Today, many Americans have guns in their homes. Around 42 percent of American households reported owning guns, according to the Washington Post. Most people keep firearms for self-defense, hunting, or sport. While these weapons can be instrumental in protecting your family, they can also pose a risk to your loved ones.
Inadequate firearm storage methods can lead to accidents that can cause injuries, disability, death, and costly lawsuits.
Just like other equipment you own at home, your gun needs to be stored safely. Developing proper safety and storage measures ensures your gun cannot be accessed and used by an unauthorized person. If you have decided to buy a gun, or even if you’ve found 80 lowers for sale and decided to build your own, if you are going to be keeping a gun at home, below are some essential safety tips to follow.
Learn Proper Handling Technique
The first step you should take to protect your family is undergoing gun safety training. Having a gun that you don’t know how to use is a recipe for disaster. By attending gun handling lessons, you will get to know the basics principles of owning and using a gun. Whether you are a new gun holder or an experienced person, it’s fundamental you educate yourself in matters of safety.
One of the best places to gather gun-related knowledge is at a shooting range. Look for a gun range that offers beginner-level lessons, experienced instructors, and a good reputation. Some places even offer private lessons, and you can use the one-on-one interaction with your instructor to improve your skills. These experts can give you valuable lessons and information on gun handling, loading, and unloading, discharging, carrying, storage, and firearm laws.
Talk to Everyone Around Your Home
After you are done educating yourself, it’s time to talk to everyone around your home. This includes your spouse, children, and other people who spend considerable time at your house. Children are naturally curious and may not understand the real danger of guns. As a result, they are at the greatest risk of unintentionally being injured by guns. Therefore, you need to take your time and educate them on gun-safety and about the many dangers of firearms.
First, explain to them that the firearms they see on TV are different from guns in real life. Second, urge them never to touch a firearm whenever they see or find one. Third, tell them to immediately report to an adult whenever they come across an unattended weapon. Also, set a good example with your own safe firearm-handling practices. Never leave your gun unattended for children to find and play with, in the beginning.
Additionally, if you happen to be living with someone who exhibits extreme aggression or suicidal thoughts, temporarily remove the gun from your house.
Store it Safely
Firearms should be stored in a place that children can’t see or reach. Even younger kids and toddlers are capable of locating a gun that isn’t stored securely, and they have the strength to pull the trigger when playing with it. Before locking your gun away, make sure to unload it and store the ammunition in a different place. Today, there are many products available to keep firearms out of the reach of children, unauthorized people, and intruders.
Utilize modern storage options such as gun safes, vaults, and cases. Never place your weapon under the mattress, in a drawer, cabinet, closet, and other places within reach. After investing in secure storage, don’t make the mistake of joining the gun storage keys with the other household keys. Ensure you place the keys in an inaccessible location. If you use a combination, keep the code hidden. The keys or code should only be given to a responsible adult.
Closing Thoughts
If you have a gun at home, keeping your family safe should be your top priority. Thanks to technological advancements, you can now store your gun safely without having to worry about your little ones accessing it. As a backup, utilize gun alarms to notify you whenever someone attempts to access the weapon and trigger locks to prevent the firearm from discharging in case it falls into the wrong hands.