Bedside weapon safety

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  • marc357

    Active Member
    Jan 27, 2008
    232
    Woodbine, MD
    Everyone's situation is different. That said-

    When my kids were very young, I kept my loaded handgun on the shelf in the bedroom closet. With a full mag and empty chamber. No way they could reach it. Even if they could, they weren't strong enough to rack the slide, so no way they could load or shoot it. This is when I was home- when I am not home, they are locked in the safe.

    By the time they were old enough to possibly get to it, they were well-trained in its use and safety, even though they were still not strong enough to rack the slide and get the gun into operation by themselves.

    I very much like the idea of gun-proof children, rather than child-proof guns. ;-)
     

    bward1028

    Active Member
    Dec 27, 2010
    350
    PG County
    I can't say enough about firearm safety; so because you are asking this question I won't start.

    Ok, just one thing. While attending some training the instructors spoke at length about this issue. Their bottom line, policy, regarding absolute minimum that was 'acceptable' was to put the gun in a holster, their holsters have a hole drilled through the leather behind the trigger, but inside the trigger guard. Each officer was issued a combination padlock specifically for the purpose of putting it through that hole. There is enough room inside the shackle that you could also attach it to something else so it is much more difficult for a child to move it, and impossible to fire the weapon without cutting through the holster/trigger guard or lock shackle. It's not perfect but a good balance for some between speed to access and deter a child. Do what's best/right for you and your situation. Stay safe!

    This lock would work even better:


    i bought one of those locks for a similar purpose and it is a TOTAL piece of crap. i could not get it to consistently open twice in a row. i threw it away. i would NEVER trust one of those locks to work if i was ever in a situation where i needed it open ASAP.
    i ended up buying a digital combo safe that fits the Glock and my spare Car key (cheap "alarm" system) and keep a few magazines outside the safe. plus some other things throughout the room and the house (2 Loaded locked Shotguns and a loaded locked P64).

    my. $.02
     

    Vince55

    Vince55
    Aug 10, 2010
    641
    Lusby, Md
    What are people using to secure a handgun within reach, bedside. I have two young children, so security is a must, but I also have a desire to keep a weapon handy at night (pistol with a light mounted). There are some obvious solutions (small safe next to the bed/drawer, etc.).

    I'm just curious to know what others are doing.
    Right now I have a small gun safe bolted to my nightstand. Can access it with 5 seconds blindfolded. S&W M&P 9mm in it at the moment. 15 rounds. If that's not enough, then I deserve to be shot by an intruder.
     
    Oct 21, 2008
    9,273
    St Mary's
    I don't have the small children issue but an idea would be to put your pistol in between the mattress and boxspring in condition 3 before retiring for the night then in the AM replace it in the safe.
    If you have an intruder, the weapon would be within reach as you get out of bed to investigate/confront as needed. Going from COND 3 to COND 1 would take a second to rack the slide. If the little ones came in in the middle of the night, they wouldn't see it(averting curiosity) and even if they knew it was there, them rummaging around underneath you should wake you up.
     

    5cary

    On the spreading edge of the butter knife.
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2007
    3,635
    Sykesville, MD
    Thanks for all the responses.

    I know from personal experience that having a firearm in a safe even within 10 feet of the bed (in a closet, etc.) is just not fast enough for me - in the dark waking from a dead sleep. I've had a couple of "incidents" in the past year that have made this clear. Others may differ (the layout of my house - a long ranch style - does not help).

    My current thought is the holster on the bedframe or mounted to the back of my nightstand method. I use a safariland ALS as my duty holster. I purchased a QLS system for it so that the gun can be mounted quickly to various places. I'll probably put a mount on the back of the nightstand and use the light bearing holster in there.

    Now to the Safety Bullet: I'm not sold either, but it is a very decent idea and has possibilities. If, by chance, my toddler a) finds the gun on the back of the night stand (it would only be there if I were there) and b) figures out how to draw from the ALS and c) does it quietly enough to not wake me (assuming I'm not in the bathroom) and d) actually pulls the trigger - which all my kids bloody well should know not to do by now...then the device should work as advertised. I'm really not worried about them racking a live one in (yet). Other scenarios differ and might prove problematic, but as an extra precaution, I like it.

    God help you if you wake in a daze and forget it's in there, though. I don't like the thought of a .40 club.
     

    Minuteman

    Member
    BANNED!!!
    i bought one of those locks for a similar purpose and it is a TOTAL piece of crap. ...my. $.02

    Totally respected opinion, while searching for the video I posted I found a couple reviews of people saying the same thing, so I completely believe you and agree that if something didn't work 99.9% of the time, I wouldn't trust it with my life either. This is why, I fire at least a hundred flawless rounds (no failures what-so-ever) before I would consider a firearm for self-defense.

    I have a touch sensitive mini-gun safe and it doesn't work every single time, so that's out as an option for me. But this padlock, I've open/closed it over a thousand times now, mostly playing with it and demo'ing it to other people and it works every time. From what I read usually people don't put in the right combo, or set it to something that doesn't work properly with the mechanics of the lock as designed. There can be issues with certain sequences of combinations, and I suspect that is what's going on with these few faults. If the lock opens perfectly at least a few hundred times, worth considering. It's the best option available for this issue I know currently. For the record I have no affiliation with Master Lock, I don't own stock in Master, heck, I don't even own stock :)

    4297332906_f467082b91_o.png


    master-lock2.jpg
     

    SCARCQB

    Get Opp my rawn, Plick!
    Jun 25, 2008
    13,614
    Undisclosed location
    I have trained all my kids to respect and handle firearms safely. They have learned to shoot guns safely before they have learned to read. My daughter was able to field trip an AR and a 1911 when she was 7. My nephew is learning how to shoot and he is 5.

