Owning a gun is part of your lifestyle, but it’s also a major responsibility. If you plan to keep it inside your home, it’s important to take a few essential safety precautions. By keeping your firearms in a secure location that only you can access, you can ensure your family’s safety and also give yourself some extra peace of mind. Here’s some essential advice regarding home firearm storage.

How to Properly Store Guns at Home

1. Use a Secure Safe

Gun safes are designed to safely store firearms. Once you select an appropriate size and style, make sure that it’s properly concealed and inaccessible to any children and teenagers in your home. You might consider installing a hidden safe that only you and other adults are aware of, or you can keep the safe in a closet or in an area where it’s unlikely to be found. Remember to point the gun away from you and check that it’s unloaded before you lock it away.

2. Store Ammunition Separately

Once your gun is safely locked away, you should still take precautions to ensure that your firearm cannot be used by anyone other than yourself. Your gun should be unloaded when you store it, and you should keep the ammunition in a separate locked container, such as an additional safe that is far away from the gun. This step will provide an extra layer of security.

3. Consider a Gun Lock

Gun locks are designed to make your firearm unusable to other individuals. If someone broke into your vault or obtained your gun another way, they would be unable to shoot it. However, don’t mistake a gun lock for a storage substitute. While a lock may render your gun effectively useless to other people, never leave your weapon sitting where someone may find it. It’s always best to keep it out of sight in a secure location like a gun safe.

If you want to keep your guns secure in your home, visit Shooter’s Firearms & Indoor Range, the leading source for firearms solutions in Columbia, IL. Whether you’re in the market for a new gun or accessories for your current firearms, you can trust these savvy professionals to assist you every step of the way. They carry an extensive range of products, and also offer a full-service shooting range to help you grow more comfortable with your weapons. Visit them online to find out more, or give them a call at (618) 281-6393.