My kids are grown. But I constantly worried about letting my kids play at someone else's house that I didn't know, worrying about different things, but the main one being guns. Unlocked guns, especially. Children are curious by nature.

I hope the guns themselves are locked, and in addition you are able to stress to your husband that locking the cabinet is also very important. It is his responsibility as a father and a gun owner. Nobody needs to be able to access their hunting rifles "quickly".

I remember a neighbor's house growing up, they had a decorative gun cabinet, but the Mrs. put curtains on the inside to hide the contents. Of course, there was no mistaking it was a gun cabinet. It was also locked.

Your children may know that they are not to touch the guns, however, all it takes is one friend to take one out, or to ask your child to take one and show them. There are too many stories of children who want to show off Daddy's gun, and guess what? They also know where Daddy has the ammunition hidden.

I grew up in a house with rifles. They were well hidden and locked. Although there was one that was a "decoy" that my dad kept in a rifle case hanging in the basement, in view. It didn't even work. This was in case someone broke into the house and knew he had rifles, they would assume this was the one, and they would take it and leave. Smart man. Didn't find out about that until he died and one of his hunting buddies explained this to my mom.

I'm sorry if this seems like a rant, but the guns need to be locked up.

I grew up in a household with unlocked guns.

We grew up understanding not to touch...or touch only with a grown up around. My dad's guns were always in a decorative gun cabinet in the living room area or the bedroom. My dad kept a loaded gun in his nightstand. I knew it was there. So did my brother and cousins and all...

**Teach your children** not to touch the guns. Or better yet teach them how to handle them properly.

Accidents do happen, but education and training are a great defense against accidents. Cars are also endlessly fascinating to kids, but we don't 'lock' them up. Training, education, and common sense.

Passing the soapbox to someone else. (I'm upset about something else, so I apologize if I came across to strong.)

There are decorative wood cabinets if you want to display the guns but if you want to just lock the guns up you can use a rack like the one in the link below. The decorative cabinets are more costly and if you just want to lock them up you could also buy a utility cabinet, put it in the basement and put a lock on it.

I'm one that believes if you have guns in the house (and if DH hunts) then the kids should be taught how to use them and what their dangers are. I was raised around guns and of all the other gun-owning families I knew none of the kids would ever dream of 'playing' with them.

But, even if your kids understand the rules, it's the kids that visit that you really have to worry about. There's always the chance some kid will bring ammunition from their home in order to play with your guns. This seems to happen more with boys than girls.
So, in addition to locking up the guns your DH should make sure any ammunition in the house is locked away in a separate area from the guns.

Maybe he'll be more inclined to install a cabinet if you told him that if he values his guns, and wants them to last for years, they should be cleaned and stored in a protected, dry area . Then you can put a lock on it! : )

Here is a link that might be useful: lockable racks

I agree, he should take on the responsibility to educate his kids. BUT, they should be locked.

My nephew shot his friend in the face with a gun he found under his parents' bed. He opened the box, loaded it, and then played cops and robbers. His friend recovered, but it wouldn't have happened if it had been in a locked case. The father is being tried on child endangerment charges. Why take the risk?

Honestly I don't understand why this is even an issue. You are parents, parents educate and protect their children, this is important to you. Why is he being stubborn about something so important? I'd be taking action. If he won't do it then do it for him.

happyintexas, my car is locked.

As the level headed parent in the house you have a duty to your kids to protect them from possible dangers.
The guns should be locked up. The ammunition should be locked up separate.
Your DH should want the guns locked up so in case of a break in they aren't stolen or worse used against you and the kids by some want to be thief.
You've already had a handyman in who saw them. What happens when this guy blabs that he saw guns unlocked out in the open in your basement to the wrong guy and this guy decides to come steal them. You're leaving your family at risk by leaving them out in plan sight.
It doesn't matter what they are locked up in. Gun cabinet, utility closet, hope chest, gun safe all that matters is they are out of sight and safely locked up away from prying eyes and curious fingers.

