Firearms have the potential provide an additional sense of safety in the home, provided that the owner is properly trained in the use of guns. On the other hand, many have pointed to statistics which show that in the event of a home invasion, the chances are quite high that the homeowner who pulls out a gun is likely to be injured or killed during the struggle. Regardless, the right to bear arms is also a right granted by the U.S. Constitution. If you are keeping firearms in your home, there are a few simple measures that you can take to ensure that you and your family are safe from gun-related accidents. These steps include:

1) Treating all firearms as if they are loaded. Always point them in a safe direction, never at another person.

2) Check all firearms to ensure they are not loaded.

3) Keep all firearms unloaded and in safe, locked locations.

After an afternoon at the gun range, unload your weapon prior to entering your home. A firearm should only be loaded while at the range or in the field. Prior to showing your firearms to a friend or family member, make sure that the firearm is unloaded. General wisdom dictates that one should always assume that a firearm is loaded. The weapon’s “safety” is a good precaution, but it should not be the only precaution you take. While handling firearms, ensure that the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction. Always away from other people.

Rifles and shotguns should be kept in locked and secured cabinets or safes. Likewise, pistols should be kept in a locked drawer or cabinet. As an alternative to a gun safe or lockbox, “trigger locks” can be purchased. Trigger locks prevent a weapon from being inadvertently discharged. In some situations you may want to remove the firing pin from your weapon to add an additional layer of safety. In addition, you may want to keep your ammunition in a separate location, and only keep only a limited amount of ammunition on hand.

If there are children in your home, use common sense when storing firearms. Firearms should be stored in locations that are out of reach of small children. If weapons are being kept in locked cabinets or safes, be certain that children do not have access to the key or combination.

You may decide to train young adults – such as your children – in the proper handling of firearms. By ensuring that everyone in the household is aware of safe handling practices you can, hopefully, prevent accidents from happening.

If this seems like a lot of effort to go through to store guns in the home, that’s because it is! If you want to protect your family without the danger of keeping a loaded weapon where your family sleeps, consider arming yourself with non-lethal self defense devices, such as stun guns, pepper spray, or TASER devices, instead. Though it’s still important to store and use these products with caution, there is much less risk to storing them in your home.

Author Bio: Resist Attack has a full range of pepper spray both for families and security forces. Also check our telescoping baton specials

Category: Advice
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