If you own a firearm and also have children at home, you have probably thought about how to keep them safe. It’s not just about teaching your kids not to touch your firearms, it’s about taking real steps to prevent accidents before they can happen. Kids are normally curious and no matter how many times you stop them, they still try to explore new things. That’s why childproofing your firearm storage is something you just can’t ignore.
Here are five ways to help keep your home safe and your firearms out of reach of your children.
1. Use Proper Storage Options Like Pouches for Firearm Magazines
One of the first steps in childproofing is separating your magazines and ammunition from the firearms themselves. When you store everything together, it increases the risk of a child being able to make a firearm operational.
A good way to manage this is by using pouches for firearm magazines that can be locked or kept in a secure, hidden area. These pouches not only help you stay organized, but they also add another layer of safety. You can store them separately from your main firearm storage to limit access even more.
2. Get a Gun Safe That’s Truly Childproof
Not all safes are created equal. Some might seem secure, but they’re actually pretty easy to open if a child messes with them long enough. You want a safe that’s strong, lockable, and difficult for little hands to open. Look for safes that use digital keypads or biometric locks, like fingerprint readers.
These types of safes are much harder for kids to break into, and they can give you fast access in case of an emergency.
3. Install Safety Locks on Every Firearm
Even if your gun is stored in a locked container, a safety lock on the firearm itself adds another layer of protection. Cable locks, trigger locks, or chamber locks are all options.
These locks prevent the gun from being fired, even if someone manages to get it out of storage. A locked gun can’t be used, which is exactly what you want when there are kids in the house.
4. Keep Firearms Unloaded and Ammunition Stored Separately
This might sound like a basic step, but it’s one that many people skip. You should always store your guns unloaded.
When firearms are unloaded and the ammo is kept in another secure place, it greatly reduces the chance of a tragic accident. It also gives you peace of mind knowing that your kids won’t be able to load and fire a weapon if they find it.
5. Choose a Hidden Storage Location That Kids Can’t Reach
Make sure your firearm storage is in a location your children can’t access. High shelves, locked closets, or hidden compartments are the best spaces to store them. Don’t store guns in nightstands, under mattresses, or any other place that is easy to reach.
Kids are more observant than you think, they will figure out where you keep things. Make sure to put in extra effort in choosing your storage location.
