Owning guns is a huge and executive responsibility, especially if kids are living in your house. Whether you possess firearms for hunting, sport or even protection, it is essential to the safety of those around you to keep the firearms securely stored when not in usage, and at all times store them appropriately.
Most often we hear terrible stories of unintentional gun shootings in the house because it was presumed a firearm was not loaded or because children had an easy time accessing the weapons. Nevertheless, with careful adherence to safe practices, you can securely keep firearms in your house and enjoy the personal security or sports benefits they offer. Below is the guide to securing your guns at home:
• Never Bring a Loaded Gun at Home
Indeed, your firearm should only be loaded when you are at your target destination. After you are done with your target practice or after tiding up your hunting exploit of the day, remove the unused bullets before placing the firearm in the car and heading home.
Also, when not using the gun, always make sure it is unloaded. It is also essential to point the gun to a safe direction whenever picking or returning it to a gun safe.
• Continually Assess Whether the Gun is Unloaded Before Handling It
Failure to double check regularly and presume that a firearm is unloaded can turn out to be a fatal mistake. Keep the action open after checking out the bullets until the firearm is ready to be kept in the storage.
It is vital to maintain a habit of assessing your guns for ammo before accepting a gun from someone else, handing off the gun, placing it in storage, or even transporting the firearm.
• Store Firearms in Your Household Under Lock and Key
You should never rely on getting a safe hiding location that is unlocked, especially if you have children. You can consider placing shotguns and rifles in locking racks. Pistols and pistols, on the other hand, can be stored in a home safe. Sentry safes are perfect for this job because they will protect your firearms against floods, theft, and fire as well as keep them out of reach of kids.
It is also possible to use the Sentry safes to store ammo; however, most home security experts recommend homeowners to store guns and ammo in a separate location, so it takes a careful effort to gather and use the weapons. It is also recommended to utilize a gun locking device that makes the gun inoperable when not in usage. Nonetheless, the gun lock should be used as an extra safety precaution and not a substitute for secure storage.
• Teach and Practice Safety of the Gun
You should never horseplay with firearms or even point it at your friends, even if you are hundred percent that the gun is not loaded. While kids should not be able to hold the guns, it is essential to teach them how to respect guns, so they understand the risks linked with them.
• Store Your Guns In Humidity And Temperature Controlled Areas
Besides protecting your loved ones, it is also essential to protect the gun as well. This aspect means storing your gun appropriately maintained by keeping it in an ideal environment.
Extreme heat and humidity can make your wooden stocks split and also lead to rusting of the metallic parts.
• Learn How A Gun Is Used Appropriately
If you acquire a firearm for personal security, it is crucial to learn how to use it correctly; otherwise, it could be risky in an emergency scene. You should consider taking lessons to know how the firearm works and ascertain how to utilize it to your best advantage in a theft or burglary scenario. There are several aspects you need to know if you are to use the gun for hunting purposes. For instance, you may need to know how to climb fences with a loaded gun, hike, wade a river, climb a tree, or any other encounter you come across in the woods.
Owning a gun, however, possesses more benefits than cons. You will have peace of mind knowing your family and home are secure. You may also fall in love with the shooting or hunting down your food. Nevertheless, guns may at times turn bad but can be securely stored in your house when handled responsibly. Therefore, you should consider safety first when it comes to handling and owning guns.