see if things turn out as you planned. never happens, does it?
I'm sorry if it offends college kids to say that they are immature, but they are. It's a matter of time on earth. A gun in a party house is a bad idea no matter how you look at it. As a sailor, I can say with certainty that the unexpected WILL happen.
The Tourist
Moderator
I was very sorry the thread was closed, but perhaps not for the reason many think.
It seems now that everyone has to be each other's friend. No one seems to be accountable. No one wants bad news. Nicole Richie can drive backwards on a one-way street and it's all just one entertaining goof. Britney Spears' kid is going to be in therapy for years.
When I typed my opinion, I planned to be flamed, and in many ways I didn't care.
The very idea that there was going to be a condition where foot traffic, college kids, planned inebriation and firearms were going to mix was flat out foolish.
And childish. And selfish.
You know what they told Spiderman, don't you? With great power comes great responsibility. And alcohol and firearms in that environment is not responsible.
The gentleman may have to move. But more to the point, I'm concerned when someone believes there's a responsible way to handle this. His plans need to be re-evaluated.
It seems now that everyone has to be each other's friend. No one seems to be accountable. No one wants bad news. Nicole Richie can drive backwards on a one-way street and it's all just one entertaining goof. Britney Spears' kid is going to be in therapy for years.
When I typed my opinion, I planned to be flamed, and in many ways I didn't care.
The very idea that there was going to be a condition where foot traffic, college kids, planned inebriation and firearms were going to mix was flat out foolish.
And childish. And selfish.
You know what they told Spiderman, don't you? With great power comes great responsibility. And alcohol and firearms in that environment is not responsible.
The gentleman may have to move. But more to the point, I'm concerned when someone believes there's a responsible way to handle this. His plans need to be re-evaluated.
Why my home is different
No one comes in unless I say it's okay. This question was posed about a situation where access to the residence is virtually uncontrolled. The guns in my house are all locked securely away when people, except a very few, are visiting, and the location is not generally known. (My safe is not kept in any "common" area of the house.)
No one comes in unless I say it's okay. This question was posed about a situation where access to the residence is virtually uncontrolled. The guns in my house are all locked securely away when people, except a very few, are visiting, and the location is not generally known. (My safe is not kept in any "common" area of the house.)
I read the original post but not the entire thread. did anyone else catch that he mentioned he would probly be drinking regularly but that he was only 19?
off topic I know, I apologize but I just couldn't let that slide. I think we know where I'm going with this so I'll drop it before I get into a rant.
anyway on topic and speaking from experiance.
if at all possible don't even let your roommates know that you even have a gun. if you can hide the safe do that too. and make sure it's a secure strorage device. a friend of mine had a wood cabinet with a glass front and no lock. he couldn't get it up the stairs so it had to go in the livingroom. he put a cable lock on the door handles but at one of the many parties his ex-girlfriend threw some lowlife managed to slip their arm into the cabinet and make off with his .25 raven. $80 dollar mistake but the scarrier part is some theif and possible drug addict (I've seen the kind of people she would bring over) has a small easily concelable handgun thats in someone else's name.
currently I live in a motorhome in an RV park and while for the most part everyone else has RVs far more valuable than mine I try to not even let anyone else see me taking my guns in and out of the truck. and I managed to fit a locker in my motorhome to keep my guns secure.
off topic I know, I apologize but I just couldn't let that slide. I think we know where I'm going with this so I'll drop it before I get into a rant.
anyway on topic and speaking from experiance.
if at all possible don't even let your roommates know that you even have a gun. if you can hide the safe do that too. and make sure it's a secure strorage device. a friend of mine had a wood cabinet with a glass front and no lock. he couldn't get it up the stairs so it had to go in the livingroom. he put a cable lock on the door handles but at one of the many parties his ex-girlfriend threw some lowlife managed to slip their arm into the cabinet and make off with his .25 raven. $80 dollar mistake but the scarrier part is some theif and possible drug addict (I've seen the kind of people she would bring over) has a small easily concelable handgun thats in someone else's name.
currently I live in a motorhome in an RV park and while for the most part everyone else has RVs far more valuable than mine I try to not even let anyone else see me taking my guns in and out of the truck. and I managed to fit a locker in my motorhome to keep my guns secure.
Wildalaska
Moderator
Everything is relative. if I, in my social circles, invite a few freinds over to the old homestead where we sip fine port and nibble on canapes and admire my Colt collection as it sits behind glass, thats one thing....
vis a vis
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH dudes lets PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARTY....Jagermeister!!! Shot, shot do a shot togatogatoga wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohooooooooooooo hey check Ken out, dude nice dude ya just blew chow all over yourself woooooooooooooooooooooooohooooooooooo hey Spiff, pass me the Crown and that SKS woooooooooooooooooooo yeahhey gimme a beer and those stripper clips.................****burp*****
WildisthatasufficientanswerAlaska
SatanzBountyHunter
New member
Let me make sure I understand you right...you and a roomate are LEO's and you have 3 other roomates (the partiers) that aren't?
If I am reading this correctly, you and your other LEO rommate need to move. I am sure you are required to have a duty gun and the other tools of the trade. Any of your civilian roomies and their friends will know you have guns in the place if they know you are LEO's. Why risk having one of them or their partying friends steal your gun, badge, etc....or worse, play with them while you are not there. Any accident like that or having your gear stolen is not good for your career.
You need to get out of that environment...your career is too valuable for that kind of trouble waiting to happen.
The only other solution I see is that you keep the door to your room locked whenever you aren't there with a real clear understanding to your roomates that anyone that tries to go in there without your permission gets their teeth knocked out.
Lets get this train on its track. My situation is over and done with. It was ten years ago. Mine and my partner's gear lived in the car, which lived at the department, as we lived outside of our own jurisdiction. The only gear that came home on a regular basis was the badge and sometimes the vest. However, we each did have weapons of our own. The partying that went down at our place wasn't the likes of what happened on Animal House. Sure the idiot roomies had people over from time to time, but it was pretty subdued. The situation I find that I am picturing in my head is one or two individuals looking for a place to crash or get away from it all and then stumbling upon an unsecured weapon. "Hey everybody, look what I found" (yelling from the top of the stairs). It was pretty hard to stumble into our room as the door had a deadbolt on it (lucky it was there when we moved in). Each of us had a pistol and a safe, ones of the type that has the finger grooves on the top where you key-in the combo. I still have mine as a matter of fact. They were screwed to the floor next to our respective beds. I used to put my empty laundry basket upside-down over mine just to keep it out of sight. The beds were on opposite sides of the large bedroom and the safes were between the beds and the wall. I don't know how much more secure you can make things and still have your weapon somewhat readily available. I felt that this was a pretty good way of having a weapon while living in a college town.
SatanzBountyHunter
New member
You threw the question out there, so I answered with the best opinion I had. Sounds like you had things under control from the beginning.
VUPD,
It reads as though you did the best you could with an imperfect situation (aren't they all.)
To answer your question. No I don't drink anymore. I have people over but no wine with dinner, no sherry as an aperitif, no after dinner cognac. I've become quite boring as I've aged. But much more responsible as well.
B
It reads as though you did the best you could with an imperfect situation (aren't they all.)
To answer your question. No I don't drink anymore. I have people over but no wine with dinner, no sherry as an aperitif, no after dinner cognac. I've become quite boring as I've aged. But much more responsible as well.
B