Securing Your Firearms

America has a deep, complex relationship with firearms. 42% of US households, or 77.49 million people, own at least one firearm. This means four out of ten people have access to a firearm. 67% of gun owners say they have it for personal protection. It is often loaded and within reach of them. Unfortunately, this can lead to many horrible accidents. Every year, over 16,000 people are injured or killed in a preventable gun-related incident. Since 2015, June 4th has been observed as National Gun Safety Day. It was created to raise awareness of proper gun storage. If you are a gun owner, here are some tips to better secure your firearms.

Get Down To The Child’s Level

Every day is a new experience for young children. The best way to check if your firearms are truly safe from them is to get down to their level, both physically and mentally. They are your guns, and it is your job to keep them out of your kids’ hands. Crawl around the area where you keep your firearm to make sure it is truly out of your child’s reach. Remember, kids can be crafty, so if they know it’s there, then they’ll be looking for it. If you feel they are old enough, teach them safe firearm handling techniques, like treating every gun as if it is loaded, if airsoft ones. If your child is visiting a friend’s house, talk to the adults about whether they own firearms, and how secure it is.

Buying Trigger Locks

When it comes to securing firearms, trigger locks are the easiest and most effective method on the market. They are often secured to the trigger mechanism to prevent unwanted access and accidental discharge. There are a variety of them on the market to choose from. You have the combination lock, which is a budget-friendly trigger lock that uses a three-digit code in place of keys. There is also fancy fingerprint locks that use your fingerprint instead of a key or combination. A cable lock can be used to block the action on a rifle from being closed or prevent the magazine in a pistol from being loaded. Most guns purchased today often provide you with a trigger lock for free.

Cases And Safes

Another way of securing your firearms is with cases and safes. These are available at most sporting goods, camping, and big-box home goods stores like Walmart. Gun cases come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and are soft or hard. They can be secured with a common padlock or combination lock. If you have multiple guns, consider putting them in a gun safe, so you can keep them all in one place. A gun safe is often made of thick, heavy-duty steel that also comes in a variety of sizes. They often use a more complicated locking mechanism in them that, makes it harder to be opened by loved ones who shouldn’t be touching your firearms.

Storing Ammo

A commonly known gun safety tip is you should never store your ammo with your firearm. Ammo should be kept far away from the gun in a special durable, watertight container called an “Ammo can” in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Moisture is your ammo’s biggest threat, so when putting them in storage, throw a couple of oxygen-absorbent packets inside the cans. Put the cans in a special ammo safe or in its own locked cabinet for extra security. Keep your ammo organized by caliber so you can grab the right type you need in an emergency. Rotate your ammo out twice a year using the FIFO (First In, First Out) method. Prior to using it, inspect it for signs of damage that can make it ineffective, like rust.

For more information on gun safety, visit http://www.evolveusa.com/.