a gun....a tool?

[itsmecindi]

I was gifted with a double barrel J C Higgins .410 by a freind of the family. My son has been cleaning it in and out, and it is now leaning against the door frame with my single shot .410.

Living out here where we do, the need for a shotgun has come up over and over again. To run off wild animals or stray dogs, etc. and for assorted other uses. It is part of rural life for us. It's also not a bad advertisement when the front door opens to a stranger, it is leaning in plain sight, and being out on thirty acres by myself most of the time, it makes me feel just that much more secure to have people know that we do own guns and they are in easy reach.

It is not kept loaded, the shells however are in easy reach as well. Are we the only ones who keep guns out where they can be grabbed at second's notice? Of the kids, my son is the only one who will touch the shotgun, knows where the ammo is, and will load it and use it if needed. He has had gun and hunting safety training. Has been handling a gun since he was seven. All our kids know what they can do and how dangerous they can be.

Is a gun a tool? Just a part of rural life? Or is that just at my house.

 

[fivestring]

Cindi,
you know this is not a politically correct topic.
But.....
There are plenty of people, rural and urban, that do as you do. A gun is a tool and nothing more. As long as everyone is properly trained on it's use and know the dangers, don't change. I would lock them up while you are away shopping, on vacation, etc. That way, if someone breaks in, they don't have two more guns to use in commission of crimes.

 

[Dozernut]

I carried a gun for almost 30 years in my line of work, I am now retired. They are a tool, but I also view them as a recreational item. I love to hunt, shoot sporting clays and punch holes in targets.
I am not chastising you about your guns, but you might want to reconsider the way you handle your weapons. There are now laws in the books that specify that a weapon must be secured with a gun lock or gun safe. If (God forbid) a child is hurt or killed by your gun, you can be criminally charged. State laws vary so check on yours.
I just wanted you to be aware of this and I think that firearms are a part of rural life.

 

[itsmecindi]

This is why I ask, because I see others who also keep guns handy. One of my sons friends has a gun cabinet in his room, with several rifles and also ammo in the bottom drawer. I know this boy, he and my son hunt together.

We have older kids who come in and out of the house and they know not to touch the guns, for doing so will be an invitation not to come back. Plus, the shells are in easy reach but not in plain view. Smaller children, that come over on the rare occasion could only hurt themselves if they knock one of the guns over and it lands on them as they never are left with shells in them.

I had a lady come over the other day, a friend of my daughters, she has a two year old son who expressed a momentary interest in the .410 by the door and she smoked his britches for him. I told her it was not loaded. She said she didn't figure it was, but wanted to use the opportunity to make an impression, which I thought was a good idea.

I never assume that guns in anyone's house are unloaded, I guess she doesn't either. I have talked to my son's friends mother about his guns and they all came to him as gifts and there are hard fast rules as to when they are taken out and for what purpose and the day he is caught stepping outside those boundaries, he loses every one of them. Period. When he showed them to me he informed me that he was not allowed to remove them from the cabinet unless one of his parents was present. I guess there's a risk involved as with anything, but this is the same kid who drives humungous cab tractor around on the property as part of his daily existance.

My son hunts the woods on our property, and he carries an unloaded gun to the spot of his choice, loads it and then waits. If he doesn't see anything he unloads it and then carries it back home. He brings three shells every time. That way he knows he puts in three, he takes out three. Unless he uses one, but he always looks for a minimum of three and empty shell casings to account for at least three rounds.

 

[F350Lawman]

It is for me.

Now that I am retired I always laugh when people say things like "why do you carry it" or "how come you don't keep it locked in safe"or my favorite, "why do you need that?" .... like some bad guy is going to call one morning and say "hey, Scott TODAY is the day you're going to need the gun so keep it handy" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

You either keep it handy at ALL times or don't bother having it in the first place. I find the safest place the gun can be is on my person, no chance of anyone getting it then.

Since I don't shoot too often and guns aren't part of my recreational activities most certainly is a TOOL.

