The ability to own licensed firearms is one of America’s great freedoms, but even the rights-affirming gun owner will usually quickly admit that owning a gun comes with the heavy responsibility of keeping that firearm in a secure location at home, away from kids and out of harm’s way.
Surveys suggest that there are firearms in half of American homes, whether they be for personal protection, hunting or recreational shooting, work-related obligations (like law enforcement) or are ancient family heirlooms.
If you have a gun at home, are you exercising the best practices to keep it safe? Use these refresher tips to brush up on how to best store firearms in your house or apartment:
-Lock them up. Ideally, guns should be kept in a gun safe or a small personal safe, with only the trained user of the weapons able to access the containment unit with a key or combination. When being stored at home, guns should always be unloaded. No exceptions.
-Ammunition should be kept separately from the weapons in an equally secure location.
-Educate your kids. A comprehensive child-oriented gun safety program is a good place to get information and resources. Teach your kids these rules about what to do if they find a gun in your home or anywhere else they might be.
Stop.
Don’t touch.
Leave the area.
Tell an adult.
-Educate yourself. Do you know the best ways to safely handle your own firearms? Check out these tips:
- Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. Whether you are shooting or simply handling a gun, never point it at yourself or others. This is how people get shot accidentally.
- Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. Until you are actually ready to fire, do not touch the trigger, keeping it outside of the trigger guard.
-Finally, if there are guns in your home that do not belong to you or are not licensed in your state, remove them immediately. Don’t wait for something bad to happen – protect yourself and your family by only owning fully legal, licensed firearms.
