Child Proofing A Gun

[Jamie McG]

I have a friend that is a gun owner, and a new Dad, and is wanting to get rid of his gun. What are some options, that will still give him the use of the wepon.

[EricW]

None.

The safe is the fastest, best option. I have a small office safe with an electric keypad lock that cost all of 200 bucks. It's as fast as it gets and very secure. Yes, there are integral gun locks that will prevent a discharge, but if I had small kids, the only way I'd have a loaded gun in my house is if it was totally locked up. (JMHO and I've got my Nomex jammies on, so flame away.)

If your friend's not willing to cough up and make minor sacrifices in accessibility in the name of safety, he needs to lose the gun. Period.

[Nik Habicht]

I agree with Eric with one minor caveat: The two acceptable places for a loaded firearm, if you have kids, are in a combination only safe (because sooner or later you'll leave the key laying around somewhere, if it's a key access safe or lockbox) or on your body. If it's on your body, the only acceptable place to take it off, is to put it in the safe.

[EricW]

Nik,

Thanks for correcting my post. I completely agree.

[TBF]

I'll agree with the above posts.

There are many small affordable safes that will keep the kids out, some of them only until just before puberty, they are not exactly tool proof.

I recently saw one that uses fingerprint recognition to open, but IMHO it will still just keep the kids out until just before puberty.

There is no hiding place that will work with kids.

Your friend is correct, lock it or lose it. I prefer to lock mine. In a real safe with a combo lock mostly.

Travis F.

[kimel]

One key element that needs to go along with this and this applies whether you choose to lock it or lose it: EDUCATION!

Demystify the "bright shiny thing dad has". Show them what it is. Take them shooting. Teach them proper gun safety.

My dad started teaching me gun safety when I was 3 or 4 or so he tells me and I started shooting with him at 5 when I had enough hand strength to hold the gun and pull the trigger.

Removing all firearms and ignoring they exist is irresponsible...IMHO. My sister tried it and my nephew became totally fixated on guns. Every stick became a gun which was then pointed at the nearest human followed by "bang bang I got you". Scared me to death and I got in trouble several times for speaking up (I have never been accused of not being outspoken).

Finally my Dad and bro-in-law (how was a shooter and a hunter before the kids came along) talked her into demystifying the gun thing so dad and grandpa take him shooting now and are well along having taught him proper gun safety. My nephew now has a vast collection of grandpa-made rubber band guns which he carefully unloads before he brings them into the house. Rumor has it that he will get a BB gun of some sort for his birthday at the end of this month.

We all pride ourselves on safe gun handling and it is irresponsible of "us" to not help distribute that info. Sticking our heads in the sand and disposing of our firearms because a kid comes along is not the right thing to do...IMHO.

If your friend can't afford a good gun safe then maybe you can store his guns for him until he can afford one.

Some states (Washington for one) exempt gun safes from sales tax which can make them much more affordable.

Too bad we can't get the folks that make the Leap Pads to do a Gun Safety Leap pad module. Hmmm...maybe the NRA could get an Eddie the Eagle Gun Safety Leap Pad module made.

[kevin c]

I agree with the above.

As a pediatrician, I teach parents that making guns forbidden fruit is asking for big trouble. Proper education and training with what you have at home are essential. My son doesn't try to get into my gun safes because he's "been there, done that". If he wants to shoot, he'll ask to come to the range with me.

I recommend to parents that all firearms be kept under lock and key, and, to be honest, are in the safest condition (in terms of AD's) when kept unloaded with all ammo stored and locked up separately. Until a child is of responsible age, this is the safest method of storage.

Until a child is old enough to learn to responsibly handle a firearm, I recommend to parents that they teach one basic rule: their child should not be around guns or other weapons unless they know and approve of it. If the parent doesn't know or doesn't approve, it probably means that the situation is not under the control of a supervising adult, which means it could be very dangerous and that their child shouldn't be there. I recommend this to all parents, whether they have firearms themselves or not.

I personally feel that playing with toy guns teaches horrible gun handling habits. Ping pong balls, foam darts, or squirts of water are harmless, but supersonic lead projectiles are a different matter. The problem is that most kids won't know the difference the first time they pick up the real thing. If parents strictlly enforce muzzle and other firearms safety rules for toy guns, then it could be argued that this is good training, but I don't know of anyone who does that. Better by far is to teach a child with the real thing, once old enough and responsible enough.

[Jamie McG]

Thanks to all, I will put all these to use.

Jamie

[TBF]

Kimel,

I agree, thats the best way to avoid problems with kids that are old enough. I started mine early and that worked well for him. My last post was more directed to a new parent, from the time they learn to walk til the time they know about the responsibility of firearms ( might be over 40 for some ) keep them away from anything that goes bang.

Offsite storage would be an option. Anything would appeal to ME over getting rid of my guns or taking the chance that they be used incorrectly by someone regardless of age.

Travis F.

[BismarckC]

As to Education -- I purchased the NRA Eddie the Eagle video. My three year old loves it and it is a good entry level for talking about gun safety.

[gm iprod]

Gun proofing the child is the best way, not child proofing the gun. Safes with good locks and good firearms education will save you plenty of grief.

The best example I have seen is one of my own kids was playing on the floor when I came in from the range with everything packed in my range bag, I just dumped the bag and headed for the bathroom. She was straight over to the bag, heaved out the pistol, found a mag and was giving it a good go to get the mag in by holding the pistol upside down on the floor and hammering the bottom of the mag as she tried valiantly to "load" the pistol. Everything unloaded of course, but it made me take notice. She was 18months old

I switched to sorting out the gun bits first. Now she is 8 and will only touch firearms after checking with my wife or myself first. The 5 year old is the same.

It made me think.