hiding guns around the house

[CharlieMike]

hi,

we have a table with drawers near front door (jimmihat's experience reminded me of this). we don't have any kids so i've been considering putting a relatively inexpensive autoloader or revolver in the table so that if my fiancee (or even myself!) opens the door and encounters trouble, she could defend herself.

it also might be useful to have others at strategic locations around the house.

i am considering starting with a S&W 637 in the drawer for now.

does anyone else do this? if so, are there any other places you'd have a hidden firearm?

-ayan

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Jungle Work]

Conceal it, the burglars might over look it.
I like places that I wouldn't look for a gun.

Jungle Work

[P95Carry]

Hidden is good - if not too obvious and - major point - you remember where they are

One house gun we keep ''buried'' amongst clothing in a small closet but there are many potentially good places. I do not divest myself of carry piece so it is always there but hidden stuff does count as BUG material and so worth having.

One guy I know has at least one gun under a table - held in a simple rig that is velcroed in place.

[pogo2]

I have a friend who told me that he keeps a hidden handgun in each room of his house. His house is full size, with perhaps 12 rooms. I didn't ask him exactly where in each room he keeps the gun, but I presume it is cleverly hidden. He said they are all either 1911s or revolvers. I have never seen any guns visible when I have been in the house.

I only keep 3 hidden, loaded handguns in my house. And I often wear a gun around the house, which would be my first alternative if I suddenly needed one. My wife would go for the hidden guns, as she doesn't pack on her person. We don't have any children at home, and never have children as guests in the house.

[shaggykb]

I knew a guy who had about a 3,000 sq ft house and had guns hidden all over the place. I only saw one(besides in the gun cabinet) the entire time he lived there. I keep one by my front door and would keep more but can't afford more than the two guns I have. Those pesky bills keep getting in the way.

[pax]

Loaded firearms should be kept away from three types of people:

Children,
the Criminal, and
the Clueless

In hiding a gun in the house, most people think only of the children. "We don't have any, so there's no problem." Is that true? Maybe. But maybe not. Do you have any nieces or nephews? Any friends with children? Even kids who "should" know better, and parents who "should" be watching, can be a risk. How secure is that hiding place, really?

Do you have any friends or any family members who don't know squat about guns, but might conceivably be in your home and who might open that drawer? Anyone at all? These people will be a hazard to themselves and others if they come across your gun.

And finally, the criminal. Yeah, criminals should never be in your home. But there's no sense handing them things on a silver platter either. If you rely on a hiding place instead of a lock, any criminal who enters is going to find your gun and take it. This is doubly or triply true for a convenient gun hidden in an obvious drawer within reach of the front door.

If you can't live with that thought, get a fast-access safe and use it.

pax

[tnoisaw]

I usually am wearing mine and I have a six year old daughter so I don’t have the luxury of hiding guns. I know she would leave them alone but I don’t know that about her friends.

[Ron]

Something similar was covered some time ago on another thread, but my problem is that we have two grandchildren, ages 3 and 2, who visit us several times a week. They are both curious about everything and as they get older will become increasingly more curious. They are also likely to have friends who might be visiting us with them. My daughter and son-in-law both know that I have guns in our house. My dilemma was how to have a gun readily available, if needed in an emergency, and still feel comfortable that I was not looking at a potential tragedy involving one of my grandchildren, or other child, getting their hands on one of my guns. After much soul searching, what I did was to keep my "house gun" on a dresser in our bedroom next to my side of the bed in a mini-safe with coded finger pads. I can access the gun very quickly, even at night. My carry gun, when not on me, is also kept in a mini-safe in the laundry room next to the garage where I enter and exit the house. Each safe is battery operated, but can also be opened with a key. The keys are on a neck chain I always wear. the extra keys are in our bank safe deposit box. I know that this is not as good as having the guns immediately accessable without having to deal with punching in codes, but it is a compromise that I am comforable with.

Ron

[rocky]

I feel the biggest concerns would be someone unauthorized finding or taking a hidden gun. If it did happen , you might be held responsible(at least civilly) for leaving a loaded gun unattended.
A gun on the hip is more accessible and you should be able to handle it better than spare or backup guns.

[raevan]

+1 to what Pax said. You can't count on a burgular not finding your guns. When my house was hit they dumped drawers pulled stuff out of cupboards and closets moved bed matresses. They looked in all the "normal" hiding places. They found some custom knives but none of the guns, which were locked up elsewhere, because I hade people staying in my home I couldn't trust (relatives).

[ceetee]

The trouble with locks and "safes" is that unless you spend an inordinate amount of money, they're only strong enough to keep honest people honest. There have been plenty of threads shut down on THR over that arguement. If you do choose to hide a gun, fer goshsakes don't pick that drawer in the hall table to hide it in!

There's another thread (over on TFL, I think) listing all kinds of tricksy places people have stashed guns. I've been through only one burglary (one's enough) and thinking about all the things that got overturned, rifled, dumped out, and torn up gave me some clues as to what aren't good hiding spots!

Hint: if it's the first, second, or third spot you thought of to hide something in, it's not a good hiding spot...

[mikeyinokc]

Interesting reading here. I have three handguns casually "hidden" through the house, as well as a HD shotgun under the bed. The problem coming up is we also have a 6 month old grandaughter coming along that will require me to change the current setup.

[sojourner]

I'm on a securing phase now in my house. Just picked up a safe/rsc, 800 lbs.

Am looking at getting easy access safes like the below (not necessarily in any order). For these, main intent is to keep children out and have easy/quick access to firearms on each floor of the house. Fire and burglary are secondary condition.

http://www.amsecusa.com/gun-safe-HC1854.htm
Looks way cool to put in a home-office, but VERY pricey!!

http://www.securityandsafetysupply.c...ms/vline-1.htm
v-line hideaway, V-Line Closet Vault 51653-SA (but it does not look as secure as I want it).

I think it should be "hidden" from casual observation AND secured in a quick-access combo type safe.

[whitetrashfarm]

I keep a gun in my recliner, between the arm rest and the seat cushion, when I am home. I have other guns hidden in the house. Para ord. LTC, Para ord P-12, Winchester model 94 trapper model 44mag. Mosseberg model 500 in basement
My wife has a gun hidden where she can access it. And she knows how to use them.
When we are expectioning company with kids the guns get put away.

[Devone6]

If I am not using it then it is in my big safe, except for my regular carry guns which I keep in a quick access safe in my bedroom. One 870 in closet with gun lock. No hidden guns in my house.