Guns in the home?

[kenny]

I know a guy who lives in New York City who's anti-gun.

Someone asked him what he uses to protect himself.
He said, "My mind."

At first it sounded like a flip and stupid answer.
But then I got to thinking about it.

 

[kama_s]

Date: 12/13/2009 1:19:46 AM
Author: neatfreak
No way. Too dangerous with kids around and you''re more likely to have one of your household members killed or hurt than use it on an intruder.

Exactly this.

 

[lyra]

Date: 12/13/2009 10:56:57 AM
Author: Tuckins1
You bet we do. We both have our CPL (concealed pistol permit) and we go to the range regularly for target practice.

You never can be too prepared for Zombie apocalypse

I would definitely have guns and learn to use them in this situation.

I grew up with guns because my dad and brother hunted everything that could be legally hunted. When I was under 6 months old, I would *not* eat/drink and would apparently cry so incessantly for the babysitter (my grandma) that eventually my mom and dad (both hunters btw), would actually bring me along with them hunting.... I cannot imagine any parent today bringing a baby on a hunting trip like that. LOL!

 

[Lauren8211]

Nope. No way. Never.

 

[audball]

Date: 12/13/2009 10:51:12 AM
Author: diamondrnglover
We have many guns in our house, my husband collects guns and knives like I do jewerly, however, we do have a gun safe and everything is locked up nice and tight.

This. When we first met, I was scared of them (due to lack of interaction/experience). When he got his CWP, he said I didn't have to like it, but that I needed to attend the gun safety class with him so that I would know what to do to disarm/fire/use one properly. The class required shooting over 250 rounds on top of 8 hours of class-time about safety and laws. The first shot I was TERRIFIED, shaking I was so scared. After the first magazine (10 rounds in that gun), I looked to my right (the lane where my SO was shooting) with the largest smile on my face. I'd overcome it, and come to find out, I'm a damn good shot. It was empowering to not be afraid of it anymore. We are not both CWP holders who exercise our 2nd amendment rights to their full extent.

All the issues about children and blah blah blah can all be handled if you do it responsibly. Gun safes are important for when you're not home or you're going to be somewhere where it is illegal to carry (ie: schools/universities, court, post office, etc). Second, children are smarter than you'd think if you tell them about it instead of pretending they don't exist. Kids are smart, but they're also curious. If you curb they're curiosity, they won't think twice about it. My SO's cousin is 4 years old. Both of her parents are in law enforcement and her father is VERY into collecting all types of guns, but especially sniper rifles (former military). She is 4 years old, knows what they are, how to fully disarm them, how to shoot them, which end is the 'bad end', how to lock them, it's unbelievable. I'd rather my kid know what to do with them than be curious when they come across one in someone else's house who isn't responsible and have an accident happen. Instead she can handle the situation, yes, even at 4. Also, no gun should be left unattended (off your person) if you are around any person under 18 years old. Period. If it can't be on you, it shouldn't be with you at the moment.

ETA: I think you can find statistics to say anything you want them to say. On both sides.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Nope.

I currently don''t feel the need to own one. I think the fact you have to climb up 5 long flights of stairs to get to my small apt is pretty good deterrent for burglars, lol.

Honestly I''m not sure how effective having a gun is in terms of home invasion, and having one doesn''t really make me feel safer, so I have no reason to acquire one.

Also, in case zombies attack, I do collect swords and such

I have more training in the use of those things than guns anyways.

 

[klewis]

I''m another who grew up with guns around our home because we hunted wild pig and deer.
Once, in Richmond, Virginnia, I became the random target of a gun wielding crazy idiot who confronted us (there were two of us) for about 5 minutes, or was it 2 - it seemed like a long time. This guy appeared from nowhere pointing a gun and threatening to kill us. He screamed "KILL! Kill, kill, kill" like he was possessed and each time he said "kill" he seemed to be playing with the sound of the word. Anyway, 30-something years later there are two things that bring the incident to life and give me "jelly-knees". The slapping sound of someone with flat soled shoes running on pavement , and the sight of someone with a gun.
I voted no.

