Vault, Your HD Shotgun/AR, and getting to your weapon quickly

[xXMens ReaXx]

I don't need to clear rooms in my house as I do not have children. In the event of a home invastion I would likely just point my gun at the door and if they want to come inside so be it.

Now, I am looking to get a 12ga. as my HD weapon instead of my handgun. However, I have concerns about how I would be able to quickly access the shotgun. I understand that most safes with a digital lock break easier, etc. However, in a heat of the moment situation I think a digitial lock is much easier to access. I can't see myself spinning the dial on the mechanical lock like the lockers back in highschool.

So my questions is how is everyone securing their HD shotguns so they can get to them quickly? I have a quick release biometric safe for my glock but I have no idea what I am going to do for my shotgun.

All help is appreciated.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[JerryMac]

Mine is on a hanger in the closet, right where I can take two steps from bed n have it in my hand, nothing fancy, just a couple of rubber coated hooks screwed in, bought at local hardware store,and you said there were no kids to worry about, so that is about as easy as it gets..... but having it instead of, your handgun, think i would consider having both still available.

[sgb]

[Chuck R.]

I use a V-0Line Long Gun Vault for my Benelli M1S90 and once and a while for my LE6920. The 5 button simplex lock doesn’t require batteries and is pretty quick. I’ve set the same combination for all 3 of my V-Lines. There’s also plenty of room for extra ammo ect.



I’m not a fan of open storage. I’d really hate to come home sometime and find myself on the wrong end of my Benelli.

Chuck

[Eaglebeak]

Here's the way I do it. In the safe when I'm away, and in the rack at night....
Shotgun Rack-7.jpg
Shotgun Rack-4.jpg
Shotgun Rack-3.jpg

[Ram Rod]

I don't need to clear rooms in my house as I do not have children. In the event of a home invastion I would likely just point my gun at the door and if they want to come inside so be it.

Now, I am looking to get a 12ga. as my HD weapon instead of my handgun. However, I have concerns about how I would be able to quickly access the shotgun. I understand that most safes with a digital lock break easier, etc. However, in a heat of the moment situation I think a digitial lock is much easier to access. I can't see myself spinning the dial on the mechanical lock like the lockers back in highschool.

So my questions is how is everyone securing their HD shotguns so they can get to them quickly? I have a quick release biometric safe for my glock but I have no idea what I am going to do for my shotgun.

All help is appreciated.

Simple. Your shotgun is out with you when you are at home. If you don't want to carry it with you everywhere you go, make it accessible. Keeping a HD firearm under lock when you are at home is sort of silly to me. Security and quick access don't exactly go hand in hand. Adapt to the environment. Guaranteed, the 12ga shotgun won't fit under your pillow like the 9mm would, but you build your castle and live in your castle like you should without fear. You transition from a pistol to long gun for your primary defense, then you need to live your decision. To me...any HD weapon is readily available.....not under lock and key. If it's not in hand, then it's visually available and/or within close reach. Home defense starts with availability. If it's seconds away from being deployed, then you're under the gun. If you want to be prepared all the time, then your life needs to change in so many ways.

[TSiWRX]

^ My thoughts are along those lines as well.

If I had no child to worry about and also did not live with a room-mate/housemate or had concerns with unsupervised guests, I'd have my HD firearms in-the-open and at-the-ready. When push comes to shove, every fraction of a second is going to count. If you don't have to worry about keeping the trigger safe from a curious kiddo or the like, then why stack the odds against yourself to begin with?

With that said, securing the firearm when you're *not* home is, of-course, going to be necessary. For this, I don't see anything particularly wrong with any specific method, as you would be, ideally, accessing the firearm under "admin." conditions.

[Moga]

Simple. Your shotgun is out with you when you are at home. If you don't want to carry it with you everywhere you go, make it accessible. Keeping a HD firearm under lock when you are at home is sort of silly to me. Security and quick access don't exactly go hand in hand. Adapt to the environment.

This right here. When I expect to be home for a while the long gun is accessible in the room and the side arm is on my side. When I retire to bed the long gun goes in the space between the bed and the nightstand on the wall. When I leave the only gun that's not locked down is my carry.

SGB, our nightstands are arranged in a eerily similar decor. Who would've thunk it, huh?

[Jason Storm]

I don't need to clear rooms in my house as I do not have children. In the event of a home invastion I would likely just point my gun at the door and if they want to come inside so be it.

Now, I am looking to get a 12ga. as my HD weapon instead of my handgun. However, I have concerns about how I would be able to quickly access the shotgun. I understand that most safes with a digital lock break easier, etc. However, in a heat of the moment situation I think a digitial lock is much easier to access. I can't see myself spinning the dial on the mechanical lock like the lockers back in highschool.

So my questions is how is everyone securing their HD shotguns so they can get to them quickly? I have a quick release biometric safe for my glock but I have no idea what I am going to do for my shotgun.

All help is appreciated.

Since I don't have kids myself, the only firearm I secure in the safe when I am in bed is my M-4 style AR-15 rifle (5.56mm) kept in condition 3 since it is my last resort gun. I will rely on my 2 handguns (both in condition 1) and my shotgun first (condition 1). My primary handgun (.40 S&W)) is on my nightstand concealed under a magazine, my secondary handgun (.45 ACP) is in my fannypack holster placed under my bed, and my 12-ga. shotgun is placed on a couple of specially designated mats on the floor next to the wall across from my bed and covered by an old coat and an old boonie hat. Also, it helps to have a first aid kit (also have some Quick Clot hemostat bandages) in that same saferoom and that is an item most armed homeowners overlook.

[Elk Hunter]

I keep my .45 in a drawer next to my bed. No kids to worry about there is no reason to make it hard. My long guns are in the safe so they do not end up in others hands while I am gone.

[sgb]

This right here. When I expect to be home for a while the long gun is accessible in the room and the side arm is on my side. When I retire to bed the long gun goes in the space between the bed and the nightstand on the wall. When I leave the only gun that's not locked down is my carry.

SGB, our nightstands are arranged in a eerily similar decor. Who would've thunk it, huh?

[txrot64]

Beretta PX4, 9mm, 20rd mag, TLR1, in the nightstand. Safe unlocked in the closet, Stevens 350/12g and a Mossberg 500 Persuader/20ga both loaded and ready. I go to work at 0400, PX4 goes back in the safe and locked up until I get home. Wife has a Ruger SP101/.327Fed she keeps with her 24/7. It's all about a routine for me. I know where everything is and we have a plan for a home invasion if one occurs. We practice at least every other week. I do have two children and I have preached gun safety since they were old enough to listen. It's never to early. Practice, Practice, Practice

[xXMens ReaXx]

It has been quite the struggle with my fiance and firearms. Unfortunately, at this time she isn't comfortable with guns in the open. Period. I can respect that so I definetly need some sort of safe. So far I am leaning toward Chuck R's method or possibly eaglebeaks so she can't see the gun. I am confident that in time she will come around (she WAS completely anti-gun) but I don't want to push to hard just yet. Thanks for the input as usual guys.

[10thmtn]

I do have kids in the home, so this might not apply to you completely...

My handguns are in a large Gunvault, bolted to the floor, on my side of the bed. Inside, is also the key to my long gun safe, which is also in the bedroom. Once we are all in the bedroom, my wife gets my handgun, and I get the shotgun out of the other safe.

I would not worry too much about "getting to" your shotgun...after all, that's what the handgun is for - buying you the time to get to your long gun.

If your "better half" will let you keep the shot gun "concealed" but not locked up, then access would be faster, of course.