New Duty Assignment

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10-96

New member
At work, I have been tasked with our new Project Childsafe/Homesafe Program. In that, I will be distributing cable gunlocks and informational brochures to those who Veterans and employees who want them.

Now to the question. The gunlocks are the 8" cable/padlock type (no trigger locks available to us yet). What is the best way to attach these to rifles with blind magazines?

What other firearms cannot readily be secured with cable locks?

What are your recommendations for rifles such as Marlin 60's, Chipmunks, most lever actions, Browning BPS's & Ithicas (shotgun)?
 
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EdInk

New member
You don't want to hear my suggestion on "where to put" those locks. :D

Just kidding with you. Most guns come with a lock now and anyone that really wants one can actually get them (often free) by calling the manufacturer.

I do like the cable locks and padlocks better than the trigger locks though. Only because I can actually use them for other things that need a lock.

In regards to your question about what guns won't they work on....

Bolt action rifles (without detachable mags)
Muzzleloaders
SxS Shotguns
OU Shotguns
Any gun that is properly stored (loaded) in case you need it.

Good Luck with your program though. Ya' know, that I am just messing around with my comments. IMHO a better investment to keep kids safe around wound be to include an Eddie Eagle Comic Book or DVD in the box instead of the lock.
 
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BillCA

New member
Another point... fasten one of these locks around a bench vise and then try yanking vigorously on the lock a half dozen times. I've seen some of these locks give way with just a couple of sharp yanks. Some others will pop open if hit stoutly with a screwdriver handle.

The easiest method of securing a bolt rifle (blind magazine) is to remove the bolt, as if for cleaning. To secure some .17/.22 rifles where the cable is too thick to fit the skinny magwell, use a large cable "zip" tie to hold the bolt open. Leave enough slack to get a tool on the tie to cut it when you want to take the rifle to the range.

Any firearm designated or intended for home defense should be readily accessible. With kids in the house, this may require a device like a gun-vault or similar lock box.
 
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10-96

New member
Trust me folks- I am no huge fan of gun locks myself. However, it is comforting to see the Dept of Veterans Affairs take a safety minded approach to, and acknowledge, firearm ownership. I would not have expected a Fed agency to take such a positive approach. And with my viewpoints centering around the thought that every sound minded and elegible American should own, possess, and have unhindered access to whatever firearm they desire- just maybe I can encourage more folks to get into firearms if I can show them how safe it truly can be. I've heard more than a few folks say they would be interested in getting a firearm for the kids/home if they weren't so concerned about safety. I hope I can take this oportunity and do some honest to goodness good.

Another neat thing about this that suprised me, was that the paperwork and forms collects absolutely NO identifiable information from the recipents. Getting my feet wet with this program also let me do a little soul searching for myself. Before I read all the info, my first impression was, "Oh Lord, more gov't intrusiveness- in a month, I'll be local enemy #1 to just about every like-minded firearm owner in the region!" I realized I was prone to jumping to conclusions, getting old and cynical. But I was wrong, and like I said- I think I can do something positive with this.
 
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10-96

New member
Any firearm designated or intended for home defense should be readily accessible. With kids in the house, this may require a device like a gun-vault or similar lock box.
Click to expand...

Bill, you aren't going to believe this- but the literature addresses this in a positive light! Once this gets going, I'm thinking of requesting funding to obtain working examples of easy access lock boxes.
 
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raimius

New member
Good luck to you, sir!

I firmly believe that any firearm not intended for immediate defensive use should be locked (either individually or in container). This is both a safety and counter-theft concern.
 
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BillCA

New member
10-96,

Glad to hear they're putting a postitive spin on it. It sounds like that might actually be a decent program. Probably done by veterans themselves instead of career bureaucrats. ;) I hope it's a success.

I know many people will say that the simplest way to secure a gun in the home is to wear it. But this is not an option for most women. They are constantly bending, stooping or squatting around a child. And for small children, moms often carry them around on a hip.

I recently talked about this with an older couple I know. They had kids before the gun-vault was invented. Up until about age 3, their handgun was kept either on a high shelf in the kitchen pantry or on top of their tall dresser at night. But kids grow quickly and they needed a more secure place. But where?

Since they had two boys, dad decided mom's closet was best. Sliding doors. So, inside the closet, about shelf level, he constructed a wood box. It was nailed to the wall studs. Despite a shiny keylock on one side, it opened via a concealed button on top (out of sight for young eyes) using a concealed piano hinge. Then he painted to match the closet walls. His boys were 12 and 15 before they knew there was a gun in the house.
 
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10-96

New member
I like the idea of that box. Those touch pad types seem appealing at first, but they loose their luster pretty quick when one thinks about the battery life and/or other 'what ifs'. When my oldest was around four- he let me try my hand at digging crayola out of a barrel key type lock- so even they are not infallable.
 
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10-96

New member
Just a quick update on our lock program. In the few days I've been back from vacation and working with this, I've been purely amazed at how many of my co- workers are firearm owners and have been afraid to talk about them at work! There have been a few who have not wanted a lock and that's OK, but overall, it has indeed been very positive. One of the best parts is I get to spend hours a day walking around talking about firearms and firearm safety with folks. And check this out- there is a group of Nurses who want to have a group day at a local range and challenge a group from the Lab to a competition! We'll see how that plays out.

One neat idea for the cable locks I picked up (even for those who detest them) is to secure a heavy wood thread eyebolt into a wall stud and secure the firearm(s) to it in their RV's when they go swimming or whatever. That eyebolt thing could be done just about any place when a short term lockup may be needed.

I'm glad this oportunity has been presented to me- it's a good thing to be able to perfom as an ambassador for firearm ownership and shooting sports.
 
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