Five Tips For Firearm Safety In Your Home
With cases of insecurities increasing across the world, many families keep firearms in their homes for safety, but the same guns are used to injure or even kill thousands of innocent Americans. Children are curious and even if you talk to them about gun safety, they might fail to understand the dangers associated with guns and can accidentally hurt themselves or their friends.
According to CDC, more than 660 children are hospitalized yearly as a result of non-fatal unintentional shooting injuries. That being the case, every gun owner should be responsible and secure their weapons properly. Here are tips for firearm safety in your home to keep into consideration.
1. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction
The most basic firearm safety rule is to keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Always ensure that the muzzle is not pointed at something or someone you don’t intend to shoot.
That means that you should take extra precaution when unloading and loading your weapon to ensure that in case of an accidental discharge, there will be no injuries. Keeping a muzzle pointing in a safe direction means pointing it in a direction where a bullet cannot strike anyone.
2. Unload your firearm when not in use
Even though thieves and burglars come when you least expect, it is recommendable to unload your guns and only load them when the need arises. Put the firearms and ammunition in a secure and safe place separate from each other and always ensure that children and an unauthorized person cannot get access to them.
When handling your firearm or handing it over to someone, open the action immediately and confirm that the magazine, chamber, and magazine have no any ammunition. Also, open the actions when not in use and never assume your gun is unloaded.
3. Store your firearms properly
When you invest in a firearm, you should always store it in a safe and secure place. This ensures that the gun cannot be accessed by children or any unauthorized persons. Storing your firearm at home could be a great idea but anyone can get hold of it.
That being the case, it’s important to invest in the best gun safes that will keep your firearms secure and protected against fire, an unauthorized person, and even gun thieves. The gun safe comes with many advantages; it keeps your firearms safe, cannot be stolen easily, and it’s easy to access your gun when a need arises.
4. Never alter or modify your firearm, and have them serviced regularly
It goes without saying that guns have a special mechanism that only functions excellently in their original condition. When you change or try to alter your firearm, it becomes dangerous to you and your family members.
Avoid jeopardizing your safety and the people around you by modifying safety, trigger or any other mechanism of your firearm. Most importantly, never allow your firearm to be serviced by unqualified persons and consider proper servicing as recommended by your firearm’s manufacturer.
5. Educate everyone in your family about the safety of firearms
When you own a firearm, everyone around you must be responsible. This means that they should understand anything there is about firearm safety. If you have children, for example, discuss with them about guns and gun safety.
Talk to them about the difference between guns in the movies/video games and guns in real life. Explain that guns in real life can cause real damage and make rules that no child should handle a gun without supervision and they should never play with them.
Final thoughts
Having a firearm in your home is a sure way of protecting your loved ones from unexpected burglars and other intruders. However, as much as firearms are good for family protection, they could be dangerous if mishandled. With the above firearms safety tips, you can handle your firearm safely, secure it from unauthorized access, and keep your family protected.