We need to buy a safe so DH's guns are not locked up (but all have a trigger lock on them). However, he keeps them in an unused bedroom that no one goes in (we use it for storage). I would be concerned that if the lawn guy knows the guns are there who else will know? People talk. Seems like a good way to have your home be the subject of a break-in. Not only should they be locked, they should be out of sight.

I do not have children, so I can't speak as a parent. I grew up in a house where guns were not locked, but we never ever ever touched them without our father's supervision. However, especially with children in the house, I would have to agree that locking up the guns is the smart thing to do. There is a huge variety of ways to lock up guns, including decorative cabinets, basic locking cabinets and cases, and high tech locking cases and cabinets that can be opened with finger print authentication.

Maybe you can sit down with your husband and ask him to educate you and the family on the guns. Additionally, tell him you respect his desire to have the guns but as it is a shared household, he needs to respect your feelings as well including those about having unlocked guns in a home with children. Do some research online and come up with some options for locking up the guns and share them with him. Maybe you could even go to a gun store and ask a sales person for assistance. Find out if there is a reason behind your husband's desire not to lock up the guns. (Perhaps he wishes to have them accessible for home defense.) There are so many products out there that I'm sure you can come up with a compromise.

Did you read the post by pesky1? Her guns were stolen by someone who saw them in the house.

Here is a link that might be useful: pesky's thread

We grew up in a house with guns, both my husband and I, and we knew not to touch them and we didn't, and our friends who came over never showed any interest in them. I guess we were lucky or times were different. Our children also were raised around guns and were taught to respect them and never to touch them without supervision, but we kept them locked up anyway because we both worked and knew that even if our children wouldn't touch the guns, we had no idea if their friends would and we didn't want to be responsible for a tragedy that could have been prevented. My husband is a police officer, and a gun collector of sorts so we have a lot of guns. It only takes one time, one silly kid playing around to ruin a life forever. You hear about it on the news way too often. A gun safe would be a better option than a decorative gun cabinet, out of sight, out of mind! I would have a serious talk with my husband if I were you and explain my concerns, the danger and ask what his objections to locking the guns up are. JMHO.

You don't have to lock up guns, just lock up the ammo. Guns aren't going to hurt anyone, if they don't have any bullets in them.

All children should be taught that guns are not toys and are tools that are dangerous...like knives, if they're not handled correctly.

A nice wooden display case, with glass doors is fine, again, if you lock up the ammo. Some guys like guns and since I'm a John Wayne fan, that look doesn't bother me, but no gun should be loaded in the house, especially if you have kids.

I agree with all the others who say they should be locked up, and that your kids need to be educated about them. But you can't educate and control every child who will ever come to your home, so they must be locked up to avoid a potential tragedy.

Personally, I would not let me kids visit a home if I knew there were guns there. Maybe if I knew the parents well enough to ask them about the guns and found out that they were always responsibly locked up and trusted the parents to keep them locked up, I might let my kids go there. But most likely, I'd have their kids over at my house instead and avoid the worry. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but you can't control who will be at someone else's house and what they might do with a gun.

Gun safes are expensive...and necessary. If I still had children (as opposed to young adults)I would not allow them to visit in a home with firearms that weren't secured in a gun safe or, at the very least, a locked closet. Nor would I allow my grandchildren to visit in that home.

I come from people who hunt. But Granddad always kept his guns locked up.

i know if it was my house, there wouldn't have to be agreement about this issue...it's a serious safety issue and i would buy whatever locked storage unit that i thought was appropriate if he wouldn't...period.

i think education is very important, but if that was all it took for kids to follow rules/the law, there wouldn't be any underage drinking, dui's, house parties without parents, etc,etc,etc!!

alot of kids think they're invinceable and smart and have everything under control and try to get away with what they can...they can talk the talk, but don't always walk the walk... this certainly hasn't changed since i was a kid!!! and, with the internet, etc,etc,etc there's alot more knowledge about guns than there used to be... most kids don't think "john wayne" when they think guns!!!!!

