Firearms Safety in the Home

As a firearms owner, you are responsible for knowing how to properly handle your firearm(s) and how to secure your firearm(s) in a safe manner in your home. 

Accidents involving firearms in the home have decreased significantly over the last 20 years, according to the National Safety Council.  Both parents and children play a part in preventing firearms accidents in the home and ensure that this downward trend continues. For parents, these responsibilities include:

Always unload sporting firearms carefully and completely before taking them into the home, remembering to keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Never load a sporting firearm in the home.

Always make absolutely sure that firearms in your home are securely stored out of reach of children. Unloaded firearms can be secured with a firearm locking device to make them inoperable.  Unloaded firearms also can be stored in a locked cabinet, firearm vault or storage case.

Always store ammunition in a locked location separate from firearms and out of the reach of children. 

Always clean and place firearms in their proper storage location immediately after returning from a hunting trip or a day at the range.

Always re-check firearms carefully and completely to be sure that they are still unloaded when you remove them from storage.  Accidents have occurred when a family member has borrowed or loaned a firearm and returned it to storage while it was still loaded.

Always remember; you are responsible for making certain the firearms in your home are not casually accessible to anyone - especially curious young people.

More than 30 million Americans enjoy using rifles, shotguns and handguns for hunting and target shooting. When these firearms are not being used, they must be safely and securely stored. This is where firearms responsibility in the home begins - and ends.  Some options to help you safely store your firearm include using a firearm lock, firearm case or a firearm safe.  

The decision to maintain a firearm in the home for self-protection is a serious, personal matter. Any added safety benefit gained from owning a firearm depends in large measure on the owner's having appropriate training and a clear understanding of safe handling and storage rules.  Keeping a firearm to defend your family makes no sense if that same firearm puts family members or visitors to your home at risk.  You must exercise full control and supervision over a loaded firearm at all times.  This means the firearm must be unloaded and placed in secure storage whenever you leave your home. Fatal firearm accidents can occur when children discover firearms that adults thought were safely hidden or out of reach.  Your most important responsibility is ensuring that children cannot encounter loaded firearms.  The precautions you take must be effective.  Anything less invites tragedy and is a serious violation of your responsibility as a firearm owner. 

SAFE HOME CHECKLIST

• Firearms kept for security reasons are fully controlled at all times.

• Firearms are securely stored in a location inaccessible to children.

• Sporting firearms are unloaded before they are brought into the home and never loaded while in the home.

• Sporting firearms are immediately cleaned and placed in secure storage when they are returned home from hunting or target shooting.

• When firearms are removed from storage, they are always carefully checked to confirm that they are unloaded.

• Ammunition is stored under lock and key, separately from firearms.

• The owner's manual that came with the firearm must be read and understood.

For more information about firearms ownership, storage & safety visit:

www.projecthomesafe.org