 

[lilyfoot]

We don''t have a gun. Neither of us has ever shot a gun (so obviously we don''t have licenses for them).

I would be interested in learning to shoot them, but I wouldn''t keep one in the house.

 

[Burberrygirl]

Date: 12/13/2009 5:10:36 AM
Author: pennquaker09

Date: 12/13/2009 1:54:14 AM
Author: Cehrabehra
No - Never. Hell.No.

Ditto.

This goes for me too. I don''t want, need, or personally like guns. They don''t interest me at all, and I''d never be able to go hunting. That''s just me, but I don''t mind other people having guns if everything is done safely and according to the laws.

 

[perry]

Date: 12/13/2009 11:22:40 AM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/13/2009 10:58:35 AM
Author: Tuckins1

Date: 12/13/2009 1:19:46 AM

Author: neatfreak

No way. Too dangerous with kids around and you''re more likely to have one of your household members killed or hurt than use it on an intruder.

Where are the stats on that? I would love to see the actual numbers on that study...

Here are two studies that literally took me 2 second to find that talk about it. And there are MANY others.

""" Middle cut by Perry to make discussion easier """


So please, I urge anyone who has guns in their home to not only conceal them from their kids (and practice every safe gun practice possible) but to educate their children on how harmful they can be and teach them to respect them. There are SO MANY accidents with guns that would not have occured with the right gun safety practices and education. There are many quick access safes on the market that are as easy to open as a dresser drawer but are also so much safer for the occupants of the house.

Neatfreak: I would like to thank you for your message on teaching children about gun safety and the use of gun safes (and quick access gun safes as well).

A problem with the studies is trying to put them into context. I spent about 2 years in the early 90''s reviewing every pro and anti gun study out there - and there are very very few without bias. A key hole in a lot of them is that most studies do not attempt to address the number of attempted assults and other crimes that were prevented by the appropriate defensive display of a gun. Note that I also believe that some of the studies most often cited by the NRA overstate this.

As far as studies that show that people with guns tend to have more incidents with them.... Those tend to have little meaning as you cannot put them into any context.

People with cars tend to have more auto accidents than people who don''t have cars; and people who drink alcohol tend to have more incidents that people who don''t drink, and even people who play baseball tend to have more ball injuries than people who don''t (not to mention the few poeple who are blungended to death with a baseball bat), etc.

If you look at the accicental rates - and the percent of population who owns guns - I believe you will find that gun accidents are rather low compared to many other things.

The Center for Desease Control compiles very specific death rate tables.

Here are a few statistics from 2006 (the last year I can quickly find a fully tabulated set of data for) - and I am exluding death from old age and desease (which makes up most of the death rate):

Motor Vehicle Accidents: 45,316

Drug use: 38,396

Accidental Poisoning: 27,531

Accidental Alcohol induced deaths: 22,073

Falls: 20,823

Suicide by discharge of a Firearm: 16,883 (out of 33,300 total suicides)

Homicide by discharge of a Firearm 12,791 (out of 18,573 total homocides)

Accidental drowning: 3,579

Accidental exposure to smoke, fire, and flames: 3,109

Accidental discharge of Firearms: 624

Discharge of Firearem - Undetermined intent: 220 (was the intent homocide, suicide, etc, - or was it an accident)

Other events - Undetermined intent: 4,911 (was the intent homocide, suicide, etc, - or was it an accident)


The overall conclusion is that accidental discharge of a firearm rates rather low in overall injury statistics. When you consider that there are estimated to be over 200 million firearms in private hands within the US. Estimates are between 25 and 30% of housholds have guns in them (it used to be about 25% - but the last several years has seen an increase).

This does not mean that firearm accidents are not a tragady - they are. But a lot more things cause a lot more injuries - that people accept as normal and just part of life - and those are tragadies too.

The key is proper firearm safety training. My dad taught me; Boyscouts also taught it; and when I went to high school that was actually a clase you could take. Why arn''t such classes taught today in schools?

