Loaded gun in a locked safe

[DJF3864]

Is it ok to keep a gun loaded in a locked safe or atleast the gun and loaded mags together in the safe?

I currently keep two loaded mags as well as the handgun in a safe in the master bedroom, should someone enter the house unlawfully I wanted the ability to defend myself.

However, I have heard that you can not keep the gun and the loaded magazines in the same place. Can someone clarify this for me in the confines of Mass?

Thanks,

Dan

 

[jdubois]

Yes, in MA, you can keep loaded mags (or loaded guns) in your gun safe and still be in compliance with C.140 § 131L.

 

[vellnueve]

Legal. Period.

 

[Cross-X]

It sure does making opening the gun safe more exciting!

Purely legal.

 

[jdubois]

Ever notice that questions seem to come in waves? The current wave is these loaded mags questions. Weird...

 

[Spanz]

There is no law against it, if that is what you mean.

The suggestion that you keep ammo and guns locked in separate places in you home is for protection of children. If you have children, or if some might ever visit your house, the idea is that a kid left alone with a screw driver and some time might be able to jimmy open the locked box. If the ammo was also in there, he is ready to roll. If not, he has to find it and unlock that box too.

For instance, there is a youtube video floating around of some 10 y.o. kid popping off trigger locks in 10 seconds with an ice pick.

 

[Cuda444]

Ever notice that questions seem to come in waves? The current wave is these loaded mags questions. Weird...

I was just thinking the SAME thing! Not only do the legal questions come in waves, but the entire forum seems to go in trends:

"Should I keep my mags loaded? Doesn't that wear out the springs?"

"WTB - Glock XX in MA"

etc etc.


I wish there was a way to force people do a search before posting a question Only busting your chops. Welcome to the forum!

 

[vellnueve]

There is no law against it, if that is what you mean.

The suggestion that you keep ammo and guns locked in separate places in you home is for protection of children. If you have children, or if some might ever visit your house, the idea is that a kid left alone with a screw driver and some time might be able to jimmy open the locked box. If the ammo was also in there, he is ready to roll. If not, he has to find it and unlock that box too.

For instance, there is a youtube video floating around of some 10 y.o. kid popping off trigger locks in 10 seconds with an ice pick.

If a ten year old tries to pick the lock on my safe, then I think we have a problem...

 

[Youradolt]

Ever notice that questions seem to come in waves? The current wave is these loaded mags questions. Weird...

Mine was not a legal question its was just to see if im nutty for having all mags loaded

 

[jdubois]

Mine was not a legal question its was just to see if im nutty for having all mags loaded

I wasn't trying to put anybody down! I'm just truly fascinated by the way topics come and go in cycles with seemingly unrelated but similar posts.

 

[Youradolt]

I wasn't trying to put anybody down! I'm just truly fascinated by the way topics come and go in cycles with seemingly unrelated but similar posts.

You are right I think of it as "Keeping up with the jones's"

 

[Skeet732]

Mine was not a legal question its was just to see if im nutty for having all mags loaded

I don't think you are nutty, I keep a .45 wiith a full mag in a quick safe in my BR. The chamber is empty but thats just incase I have jittery hands. All my other mags are empty and stored in the big safe

 

[jdubois]

I keep a .45 wiith a full clip in a quick safe in my BR.

I've tried loading up my clips with .45, but the cartridges keep falling out

 

[M1911]

Yes, it is legal.

 

[Ultimate]

I've tried loading up my clips with .45, but the cartridges keep falling out

I keep one gun loaded 24/7, my carry gun. Long arms are unloaded, pistols are unloaded and their magazines full

 

[colt_fan]

I've tried loading up my clips with .45, but the cartridges keep falling out

maybe they are moon clips

 

[DJF3864]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my newbie question.

Dan

 

[GSG]

It sure does making opening the gun safe more exciting!

Not if you always treat every gun like it's loaded.

Ever notice that questions seem to come in waves?

