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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to tell DH that he can't keep his shotgun in the babys bedroom?

102 replies

entropy · 29/07/2007 23:33

The gun would be in a locked cabinet in a built in cupboard and dd isn't even a year old so there is no way she could get to it, but, keeping a shotgun in a child's bedroom seems fundamentally wrong to me and I have laid down the law. AIBU?

OP posts:
americantrish · 30/07/2007 08:34

just thinking about this thread has me shaking my head in disbelief that someone would even suggest keeping a gun in a child's room, locked or not!!!

ScottishMummy · 30/07/2007 08:36

the closer your proximity the closer your chance of being involved in a fatality with that gun are eg accidental shooting as AmericanTrish said...

lucyellensmum · 30/07/2007 09:14

Assuming your DH holds a shotgun lisence and is responsible with the gun then i cannot see a problem with him having it in the house. (if he doesnt then you could be in big trouble here) The laws are quite straightforward with regards to shot guns but they are strict(im less sure about rifles etc as the lisencing is more stringent). The gun and any ammunition must be in possesion (ie - in the house) of the registered owner at all times. In a police approved LOCKABLE cabinet which is secured (i would presume bolted) to the floor or even concreted in some cases. The position of the cabinet and security has to be approved by a police officer. I know this because we have looked into getting a gun liscence in order to do clay shoots, but never got round to it due to the expense. Is this the reason why the cabinet cannot be moved, i was also under the impression that it had to be kept on the ground floor but im not sure about that.

Why does he want the gun? To kill plates? if he is firing the gun at home and not on a firing range, ie clay pidgeon shoot or farm with permission then im pretty sure he will be breaking the law in a big way. If the gun is for shooting of game or clay pidgeons and it is a genuine sport for DH then i think it would be unreasonable to ask him to get rid of it, but maybe make plans to relocate if it makes you uncomfortable, again the new position of the cabinet would have to be approved by the police. I wouldnt mind if it was in a non mobile, non curious baby's room but once baby has legs, i wouldnt want it there.

ladylush · 30/07/2007 12:01

Visiting children have legs and are very curious. Ok so the door should be locked, but what if a child finds the key? Fair enough, a lot of ifs and buts here - however, I really don't think it's worth the risk. I would not want a gun anywhere in the house or even in the garage. Can't he store it elsewhere or at a gun club?

Kewcumber · 30/07/2007 12:05

I would object purely on the principal that keeping a gun in a childs bedroom is not right. Whether child can reach it or not. At some point you DH is going to have to find an alternative place to store it so he should find one now - its just bringing the inevitable forward.

peanutbear · 30/07/2007 12:09

Ours are stored in a locked proper gun cabinet in our lounge I think the licencing officer would have somethink to say about it being in a childs bedroom TBh

and if he moves them by law he has to call them out to check the new arrangements

YANBU there is noway they would be in a room my children use on there own even though I know there is no way they can get in the cabinet

sazzybee · 30/07/2007 12:11

leati - the gun rules in the UK are not the same as in the US. You can't shoot people when they break into your house. Not British you know ;)

I would feel weird about it too. I hate guns and really object to them being in the house. It's one of the reasons I moved back here from the US - having a gun in your bedside drawer seemed to be the norm

flowerybeanbag · 30/07/2007 12:11

YANBU. I wouldn't have it in the house personally, but definitely not right to put it in a child's room, however well locked away it is.

ladylush · 30/07/2007 12:17

Right then, pretty much a consensus.

Berrie · 30/07/2007 12:19

Ho ho ho, that brings back memories! Dh used to keep an air rifle in the back room which became the baby's room and he used to lean out the window and shoot pigeons (which he ate) Not only did I ban the gun, I said he couldn't shoot the pigeons who had babies just like us

madamez · 30/07/2007 12:22

YANBU because sooner or later your LO will be old enough to investigate the cupboard contents so he needs to find a proper, safe, permanent home for it anyway.

Oh, and just a word to all those people going 'Waaa! A nasty gun! Make him get rid of it' - that when gun ownership was so radically criminalised after Dunblane, sensible people pointed out that gun crime would go through the roof. And it has. Using guns for sport (clay shooting, target shooting etc) is no more wrong than using cars for sport.

cornflakegirl · 30/07/2007 12:36

Personally I think you're being slightly unreasonable - purely because as other people on here have said, your reaction is based on emotion rather than any actual threat. So, unreasoned, and therefore possibly unreasonable. But no necessarily unfair - especially if your DH understands your point of view.

sazzybee · 30/07/2007 12:43

Just to clarify - I don't mind sporting guns locked in attics but I don't like them hanging round the house for protection purposes.

theman · 30/07/2007 12:46

you probably are being unreasonable in that you admit yourself you have no logical objection to it beyond the fact that you don't like the idea of it. that doesn't mean your wrong and it'll probably save a few arguments and headaches if he just keeps it somewhere else.

meowmix · 30/07/2007 12:53

to be honest I assumed that this was a joke thread from the title. did you really need to ask?

flamingtoaster · 30/07/2007 12:59

You are not being unreasonable. My first objection would be that I wouldn't want anything which had been cleaned with the stuff they clean guns with anywhere near a child's nursery!

NAB3 · 30/07/2007 12:59

The gun needs to go. YADNBU

TootyFrooty · 30/07/2007 13:03

Make sure you don't know where the key to the cabinet is otherwise you need to have a shotgun licence too. Strange but true.

ladylush · 30/07/2007 13:03

I thought the same as meowmix initially - title does look suspect

ladylush · 30/07/2007 13:05

Oh ffs just get rid of the damn thing.

theman · 30/07/2007 13:05

"My first objection would be that I wouldn't want anything which had been cleaned with the stuff they clean guns with anywhere near a child's nursery"

but she can hardly use that argument when she admits to having left open tins of paint in the room.it doesn't seem as though he is making a big deal of it though so i'd imagine he won't be storing it there.

callmeovercautious · 30/07/2007 13:07

This has to be a joke.

HappyDaddy · 30/07/2007 13:49

This has to be a wind up.

lljkk · 30/07/2007 13:54

This could be legit thread; we were looking to buy a house 4 years ago, owner proudly indicated his (large) gun cabinet. I think it was on upstairs landing near his baby son's bedroom. Didn't bother me but did surprise me.

Actually, in much (?most) of the USA you CANNOT shoot somebody just for breaking into your house; just like in UK, you have to prove that use of deadly force was justified because the intruder was obviously threatening you with the same.

madamez · 30/07/2007 14:19

HD,CMOC, remember that there are MNers wrldwide and different counties hae different laws/attituds towards gun onership.