Gun safety is a recurring conversation when it comes to firearms. Most people focus on things like the golden rule of never pointing a firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot. However, the conversation must also focus on what happens when the gun is not in use, especially in homes with children or guests.
According to a survey conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, more than 50% of American gun owners admit to not storing their firearms properly at home. Fortunately, this survey also revealed that about 55% of gun owners who have children under 18 living in their homes work to store their guns safely. But even still, that’s a relatively low number when you consider that over 1,200 American children have been killed in their homes during gun-related accidents over the last 20 years.
If you own a firearm and keep it in your home, are you doing enough to store it in the safest way possible? Here are several tips for storing firearms at home to help you move gun safety to the forefront of your mind.
Invest in a Gun Safe
When you first purchase a gun, it would be wise to pick up a gun safe to go along with it. Any time you aren’t using your gun, keep it locked up tight so that others aren’t able to gain access to it. So many of the firearm accidents involving children that have taken place over time could have been prevented if gun owners had simply invested in gun safes and put them to good use.
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health survey we referenced earlier found that gun owners who buy firearms to defend themselves and their homes are about 30% less likely to use gun safes than those who buy them for other reasons. These people often want to keep their guns close by and will store them in their nightstands or under their beds to make them easily accessible. But you may be asking for trouble by doing this since it’ll enable anyone in your home, including children, to find your gun.
It might take a few extra seconds to retrieve a firearm from a gun safe when you need it. But the peace of mind you’ll get from keeping your gun locked up will be well worth the minor inconvenience as you won’t have to get so stressed out about gun safety anymore.
Unload a Gun Before Locking It Up
As long as you keep a gun locked up in a gun safe when you aren’t using it, you can make your home exponentially safer. But why not go the extra mile by unloading your firearm before placing it into your gun safe?
A National Firearms Survey suggests that almost one-third of gun owners who use gun safes don’t unload their firearms before putting them away. This could present problems if you put a gun into a safe and don’t lock it, close the door completely, or give your child the code to open the safe. If the safe is not secured correctly, a child could still access your firearm and pick it up to play with it.
By unloading a gun first, you’ll ensure that your firearm won’t be able to do any serious harm, even if your gun safe isn’t locked. You may even want to go as far as to store a firearm and the ammunition for it in two completely different places.
Consider Buying Gun Safety Accessories
As a gun owner, you’ve likely invested in your fair share of accessories for your firearm already. For instance, you might have an aftermarket Glock back plate that brings a pop of color to your firearm and helps you find it in the dark. You may have military surplus gear that you put on while you’re out using your gun as well. It would be a good idea to purchase gun safety accessories as well.
Some gun safety accessories to consider include:
- Trigger locks
- Cable locks
- Gun cases
Doing something as simple as putting a trigger lock on your firearm before storing it could make all the difference in the world when it comes to gun safety.
Teach Kids About Gun Safety
If you own a gun and you have children living in your home, you might be tempted to keep them in the dark about its existence. But you’ll ultimately be doing a disservice to them since there is always a chance they could find this firearm and mistake it for a toy since you haven’t talked to them about it.
Sit your children down and teach them all about gun safety. Let them know they are not to touch your gun under any circumstances when you’re not around, too. It could prevent a tragedy from taking place in your home.
Keep Your Home Safe by Storing Firearms Properly
By storing a firearm in your home correctly, you can keep yourself and others safe. You can also show that you have a healthy respect for guns and understand the damage they can do if they fall into the wrong hands. Browse through our other articles to learn more about leading a better life.