There was a gun room at my aunt & uncle's farm. It was always locked. The guns, shotgun machine (used to make shotgun shells) and other ammo were stored in the room. All of us were taught gun safety and yet the room was always locked and none of us were allowed in without adult permission or supervision (depended on age of child). The part of the brain that assesses and judges risk isn't fully developed until children are in their late teens or, for boys, early '20s. You can teach them safety but they might still make a bad call. Why risk it?

beekeeperswife, I'm sure I raised a few eyebrows but I always, always, always asked if there was a gun in the house before my kids went to play somewhere new. If the answer was "yes,", I'd ask if it was kept locked up and where the ammo was stored. Only once did I have to tell my kids, "sorry, you can't go over there but you can invite them here." Why? The dad's response to me was, "I've no idea where the gun is right now. It's probably locked up.... I guess I should check." I was speechless.

I never thought I'd have the boldness to ask but a friend's experience gave me the courage. When her son was in 5th or 6th grade, he had a close call at a friend's house. His friend found his dad's gun - unlocked - picked it up, pointed it at my friend's son and pulled the trigger. Thank God it wasn't loaded but it could have been. The ammo was right there, too. I get sick to my stomach every time I think about what might have happened.

Both of the above are two cases where gun owners did not teach gun safety to their kids. I don't assume anything anymore.

Keeping them locked up will not only keep them out of sight of kids but also out of sight of anyone with a shady side and nimble fingers.

To the OP, I'm sorry this is causing you such angst. I would feel the same way. I hope you are able to work things out for peace of mind for all of you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Firearm safety myths

Here is a link to Heirloom Gun Safe's site.

Good luck, submitter.

Here is a link that might be useful: Heirloom Gun Safes

Every child should be taught gun safety whether there are guns in the house or not. That being said, kids will be kids, and cops and robbers is a fun game to play. I agree with lavendar that while guns should be locked up, it is the ammo that is more important. We have rifles and shotguns but the bullets are somewhere else - locked and hidden. For my husbands safety I do not know where the key is. JMHO.

My husband's a police officer and has a lot of guns. They're all locked up, along with the ammunition and other valuables, photographs, etc., in a 5 ft tall fireproof Liberty Safes gun safe that's in our great room. His on-duty and off-duty weapons are in a separate smaller locked case in our room where he has greater access to it.

I would never let my kids be unsupervised around guns in my home or anyone else's, even though we teach them gun safety. Other children they're with may not be gun safe and that could threaten my child.

You don't need to wait for your husband to ok locking up the guns. Just buy a safe to store in the basement and be done. Your children's safety is more important than waiting for his approval to appropriately store his weapons. Also, theft is definitely a concern now that someone knows you have guns unlocked in the house. I know three different families that recently had their homes broken into with the main purpose to steal guns. None of those homes had them locked up and were taken very easily.

I'm glad my post was linked to....GET A GUN SAFE. Not a decorative cabinet, a solid gun safe. My DH is getting one now to lock the guns in. We just had 3 stolen (and fortunately recovered) and one was in the decorative gun case, the other two were out of their cases and usual storage place, sitting next to DH's desk. The other guns were in their cases, in the hiding place, but had the thief known where they were, he'd have grabbed them too.

But if they're in a locked gun safe, no one can see them, much less access them. I won't go into my own soapbox about guns, locked or not...just say it's a compromise my DH and I have. But I do think that if your house is EVER broken into, those guns will be gone, and then they're out on the street. So get a gun safe. They're not pretty, but they're the safest place for the guns.

I was scrolling down fast to also suggest a gun safe. We have the decorative cabinet. Yes it is locked and has curtains in the doors. Still it is so obvious what it is.