Proper storage is also important. This is why when I was faced with a personal self defense situation I quickly acquired a GunVault handgun safe (very early 1990''s). I still have it - and it works great.

Perry

 

[loriken214]

My late mom had her concealed handgun license and I''ve grown up around guns all of my life. You bet I''ve got a gun. I recently sold my S&W 38 revolver and will buy a Glock 40 soon. This is for household protection.

DH doesn''t like guns and has no clue what to do with one, but I''m ready. Crime is rampant these days and I''m not going down easily....go ahead, make my day!

Lori

 

[movie zombie]

despite growing up with guns and a father that hunted, i was a pacifist to the point that i wouldn''t have defended myself if someone tried to kill me. then my daughter was born and that all changed. i was determined that i would defend myself in order to raise her......and most of all to defend her.

during the bush years i decided the far right was out of control and i was going to defend myself against them should the need arrise and i began collecting. i have a rather nice collection. i enjoy them. i enjoy shooting them at the range. i enjoy taking them apart, cleaning them, and putting them back together. i enjoy knowing that i am not a defenseless victim. i enjoy knowing that i am utilizing my right under the 2nd amendment: use it or lose it. i enjoy knowing that living in the boonies i don''t have to rely on 911 to get here an hour after i call.

i''m living proof that not all liberals are anti-gun

mz

ps i did a lot research before making my purchases....just like with color stones. i bought items that will and have helld their value.

 

[audball]

Date: 12/13/2009 3:22:31 PM
Author: loriken214
My late mom had her concealed handgun license and I''ve grown up around guns all of my life. You bet I''ve got a gun. I recently sold my S&W 38 revolver and will buy a Glock 40 soon. This is for household protection.


DH doesn''t like guns and has no clue what to do with one, but I''m ready. Crime is rampant these days and I''m not going down easily....go ahead, make my day!

Lori

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 12/13/2009 3:22:31 PM
Author: loriken214
My late mom had her concealed handgun license and I''ve grown up around guns all of my life. You bet I''ve got a gun. I recently sold my S&W 38 revolver and will buy a Glock 40 soon. This is for household protection.

DH doesn''t like guns and has no clue what to do with one, but I''m ready. Crime is rampant these days and I''m not going down easily....go ahead, make my day!

Lori

lori,

my hubby is australian and is conflicted re guns....not sure he''s for private ownership but he''s shot ak-47''s in oklahoma with a friend!

however, when a felon had a shoot out with the sheriff just over the hill top and we got daily reverse 911 calls concerning said felon being armed and dangerous and still in the area, hubby was vocal about it was time for me to arm up. what i had was hardly adequate...... not the case now!

wish i could get a conceal carry here in california...sigh. sorry you sold your s&w .38........ a woman can never have to many pairs of shoes, purses, rings, or pistols.

mz

 

[packrat]

When we were little, we had it pounded into our heads that dad''s guns were off limits. "I will beat you to within an inch of your life" I believe is the phrase that was used.

We never touched them. The closest we ever came to them was when we dusted the gun cabinet. We had friends that would come over and "hehehe oooo loookie can I hold it?" and think we were babies for not getting them out to play with. THOSE are the kids that are more likely to get hurt/killed b/c they''re screwing around, and they were never taught proper respect and handling of firearms. Their parents were the ones that didn''t have guns, or if they did, had no clue what to do w/it. Those are the accidents waiting to happen, I think.

I know the chances of certain things happening are slim, but I''d rather be educated and comfortable being able to defend myself and my family *if* something happened, then stand there wringing my hands and crying, begging someone not to hurt my kids.

 

[junebug17]

Date: 12/13/2009 1:31:47 PM
Author: audball

Date: 12/13/2009 10:51:12 AM
Author: diamondrnglover
We have many guns in our house, my husband collects guns and knives like I do jewerly, however, we do have a gun safe and everything is locked up nice and tight.

