If you have guns and especially if you have children….get a gun safe or vault!
The above statement is one I have made over and over to gun owners. It is simply a no-brainer as far as I am concerned. Many will say that, “I keep my guns hidden”. Great, but I will assure you that kids can find anything and so will a thief. I am sure that you know that owning a firearm is a huge responsibility and you must do everything you can to keep everyone in your home safe. That includes your children as well as friends and their family members who might be visiting.
The number one reason for owning a safe if you have kids is for their safety. For those of us whose kids are grown and gone you want to protect your investment from burglars.
Kids are curious and no matter where you choose to hide your firearm they will find it. If it is not on you then in my opinion it needs to be locked up in a safe. I want to scream when I read on social media how many will say things like, “I can leave my guns out. I can lay them on the table and the kids will not touch them. I trust them. They have been taught right!” These people should get the “stupid parent award” as far as I am concerned. Kids do dumb things sometimes. While my kids were taught better but what about their playmates? Sometimes kids have just got to impress their friends and what better way than to flash that Glock around and boast how “I can hold daddy’s guns anytime!” What if a playmate insists on holding it also? What if he points it at his friend and pulls the trigger….can you live with that? I couldn’t.
“These people should get the “stupid parent award” as far as I am concerned”
When I was four years old my parents were visiting with friends and I was wandering through the house and on a table lay a double action 45lc. I picked it up and brought it into the living room where my parents were talking with their friends. I had no idea if it was real or fake. All I knew was that it was heavy. I pointed the revolver at my mother who instantly became ninja mom. I mean she took that gun away from me so quickly that I’m not sure I saw her body move. It was like one second I had a gun in my hands and next second it was in mom’s hands. Needless to say she was not happy that firearm was left lying in the open where I could get it. Her friend tried to play it down that I was too little to have pulled the trigger. That didn’t satisfy mom. She had the man unload it and then put it in my two little hands and held on to my arms and instructed me to pull the trigger if I could while pointing in a safe direction. Yes, I pulled the trigger.
Children are the most obvious and important reason to have a gun safe. Having a gun safe protects your children (and any visiting children). If it isn’t on your side lock it up. Don’t be a stupid parent! I have conducted more than one child’s funeral in my life and trust me; they are not easy to do especially if that child’s death could have been avoided. And it doesn’t end there. The guilt and pain that follows will last a lifetime. The last stats I read were for 2015. 265 children died as the result of accidents involving firearms.
In some states, they only require this if you have children. In other states, they may require it even if you don’t have children. The objective is to prevent any child from having access to any firearms in your home.
https://goo.gl/cWQXoI
Remember this, if any child gains access to your guns and an accident occurs, you could be held criminally liable. This is obviously a serious matter. Make sure you check your state’s laws to see what is required of you.
Home Defense
Obviously many firearms are purchased for self-defense and if you’re ever in a situation where you need to defend your family, having quick access to your firearm is crucial. 
Many people keep a handgun, spare magazine and a tactical light in a small pistol vault mounted in a closet, on a nightstand or even to the floor by the bed. Whichever way you store it I would consider opening the door when retiring at night so the firearm is readily accessible. Trust me. In a panic situation the perspiration on your fingers will cause the vault to react the same as an iPhone does when your finger is wet. It simply will not operate. Fumbling with keys or lock combinations in the dark is not easy either under stress.
Theft
Some people own a lot of guns. Some are prized possessions and worth a lot of money. A safe will at least slow down a burglar. I say slow down because like everything else a safe is not fool proof. Some are better than others and will stop the average petty thief but noting is impenetrable. Given enough time any safe can be opened if someone is determined enough. The average burglar is not going to have that kind of time. Most burglars lack the tools and knowledge necessary to break into a gun safe. They’re usually looking to quickly steal everything they can. He will head to your bedroom and grab your jewelry, cash, any loose firearms like those in your sock drawer and be on his way.
Think about this. You have no safe. A burglar breaks in and steals your guns. He sells them and later one is used in a murder. The family of the victim sues you for negligence because your firearms were not safely stored. It might never happen to you but it can especially in states where “safe gun storage” laws have been enacted. The last time I looked nine states have such laws. While Alabama does not and I hope we never do yet there is a thing called responsibility.
Please, if you are going to own firearms then be responsible. I have already said that if it isn’t on you…lock it up!