Without Scriv around, there just seems to be more questions here period.

There is no law against it, if that is what you mean.

The suggestion that you keep ammo and guns locked in separate places in you home is for protection of children. If you have children, or if some might ever visit your house, the idea is that a kid left alone with a screw driver and some time might be able to jimmy open the locked box. If the ammo was also in there, he is ready to roll. If not, he has to find it and unlock that box too.

For instance, there is a youtube video floating around of some 10 y.o. kid popping off trigger locks in 10 seconds with an ice pick.

It sounds like fear mongering to me. If a 10 year old kid has enough time to break into one safe with the guns in it, they should also have plenty of time to break into the other. If kids are educated properly, they don't need to be protected from guns.

All my guns stay loaded in the safe, with a minimum of one reload for each.

 

[Spanz]

No, I did not mean to imply that I buy that stuff. I think a 10 year old kid should have been taught how to shoot about 5 years earlier, and should probably own his own rifles by then.

That (locking ammo separate from firearms) is exactly what they teach at the Basic Hunter Safety ma course (over and over again), which is probably where the OP picked it up.

 

[theGringo]

Without Scriv around, there just seems to be more questions here period.

Certainly more questions of a repetitive nature.

 

[jdubois]

Certainly more questions of a repetitive nature.

Even when Scriv was around we got repetitive questions. It's just that we don't have to duck and cover now when we see one

 

[GSG]

No, I did not mean to imply that I buy that stuff. I think a 10 year old kid should have been taught how to shoot about 5 years earlier, and should probably own his own rifles by then.

That (locking ammo separate from firearms) is exactly what they teach at the Basic Hunter Safety ma course (over and over again), which is probably where the OP picked it up.

My intent wasn't to bash you. I've never hunted, and I've never taken a hunter safety course, but that bothers me, that people are taught to keep all the guns and ammo apart, like they'll load themselves in the safe.

My uncle took a basic firearms safety class where the LEO instructor said how he keeps his handguns in a locker at work, and only long guns at home, because he has kids.

It's just that we don't have to duck and cover now when we see one

Whenever I run into shooters in public, I invite them to NES. I met one guy who shook his head in disgust and said how he signed up here, but hasn't been back because of people behaving like Scriv. It'd be nice to see more encouraging and teaching done and less "USE THE SEARCH FEATURE YOU &^%$@#!"

 

[theGringo]

Whenever I run into shooters in public, I invite them to NES. I met one guy who shook his head in disgust and said how he signed up here, but hasn't been back because of people behaving like Scriv. It'd be nice to see more encouraging and teaching done and less "USE THE SEARCH FEATURE YOU &^%$@#!"

Um, I think we've had this conversation before. USE THE SEARCH FEATURE YOU &^%$@#!

And by the way, it should be "@$$4013", I think. (?)

 

[GSG]

And by the way, it should be "@$$4013", I think. (?)

Yeah, I think I like that one better than mine.

 

[Spanz]

Obviously guns do not load themselves in the safes. Trying to play devil's advocate here, they are assuming that these newbies will screw up and not remember or follow the basic rules of safety. They are afraid they will take a firearm out of the safe and start pointing it around the house, or try to clean it, or play rambo like one unfortunate guy did recently in another state with his wife (and is living to regret it), and being suprised to find out there actualy was a round in the chamber!

They figure that if they drill it into them that they need to store the ammo in a separate place, that it is less likely for them to forget to check to see if the gun is unloaded.

Now, if you are using the gun for self protection, it is a little different story! Obviously a gun without ammo is not going to stop many bad guys, unless you are wicked good at throwing one. Still, for a newbie, I would suggest going for extra caution and anything to keep from developing complacency and bad habits.

 

[Ultimate]

Still, for a newbie, I would suggest going for extra caution and anything to keep from developing complacency and bad habits.

Keeping your ammo separate from the firearms is only going to give you a false sense of security and will likely cause you to assume the guns are unloaded -- Failure of the first rule of gun safety.