grendel2000

I am trying to get set up for home defense and have an issue. My original intention has been to set up my Remington 1100 12ga for home defense. I have it set up with speed feed synthetic stocks (with pistol grip - this will be important later) and an 18 inch barrel loaded with #4 Buckshot.

My intention was to keep the shotgun loaded and secured in a "long gun vault" (http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=176908 ) under my bed for easy and fast access in case of need. Unfortunately, there is no way to fit the gun with pistol grip into the longgun vault, and no way to modify the vault to fit.

I have a three and a half year old daughter and a two week old son so the weapon MUST be secured. My current HD weapon (and future back up once the shotgun comes on line) is a Sig P226 9mm with Speer 124gr +P Gold Dots. It's kept on my nightstand in a "Gunvault" GV2000 ( http://www.gunsafestore.com/GV2000DLX.htm ) fast acces container 24/7. During waking hours I carry a Sig P239 9mm holstered IWB, also with the Gold Dots (which is also secured ith the gunvault at night).

My question is about the shotgun. I would prefer for it to be used as my primary HD weapon. Since the "long gun vault" is a no go and I need fast access for HD I wanted opinions on the following possibility: Keep the shotgun loaded but with nothing in the chamber, under the bed and secured with a key locked trigger guard. Keep the key to the trigger guard in the fast access gunvault on the nightstand with my 226. In the event of a problem, I would open the gunvault and initially use the 226. If time allowed, I could then use the readily available key to unlock the trigger guard and switch to the shotgun.

What do you all think? Would the trigger guard be an acceptable safeguard from children (who I intend to teach about guns early in an effort to take the mystery away) for the shotgun if it's loaded but nothing was kept in the chamber? Does anyone know of a good alternative?

The only caveat to all of this is that my wife is "adjusting" to my new found focus on home and personal defense. She won't go for anything obtrusive (guns in the open or mounted to walls behind curtains, etc). Maybe in the future, but not now.

Thoughts?

9mmMick

I have 2 options,Best one first:

Put the hand gun in one of those newer safes that needs your hand print to open it. That's the best one if you have kids. And it's fast.
Just bolt it to the floor close to your bed.

OR

Teach your kids about gun safety and leave your shotgun unchambered
under the bed. Lock the door to your bedroom when your not there.

nn

Get rid of the pistol grip

pgrass101

Here's what I have done and am doing. We (my wife and I)are expecting our first child in June.

Quick access gun safe for the pistol in the night stand. Would like to get another one for each side of the bed. We have our two revolvers in the night stands.

In the bedroom closet is the shotgun. One of the members on this forum gave me the idea to mount it in the closet above the door on bicycle hooks.

You cannot see the shotgun unless you step in the closet turn around and look up. I will not have to worry about little hands getting it there.

The pistols are there solely to by time to get the shotgun. The drill is to get the pistols first wife goes to the nursey I get the shotgun on the way we call 911 from the nursey and blast anyone who tries to come in.

The mount in you closet is not visible and out of the reach of small kids. Maybe your wife will go for it.

rocky

you need to make your own decision in what is safe enough or not for your children.

__________________
"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." Thomas Jefferson


Nemo Me Impune Lacesset

Link to my kydex builds:http://rocknloadkydex.blogspot.com/

vernonator

I do a variation of the above - i have my AR-15 Carbine on hooks above the closet door - it is unloaded with no magazine. I also have a quicksafe next to the bed - it has my 1911 AND a 30rd AR-15 magazine. I can get my sidearm and if need be grab the mag and get the rifle.....I keep the other mags/ammo locked up so no worries about my kids getting to them (they are currently 3 and 6).

mech1369dlw

1. Start right now learning your kids about guns. When to touch, when not to touch, etc etc etc.
2. Go to Home Depot or other such store. Get 2 large screw in hooks. Go to the inside of your closet. Find the studs above the door. Screw the hooks into the studs, allowing enough but not too much room for the shotgun to safely hang on the hooks. Kids can't reach it, it is out of sight, wife shouldn't mind that much.
3. Repeat as necessary in each room that has a closet of some type.

__________________
A person is justified in the use of deadly force, if such person reasonably believes deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to such person or a third person.

Blackeagle

I don't think I'd rely on height to keep guns out of the hands of any kid old enough to walk. Kids are usually pretty good climbers, often quite fearless, and adaptable when it comes to moving and using furniture or other objects to get to something interesting in a high place.

Lock it up!

mech1369dlw

That is where #1 comes into play. 3 1/2 is old enough to start to teach things to.

__________________
A person is justified in the use of deadly force, if such person reasonably believes deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to such person or a third person.

Blackeagle

Even if you've taught them, I wouldn't leave a weapon out where they can get at it. You may have taught your kid, but what about their friends? What if the firearms safety education didn't sink in as well as you thought it did?

I'd say don't leave a weapon where kids could get at it until they're at the stage where you would feel safe handing them a loaded gun and letting them carry it around unsupervised. I really doubt that a 3 1/2 year old is at that stage.