Do yourself a HUGE favor and buy that safe ASAP so you will not get stuck with a HUGE cabinet like we have. I REALLY want it gone or used for something else.

Here it is with out the lace curtains.I added them later. And this was a house we had several years ago.

Here is a link that might be useful: cabinet

My son-in-law has been in law enforcement all of his adult life. He could tell you many true horror stories about tragedies involving kids and guns that were supposedly inaccessible. Please get a gun safe, and educate your kids.

I read most of the posts, and I can see the 2 sides.

First, sounds like your H is not using the guns regularly. I'm of the opinion that if they are for collecting, fun, recreation, and occasional use, they should be locked up, unloaded, and ammo locked elsewhere.

Decorative cases are for unloaded, disabled collections in the living spaces, IMO.

My dad kept a loaded shotgun behind the kitchen door and so did my grandparents. Guns were used regularly for food, pests, and protection. He taught us about guns very early and how to handle them as we were age appropriate. We were never curious or poked around because we always knew the deal.

My ex-H freaked that I had a gun (locked up, mind you). For some reason he assumed that once we co-habitated and wed, the gun would go by default. He'd never been around guns and just the idea of it on the property was unacceptable. Point is, all people are different.

I can definitely understand your concern if you discovered the guns, and even more concerned when you say it would be creepy for the girls to see it. IMO, you and your girls should already know where they are and what they are, and never have to come upon them without the owner present. Educate, and educate early.

I agree with above posters about getting a proper gun safe. Decorative is just that...decorative.
Just my opinions.
Gayle

All the education in the world can, on occasion, fail to prevent a tragedy. I grew up with guns since dad hunted birds and everyone in the family was involved in trap and skeet shooting. Same was true in friends' homes. In high school, two separate families lost sons to suicide with guns kept unlocked at home. These were kids who were accomplished, smart, funny, never ones you would expect this to happen to but they managed, in a moment of despair, to find ammo and shoot themselves. Neither family, nor the friends were ever the same again.

A long way of saying, get a gun safe and be sure the key is out of reach of kids AND teens.

I think your husband is being very foolish

I have a cousin who died after he was accidentally shot playing with a gun at a friend's house when he was a kid. I'm sure this family felt they had educated their children too. Unfortunately, a momentary lapse in judgement cost a child his life and caused numerous loved ones despair. Did your husband ever do anything he wasn't supposed to when he was a kid? Is it worth the risk to "trust" your children won't?

No offense, but I wouldn't let my children play at your house. No matter how sweet and kind you all may be, I cannot risk my children.

LOCK THE GUNS.

I have three kids ages 19 to 8. I believe that kids should enjoy some freedom and I do my best to welcome the neighbor kids to play at our house, even though I am often startled at the things they think it's okay to do. It's one thing to open my freezer, peruse the contents and help themselves, or seize the videocamera and tape over baby footage. If we had guns, how can I be sure that these kids have the good sense and impulse control not to handle them? I can and have trained my kids to treat every gun as if it is loaded (we don't keep them at our house, but my relatives do). But there are a lot of wild little people in the world that I would not trust for a second around a gun.

My brother who is a firearms instructor puts his gun, unloaded, in the rafters of our basement when he visits, which I feel comfortable with.

I can't believe we're even discussing whether or not guns should be kept locked with children in the home. Of course the guns need to be locked up. And sorry, but I wouldn't let my kids play at your house either. Just remember, we have to live with our choices. If a child is injured or killed, we have to live with the mistake of not having prevented it for the rest of our lives. This ones a no brainer

This is a no-brainer. The guns need to be locked away, unloaded, in a safe, with the ammo locked away elsewhere. Besides the worry of them being stolen, all have made great points about childrenâÂÂs behavior, even when they have been educated.

If he wonâÂÂt do it TODAY, then you need to do it. He has lost the right to any choice here.

Of course, if it were me, the guns would be gone, period.