 

[Bird]

Lots of different opinions on the topic, and like Dozernut said, some of the laws now making you responsible for what someone else does with your gun(s) and ammunition could cause you a lot of grief. Personally, I'm not very politically correct. I grew up in a home where my Dad's .22 rifle and 12 gauge shotgun were always loaded, but kept in my parents' bedroom closet and all the kids knew it would be suicide to touch them (if the gun didn't kill you Dad would). I had my own .22 rifle and a 12 gauge shotgun before I was 11 years old, and hunted by myself or with another boy who was two years younger than I, but I had to wait until I was out of the house to load my guns and then unload them before bringing them in the house.

And then for nearly 25 years, I had to carry a handgun all the time. A lot of police officers unload their weapons when they get home; I never did. Mine stayed loaded and was out in the open on top of the chest of drawers in the bedroom, but before our daughters were old enough to be able to reach it, they had learned that they could not touch it without my permission. They also knew that I would personally unload it and let them handle it anytime they asked, and perhaps as a result (perhaps not) they just never expressed much interest in firearms of any kind. I also had rifles and shotguns in the closet, but they were kept unloaded and the kids still knew not to touch them.

However, when I retired, I quit carrying a gun; never carry one anymore and really have no more interest in recreational shooting or hunting. But I do still have a couple of revolvers loaded and handy in the house if I should need them. Of course it's been so long since I used one I'm not even sure I'd think of it if I needed it. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Egon]

Bird:
Just think of the poor guy with a starter pistol that didn't work.

I fulluy agree with you on the introdution to firearms for the young.

Egon

 

[Taylortractornut]

Folks vcome in our house during the winte and see my 12 ga. Ithica, dads Remington 12 gage various 22 rifles, dads 38 and my 32 are both ontop of the refrigerator by the back door. When im out in the woods working alone in a new place especially i keep my .32 with me on speed dial. I also work for a fella repoing cars for the bank and we keep the truck console full of guns lol. I tell folks I love me and will defend me with any firearm available. we lock them up when children are around in that rare occasion. I also have 3 white german shepard that go from 50 to 110 pounds so what i dont hit the dogs get lol.
The way i see it ive had a pistol since i was 18 and as long as its hidden and not waved around like many do its not a problem. Last week i got checked for driving a similar truck as a fella that had run from the police during a drug bust. when the officer put the dog n the truck i told him my gun was in the console and that it was grandfathered in. no problems. I think what made me so dependent on a hand gun was when i was 18 my girl friend and i were in my S 10 goin a gravel backroad to a friends house. We rounded a corner and a bunch of drunks had the road blocked and i went to drive o nthrough they started kikin my truck and throwin beer bottles at it reversed and drove backwards tryin to see by brake light. I ended up stuck in a ditch 75 yards away with them close behind. and remembered my 12 gauge behind the seat drug it out and got read i let a few warning shots go and that changed the mood til i rocked the truck loose. I went right then and traded one rifle for a .32 H&R revolver. I cant bear to think what could have happened if i hadnt had the shot gun.

 

[fivestring]

"Of course it's been so long since I used one I'm not even sure I'd think of it if I needed it. "

25 years as a police officer??? It's instinct. It is in me, it is in F350Lawman, you and everyone else that had to wear one. You'll think of it....

 

[Docsknotinn]

We dont have any children but even so all of my modern guns are kept locked in a safe. We have concealed weapons permits so we carry loaded weapons for reasons of a personal nature. When home they stay on top of the night stand loaded. In my office I have a locked glass cabinet of antique winchesters, no ammo. If someone breaks in when I'm gone they wont be getting any cartridges here. From my view a gun is always a tool. Never more, never less. It is a mechanical thing and how we utilize resonsibly or not is up to each of us as citizens and owners. If you are asking me I would say I think the gun leaning in the corner with cartridges near by is a poor choice. You never really know what some one else is going to do. Haveing it in plain sight of strangers un-loaded is not to your benefit at all. If they intend ill will and see it they are likely to asasault you at the door and take it. If you can if needed get to it first it is unloaded and not much use. Put it in a gun rack or at least hang it on the wall and make it appear to be a part of the decor if you are more comfy with it there. I think teaching children to handle firearms is the most PC thing we can do. It shows them we trust them, it teaches them respect and takes away the unknown "wow" factor. There are many safety courses available through the NRA and other locall places for most of us. If you didn't ask me my view is its your house, be safe !