While growing up, we knew where the guns where (gun safes were not as prevalent or as affordable as they are today), what kind they were, what they fired and which ones were loaded. No one was injured by a ND or AD. We never touched them. Never. Was never tempted to touch them. Never. To have done so would have opened one up to the probability of inciting the rage of he who wields the hammer of Thor. Not going to happen.
In addition of being on the receiving end of calamity, pain and suffering when that Pandora's box opened, it would have been an irresponsible act on our part and would have disappointed our father and mentor. They were/are in the house and I do not touch them unless he hands them to me to this day.
I do not think my upbringing was all that much different than those around me at that time. With all the guns around and no AD/ND complete with no one getting hurt or cutting short a life. How could that be? What has changed? We became fair hunters and could shoot respectfully accurate whilst not using them in any criminal venture or otherwise endangering another human being.
...and today. that's "just stupid". What happened?
I hope that if you ever have a home invasion, after they kick your door in, they give you (the protector of your wife and offspring) the time to get to your safe (opening it blind from the adrenalin rush), and to your bullets that you have responsibly stored in another locked location before the neer do wells lay waste to you and yours.
Of course this may never happen to you and therefore your line of thinking will be vindicated for whatever course of action you choose for locking up the firearms. Shoot, I'd take the firing pins out as well. Come to think of it, going full condition butterscotch is the safest level of storing firearms known to man.
We were taught and to run counter to the lessons would bring about a known and horrifying exclamation point...
Wow. The discussions on this part of firearm safety and children are much more to my liking in this forum.Eight years old and I had almost every gun in a gun cabinet in my room. My dad had a shotgun in his bedroom, the rest of the guns AND ammo were in the unlocked cabinet. No accidents, no negligent discharges. My brother and sister were much younger and they were never interested or tempted. I've said it many times, take away the mystery of a gun and it becomes as interesting as any household item.