I imagine the friend may believe that being confident in one's ability to use guns safely and effectively is also a hedge against danger, independent of the utility of that specific gun. That specific gun may make training and becoming confident with guns possible. Playing it conservatively with storage and handling as a someone new to firearms seems like the reasonable path.
They also have kids so it sounds like that plays into why they would be extra cautious. Maybe they are willing to risk that extra time needed to have the gun out for protection if it means they don't have to worry about their kids getting ahold of their gun.
> Playing it conservatively with storage and handling as a someone new to firearms seems like the reasonable path.
More than reasonable. Highly recommended. Just like driving a car, it takes some practice to routinely handle guns in a safe way. Even if you eventually become an expert who is comfortable with having a loaded gun available at all times, it’s a great idea to respect your own level of knowledge, and to take time to develop practices that make sure nobody else can gain access to your gun.
