Good idea for keeping your personal defense guns out of sight in the bedroom?

[7Acres]

At church several months ago one of the guys told me how redneck his dad is because he keeps his gun in a holster screwed to his bed frame. I told my wife and we had a good laugh. Just to get a reaction out of her, I kidded that I should do that. :mrgreen: A few months later she's putting a honey-do item on my list to get the guns I keep on my nightstand up so our 11mo/old can't reach up there and pull them down. I turned to her and said, you know what I should do... All of a sudden we both totally agreed that would be a great idea.

I bought 4 cheap holsters. Pulled the bed back from the wall and installed 3 behind the headboard on my side and one on her side. I really love this setup. None of our guns are visible but they're easy to grab for putting on my 2 daily conceal carry guns or to pull out what I used to call my "nightstand gun" (full-size Glock .45ACP).

If we went out of town for a day or more I'd lock up any gun I wasn't taking with me. But I am currently under the impression that this arrangement is so unconventional that if someone broke in during the day while the house was unoccupied they probably wouldn't even think to peek back behind the headboard to look for a gun or other hidden valuables. What do you guys think? Is it fairly common for a thief to think to look behind the headboard for valuables to steal?

Also, I'm looking for ideas for hiding my home defense shotgun I currently keep in plain sight the bedroom. Thanks in advance!

[NSP64]

73945

[NSP64]

for the shotgun
73946

[7Acres]

NSP64, I like that idea!

[Ickisrulz]

I use a Gunvault. Simple, secure and fast enough to open. I don't think hiding a gun around the house is a viable option with children. If I don't have control of then gun (in my pocket or in my hand) it is locked up. Too many things can happen and I don't want them to.

[Epd230]

Don't bet the life of your child that he/she will not find it with deadly results.

Any loaded gun should be in your possession or secured.

Quick access safes are cheap compared to loosing a loved one.

[JIMinPHX]

I once saw a setup where a guy had rigged a hidden draw on his night stand so that if you moved the lamp to a certain corner of the stand & the clock radio to another corner, the secret draw would open. The lamp & clock radio had magnets in the bottom of them that tripped some sort of spring loaded latch inside the night stand.

[texassako]

Don't bet the life of your child that he/she will not find it with deadly results.

Any loaded gun should be in your possession or secured.

Quick access safes are cheap compared to loosing a loved one.

I second this one. My 3 y.o. daughter has left no cushion unturned, drawer undisturbed, or bed underside uninspected. She has found items I forgot or did not even know I had lost.

[Love Life]

I use a Gunvault. Simple, secure and fast enough to open. I don't think hiding a gun around the house is a viable option with children. If I don't have control of then gun (in my pocket or in my hand) it is locked up. Too many things can happen and I don't want them to.

I 100% agree.

[RP]

Oh it be just fine as long as you don't post it on the internet as far as kids they find everything no matter what you think.

[Artful]

Vault - it's for your 11 month olds future.

[TXGunNut]

Out of reach or locked up for the sake of the younguns. When the little people aren't there I like your idea.

[Three44s]

No question that with little ones around, a vault is the option.

In my case, it's just my wife and I and we are both ardent shooters. So the consideration is how to mask your night stand gun without limiting it's access to one's self?

Currently it's on the floor right by the bed within easy reach. The downside is that it also visible to any intruder provided I don't wake up before they spot and snatch the gun.

I think that magnet and lamp and radio idea is pretty novel. I am not sure it would be best rapid acquisition but it would sure slow down an unattended thief!!

Watching and thinking!!


Three 44s

[Duckiller]

On a recent "Best Defence " show They had a magnet above a walk in closet door,inside. Magnet would hold up the shot gun well out of reach of a small child yet be readily available.

[MakeMineA10mm]

There are LOTS of options.

Google "secret gun compartment furniture" and you'll find lots of options.

In Illinois we have a law making the gun-owner responsible for any "accidents" with their unsecured gun, whether they were holding it or not even home at the time. Even if you are not criminally responsible, you will be morally and civilly responsible...

When I was growing up, my dad had a small 2-gun horizontal rifle wall rack mounted above the closet door on the inside of the closet. He was 6'2" and standing just outside the closet, he could reach through the doorway and grab either the Win.97 Riot Gun or his M-1 Carbine.