    Locking up guns is not an absolute fix for gun accidents involving kids. Educating them about gun safety is.

    You can lock up all your stuff, but what happens when they go to a friends or neighbors house with unsecured guns? Curiosity killed the cat. Educate , teach, precept, mentor.. however you want to call it...add a good measure of common sense and consider your efforts an investment.
     

    Ethan83

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 8, 2009
    3,111
    Baltimoreish
    XD45 under the pillow, condition 3. I have no kids so it usually just lives there. My only roommate is a gun owner as well, so no worries there. His bedside guns are a HiPower in condition 2 on the nightstand, as well as a 10/22 and SKS in condition 3 in the event of zombies.
     

    5cary

    On the spreading edge of the butter knife.
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2007
    3,635
    Sykesville, MD
    My question:

    Your child finds it and fires it, plugging your gun barrel. How difficult is it to remove, and how much damage will removal cause to the firearm itself?

    The resulting "wedge" is soft plastic that is not likely to mar a chamber/throat. It comes with a small rod used to tap the round out. The idea behind it is that you are not dislodging a stuck safety bullet so much as re-seating the spike and releasing the "wedge". Once you tap the spike back in the round should remove easily.

    If you watch the videos on the website (particularly the animation), it becomes rather clear. I'm warming to it, but doubt I could rely on it too heavily.
     

    Echo Victor

    Active Member
    Mar 25, 2009
    879
    Harf Co.
    Glock 23 with a light, loaded mag but empty chamber. I keep it up high enough that the wife and I can reach it bu the kids cant even get close.
     

    Minuteman

    Member
    BANNED!!!
    From watching the video, the safety bullet comes with a plastic rod to remove the bullet. Not secure enough for me. Also it relies on the shooter to follow a certain procedure to make it activate; and other steps may still AD the weapon. The more I think about it, the less I like it for intended purpose. May have other good uses.
     

    Tower43

    USMC - 0311
    Jul 6, 2010
    3,947
    Lusby, MD
    XD45 under the pillow, condition 3. I have no kids so it usually just lives there. My only roommate is a gun owner as well, so no worries there. His bedside guns are a HiPower in condition 2 on the nightstand, as well as a 10/22 and SKS in condition 3 in the event of zombies.

    How is a high-power condition 2? Just wondering....
    This is how I remember it for the M9....so it applies the same for all semi-auto's
    Cond 4: Magazine Removed, Slide forward on an empty chamber, safety engaged
    Cond 3: Magazine Inserted, Slide forward on an empty chamber, Safety engaged
    Cond 2: Does not apply
    Cond 1: Magazine Inserted, Slide forward, Round in chamber, safety engaged....

    Just sayin'

    ATM I have a toddler who can't open doors himself, so once he is in bed I shut his door, and open the gun cabinet (I live on base... so yea)...
    Inside is a Mossberg 12ga loaded with 8 2 3/4" PDX-1 Home defense rounds, My M4 with a 30 round magazine in condition 3, with a mounted light and a red dot,
    All 4 guns with (in position I know them) a loaded mag on the shelf above for each caliber with defense ammo. On that shelf is a surefire taclight as well.

    All the other magazines are in the closet on the shelf next to the door leaving the bedroom, so if I need a reload its there, plus my tactical assault vest is on top of the safe, and it has 11 M16 magazines loaded, 4 .45 mags loaded, a pouch of rifled hollowpoint slugs and of course, armor plates...

    BRING IT ON ZOMBIES!
     

    davsco

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 21, 2010
    8,607
    Loudoun, VA
    not sure why folks without kids are keeping their HD guns with empty chambers?

    between mattress and bedspring at night (and locked during day) sounds good, no way kids will get to those while parents sleeping. though it is extra step in getting to the gun if needed.
     

    5cary

    On the spreading edge of the butter knife.
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2007
    3,635
    Sykesville, MD
    Very well said. Now if I could only get my wife fully on board with this. As my boys get older, it's becoming a source of contention.


    I have trained all my kids to respect and handle firearms safely. They have learned to shoot guns safely before they have learned to read. My daughter was able to field trip an AR and a 1911 when she was 7. My nephew is learning how to shoot and he is 5.

    Locking up guns is not an absolute fix for gun accidents involving kids. Educating them about gun safety is.

    You can lock up all your stuff, but what happens when they go to a friends or neighbors house with unsecured guns? Curiosity killed the cat. Educate , teach, precept, mentor.. however you want to call it...add a good measure of common sense and consider your efforts an investment.
     

    Tower43

    USMC - 0311
    Jul 6, 2010
    3,947
    Lusby, MD
    not sure why folks without kids are keeping their HD guns with empty chambers?

    between mattress and bedspring at night (and locked during day) sounds good, no way kids will get to those while parents sleeping. though it is extra step in getting to the gun if needed.

    the handguns are easy slap the mag and rack a round, I leave the shotty and rifle at condition 3 so I can rack them and use it as a scare tactic. Having an upstairs bedroom helps, and if they are all that sneaky it isn't really going to matter anyway.....

    If I lived on a 1st floor only, where easier access was, or in a more seedy area (i live in base housing, how bad can it really get? :D ) I'd have my .45 with a round in chamber.... Course... yea...
     

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