Rules for Keeping Guns at Home
Chris Baker of Lucky Gunner warns against hiding guns with furniture with hidden weapon compartments. Professional criminals are smarter than you, kids aren`t stupid and most furniture isn`t flame retardant, he says. Yes! It`s best to talk about it before your child or teen encounters a gun at home or elsewhere. The numbers speak for themselves: there was a 23% drop in accidental firearm deaths over a four-year period where safety practices were implemented for one year. It should also be noted that suicides among older children decreased by more than eight percent simply because guns were made inaccessible in the home. There are several methods you can use to lock your weapon, which are also covered by GGS. In addition to a trigger lock, which can be purchased for most weapons, there are padlocks and cable locks. There are many important steps in storing your weapons and ammunition. Here`s how you can keep your firearms and ammunition safe at home: Proper storage of firearms will protect your firearms and protect them from damage or injury to someone else.
You can even choose to invest in a pistol safe or handgun safe separate from a larger safe. A high-quality firearm safe protects your firearms from the elements. They have locking mechanisms designed to protect you and others from accidental openings and prevent unwanted access. And if weapons are properly stored in a firearms safe, the life of the weapon can be extended because it is in a controlled and safe environment away from the elements. Wynter also gives tips to avoid damage when storing your weapons: she warns that packing your weapons in a carrying sleeve can cause moisture damage. Instead, weapons should be completely exposed to air and left unpacked. Be sure to talk to your children about guns, even if you don`t have guns at home. Children need to know that guns are very dangerous. Learn to follow these rules when they see a gun: Children learn to behave from the adults around them.
If your child sees that you are setting an example of safe and responsible behavior in the use of weapons, they have a better chance of behaving safely and responsibly when using weapons. While trigger locks and your own unsecured, accessible secret hideaway for adult-only homes may be fine, Lightfoot writes that you shouldn`t rely on hiding places with children in the house. “Such `secrets` are usually discovered when you`re not around, and many trigger locks can be removed or defeated with a little effort,” she says. Teens can be emotional and act without thinking. If they suffer from depression or feel depressed, they may see a gun as an easy way out. In fact, most teens and tweens who commit suicide use a gun at home or from a parent`s or friend`s home. Teens should never be able to get a gun and bullets without an adult. “Parents often misunderstand a child`s ability to access and shoot a firearm, distinguish between real and toy weapons, make good judgments about handling a firearm, and consistently follow firearms safety rules,” writes Safe Kids.
In fact, more than three-quarters of first- and second-graders surveyed said they knew where weapons were stored at home. The best way to protect your child from injury or death by a firearm is to not keep guns at home and avoid homes that have guns. If you decide to keep a firearm at home, make sure it is stored safely and that all family members are aware of the rules for handling weapons. Storing your firearms in a gun safe is ideal. But if you are still investing in one, then you need to keep them out of the reach of children at all costs. This also applies to ammunition, which must be stored in a safe place at height on a shelf, in a high cabinet or in other hard-to-reach areas. Storing your weapons in one place and your ammo in another location is ideal. Remember: The best way to avoid gunshot wounds is to never keep guns at home and avoid homes where guns are kept. If you keep a gun at home, keep it unloaded and locked, with the bullets locked and stored separately. Visit ProjectChildSafe.org for more information on firearms safety.
Getting rid of guns can help protect your children and family from gun accidents. Here are some tips for getting rid of your gun: Baker also reminds gun collectors that their home insurance is limited when it comes to protecting firearms. If you have a collection of firearms worth more than the average limit of $2,500, he recommends buying a driver. If even an extra-large safe is not big enough, you can turn an entire room into a safe with a safe door. Depending on the size, the room can serve as an exhibition area, so you don`t have to move your collection of ancient or rare weapons to display them. It can also create a safe space in your home. Safe storage laws have proven effective in reducing the rate of accidental shootings, deterring theft and preventing suicides. In fact, a 2015 study found that there was a 68% lower suicide rate in states where private guns had to be locked at least in certain circumstances, compared to states that did not codify this measure by law.20 In addition, an analysis of available research from the RAND Corporation found that Child Access Laws (PACs), Exempt persons who do not keep firearms safe are liable under civil or criminal law. Being away from children can help reduce gun suicides and accidental shootings.21 Some people feel that keeping a gun at home protects their family from an intruder. Unfortunately, a gun in the house is much more likely to injure or kill a family member or friend than an intruder. Accidental discharges happen – which is why you should read the section above – if they do, they can cause serious property damage or potentially cause devastating injury to people. Accidental discharge can send a spin through walls and other objects, so it`s always important to control the direction of walking.
Guiding the gun through the ground reduces the risk of an accident due to accidental discharge. And when it comes to storing weapons at home, the safest way is to point the gun up or down in a gun cabinet that is inaccessible to other people. Kevin Stevens, a gun owner and father of two, writes to NetWorx that he`s just starting his gun collection, and it`s something worth protecting. “Preventing the theft of firearms from an empty house is another reason to own a gun safe. Firearms can be expensive, and some people`s collections can be quite extensive. “Parents ask all kinds of questions before their children visit other homes, such as questions about booster seats and seat belt use, allergies and pets. Add gun safety to the conversation. Ask if firearms are unloaded and locked in the house. Ask if ammunition is stored separately. Also learn about shotguns and rifles, not just handguns. It even adds the following condition: “However, mechanical locking devices, such as mechanical safety devices built into weapons, may fail and should not be used as a substitute for the safe handling of weapons and compliance with all firearms safety rules.” Many of us feel uncomfortable asking others how we handle gun safety.
Research shows that 93% of parents, including those who choose to own firearms, would feel comfortable asking for a gun at home. You can share your own family rules or practices to start the conversation. Just present your concerns with respect and consider using some of these words if you don`t know where to start: If you have doubts about the safety of someone else`s home, invite the kids to play in your home instead. The ultimate responsibility of a firearms owner is to ensure that firearms, people and property are kept safe. Even an unloaded firearm should never be left for children or unauthorized persons to use or touch. A secure safe in your home is an essential piece of equipment when it comes to storing firearms and ammunition. Most gun owners know the basic rules of gun safety, but it`s never bad to freshen up from time to time. This is especially true if you don`t necessarily handle your firearms regularly. These four rules for storing weapons safely and firearms safety in general are always worth a look. Many families have a gun in the house.
But every year, guns are used to kill or injure thousands of Americans. Young children are curious. Even though you`ve talked to them many times about gun safety, they can`t really understand how dangerous guns are. If they stumble upon a loaded weapon, they may accidentally injure or kill themselves or someone else. Talk to your child often and early about gun safety. Tell them not to touch weapons or ammunition if they know where to store them. When your child goes to someone`s home, it`s important to know if there are guns in the house. It may seem awkward to ask, but most people will understand that you are trying to protect your child. The results are worth it. The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence reports on a 2005 study that found that “the practices of storing firearms locked, unloaded and in a locked area separate from firearms serve as a protective measure to reduce suicide and unintentional injuries among adolescents in homes with children and adolescents where firearms are stored.” Access to firearms plays an important role in suicide attempts.
