Gun safety qusetion

[Giant_Jackpot]

I need an opinion on a gun safety issue……………..

If you walked into someone’s house and there was an uncased gun leaning up against a desk, what would you think? The only thing you know is that it has been there for a while. In other words, you did not just come in from hunting with this person.

I could add more details to this question but I don’t want to sway any opinions. Just give me your first impression of the scenario.

Thanks!

[Mark Christianson]

Well, if your question is asking what are the opinions of guns laying around, I'd say its very unresponsible.

Now if you said there were kids in this house, I would say the guy should be strung up and slapped around for a while(maybe worse).

[PerchJerker]

I would look to see if the action was open. An open action is safer and a little more responsible. At times I leave my guns out after cleaning, but have the actions open and/or the guns partially taken apart.

Other than that, I wouldn't be very comfortable around a leaning gun that I didn't know if it was loaded or not. One of things that drives me nuts when deer hunting is guys that come back for lunch and lean their guns up against a building with the action closed.

[bigbucks]

The fact that a gun is uncased leaning up somewhere even though it's not been used recently in itself is not a concern to me. Whether it's empty, the action's open, is leaned up somewhere where it can't be knocked over easily (like a corner), is the ammo also laying right there, would determine to me how I'd feel about that. I leave my unloaded shotgun in the corner of the garage or my boat at times, especially during goose season, in the event I hear geese coming so I can get ready to have a chance at them. I haven't gotten a shot that way yet, but one day when it wasn't ready I would have if it had been. The way I look at it one of the major "perks" of living in the country is the ability to pop out the back door & go hunting at a moment's notices, even if it is just for a short time. That's how previous generations & the pioneers were raised. I don't see anything wrong with that. Granted we don't need (hopefully) a gun at the ready to protect ourselves from roving outlaws...

[kc0myy]

well I have my shotgun in a corner. With action open. Sometimes I have a cable lock on and sometimes I don't. and also I have my gun back in my bedroom out of peoples sight.

[BLACKJACK]

Two questions that I have concerning whether the gun 'leaning against the desk' is safe or not is 1) are there kids around? If yes, then it should be secured/locked up. 2) When its 'leaning against the desk', is it positioned against a corner so it won't slide down? If yes, then its ok by me. If no, I'd make sure I'm not in a position to get hit when it slides down and hits the floor and maybe goes off.

In my mind proper gun safty means that muzzle NEVER gets pointed at something you don't want to shoot, open chamber or closed, loaded or unloaded.

My gun sits in the corner of the mudroom all fall so its handy when I go hunting. Put on your boots, case it up, and go. Now its sitting in the corner of my closet, with a box of shells beside it - what good is a gun without shells? If I hear some toad breaking in the front door in the middle of the night, hes going to be met with a 12 gauge.

[Giant_Jackpot]

This is just my opinion so don’t get mad at me, but I feel that if you are not using the gun it should be locked up. Blackjack says he wants it handy in case someone breaks in but what if you are not at home? It just makes it that much easier for someone to steal. I asked for opinions with my original post and that is what I got. Thanks to all that replied!

Just FYI, I do not own a gun but I am not anti-gun by any stretch of the imagination. I am pro-hunting but do not hunt probably because my dad did not and I never got into it but I have had gun safety training.

[lawdog]

This is a tough question I think. There are a lot of variables we don't know about the exact situation and the reason it may have been out. I often have guns out in my living room because I've brought them in from the truck to clean. They are usually recased the same day they are cleaned, but then the cased guns may sit there a few days without being locked up. I also have outgrown my gun cabinet right now so unfortunately until I get another safe/cabinet or something I'm ALWAYS stuck with some guns unlocked. Ideally I'd keep them all locked in there but I can't right now. I don't like leaving them in the case all the time though so those that are out there are out not in a case. Now, my house is just me living there too though. No kids to worry about (another big variable).

I guess my answer to the question is that its not an absolutely unsafe situation to have a gun in that setting. It could be, but it might not be either.