Gun Appreciation Thread - Page 151

Wow.

If you are worried about the safety of your young child, but you still want quick access, you could consider a GunVault safe. I think the simple model (MiniVault http://www.gunvault.com/handgun-safes/minivault.html/) with just a finger combination should work well for you. You could mount it inside a closet, at a height comfortable for you, and retain accessibility even in the dark (a sequence of finger taps is easy without looking), and you could mount a light on the pistol if that's a concern. It would be out if sight and out of the reach of your child, even if he tried to get to it. It also keeps it discrete, which matters for people other than your child.

Now, in the long-run, I'd recommend getting your child comfortable with the safe operation of firearms and the respect therefor. Then, you can share in the hobby together, and if you feel it's a home defense concern, you'll be training your own backup. Mainly, though, it's great to get people coming into contact with guns in a nurturing and respectful manner, rather than being ignorantly fearful of them in later years. They don't have to adopt them in their lives, but, when explored safely, it can be a worthwhile, and mind opening, experience.

The mini vault is probably what I am going with. I really like the design.

As for children and guns, what you wrote I completely agree with - IE including/educating child on guns. It's just tough because for the next several years, there are going to be lots of young kiddos around + nieces and nephews.

Thanks again.

I have one just shy of 2 years old and another on the way any day now, so I share your concerns. I haven't purchased a quick-access safe yet, but have been researching. The LockSaf units are supposed to be really good and the microvault is also a good choice. The microvault can be modified with an Abloy lock to be pretty secure. Check this out:

http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/2012/01/16/hacking-firearm-lock-boxes/

The GunVault is a good product.  I have used it and find it to be reliable.  (My understanding is that GunVault went out of business but then reopened).  There are plenty of other products with a similar design.

The Gunvault product line is great for keeping kids out but it is not very burglar resistant. I used to have one and when my house was burglarized they pried it open with a flathead screwdriver. I now use a Vline top draw and a Fort Knox handgun safe. Neither are as convenient as the Gunvault but they are both mechanical instead of battery powered and the design is stronger where it counts.

The lethality of any handgun ammo is poor compared to high velocity rifle ammunition. Six out of seven persons shot with a handgun survive, due to modern medical infrastructure. The optimal target area on a human is a skinny rectangle running down the middle of the body from roughly the eyebrows down to just above the solar plexus. It's very hard to hit under stress, particularly when it's moving.

As for safes: V-Line is an excellent choice, as is the Titan Gun Vault. Both use Simplex combination locks which can be operated by touch and do not require any power source. They can be bolted to a wall, door, floor, or heavy piece of expendable furniture.

I don't want to highjack the thread, but when I saw what you said about kids I felt I should say something - think carefully about what you really need, what you will use the firearms for, what would be the best choice of firearms for your needs, how many you need. don't take this part lightly.

do not scrimp on safety tools - safes or locks. work our, carefully, if the firearms you have are for home defense or not and how you store them. if you will not be using them, realistically for home defense, don't worry about a fast opening safe, get the best safe you can. if you think that you will be using one for home defense, think about storing that one in a fast opening safe and the others in a more serious safe. when you bring guns into a house with kids, you are opening the door for a disaster. to be clear, not a common disaster (its still more likely for a kid to drown in a home pool than for a kid to kill himself with his dad's gun) but it still is a major consideration. don't take it lightly. I am all for the idea of teaching kids gun safety, but it often doesn't end the way you want it to.

honestly, I am very very comfortable with firearms. I have kids at home and I don't have any firearms at home. I have large canisters of tear gas and a number of night sticks, as well as good solid doors and locks and an alarm.

but that is everyone's choise. good luck.

+1 one for bolting down your safe or lock box.  Burglars don't need to pry a lock box open; they usually take the whole thing with them.  Or in the case of a somewhat recent high profile burglary, the burglar called three of his buddies to come down and help him load the safe on his truck.

@ Globetrotter - I will start with a single pistol, and then go from there. I will keep it at home (secured but accessible). If more guns are procured in the future, I will keep them in a more permanent option and/or at my office.

@ All - Thanks for the responses, its really helpful. It seems as if on a lot of firearm forums, asking these questions is akin to starting a new "I am getting married, Need a tuxedo quick and cheap" thread on SF.

that is a great idea - there are places that will store extra guns for you. if you keep what you need handy and secure, you don't have to worry too much about not being secure enough. good luck

Can anyone recommend a turkey gun around $600? A pistol grip (traditional or built into the stock) would be a big plus. I hear the 870 is prone to rusting, and this will be used in Florida - so possible rain/lots of humidity and moisture are a concern. And in the future, it may be used in cold climates. Any thoughts on that? No idea why the 870 would rust more than its competition. I was considering these:

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model-870/model-870-sps-synthetic-turkey.aspx

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model-870/model-870-express-shurshot-synthetic-turkey.aspx

the 870 is a pretty damn good choice. I picked a Mossy 500 over the 870...no real reason though...I dont think you can go wrong with either.

Try keeping all the metal well oiled.  RemOil in the spray can with the straw makes this easier.  Make sure you get the inside of the barrel, that is where rust most frequently occurs.  Do this especially after it is exposed to moisture.

I also have a Moss 500, but definitely not a turkey gun. In terms of the oil, does it have something to do with the way Remington finishes the gun, or would similar shotguns be equally susceptible to rust?