Gun Safety 101

If you own a gun – whether for hunting, sport shooting or as part of a collection – it’s important to practice safety at all times. Take your firearms seriously by putting this safety plan into place:

• Properly store your firearms. Keep guns and ammunition in separate locked cabinets, safes, vaults or cases – and keep the keys or combinations where kids can’t find them.

   

• Lock your guns. Place trigger-locking devices on all stored guns and hide the keys.

   

• Safeguard cleaning equipment. Believe it or not, gun cleaning equipment and supplies can also be dangerous. Keep them in a safe place out of a child’s reach.

   

• Be mindful with firearms. Even BB, pellet and paintball guns can be dangerous. Remember to never point a gun of any kind at anyone – no matter if it’s loaded or not.

   

• Keep guns unloaded. Never load your gun until you’re ready to use it.

   

• Be observant. Before you fire a gun at any target, make sure you know exactly what’s behind and around it to avoid any accidents.

   

• Educate children. Make sure your children know the dangers that come with improperly using a firearm. To get an idea of what to tell them, read our guide on children and gun safety.

Practicing firearm safety is easier than you may think. Take these steps to be thorough with your safety measures and get the peace of mind you deserve knowing your family is protected from gun-related accidents.