Child Safety
 

Ok, I need to know the laws on ammunition / weapons storage in a house with children. I'm currently renting a room from a trusted friend for DIRT cheap, and up until this point I have had complete privacy and security. This is about to change. His sister just moved in and her 3 children may be moving in soon(11yr old boy and 2 girls, 5 & 9). "Child Protective Services" are going to be coming by in 2 days to make sure the house is "fit".

I have a nice scary black "assault" SKS and a Mosin with about 1600rds of ammo as well. Everything is on the up & up with my Illinois FOID card & all of that, but I don't know the laws when it comes to a household with children. Will a simple trigger lock or cable lock work or do I need to spring for a gun safe? What do you guys recommend I do with my ammo?

Re: Child Safety
 

My firearms lay all over the place, many within hand reach, and all loaded......but whenever someone is coming with kids, they get picked up and locked up.

No matter what the law, prudence would dictate you make a reasonable effort to secure them from children you don't know, didn't raise and have no idea how they would react. As a child, I was raised with an open, unlocked gun rack on the wall....but was also taught to shoot and respect firearms from about the age of six.

On the other hand, if you don't want the rug rats moving in, just leave plenty laying for the govt weenie to see, and you'll have the place to yourself.....:biggrin:

Re: Child Safety
 

Even though you're legit I'd be tempted to put the rifles and ammo in the trunk of my car and park it down the street for the duration of the Child Protective Services visit. The trigger/cable locks sound like an adequate-but-not-perfect idea once the visit is over and you "only" have to worry about curious kids.

Re: Child Safety
 

You may look and see if you have a closet that you can put a door lock on it. and keep it locked.
Also if you have your own bedroom, a lock on that door would be a way to go...

Kids will be kids
they do like to snoop.

Just saying

Re: Child Safety
 

Why? Is this...'mandatory'...in your area? If it is, I would pack up and move.

Re: Child Safety
 

Cheep rent

If he likes it their
Not much money for maybe 2 lock sets.

IMO

Re: Child Safety
 

Alright, it looks like I'm going to go with a combination of keeping some sort of cable lock on each firearm along with locking my room when I'm not there. My ammo is in milsurp crates so maybe I'll lock those too. I may stick it all in the trunk for the "visit" if it ends up they they are going to come when I'm at work.

In the state of illinois: "State law makes it unlawful for adults to leave their guns unlocked and accessible to children under the age of 14, but only if that child causes injury or death with the firearm. If a child uses an adult's gun to cause injury or death to someone, the gun owner can be held liable for any civil damages that result." ...so its not really required, but I don't trust young children as far as I can throw 'em.

The reason they are coming to look around has to do with a custody dispute between the mother & father.

...But all of that aside, I really don't want some state agent poking around where I live. I pay $200 a month total for all rent, utilities, internet, cable, etc. to rent a large room in a large comfortable house from a friend so at this point I'll just deal with it. This will allow me to put enough cash back that I'll be able to purchase some property of my own without a mortgage if I can stick it out here for a couple more years (and if TEOTWAWKI doesnt hit first ;))

Thanks everyone for the advice

Re: Child Safety
 

If it is a worry the pull the bolts out of the rifles and take them with you when you leave the house, just get a small padded pouch to carry them in and lock them in the trunk of your car when you leave. Or you could get a small lockbox from any Mart-Mart and store the bolts in it. Use a cable lock and lock the firearms themselves to the pole in your closet.