It wasn't until we moved out to the country, when I was a teenager, that my Dad had a couple of rifles. We were taught not to touch them and the dangers and they were in a cabinet in the parent's bedroom. My Dad was a great shot but I mostly appreciated that during one particular rattlesnake incident. We lived about 40 miles east of San Diego in the mountains and there were always rattlesnakes, we learned how to kill them with a hoe, at least the small ones. But when they were 5-footers, if my Dad was home, the rifle came out. One time on a back hill behind our pool a snake was slithering through the pickle weed. My Mom was screaming, my Dad was trying to get it out of the pickle weed with a rake and I was about to pee my pants watching. It was a 5-footer and was very tenacious. My Dad made me hold the rake and the snake was wound around the metal part and was still hiding in the pickle weed while he ran in the house and got his rifle. My arms have never been so challenged with that snake squirming and pulling on the rake...and trying to get away, at this point I was screaming. Dad runs out with the rifle, points it at the snakes head and boom...he was a gonner. I learned how to shoot a rifle and and gun (not very good at it), but I respect firearms because my Dad taught us well.

I don't think you can expect small children or hormone-challenged-angry teenagers to have a respect for firearms. They need to be in a locked cabinet.

Here is a link that might be useful: curio cabinet front

Guns should be locked up for safety reasons. Does he object to this? What would his objection be? Just research an appropriate case, make a plan, run it by him, and place your order. Have him empty them and lock up the ammunition right away. There's no question gun safety should be practiced in everyone's home. One horror story is more than enough, and there are many.

We hunted for food when I was a kid in days of no TV's or video games with killing. I didn't know where dad's guns were, wasn't allowed in folks bedroom. Fast forward to Ca. city living & 4 teenage brothers,dad gifted us the taken apart guns for a number of years. DH decided we didn't need any guns in house when we had kids. Fine with me. Neighbor on corner had an adorable grandkid & his mom lived there too. Moved when about 12. One day I opened the newspaper & there was the boy's name, smart,good student but talked into skipping school for 1st time. Ended up in kid's house & kid got dad's gun, odd that they never shoot out a light or aim for a wall. Got him right in the head, dead at 16. Another incident, my son brought to our door by cops, cops said they needed to talk to him, I said not without my permission, 1 cop took me aside & told me he had witnessed a crime & could identify the robber. I said take him in the LR but I am going to listen from hall. They were right & did not coheres him in any way. They arrested neighbor's daughter's boyfriend with several stolen guns,my son had to ID him from behind a car & then in short while they came & told me no need for son to go to court as the girl had seen it too but was to scared to say anything. So my son could have been shot if the guy saw him when he was leaving with the guns. If that dad had locked them up where kids couldn't get at them there wouldn't have been an incident. My son was 8 at the time. Video games, movies, & TV shows show people dying all the time & then they are in next movie so kids don't always understand dead is dead!!

Have you discussed the guns with your husband again since starting this thread or even shown the results to him? If it were I there would have been a very serious non-negotiable option put before him a long time ago if he continued to refuse to lock up the guns. Like "take your choice- me or the guns".

My dad had a few handguns at home when my brothers and I were growing up, and no gun safe. But he ALWAYS removed the firing pins and locked them up so there was no chance of an accident. We didn't know about that part until years later.

I agree that the possibility of a theft is very strong, and even if he feels the guns are safe for the children, that may help sway his opinion. I bet the police department has some good solid facts on this too, that he might be willing to listen to. Good luck!! Please let us know how it turns out.

How can I explain to my husband

I'm a big believer in negotiating, but sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands and overrule reckless behavior. Tell him that if he doesn't buy a gun case, you are going to do it. Then follow through.

I would go out and buy a safe or throw out the guns. My children's safety is more important than anything else in this world. God forbid anything tragic should happen- imagine the guilt a parent would feel knowing he/she knew the gun was not properly locked.