This. When we first met, I was scared of them (due to lack of interaction/experience). When he got his CWP, he said I didn''t have to like it, but that I needed to attend the gun safety class with him so that I would know what to do to disarm/fire/use one properly. The class required shooting over 250 rounds on top of 8 hours of class-time about safety and laws. The first shot I was TERRIFIED, shaking I was so scared. After the first magazine (10 rounds in that gun), I looked to my right (the lane where my SO was shooting) with the largest smile on my face. I''d overcome it, and come to find out, I''m a damn good shot. It was empowering to not be afraid of it anymore. We are not both CWP holders who exercise our 2nd amendment rights to their full extent.

All the issues about children and blah blah blah can all be handled if you do it responsibly. Gun safes are important for when you''re not home or you''re going to be somewhere where it is illegal to carry (ie: schools/universities, court, post office, etc). Second, children are smarter than you''d think if you tell them about it instead of pretending they don''t exist. Kids are smart, but they''re also curious. If you curb they''re curiosity, they won''t think twice about it. My SO''s cousin is 4 years old. Both of her parents are in law enforcement and her father is VERY into collecting all types of guns, but especially sniper rifles (former military). She is 4 years old, knows what they are, how to fully disarm them, how to shoot them, which end is the ''bad end'', how to lock them, it''s unbelievable. I''d rather my kid know what to do with them than be curious when they come across one in someone else''s house who isn''t responsible and have an accident happen. Instead she can handle the situation, yes, even at 4. Also, no gun should be left unattended (off your person) if you are around any person under 18 years old. Period. If it can''t be on you, it shouldn''t be with you at the moment.

ETA: I think you can find statistics to say anything you want them to say. On both sides.

Children dying from accidental shootings can be described as "blah blah blah"? And as responsible as you are with guns, unfortunately there are many people out there who aren''t. And quite frankly, I think it is absurd that somone could place a gun in the hands of a four year old. Why in God''s name is this necessary?Is it even legal? Why run the risk of an accident with someone so young? And as precocious as some children may be with guns, that doesn''t guarantee that a child won''t handle a gun unsafely if found in someone else''s home. In fact, said child may want to show off her "skills" to the other child. Children, as advanced as some may be, are still children and will behave as such.

I''ll agree with you on one thing: it''s unbelievable.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 12/13/2009 1:19:46 AM
Author: neatfreak
No way. Too dangerous with kids around and you''re more likely to have one of your household members killed or hurt than use it on an intruder.

What she said - the potential for misuse and/or accidents is just too high...

 

[HopeDream]

I can understand a gun for hunting, I can understand owning a gun for the challenge of target practice and the community of belonging to a gun club. I can understand holding a gun in the service of your countrie's military, or as a police officer.

But living every day with the fear that someone is going to break into your home and threaten you?
Wow!
I don't want to live where you live if this is such a real possibility that you own a gun for the purposes of shooting/threatening another human being.

Do you realy expect that one day you will have to shoot another person? (because if the assailant doesn't back down, then that's what will happen).

What if the house-breaker has a gun too?

I have no argument for or against owning guns, I'm just curious about this reality of absolute fear.

 

[swimmer]

The day I finished military service and turned in my assault rifle was one of the best days of my life. The responsibility of carrying something so deadly and being in a position to decide when to use it and keeping it safe...is just intense. I get the same feelings in the pit of my stomach now thinking about my concerns for my unborn baby, the awesome responsibility that we will have as parents to do the right thing for this little boy.

I smile inside when Americans tell me that their city streets are dangerous enough to need to carry a gun daily. Seriously? Live in the West Bank, Gaza, Lagos, or any war-torn region for a few months and you will know see how cush life is in the US and how statistically improbable it is to have a gun with you at that one freak moment of need. Carry if you want in suburbia, but I won''t ever get it. Now if you were to move to the aforementioned hot-spots, I would totally understand if you were to carry, hire an armed guard, and get a "pope-mobile."

We will never have a gun in the house, ever. I was trained as a sniper and hope to never touch a gun again. Ever.

 

[cnspotts]

Date: 12/13/2009 4:52:16 PM
Author: AmberGretchen

Date: 12/13/2009 1:19:46 AM
Author: neatfreak
No way. Too dangerous with kids around and you''re more likely to have one of your household members killed or hurt than use it on an intruder.

