Location for my nighttime self defense weapon

[spar10]

i need some opinions on this one. i have two young boys ages 8 and 5. i keep all my weapons locked in the safe, always. i've had two occasions in the middle of the night that i've responded to what have turned out to be false alarms. this entails waking up and going to the safe, getting the combination right while deep in a freshly awoken fog and adrenalin coursing through my veins, getting the mossberg 500 and then going to investigate the possible threat.

i've been thinking of a way to keep the 500 accessible to me in a safe place outside of the safe. my thought is to mount it on the inside of the closet, above the door. who would think to look up there? does this seem like a good place? is there a better place? remember, the big wild card here are my two young kids and my interest in them never picking it up when i'm not around to supervise until they are old enough to do so.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Lindy1933]

Can you make you safe only one number from being open? You would only have to dial in the last number and get your shotgun, loaded I hope, from the safe. It could be quite fast, if that is what you are looking for. True, you have compromised some of the safe's security but really not much.

[NC Bullseye]

Any place you "think" is secret and not accessible to little ones is a common knowledge place to kids and they will know how to get things from there. Your best bet with kids in that range is either a bio lock of some sort or a key lock while you wear the key on a necklace.

[TxCommish]

Buy a pistol and keep it in a bio-lock safe on your night stand. It can also be cabled to the floor. BTW, going hunting half asleep in a dark house in the middle of the night with two young kids in the residence sounds like trouble waiting to happen.

[shadowwalker]

Shotlok

[2700]

Any place you "think" is secret and not accessible to little ones is a common knowledge place to kids and they will know how to get things from there. Your best bet with kids in that range is either a bio lock of some sort or a key lock while you wear the key on a necklace.

I concur. Additionally, everyone needs a defense plan that involves the family and train for this plan.

[StevePVB]

I don't know the layout of your house/bedroom. Maybe build a shelf (I'd make it look something like the door casing) over the door to place the shotgun at night. Move it to the safe during the day. Your boys are a few years away from being able to reach the top of the door. Or use the shelf idea in a closet. Simpler -- hang it inside the closet over the door on a couple of nails.

Getting to the safe and spinning the combination seems like it would take 2 - 4 minutes.

[Chuck R.]

I use V-Line vaults for my HD guns and CCW pistol. 5 button simplex lock (no batteries) and they’re all “keyed” the same. One in the nightstand, the other under the bed.




Quick access, room for additional ammo/items, and relative security. Not cheap, but IMHO the peace of mind is worth it. The above the closet door on hooks location really is pretty well known.

Chuck

[StarPD45]

You could hang it in the closet IF you put it up every night and IF you take it down and put it in the safe every morning, but then IF in the morning rush you forget...
As was stated above, some sort of mechanical lock with you having the only key, possibly around your neck, is the safest way to go.
And as also stated, running around in a house full of kids, with a shotgun, half asleep, is a tragedy waiting to happen.

[aus71383]

I also use the V-Line safes - one for 2 handguns, one that holds 2 long guns.

Austin

[JudgeMan]

I have a micro vault in my nightstand drawer with a tac light and a Taurus Judge in it. All my long guns stay in the safe, and every night before I turn in my carry gun goes in the safe until I get up the next morning. I have a very busy 3 yr old running around my house!:)

[KBSR]

As you've already acknowledged, your primary mission is keeping your castle safe, from outsiders, and from potential accidents caused by your young sons. I personally don't like having to open a gun safe in the middle of the night, after I've heard something that's awakened me. It's not a bad idea to move the guns back and forth every night, but I'm thinking that this system will fail at some point, and heaven forbid your boys get hurt as a result of that.

I'll tell you what I do. My children are all grown and out of the house, but I have two grandsons that are always here, and sometime spend the night. I carry two pistols daily, and when the GK's are present, those pistols, when they aren't on my person, go in a pistol safe on the night stand that is bolted to the night stand. They can not open it, and I can, in just a few seconds.

I also have two shotguns that don't live in my gun safe, but rather stay out in the house 24X7. One is an over/under .410/.22LR. My girlfriend likes this for emergencies, and I leave it propped up in the corner of the bedroom, on her side of the bed, broken open. The ammo is on a high shelf in her closet, that my oldest grandson (who is 2) can't reach.

The other shotgun is a cheap New England Arms Partner (I think) 12 gauge, which I keep hidden in the bedroom, with the bolt closed, the chamber empty, magazine full. This weapon, probably because it's cheap, takes some strength to chamber a round, and it's something my two year old grandson could not do right now. As he gets older, this gun will go up above the closet door, where it will live out it's life.

I leave these two guns out of the safe because I won't lose any sleep or be miserable should they be stolen while I'm away, but I can grab them and put them into play quickly should the need arise.

Hope this helps some. Because you're asking, I'm sure you'll come up with a plan that works for you. Be safe.