Well i guess that the right to bear arms sort of negates the need to lock them up like we do here. I take Santamans point that if an intruder who is very likely armed comes into the house then having a gun to hand would be beneficial.
I would hope they are locked up where minors are present though.....
Thats not secure at all, in fact IMHO its negligent but we know Americans hold different views. Thankfully you'd not get away with it in the UK where regulations are tighter.
I usually have a gun on me when I take my grandkids out and about. Said minors are one of the reasons I have said guns; both to protect them and to teach them to shoot (the oldest one is 12 and has been shooting my, and his dad's, and his grandmother's pistols as well as his own rifle for several years now) When I was a minor myself I kept my own guns on the same gunrack that's now hanging in my bedroom.