What she said - the potential for misuse and/or accidents is just too high...

Guns, always an interesting topic. Personally I think it comes down to this, gun ownership is a right. If you choose to own one, or many, then educate yourself on how best to use, handle and stay safe with a firearm in the household. Ignorance and stupidity kills, not the gun.

 

[Arcadian]

We are both very pro weapon. We both have our CCW, we both go to IDPA. We''re both ranked sharp shooters.

I shoot a .45 Smith & Wesson 1911 and a .40 Smith & Wesson compact S&P. He mainly shoots 1911''s.

He grew up in Massachusetts/New York with no guns in the house, I grew up with guns in the house. I shot my first at the age of 10.

We grew up knowing guns were not toys. We were not allowed play guns of ANY type because as our folks have said, "Guns are not toys"

So yes you can have guns in the home if you have children, but you have to take the necessary precautions and use common sense. We didn''t grow up scared of weapons, we grew up with respect for them and how they are to be used.

If you own a gun, take some classes to learn how to use it correctly and safely. Too many people have the darn things and have no idea how they should be used, stored or even cleaned.

He grew up in an anti gun household. He decided that he liked them on his own.

Criminals are criminals for the very reason they do not follow the law. As a legal gun owner and carrier, I''ll be damned if I put my life at their mercy. I''ve been through too much in my life to go out like that. In the political realm, I will fight tooth and nail to continue to carry my weapon. Like Charlton Heston said, only from my cold dead hands.

Anyone that dosen''t want to carry, fine, don''t. But when you try to restrict my freedom to do so, its on and poppin.

-A

 

[bee*]

I wouldn''t even know where to get a gun over here. I know that some people have them for hunting but even our police force aren''t armed so there''s no way I would have one in the house.

 

[iheartscience]

To the passionately pro-gun people on this thread-have you ever had to use your gun(s) in self defense? Or have you been in a situation where you didn''t have a gun, but needed one?

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 12/13/2009 4:56:42 PM
Author: HopeDream
I can understand a gun for hunting, I can understand owning a gun for the challenge of target practice and the community of belonging to a gun club. I can understand holding a gun in the service of your countrie''s military, or as a police officer.

But living every day with the fear that someone is going to break into your home and threaten you?
Wow!
I don''t want to live where you live if this is such a real possibility that you own a gun for the purposes of shooting/threatening another human being.

Do you realy expect that one day you will have to shoot another person? (because if the assailant doesn''t back down, then that''s what will happen).

What if the house-breaker has a gun too?

I have no argument for or against owning guns, I''m just curious about this reality of absolute fear.

no, i don''t...and i hope never to have to. we live in a great boonie area. i do not live in fear of this. yet the sheriff was worried enough to do a reverse 911 to warn the area of an armed and dangerous felon who had no problems shooting at the officers.....why wouldn''t this person shoot at me also? how do i defend myself?

if the assailant doesn''t back down, i won''t either. better him than me and mine. if he is armed and gets in my door, what makes you think he''s going to let me live?

the threat of calling the police doesn''t get assailants to backdown or go away. the sound of a pump action shotgun being readied is more effective.

yes, if the assailant doesnt back down, then that''s what will happen. i can live with it.

no one will change anyone''s mind on this. i''m ok with anyone not wanting guns in their home. i just don''t want them telling me that i can''t do so.

 

[Kelli]

My dad was a hunter, and so is my brother, so there were always guns in my house growing up. Never anything handheld, they were strictly hunting rifles and they were locked up in a case so we couldn''t get to them (except for my brother once he was old enough to hunt). I don''t think I''ll ever have any in my own home. My dad passed away but my brother was obviously the one who wanted the guns.

 

[Karl_K]

Date: 12/13/2009 6:09:16 PM
Author: thing2of2
To the passionately pro-gun people on this thread-have you ever had to use your gun(s) in self defense? Or have you been in a situation where you didn't have a gun, but needed one?

yes twice, but thankfully never had to pull the trigger.
Just the sight of them sent the scumbags running.
Second time didn't call the cops, first one the guy was arrested.

