J, I had the same problem with my significant other. It took a lot of talking to her before she started 'warming-up' to the idea. What really did it for her was when she was driving to my house around 10pm, realized she left her cell at home and she started thinking about what if she got a flat. She walked in my house shaking at the thought. Guess who wants a piece now?

 

Funny, this is the exact safe and gun I have sitting in the dresser next to my bed. Very easy to access. I also keep a gun out in the kitchen area and plan to put a couple of wall safe near my exits. Small ones that are hidden behind something. I have a young daughter and when she gets bigger, I will have to put the kitchen gun in a safe somewhere instead of high up in a cabinet.

You have to think about if someone comes into your house and cuts you off from accessing your weapon. Walk around and figure out all of the places you might be trapped by an intruder. Unless you carry in the house, an intrusion can happen in the blink of an eye and you might not be able to get to your gun.

People might think this is overkill, but I have some pretty expensive shit in my house and a lot of workers have come in and out over the last couple of years. These people have friends and you never know what they might be thinking. Just the other day I had a safe delivered to my house and it was the talk of the frigging neighborhood. Word gets out whether you like it or not.

You have to throw the "That will never happen to me" attitude out the window. It's not paranoia, it's preparation.

 

ahhh, I was going to ask if anyone has a "high tech" safe like this. I think i need to invest in one of these.

 

It was easier for me to talk about having a loded weapon in the house because she grew up in the midwest where all the men in the house hunt, and they had plenty of rifles and handguns all over the place.

However, I do know guys in your situation, and here are my suggestions:

Sign up your gf for Front Sight (and no, not affiliated, just a satisfied customer).

And get a biometric safe for your guns. Mine are kept in there ready to rock.

 

I have the one from Gunvault.

It opens pretty quickly, and has a battery backup.

 

If she thinks that you should get rid of the gun GET RID OF HER!!!

 

Guys, a gun safe, in reality, is great for the guy kicking down your door. Yea, its a great idea in theory to have one that opens rapidly when you lay your hands on it. But in a real world situation when someone has just kicked in your door, or when they are in your house; that slick safe isn't going to be so easy to operate when seconds count, and your vibrating from adrenaline, nervous response, and fear.

A lot of people buy a gun, then think that they need a slick, rapid use safe; but in many cases that is where they stop. There is no substitute for training and socialization with firearms. If you are going to keep a gun handy for self defense, keep it handy; a safe totally defeats that. It is fine to keep the "other" guns in the safe, the ones that are not your "go to" gun for self defense situations.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that getting a safe for your home defense guns is one of the worst things that you can do.

Get some training, take the mystique and the fear out of a firearm for everyone in your home. My three year old totally knows not to touch a firearm, and she is not interested in playing with them at all. (doesn't mean that I leave them laying around. You'd be hard pressed to find my firearms in my home in fact).

Find a training school near you. I'd strongly caution you about Front Site... Their instructors are top notch, but their business practices are the worst in the industry. There are a LOT of great schools out there. And even better, there are a lot of individuals who are former military guys with a lot of higher level weapons training (not all military guys have a lot of weapons training...). If thats a route you'd consider, drop me a PM, chances are I can refer you to someone.

Bottom line, no gun safe for a self/home defense weapon, its not safe...

 

My wife is actually supporting me on this purchase as she may end up using it more than I do since I travel a lot and it has been more than one instance where someone has triggered the house alarm and I was not home. She is actually looking forward to getting it and learning to use it (will hire a person from special ops down here to teach us "real world scenario" shooting techniques).

As far as storage, I have a pair of 5 year old twins and they are VERY curious suckers... My idea to store the gun is on my night stand inside of a locked carrying case, but every night, before going to sleep, take it out, rest it on the night stand, then in the morning, first thing, put it back in its case (locked). I am hoping that way, the kids can't get to it, yet is readily accessible when I could potentially need it (at night). If anyone has a suggestion about this (chokeu2?!), please do share. At the end of the day, all we want is to safely own these things and God forbid, avoid an accident with any child, especially ours.

 

I actually think the education way is the best, then back it up with a very secure safe.
But where do you keep the gun at night when you will most likely need it in case of emergency?

 

He's a Mac guy.