When I was in High School, I had a western buscadero rig hanging from one corner of my headboard and a web-belt with GI holster and 1911 hanging from the other corner.

Neither of those ideas would fly today, although dad's system isn't horrible, if you have a locking rifle rack...

My personal set-up is something along the lines of what NSP posted. So far, no kids have found it even exists. Only my wife and I know what or where it is or how it works. Also have a back-up plan, so if it is found, it can't be put in action easily/quickly without knowing the trick...

[Pepe Ray]

Looking at your child lieing in a casket will adjust your attitude.

There is only ONE way to protect your child

Education!!!
Remove ALL curiosity. Take them to the range BEFORE they are strong enough to pick up a firearm.
Curiosity will kill your kid.
A child, even if only half bright, given some idle time will find a way to get your gun.
Take away the desire. Teach!! Make it "Ho Hum!".

It's ALL about personal responsibility.
Pepe Ray

[Ramar]

+ Pepe Ray
Education starts with "Eddy Eagle"
Ramar

[Teddy (punchie)]

Darn kids find every thing. No load guns they can get to, if fact I don't have any load ammo in the house. I have two 6 year olds. No Place to lock up so no ammo or guns here.

[Bulldogger]

I got a Gun Vault when my son came along. I recommend one. I use it for my carry guns. They are theif magnets, but my safe is concealed so I figure the stuff in the vault is sacrificial. Llike some who have replied to this post, I also do not like that it is not right next to my bed, and beeps as I enter the code, etc., but my boy is too young yet. He is 4yo and I'm just teaching him the rules of gun handling, and he is not allowed any gun toys (I live in a yuppy liberal area, so I've decided to just skip that headache).

BEFORE my son came along, I had a copper pipe bracket, the kind you use to tack a water pipe under a floor joist or some such, just a u-shaped half loop of soft copper that cost all of $0.35. I put several of these around the house, in cluding on the backside of my nightstand, and used them as pistol holders. Some guns got a little copper on them from wear, but it cleans off. As to "But how did you deter a theif from reaching back of your night stand and grabbing it?", well, simple, I put a jockey strap over the pistol butt, so anyone looking would see a dirty jock stuffed behind the nightstand...

Worked for years. Fooled every "overnight lady guest" too.

Bulldogger

[Bulldogger]

I got a Gun Vault when my son came along. I recommend one. I use it for my carry guns. They are theif magnets, but my safe is concealed so I figure the stuff in the vault is sacrificial. Llike some who have replied to this post, I also do not like that it is not right next to my bed, and beeps as I enter the code, etc., but my boy is too young yet. He is 4yo and I'm just teaching him the rules of gun handling, and he is not allowed any gun toys (I live in a yuppy liberal area, so I've decided to just skip that headache).

BEFORE my son came along, I had a copper pipe bracket, the kind you use to tack a water pipe under a floor joist or some such, just a u-shaped half loop of soft copper that cost all of $0.35. I put several of these around the house, in cluding on the backside of my nightstand, and used them as pistol holders. Some guns got a little copper on them from wear, but it cleans off. As to "But how did you deter a theif from reaching back of your night stand and grabbing it?", well, simple, I put a jockey strap over the pistol butt, so anyone looking would see a dirty jock stuffed behind the nightstand...

Worked for years. Fooled every "overnight lady guest" too.

Bulldogger

[Curlymaple42]

We raised my girl with the Eddie Eagle creed and she has been shooting since she was about two. She got her first rifle at 4 and got a pistol last Christmas at 10. It's her friends i worry about, so if they are over, i lock everything up unless it is in my possession/control.

[Boerrancher]

I never left a loaded gun unsecured when my children were crawlers and toddlers. The only gun that I kept loaded was my Springfield 1911 and I didn't keep a round chambered. The slide was too hard for them to pull back and it stayed under my pillow in the bedroom which was locked during the day. By the time they were all old enough to start to comprehend I started teaching them about not touching guns, and what guns can do. The the 5 kids range form 8 to 16 and all know the do's and don'ts about guns. The key is secure the guns and educate the kids. The younger you start with them the better. The old saying curiosity kills the cat is very true when it comes to kids and guns.