Yes, would have been real nice to have one.
Guy was trying to force a woman into a car in the parking lot at a store.
Thankfully he wasn't armed so I just beat the tar out of him. (80 some stitches in his head alone from it going through a car window, more elsewhere)
If he had a knife, bat, tire iron, or gun both the lady and myself would have been in a lot more hurt.
Attempted kidnapping(unlawful detainment in IL) and battery and the scumbag only got 60 days in jail after a plea bargain.
There is no justice in the criminal system.

 

[packrat]

I don''t think anyone who has guns for personal defense and safety is jumping at shadows and walking on eggshells that someone is going to harm them. It''s the possibility. I don''t spend my life freaking out at every little noise (well, unless I''ve been up reading about serial killers or ghosts), and thinking there''s someone just waiting outside my door to burst in and torture and murder us all.

The fact of the matter is there''s always a *chance* it could happen, so we want to be aware and able to defend ourselves *if* something did happen. If it doesn''t, fine perfect spectacular. But, I don''t want to skip thru life assuming nothing bad is ever in a million years going to happen forever and ever and tra la la the day away. A lot of things happen that shouldn''t, and I think it''s just smart to be aware and educated. If someone were to break into my house, I would assume he didn''t need to use the phone or borrow a cup of sugar. I would assume he came there with intent to harm, and in that case, I would very much like to have him be met by my husband holding a gun in his hands.

If someone were trying to harm my children, and I had a gun, I would use it. If someone was trying to harm someone else''s children and I had a gun, I would use it.

 

[vespergirl]

No, but I would like to - my husband, however, who is a VMI graduate who had to tote a rifle everywhere for 4 years, is against it. I grew up in a family that always had guns around, and his family never had guns, so I think that people just kind of tend to go with what they know.

Because DH travels so much for work, I told him that I would feel safer having one in the house, even though we live in a very safe neighborhood. His concern is that he doesn''t want guns in the house with children (we have a 3 year old son and another on the way). I do know that there are a lot accidents with children with guns in the home, especially boys, so I see his point. However, I had two brothers, and we were taught to use guns at around age 10 (responsibly) and they were always kept locked away from us, so I feel like educating kids and locking guns up helps to avoid accidents.

So, we''ve kind of arrived at a stalemate on this one. I think that if my DH continues to travel a lot for work (he just got a promotion that may require even more travel) then I will insist on having a gun for home protection. However, I do hesitate knowing that DH isn''t excited about the idea - in case God forbid there ever were to be an accident, as he fears, he would never forgive me, and I would never forgive myself. So, we''re still undecided.

 

[Tuckins1]

Date: 12/13/2009 11:22:40 AM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/13/2009 10:58:35 AM

Author: Tuckins1

Date: 12/13/2009 1:19:46 AM


Author: neatfreak


No way. Too dangerous with kids around and you''re more likely to have one of your household members killed or hurt than use it on an intruder.

Where are the stats on that? I would love to see the actual numbers on that study...

Here are two studies that literally took me 2 second to find that talk about it. And there are MANY others.


Inj Prev. 2000 Dec;6(4):263-7.

Gun use in the United States: results from two national surveys.


Hemenway D, Azrael D, Miller M.


Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. [email protected]


OBJECTIVES: To determine the relative incidence of gun victimization versus self defense gun use by civilians in the United States, and the circumstances and probable legality of the self defense uses. METHODS: National random digit dial telephone surveys of the adult population were conducted in 1996 and 1999. The Harvard surveys appear unique among private surveys in two respects: asking (1) open ended questions about defensive gun use incidents and (2) detailed questions about both gun victimization and self defense gun use. Five criminal court judges were asked to assess whether the self reported defensive gun uses were likely to have been legal. RESULTS: Even after excluding many reported firearm victimizations, far more survey respondents report having been threatened or intimidated with a gun than having used a gun to protect themselves. A majority of the reported self defense gun uses were rated as probably illegal by a majority of judges. This was so even under the assumption that the respondent had a permit to own and carry the gun, and that the respondent had described the event honestly. CONCLUSIONS: Guns are used to threaten and intimidate far more often than they are used in self defense. Most self reported self defense gun uses may well be illegal and against the interests of society.


