How dangerous is having a gun in your house if you have children?

[Nocturnal]

Like I'm wondering since a lot of times when kids play with guns they end up shooting each other and killing one another. How does one go about enjoying/keeping guns without their children getting their hands on them and playing with them and or selling them or even a robber from stealing them?

Are there security measures that can stop kids from finding guns and trying to use them? How are those security measures when it comes time to defend yourself from, say, an armed robberer?

 

[amdskip]

Metal gun cabinet that is closed and locked at all times. Make sure it's bolted to the floor/wall into the studs extremely secure. Wood gun cabinets are nice to display your guns so others can see them but they suck at locking guns up.

 

[fatbaby]

A gunlocker would be best, however if you purchased the gun for self defense, putting it in a hard to reach place kind of defeats the purpose.

 

[minendo]

Lock box. Ammo in a different area. Unloaded gun.

 

[brunswickite]

isnt there a statistic somewhere that says you are more likely to shoot a family member then an intruder?

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Like I'm wondering since a lot of times when kids play with guns they end up shooting each other and killing one another. How does one go about enjoying/keeping guns without their children getting their hands on them and playing with them and or selling them or even a robber from stealing them?

Are there security measures that can stop kids from finding guns and trying to use them? How are those security measures when it comes time to defend yourself from, say, an armed robberer?

This might help Nocturnal:

http://www.getunloaded.org

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: Zim Hosein

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Like I'm wondering since a lot of times when kids play with guns they end up shooting each other and killing one another. How does one go about enjoying/keeping guns without their children getting their hands on them and playing with them and or selling them or even a robber from stealing them?

Are there security measures that can stop kids from finding guns and trying to use them? How are those security measures when it comes time to defend yourself from, say, an armed robberer?

This might help Nocturnal:

http://www.getunloaded.org

Thanks Zim, you always come to the rescue. Thumbs up buddy.

 

[piku]

How old are these kids? Perhaps you should educate them a bit instead of just buying a gun and randomly placing it in the house?

 

[Ladies Man]

100% safe

when you have your gun locked in a gun safe, unloaded, with ammo in another locked box

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Future Phil Donahue report... "Little Bobby, and Little Suzy, had hung their stockings with care.. Mom and Dad are out looking for Tickle me Elmo until 5 AM when all of a sudden, Bobby looks up and he says "Hey! What is THAT??" Meanwhile, Little Suzy is pointing a Desert Eagle .50, the gun is loaded and BAM! no.. more.. little bobby"

(Ok so i did a cheap rip-off of SNL Celebrity Jeopardy..)

Having a gun with children... hmm... not a good idea. Even if its locked up in a lockbox in a safe thats hidden behind a portrait, its still not a good idea... And you cant say if the kid is older its better than if its younger... The video of the Mountain Dew can exploding just proves that little theory.

It basically depends on the situation.

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: piku
How old are these kids? Perhaps you should educate them a bit instead of just buying a gun and randomly placing it in the house?

Sorry no kids, I was just asking hypothetically. If and when I have kids I don't think I'll have a gun in the house. Just too paranoid something might happen if he or she gets their hands on it.

 

[Ylen13]

Originally posted by: minendo
Lock box. Ammo in a different area. Unloaded gun.

what is the point of having a gun if u can't arm your self quickly?

 

[classy]

There have been some very heated debates on guns, not that I've ever been involved but you might want to rethink your gun owning after reading here. It is a fact a gun will be more likely used to injure a family member or friend than be used against a robber. But if you want to own one lock it up in a metal safe that only you can open. People who buy guns for protection are in a tough situation. Cause to have a gun for protection you must have it where there is easy access. The problem is easy access is usually what gets someone other than a would be robber killed. Owning a gun to me is just not worth it unless you hunt or are a serious target shooter. If you need protection get a dog or move to some place safer.

 

[piku]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Sorry no kids, I was just asking hypothetically. If and when I have kids I don't think I'll have a gun in the house. Just too paranoid something might happen if he or she gets their hands on it.

Ah. Well I think the whole problem with it lies right here:

Bobby looks up and he says "Hey! What is THAT??"

Bobby shouldn't be saying "Hey! What is THAT??," because the parent should have already explained what it is to the kid, it?s purpose, and why he shouldn't touch it. Or even if they are interested they should be taken to the range to shoot one if they wanted.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: brunswickite
isnt there a statistic somewhere that says you are more likely to shoot a family member then an intruder?

Stupid fear mongering stat bleated blindly by gun grabbing sheep and has no basis in reality. Why? Because the vast majority of successful defensive gun uses result in no deaths, and most often, not even a shot fired.

The US Department of Justice sponsored a survey in 1994 titled, Guns in America: National Survey on Private Ownership and Use of Firearms. This survey estimated 1.5 million defensive gun uses annually.

Another 1993 study by Florida State University criminologist Gary Kleck found more than 2 million per year.

When you can dig up a stat that shows 1.5 million family members killed each year, I'll capitulate.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: piku

Bobby shouldn't be saying "Hey! What is THAT??," because the parent should have already explained what it is to the kid, it?s purpose, and why he shouldn't touch it. Or even if they are interested they should be taken to the range to shoot one if they wanted.