I grew up in a household with guns, lots of guns. The ammunition and the firing mechanism (the bolt or slide) for the rifles and pistols was in a locked box and my dad had the combination. They were decor without those parts.

This is a non-negotiable, no permission needed safety issue for your children. Go to Walmart, a sporting goods store or gun shop and buy a gun safe. Have it delivered and put the guns in it and lock it.

BTW, it's way better for the guns, too, to be in the safe instead of sitting out in the basement where the cat can pee on them.

When I was in high school a boy at our school killed himself with a gun that was "locked without ammo" in his cousins home. He wanted to kill himself and knew that there were guns there. He brought his own ammo and broke the glass. When someone wants to die and you leave the tools at their disposal they will use them. Glass won't stop them, nor does it stop a robber.

And I remember this in particular because it was a double tragedy...the uncle shot himself a few months later. He apparently never got over the guilt and depression.

The fact that you have to convince anyone that owning a gun does not also mean you should own a gun safe astounds me. And both parents in this situation would be at fault if a tragedy happened. You have the ability to buy one and put the guns away. Do it and tell him it's because you love your children. Maybe he will catch a clue at that point.

I'm sorry to be so harsh, but the mere fact that my sin could be playing at a house like that scares the politeness right out of me. Guns don't kill on their own. Behind them and responsible for the deaths that result from these types of tragic accidents is an adult. A very stupid one quite often and the person who suffers is the one killed, but also the kid who pulled the trigger and has to bear that lifelong guilt.

Buy a good gun safe. If your husband won't do it today, take matters into your own hands & order one (you'll probably need it delivered & placed where you want it, as they are super heavy). They are expensive, but well worth the peace of mind.

One more comment. Many gun death accidents happen with *unloaded guns*
So even keeping ammo in a separate location from the gun in not foolproof, because all it takes is for one time to *think* the gun is not loaded when it is.
My Dad was a gunsmith growing up. We were taught all the gun safety.
On the way back from a Utah deer hunting trip (from So CA) all five of us kids in the back of the van and my parents up front.
My oldest brother was carrying in one rifle into the house and blew a hole in the living room ceiling through the roof with the *unloaded* rifle that had traveled home from Utah to So CA in the back of the van.

Another incident. Guns were locked up. My twin brothers were crazy anyways as in always doing stuff they shouldn't. One time after school I remember seeing my brothers in the utility room Showing one of their friends some handguns or one handgun. They were handling it. I think they were talking about shooting it in the backyard (can't remember exactly) but I was SCARED.
All us kids KNEW not to touch or break into the guns. Period.
It was drilled into us. Ummmm teens (boys or girls) have hormones raging through them, curiousity.. they Cannot see the danger as they have immature brains. That is all there is to it!
Lets see .. one boy in our neighborhood lost his eye to a BB gun.

ANY way to rationalize it and try to make a clear argument there is no excuse for locking away guns.
I KNOW it defeats the purpose to have a gun for personal protection if you can't reach it quickly AND it be loaded ..

but there is no easy answer!

Thought I would share my stories

Since they are being "stored" just pick them up and store them where you think they would be safe from causing potential harm to anyone. Why are you even discussing this with your husband? Just do it.

I totally agree with everyone who said to just do it, stop asking your husband and get it done. Men can be really stubborn sometimes for no aparent reason ;) and once you have it there's not much he can do about it, he might get angry that you went behind his back but just stand your ground and tell him how important it is to you that your children are safe, and he will get over it, but on the other hand if your kids or someone else gets hurt by those guns you will never forgive him.

Lock your gun safe; keep the key with you. Guns should be stored unloaded, unlocked and securely locked out of sight or reach. Check the chamber of a semi-automatic handgun for bullets when removing the magazine. Lock ammunition up separately from your gun. Keep ammunition away from moisture and heat. Do not store your gun or ammunition with valuables that are likely to be stolen. Do not store your gun under a bed, mattress or in an unlocked bedroom drawer.