JAMA. 2005 Feb 9;293(6):707-14.

Gun storage practices and risk of youth suicide and unintentional firearm injuries.


Grossman DC, Mueller BA, Riedy C, Dowd MD, Villaveces A, Prodzinski J, Nakagawara J, Howard J, Thiersch N, Harruff R.


Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. [email protected]


Comment in:


* JAMA. 2005 Feb 9;293(6):740-1.


CONTEXT: Household firearms are associated with an elevated risk of firearm death to occupants in the home. Many organizations and health authorities advocate locking firearms and ammunition to prevent access to guns by children and adolescents. The association of these firearm storage practices with the reduction of firearm injury risk is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To measure the association of specific household firearm storage practices (locking guns, locking ammunition, keeping guns unloaded) and the risk of unintentional and self-inflicted firearm injuries. DESIGN AND SETTING: Case-control study of firearms in events identified by medical examiner and coroner offices from 37 counties in Washington, Oregon, and Missouri, and 5 trauma centers in Seattle, Spokane, and Tacoma, Wash, and Kansas City, Mo. CASES AND CONTROLS: Case firearms were identified by involvement in an incident in which a child or adolescent younger than 20 years gained access to a firearm and shot himself/herself intentionally or unintentionally or shot another individual unintentionally. Firearm assaults and homicides were excluded. We used records from hospitals and medical examiners to ascertain these incidents. Using random-digit dial telephone sampling, control firearms were identified by identification of eligible households with at least 1 firearm and children living or visiting in the home. Controls were frequency matched by age group and county. MAIN EXPOSURE MEASURES: The key exposures of interest in this study were: (1) whether the subject firearm was stored in a locked location or with an extrinsic lock; (2) whether the firearm was stored unloaded; (3) whether the firearm was stored both unloaded in a locked location; (4) whether the ammunition for the firearm was stored separately; and (5) whether the ammunition was stored in a locked location. Data regarding the storage status of case and control guns were collected by interview with respondents from the households of case and control firearms. RESULTS: We interviewed 106 respondents with case firearms and 480 with control firearms. Of the shootings associated with the case firearms, 81 were suicide attempts (95% fatal) and 25 were unintentional injuries (52% fatal). After adjustment for potentially confounding variables, guns from case households were less likely to be stored unloaded than control guns (odds ratio [OR], 0.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16-0.56). Similarly, case guns were less likely to be stored locked (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.17-0.45), stored separately from ammunition (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.34-0.93), or to have ammunition that was locked (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.23-0.66) than were control guns. These findings were consistent for both handguns and long guns and were also similar for both suicide attempts and unintentional injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The 4 practices of keeping a gun locked, unloaded, storing ammunition locked, and in a separate location are each associated with a protective effect and suggest a feasible strategy to reduce these types of injuries in homes with children and teenagers where guns are stored.




Personally I think there is a HUGE difference between people who respect firearms and truly store them correctly vs. people that don''t. But for me, it''s not a risk I am willing to take. Kids are smart and there have been many studies that have also shown that the kids know how to get guns out of safes much more often than parents think they can. And the fact of the matter is that most people are not storing them safely or using best practices when securing them.


So please, I urge anyone who has guns in their home to not only conceal them from their kids (and practice every safe gun practice possible) but to educate their children on how harmful they can be and teach them to respect them. There are SO MANY accidents with guns that would not have occured with the right gun safety practices and education. There are many quick access safes on the market that are as easy to open as a dresser drawer but are also so much safer for the occupants of the house.

Thanks for posting this, I hadn''t actually seen any studies on this.

 

[Lekde]

I have one for my job. FI has a few for recreation. FI''s are locked up, mine is obviously not. My 12 year old has taken gun safety courses and is a responsible boy scout.