I have three Wyze cameras around my house, and for the past week, I’ve noticed the same 2-5 teenagers walking by and even coming up my driveway. It looks like they’re signaling toward the hole where my garage floodlight used to be. This made me uneasy, so I bought an S&W 9mm MP Shield 2.0 for protection.
My wife and I live with our 3.5-year-old son. My father-in-law is really into guns and has a huge collection. He keeps most of them in a safe, but he also lives in a rural area where break-ins aren’t a big concern. We live in the city, and while our neighborhood isn’t the worst, it’s not the safest either.
I need some advice from people with experience in home defense. Should I be keeping my gun in a safe? Right now, I store it unloaded with the magazine out, but the mag is loaded and nearby. Is this a good setup? Any better options?
If you have a kid, get a quick-access safe. Keeps the gun out of little hands but still ready when you need it. Keep it loaded so you don’t have to fumble with it in an emergency.
Fallon said:
If you have a kid, get a quick-access safe. Keeps the gun out of little hands but still ready when you need it. Keep it loaded so you don’t have to fumble with it in an emergency.
Yes, and I recommend a Fort Knox safe with a mechanical Simplex lock. Their FTK-Auto or PB1 models are great options. I’d store the pistol inside, holstered, loaded, and with a round in the chamber. That way, all you have to do is open the safe and grab it.
Milan said: @Ren
Why do you recommend keeping it holstered inside the safe?
Less risk of accidentally grabbing the trigger if you’re in a rush or panicked. Some people train enough that it’s not an issue, but keeping it holstered adds a little extra safety without slowing things down much.
Fallon said:
If you have a kid, get a quick-access safe. Keeps the gun out of little hands but still ready when you need it. Keep it loaded so you don’t have to fumble with it in an emergency.
That makes sense, I’ve been researching options today. Looks like a quick-access safe is the best move. Thanks for the input!
For me, two priorities: (1) my kids can’t get to the gun and (2) I can access it quickly if needed.
I keep mine in a quick-access lockbox with a full mag and a round in the chamber. That way, my kids can’t reach it, but I can unlock it fast if something happens.
I wouldn’t store a home defense gun in a slow-to-open safe because you might not have time when it really matters.
I use two quick-access lockboxes with simplex locks (one by V-Line, the other by Fort Knox). No electronics, no tiny buttons—just a mechanical lock I can open by touch, even in the dark. I highly recommend this setup. And yes, you need to secure your firearm if you have kids in the house, period.
I keep mine in a Vaultek handgun safe, loaded with one in the chamber. No point in having a gun for defense if it’s not ready to go.
It’s not just about safety from kids. If I need my gun in the middle of the night, I want to be able to grab it instantly. A safe actually makes access quicker because I always know exactly where it is, and it’s the only thing inside.
Also, call the cops about those kids creeping around. Show them the footage. This could escalate, so stay alert, especially at night. And get some training!
I don’t have kids, so I keep my home defense shotgun loaded. But if I did, I’d keep a pistol in a quick-access safe, chambered and ready to go.
If it’s just some dumb teenagers hanging around, you probably don’t need to brandish a gun. But if things get serious, be ready. Also, take a class and get range time in. If you haven’t already, get some hollow-point ammo.