BINGO! All children should be trained not only to not touch a gun without a parent around, but also how to handle one safely when supervised by an adult.

Ask a liberal why "just say no" failed for sex, and failed for drugs... but is an absolute when it comes to guns. Most will not have an answer.

The fact of the matter is, we live in a world with guns. NOT training your children about gun safety beyond "just say no" is abusive, period. All children should be trained on how to handle firearms safely, and the proper respect with which to treat them.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: piku

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Sorry no kids, I was just asking hypothetically. If and when I have kids I don't think I'll have a gun in the house. Just too paranoid something might happen if he or she gets their hands on it.

Ah. Well I think the whole problem with it lies right here:

Bobby looks up and he says "Hey! What is THAT??"

Bobby shouldn't be saying "Hey! What is THAT??," because the parent should have already explained what it is to the kid, it?s purpose, and why he shouldn't touch it. Or even if they are interested they should be taken to the range to shoot one if they wanted.

Oh i agree completely... Sometimes guns are stored in houses without children knowing what they are due to faulty parenting though. That's what i was trying to convey. Guess i failed. ::walks away crying::

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Ylen13

Originally posted by: minendo
Lock box. Ammo in a different area. Unloaded gun.

what is the point of having a gun if u can't arm your self quickly?

This thread was dealing with safety of owning a gun with children in the house. Did you fail to read that part?

 

[KingNothing]

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3
Future Phil Donahue report... "Little Bobby, and Little Suzy, had hung their stockings with care.. Mom and Dad are out looking for Tickle me Elmo until 5 AM when all of a sudden, Bobby looks up and he says "Hey! What is THAT??" Meanwhile, Little Suzy is pointing a Desert Eagle .50, the gun is loaded and BAM! no.. more.. little bobby"

(Ok so i did a cheap rip-off of SNL Celebrity Jeopardy..)

Having a gun with children... hmm... not a good idea. Even if its locked up in a lockbox in a safe thats hidden behind a portrait, its still not a good idea... And you cant say if the kid is older its better than if its younger... The video of the Mountain Dew can exploding just proves that little theory.

It basically depends on the situation.

Don't be hating on my mad shooting skillz, yo.

 

[her209]

How about talking to your kids...

 

[Zenmervolt]

Both of my grandfathers had guns when my parents were little and there was no trouble. They kept the guns loaded in their underwear drawers. My father keeps a gun as well, though he doesn't keep it loaded. I'm still alive and my parents are still alive. The best security measure is to make sure that your children know that if they touch the gun, they will die because if the gun doesn't kill them, you will.

ZV

 

Originally posted by: Amused
NOT training your children about gun safelty beyond "just say no" is abusive, period.

Why? Are the children hurt in any way? What if you don't keep guns in your house? Should you tell your children that they should ask their friends to show them their parents' guns? Is THAT a good way to teach kids about guns? I don't understand your logic.

Conservative gun owners are all about "it's my business; buzz off if you don't like guns, cold dead hands, etc." but you think it's necessary to pry into my personal life to tell me that not teaching my kids about gun safety is ABUSE? How dare you? Seems like you're taking a page out of Hillary Clinton's book: It Takes a Conservative Gun Owner to Bug Me Into Teaching My Child Gun Safety.

The fact is, some people prefer not to keep guns in their house. If I were at a friend's house and he pulled out his parents' gun and showed it to me, I'd be scared half to death without an experienced gun operator around and without proper safety equipment. I haven't been formally trained about gun safety beyond "just say no." And I don't like guns, except when in the hands of a trained operator or law enforcement agent. If you don't know much about guns, then I feel that just walking away and saying 'no' is the absolute best thing anyone can do.

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: piku

Bobby shouldn't be saying "Hey! What is THAT??," because the parent should have already explained what it is to the kid, it?s purpose, and why he shouldn't touch it. Or even if they are interested they should be taken to the range to shoot one if they wanted.

BINGO! All children should be trained not only to not touch a gun without a parent around, but also how to handle one safely when supervised by an adult.

Ask a liberal why "just say no" failed for sex, and failed for drugs... but is an absolute when it comes to guns. Most will not have an answer.

The fact of the matter is, we live in a world with guns. NOT training your children about gun safety beyond "just say no" is abusive, period. All children should be trained on how to handle firearms safely, and the proper respect with which to treat them.

Stop and think about that for a second? You should be teaching your children how to play ball or read a book. Not teaching them how to handle a gun. Its sad when parents think child rearing should include guns 101. Its sick. At least he doesn't have any yet.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: KingNothing

Don't be hating on my mad shooting skillz, yo.

Oh im not hating... its something i would have done probably too... just saying accidents happen.

 

[piku]

Originally posted by: classy
Stop and think about that for a second? You should be teaching your children how to play ball or read a book. Not teaching them how to handle a gun. Its sad when parents think child rearing should include guns 101. Its sick. At least he doesn't have any yet.

How is using a gun any different than playing baseball? Both are Olympic sports you know.

Guns aren't inherently "dirty," that is just how they are often portrayed.