Ok let's start I have a two year old and three year old and a girlfriend I live with. I primary/property carry the glock 23 and when I don't it's in a small number safe. I bought a mossberg 590 sp 12 gauge for home defense and play. I do not have any long gun safe and was wondering how other people store their shotguns with people around. The kids know not to touch anything gun related. If someone was to enter girlfriend would be told to stay with the shotgun while I wen with the handgun. A
Input needed.


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Hmm. Maybe install a cheap sheetmetal style locking locker into the closet? That might work. That way you can store ammo in there too (as well as any other "do not touch" items). I think "Stack-on" (?) makes them?

This is what I used when my kids were younger. It's an excellent value gun cabinet for protection. For years it has worked well to keep my ammo and guns out of kids reach.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sentry-5-Gun-Safe/4244347

Ae86fl does that safe have a fire rating?


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It's a Sentry Safe, but the 5-gun model (according to their site) doesn't have "fire protection". However they have a slightly larger 10-gun safe that does.

http://www.sentrysafe.com/

Any kind of safe or cabinet would be great if you have kids around. I personally have a Cannon safe. Owning a safe or cabinet keeps your kids safe and makes you a good neighbor. You don't have to buy a $3000 safe. Just get what you can afford and bolt it down if you can. I guess you have to ask yourself what your main goals are. Do you want to keep the kids out or are you storing a large collection with no home owners insurance.

If you want to keep it safe AND ready to use This might help.http://www.shotlock.com/Default.asp

Daughter knows how to use a shotgun and is aware of it. This wouldn't work in your case, but with a lock collar it quite possibly could. I have had carpet cleaners in the room and it is not noticeable under the comforter and sheet.

You have a difficult issue to deal with.


I hate to tell you this, but two and three old kids are exactly the ones who, no matter how many times you tell them not to touch a firearm, will do exactly that - when you aren't around. You can be teaching them, but don't assume they are old enough to resist the urge to handle a loaded gun. You are going to need a positive lock for the shotgun that can still allow quick access. I'll leave the specifics to others. Those things are available but not cheap. Don't settle for less than the best product. While you're at it, don't neglect training for the girlfriend. I never want a novice at my back with a loaded gun.

Big Papa,
Your message was well received and exactly what I was looking for. I have a young future Jar-head running around my house and though I love him with all my heart, I don’t think he listens to a thing I say sometimes. I don’t like handguns in the house (personal reasons), but I want my family to feel safe in my home if I’m there or not. I was reading my favorite part of the only magazine I read (American Rifleman) the “Armed Citizen”, I almost broke into applause when I read of a family in Miramar, Florida when a wife had the good since to tell her husband to take his shotgun with him to check why the power went out in their home. To make a long story short, one of the three would-be robbers left in an ambulance and the two that escaped probably needed to change their shorts before they went home.
PS…
Do you know why there isn’t an article titled ‘Unarmed Citizen”? The monthly magazine would never fit into a normal sized mailbox!
Ooh Raa! & Semper Fidelis

I have a soon to be three year old and a newborn in the house so guns are not left unattended at low heights in the house. The old model 11 comes out of the safe and hangs above the bedroom door when I am home. The mount looks like this but they are brass and have a leather liner. http://www.amazon.com/RackEm-Mount-Anywhere-Straps-Alternative/dp/B005A32EJ2/ref=pd_sxp_grid_i_0_1 . Unless the older one learns how to use a step ladder it is safe for now. I will have to rethink this as they get older.

I have a Stack-On cabinet that is lockable but not fireproof. It was around $100 or so.

+1 for ShotLock; readily HD accessible with reliable Simplex mechanical lock (do you really want to trust made-in-"developing"-country electronics?) but reasonably secured.
$129.99 at Costco.

I tack-welded the adjustable trigger blocks onto the backing plate, rather than trust short machine screws "threaded" into only 14-gauge steel. Then re-glued the felt liner.

This won't prevent it from getting stolen, but could be stored under the bed for quick access and still keep the kids from getting into it.

http://guncasket.com/

My father has one, and seems to like it.

Low cost solutions include anything from an eyebolt screwed into a closet wall stud used in conjunction with a cable lock to secure the SG to the eyebolt, to a lockable soft or hard case. If you want to get fancy the SG can go in a lockable plastic case & the case can be cable locked to a bedframe rail. A reasonable level of effective security from/for the kids does not have to be burdensome or expensive.

I think the Shotlock is good. Another option is a Sentry Home Defense Center, more expensive, but storage for both a pistol and a shotgun. The Sentry does not appear to have the UL Residential Security Container rating, but it looks like it would be more than adequate to keep kids out.

I now keep my HD shotgun, when not by the bed ready to go, between the mattress and boxspring with a cable lock through the ejection port and loading gate. Not easily noticible and hard for the grand kids to access and the cable lock keeps the gun from firing if discovered.

I am sure a major home burglary might find it and a set of bolt cutters would make it easy to cut the cable but for casual security I feel comfortable.

I don't have any input for storage but I do have some advice for you guys with kids.

Age 2 and 3 is still too young but as my kids got older I was sure to let the kids see and touch the guns when ever they were curious. I felt that it was a chance to educate them and remove the mystery for them.

Exposure has taught them to understand and respect firearms.

I felt it was my best chance of saving their lives should they find themselves at a friends house with a kid that sneaks out their parents gun.

I have two nephews that aren't even allowed toy guns and god forbid they ever go to a friends house where there are guns left unattended. Those are always the kids that get into accidents.

I certainly don't mean to suggest this as an alternative to locking them up. I just thought I'd share my experience and offer some good advice.


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Everything that I own is kept in a safe except for my Springfield XD which is on my person 18 hours a day. At night it rests on top of the safe which is next to my bed. My son will be 2 in a few months and has already been at the safe hanging on the handle saying 'open, open, open'. I agree with the above poster that exposure is the way to go, you hide guns from a kid and curiosity will get the better of them and you.

Nowadays a decent safe can be had for not much more than an entry level shotgun, there is no excuse to not have a safe if you have children, not to mention the relative peace of mind it gives you when you are away from home.

I'm in a very similar situation and have been considering the SentrySafe Home Defense Center HDC11E http://www.sentrysafe.com/Products/4...Defense_Center)

It retails for ~$400.00.

It's advertised as having a "pry-resistant door" and ships with a "bolt-down kit" to bolt it to the wall.

I sent SentrySafe a message earlier this morning requesting the UL and TL info for the product.

Additionally it can be modified to hold more than just one shotgun/rifle (see below).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB6GaGQ2cHw[/youtube]

If anyone has any first-hand experience with the HDC11E please let me know your opinions.

Any info you can provide will be appreciated. Thanks.