I have some experience with firearms on nonmoving inanimate targets. I believe in my ability to use a firearm to defend myself and my family. I wish to own a shotgun for home defence. I own a small .22 Marlin 81 rifle, but know enough about the range of rifle rounds, even little ones that are not jacketed, to know that home defense is not a good plan. I do not wish to own a handgun for home defense, although they are fun for sport shooting.
I also have an 8 year old, and will be trying for another infant human soon.
How can I keep my new shotgun close enough and easily enough activated to keep it useful for home defense, without endangering the curious children? I trust the 8yo, but that trust isn’t worth the risk of her or another’s accidental death. Plus, with a new little one, there is no way to even communicate.
So- I find it difficult to believe that at 3 am when I am awoken by what turns out to be an armed intruder that I will be able to open a safe in time to use the shotgun. I have no experience with trigger locks or other forms of gun security.
Assuming that height itself is no reasonable precaution against the children, (I have thought about just placing it too high to reach, but discarded that due to ladder availability) what should I do to secure it against them, but make it available to myself at extremely short notice if I need it?
I searched a bit, and came across some good advice from a couple of threads that referenced this idea, but did not come across one specifically about it- and I really really want to know. Whether I convince myself that this is possible will likely decide timing of the purchase of the shotgun, but obviously it is not (as yet) a life or death issue.
How long does it take to get a trigger lock off a shotgun, and is it a key that I would need to sleep with, etc? Not trying to snark, just genuinely curious.
I don’t think the safe would be fast enough, as my space considerations do not allow for one near/in my bedroom
It was an extremely reasonable question, the very opposite of snark.
Amazon is your friend, my friend. Consider this. That said I would go to a gunshop and get advice in person rather than buy one online, or consult with the rangemaster at your local range.
I can’t think of a way to have it both 100% secure and 100% immediately accessible. The best compromise I can think of puts the burden on you, as in, you’ll have to do some work.
If you’re only concerned about nighttime availability, get The Back-Up. Here’s the burden I was talking about earlier: the Back-Up will put the gun within easy reach of a kid. Therefore, you’ll need to remove the gun every morning and lock it up securely or otherwise make it inaccessible to the kiddos, and replace it at night.
Apart from that, I’d suggest mounting it on the wall above the bed, high enough that the kids can’t reach it even if they stood on the bed. If you’re awakened in the night, you’ll just have to stand up (on the bed) and grab it. Be sure to have the “no ladders on the bed” talk with the kids.
An alternative is to have only a single box of shells in the house kept hidden and locked. Then you won’t need to fiddle with trigger locks or gun safes.
Also, make sure you teach your youngster about the seriousness and potential danger of firearms. Hiding the truth only makes them curious.
I remember when I was young my dad took me into the woods, found a sapling, and blew the trunk in half with just a 410. He said it could just as easily have been my arm or leg. I got the message.
Is the time needed to open a gun safe or unlock a trigger guard more or less than the time it would take tell the difference between an intruder and a sleepwalker?
You still need to unlock the shells and then load the gun.
Shotguns are very slow to load, most use a tubular magazine and you load shells in one at a time.
In the case of a break-in, you may only have seconds.
Having the ability to fire at the first hint of movement immediately after awaking is probably not a good idea. Having a trigger lock and/or ammo stored outside the gun forces you to take some time and become fully awake and aware before making a shoot-or-don’t decision.
Good question, but not particularly relevant, as I will not have the gun in hand until that has been ascertained. Having THEN to fiddle with opening/unlocking, after knowing the threat is the issue.
I just want to be shooting bb’s, not bullets, so I don’t penetrate walls, where possible.
My little 22 rifle would exit my home, where a shotgun with birdshot would just shred some drywall…
A gun dealer once told me that a shotgun is a terrible home defense weapon. There were several reasons, but the main one I remember is that the blast is apt to go right through the wall or ceiling and could seriously injure or kill someone in the next room. True or no?
And you sort of answered my question as I was asking it. Any further thoughts on that?
If you have a slug in the gun, then yes- horrid home defense- some of those will go through a firewall! Tiny pellets, however, will not in most cases go through two layers of sheetrock unless you are trying hard at the right angle, and won’t do so much damage if they do…