Project ChildSafe
Putting A Lock On Safety In Your Home
 A
nationwide program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation and
its community partners to help ensure safe and responsible firearm
ownership and storage.
As a firearms owner, it is your responsibility
to know how to properly handle any firearm you own and also to know
how to secure your firearm(s) in a safe manner in your home. Project
ChildSafe has been created to help you accomplish these very important
safety goals.
If for any reason you feel uncomfortable with
or are unable to accept these responsibilities, we strongly urge
you not to own a firearm.
 Handling
Firearms in a Safe Manner
Firearms safety begins with understanding and
carefully following all the rules of safe gun handling.
Before handling any firearm, you should be familiar
with the following safety procedures:
-
Be sure you know how the firearm operates.
Not all firearms are the same. Know how to safely open and close
the action of the firearm and know how to safely remove any
ammunition from the gun or from the gun's magazine. The manufacturer's
name and location are on every gun. Write them for free safety
and operating instructions.
-
Always keep a gun pointed in a safe direction,
even when handling an unloaded gun. A "safe direction"
means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to fire
it would not result in injury.
-
 Never
assume that a firearm is unloaded. Whenever you pick up a gun,
the first thing you should do is to point it in a safe direction
and make sure it is unloaded. Open the action and look
into the chamber(s), which should be clear of ammunition. If the
gun has a magazine, carefully remove it before opening
the action. Then open the action to be sure the chamber is clear
of ammunition.
- Always keep your finger off the trigger, even when handling
an unloaded gun. When handling a gun, rest your finger outside
the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. The only time
you should touch the trigger is when you are at a shooting range
or other safe shooting location and you are actually ready to
fire.
Remember, nearly all firearms accidents in the home can be prevented
simply by making sure that guns are kept unloaded and locked up,
with ammunition secured in a separate location.
Storing Firearms in a Safe Manner
As a firearms owner, you must make absolutely
sure that guns in your home are stored so that they are not accessible
to children or other unauthorized persons. Hiding a gun in a closet,
drawer or similar location is not safe storage. Children
are extremely curious and might find a gun in your home that you
thought was safely hidden or inaccessible.
As with most all areas of home safety, your objective
as a firearm owner is to put in place a series of simple precautions
(multiple safeguards) that together help create a secure environment
for firearms in the home. Each of these precautions is designed
to prove an additional barrier against unauthorized use.
 Key
guidelines for safe storage include:
-
Unloaded firearms should be stored in a
locked cabinet, safe, gun vault or storage case. Be sure to
place a locked storage case in a location inaccessible to
children.
-
Unloaded firearms can also be secured with
a gun locking device that renders the firearm inoperable. A
gun lock should be used as an additional safety precaution and
not as a substitute for lock storage. If firearms are disassembled,
parts should be securely stored in separate locations.
- Store ammunition in a locked location separate from firearms.
-
Always re-check firearms carefully and completely
to confirm that they are "still" unloaded when you remove them
from storage. Accidents could occur if a family member has loaned
or borrowed a gun and then carelessly returned it to storage
while it was still loaded.
 Firearms
Kept for Home Security
The decision to maintain a firearm in the home
for self-protection is a serious, personal matter. Unlike passive
safety devices, such as alarm systems, firearms used for home protection
require significantly more involvement by the owner. Any added safety
benefit that may be derived from a firearm depends in large measure
on the owner's commitment to appropriate training and a clear understanding
of safe handling and storage rules. Are your security concerns realistic
and consistent with local crime rates? Do other adults in your household
support the decision to maintain a gun in the house? If they will
have access to the firearm, will they join you in a firearms training
and safety program? What precautions will be practiced to safeguard
children? Do risk factors such as drug and alcohol abuse exist within
your household? In addition, issues such as individual temperament,
reaction to emergency situations, and specific family circumstances
should also enter in the decision.
If you must have quick access to a loaded firearm
in your home, you need to take special safety measures. Keeping
a gun to defend your family makes no sense if that same gun puts
your family members or visitors to your home at risk. Many home
firearms accidents occur when unauthorized individuals, often visitors,
discover loaded firearms that were carelessly left out in the open.
If you choose to keep a firearm for home security,
your objective should be to create a situation in which the firearm
is readily available to you, yet inaccessible or inoperative to
others. Special lockable cases that can be quickly opened only by
authorized individuals are options to consider.
You must exercise full control and supervision
over a loaded gun at all times. This means the gun must be unloaded
and placed in secure storage whenever you leave the gun in your
home or elsewhere. Secure ammunition separately.
Your most important responsibility is ensuring
that unsupervised children cannot encounter loaded firearms. The
precautions you take must be completely effective. Anything less
invites tragedy and is a serious violation of your responsibility
as a gun owner.
A Message for Your Children
Young people are naturally curious about firearms
and, as a result, may be tempted to "play" with a firearm they find.
Make sure young people in your home are aware of and understand
the safety guidelines described below.
-
Don't go looking for guns in your house or
a friend's house. Don't let other kids look for guns in your
house.
-
If you find a gun in your house, or anywhere
else, STOP! Leave it alone. Don't touch it. Don't let anyone
else touch it. Leave the area and be sure to tell an adult at
once.
-
Even if a gun looks like a toy, don't touch
it. Some real guns may look like toy guns, so don't take a chance.
Leave the area and immediately tell an adult.
REMEMBER: IF YOU FIND A GUN, DON'T PICK IT UP. JUST LEAVE IT
ALONE, AND GO TELL AN ADULT RIGHT AWAY!
Options for Securely Storing Firearms
| Method
|
Features
|
Comments
|
Trigger
Lock
|
Widely available, can effectively
block trigger but does not prevent loading. |
Caution: should never be used
on a loaded gun because it can cause the gun to fire under certain
circumstances; can't be used on lever-action firearms; keys
and combinations must be kept away from children and other unauthorized
persons. |
Cable
Lock
|
Widely available, can be used
on most firearms, and can also be used to lock a gun to a solid
object. |
Be sure to install according
to directions, not around trigger!; keys, combinations must
be kept away from children; cable can be cut.
|
Lock
Box
(Mechancial & Electronic)
|
Conceals and protects guns. |
Provides
secure storage for loaded or unloaded firearm, but in electronic
models batteries will need replacement; depending on size,
locked box can be stolen; keys and combinations must be kept
away from children and other unauthorized persons. |
Gun
Safes
|
Most secure
storage for multiple guns |
Certain models
are heavy, expensive; keys and combination must be kept
away from children and other unauthorized persons. |
Disassembling
|
Creates a condition where
gun cannot be fired. |
Not possible with all guns;
requires knowledge of correct assembly and disassembly procedures;
don't lose the parts. | |