Best wishes,

Joe

[pmer]

We have a Mini Vault in the bedroom too. It's a battery hog so I put rechargables in it. I charge them and change the mag out in the pistol once a month around the time of my wife's...[smilie=1:... it helps me remeber...

[LUBEDUDE]

Don't think that you can hide you hide your guns from your kids for one moment.

When you were a kid, didn't YOU know where EVERY one of your Dad's guns were "hidden"?

[Duckiller]

Our sons lerned about guns when the oldest was two. Visited friends and learned "Bang,Bang". His just born brother lerned as soon as he could comprehend. They had lots of toy guns but did not touch"daddy's big strong guns". I have asked them how did we teach you that and they said we just told them not to so they didn't. Also they pointed out that if they wanted to shoot the big strong guns all they had to do was ask and I would take them to a range. 34 and 32 and still not mass murderers, they are college graduates.

[7Acres]

Thanks for all the advice about kids being able to find anything. It's true, I knew where my Dad's guns were. So when my little buddy gets old enough to climb around and discover where I've been hiding Daddy's toys my current scheme won't be good enough. I appreciate you all pointing that out. Neither my wife or I were able to think that far down the line.

But now having read your comments I'm starting to think of how I can secure my guns while still having fast access to them. A few posts here mentioned having to know some trick to gain access to a special compartment. I remembered back to the days when I worked at a Radio Shack as a teen. The cash drawer was secured by a lock mechanism but could be opened fast at any time. The drawer had 4 or 5 levers underneath. When you put your 4 fingers under the drawer to pull it out you had to depress the correct combination of levers for the drawer to open.*

I did some Googling and did not find any locks that resemble that design. Does anybody recognize what I'm talking about? If so, do you know the name for that type of drawer lock?

[TXGunNut]

Don't think that you can hide you hide your guns from your kids for one moment.

When you were a kid, didn't YOU know where EVERY one of your Dad's guns were "hidden"?


I did! I enjoyed looking at, handling and even smelling them. Never considered loading them or anyhing like that, just enjoyed studying them. Both were very well used and I could sense the history they represented.

[JIMinPHX]

I also do not like that it is not right next to my bed, and beeps as I enter the code,

It is usually possible to disable the beeping feature. The downside to that is you do not know if you pushed a button twice by accident or did not push one hard enough.

[JIMinPHX]

The drawer had 4 or 5 levers underneath. When you put your 4 fingers under the drawer to pull it out you had to depress the correct combination of levers for the drawer to open.*

I did some Googling and did not find any locks that resemble that design. Does anybody recognize what I'm talking about? If so, do you know the name for that type of drawer lock?

The (gun vault brand?) fast access pistol lockers use a system like that. You can usually find them for a little under $100. I think that the idea is very good, but the general construction is a bit thin. They are basically glorified sheet metal. If they made one with a 1/4" thick steel body & 1/2" thick steel door, I'd be very interested. I may end up buying one & gutting it for the gizmo inside, so that I can install it in a more robust box that I build myself.

[Ramar]

I recommend the security boxes that read your finger print to open. Fast and easy. You can program 50 different finger prints. Each authorized person records all ten of their finger prints so no problem knowing which finger to use.

I bought one for my son who has it secured to his night table which is secured to the floor and wall. It took a bunch of time and shopping to find the best and still be affordable.
Ramar

[Bad Water Bill]

My wife died when my daughter was 6. I did have a 357 under the mattress.

In later years my daughter said "yes I knew where your gun was BUT I knew if I ever touched it you would have put my fingers in a drawer and KICKED the drawer shut".

She understood what was MINE and respected MY rule till the day she died many years later.

Proper parenting starts earlier than most folks think.

Mom ALWAYS had a large bowl of hard candy on her coffee table. When you learned to crawl and reach for things you were INSTRUCTED as to what you could TOUCH. Yes I never forgot those INSTRUCTIONS.

Even at age 70+ I would still ask permission to take a piece of MOMs candy.No I never remember her saying NO but it WAS MOMa so ask first PLEASE.

Children are naturally curious starting from day one. We definitely were to. Just remembered that you NEVER touched anything WITHOUT permission.