Sleeping in tent with kids and firearms

[aorams]

Hey there forum. We are purchasing a wedge camper to do family trips with our young infant daughter this summer. I have almost always taken a pistol with me camping and at night I have a space for it in our tent. Now that I have a kid, Im realizing that I don’t have a safe way to leave my pistol “laying around” like I did before. Anyone have any safe storage solutions for pistols in tents?

Thank you!

 

[cmahoney]

Hey there forum. We are purchasing a wedge camper to do family trips with our young infant daughter this summer. I have almost always taken a pistol with me camping and at night I have a space for it in our tent. Now that I have a kid, Im realizing that I don’t have a safe way to leave my pistol “laying around” like I did before. Anyone have any safe storage solutions for pistols in tents?

Thank you!

When my kids were small I took the round out of the chamber and kept the pistol in the holster between the side of the tent and my bag while we were sleeping.


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[thinhorn_AK]

Maybe one oft hose kydex clips that covers the trigger. Or keep the pistol clipped into a kydex holster.

 

[Yellowknife]

Usually when just out camping with kids I leave the gun secured at home. The balance of risk with small children make that an easy decision. They are theoretically well trained, but not always fully logical!

I’ll sometimes make exceptions for backpacking in coastal bear areas, but can opt for spray even then. When a handgun has come along in the travel trailer, I completely downloaded it and placed it in a high location anytime it wasn’t on my person.

Yk

 

[huntsman22]

kids really aren't that hard to train.......

 

[grfox92]

Un chamber and keep it in your sleeping bag.

I've kept mine in my waistband in its kydex holster while sleeping as well.

I know accidents can happen, but my kids don't touch guns. If they ask to see them I always let them and give them the speech about never touching them without an adult, if they find a gun get a grown up right away ect. They have responded very well to this.

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[*zap*]

a retention holster that requires two actions to release the handgun. Preferably a pistol with an empty chamber in it.

 

[Lurch12]

Unchamber the round, keep it in a secured holster, by your side. Put in on your hip the minute you get up.

Most importantly teach your kids gun safety.

 

[Thebigbaby]

https://www.amazon.com/WINCENT-Elite-Smart-Gun-Safe/dp/B09QPNYDQW/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?keywords=handgun+safe&qid=1674940545&sr=8-13

 

[EdP]

Take a semi-auto and no round in the chamber when not on your person. Very young children don't have the hand strength to work the slide. At some age they can and you need to figure out when that is and take other measures if necessary before that time. If you don't trust their training by that age then keep the magazine on your person instead of in the gun.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Handgun in a holster. When not sleeping it’s strapped to your chest. How old is this infant child?

If I’m road camping I don’t bring my bear gun. If I’m remote, I do, but don’t bring my children yet. They are still too young for the rigors of what I do.

 

[Kurts86]

A V-Line handgun safe with a simplex lock is a good option.

 

[Packin_packout]

Nothing in chamber. No to wheel guns. My boys could not rack slide on a glock 19 until they were about 11. By then they already understood what not to do.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Completely unload it if leaving it in the camper (tent). Keep the magazine with you in your pants pocket. The magazine wont take up any more room in your pocket than a pocket knife. If you're worried about losing the magazine, have a spare mag locked in the glove compartment or hidden in the vehicle just in case you lose the one in your pocket.

 

[Lone Hunter 1]

If you have an infant they shouldn’t be able to reach up high. I would put it up out of reach but within easy reach. In today’s world you never know when you are going to need it. I would/did teach my son not to handle any weapons unless I was right there and in control. He is 32 now and has a high respect for weapons and how to handle them. Teach them young and they will not be scared of them and if they have to use one be capable to. I keep mine on my person in the woods and at camp at all times. I put it in easy reach at night. Better safe than sorry.

 

[davsco]

something similar to a small bedside safe/box, biometric or simplex

 

[98XJRC]

In its holster and under the pillow or bag I’m using. Like also already said I’ve slept with it on which wasn’t a big deal. I haven’t ever considered unloading it just because of the kids sleeping near by.

 

[EastHumboldt]

Semi auto with no round in the chamber, mag removed and kept on my person. Same if a rifle or shotgun is present.

For those who insist that small kids can be educated well enough to not play with a locked and loaded firearm, think back on your own childhood. How many times did you do some dumbass thing that you were specifically told not to? Playing with matches, smoking, sneaking candy or toys, staying up after bedtime, etc…Even though you knew you’d get a whipping? I can’t even count them all. And I was a good kid, properly afraid of my father.

 

[sndmn11]

Screw one of these to a place you are comfortable with inside the camper.
https://safariland.com/collections/holster-attachments/products/quick-locking-system-kit-23136


Get some version of an ALS/SLS Safariland (or whatever auto retention you wish) ALS at a minimum.

Level III Retention Holsters | Level 3 Retention Holster | Safariland

Safariland's Level III retention adds a pivoting hood to Level II retention. The third layer of security makes this popular for patrol and general duty use.

safariland.com

Add a sentry piece

Model 6001 Sentry-Self Locking System

The 6001 Sentry provides additional security to the SLS holster system. It attaches to any SLS holster and increases the level of retention by one. Available in Black.

safariland.com

 

[aorams]

Thanks for all the replies! I’ll look into these ideas!