you really need a locked case AND a trigger lock (or chamber lock, or cable lock: CADOJ approved) for the gun itself. Hiding isn’t enough.
If you learned to use a gun from TV detective shows, forget it, it’s not as simple as all that.
You also need to get the right gun, and learn how to shoot effectively. Take lessons, go to the range
If you live in a large building, get the right weapons. You want to be sure that the round you fire at the intruder doesn’t kill your neighbor or a family member in another room. It’s too easy to do if you live in a dense area.
If you really want to make your family safer, learn what to do in the event of misfires, jams,
You also need to teach your kids the rules of kid/gun safety, namely:
If you see a gun: Stop; Don’t Touch; Leave the area; Tell an adult.
Stop – to take time to remember the rest of the instructions
Don’t touch – A firearm that is not touched or acted upon by an outside force is highly unlikely to fire, or endanger a person.
Leave the area – By leaving the area the child removes himself/herself from temptation, as well as from the danger that another person might pick up the gun and negligently cause it to fire.
Tell an adult – An adult, if not personally trained in handling firearms, should know enough to seek professional assistance
These rules are from the NRA’s Eddie Eagle program. Though I am not in favor of much of what the NRA does, they have hit the nail on the head with these rules for children.
They don’t need to know you have a gun in the house, but some of your neighbors or relatives may have one, and they may not be as diligently careful as you are going to be with your gun. You’ve heard the horror stories, too.
The gun is a very powerful tool for putting holes in people. If you had a chainsaw around the house, you’d learn to use it correctly and effectively, secure it away from the kids when not in use, and make sure they knew not to touch it if you ever had a lapse in care.
I once had a gun for work, and kept it locked up very effectively. I could have the gun and ammunition quickly.
Sober, well-trained citizens having guns doesn’t scare me, but I do cringe when I see the disregard and disrespect that many people have for this powerful and deadly tool.
As an aside, I used to own a real estate brokerage, and once, at an open house, I found a loaded 22mm rifle in a drawer. It looked as if it had been there for years, and someone had just forgotten about it. I pulled the firing pin out, and asked the listing broker to call the police to dispose of this disregarded deadly tool.