Safe Storage Options For Unloaded Guns

There are a number of options for securing an unloaded gun in a way that makes it inaccessible to children and other unauthorized users. One fairly inexpensive option is to attach a locking device to the gun. A variety of locking devices are available at many gun stores and sporting goods stores or through safety product distributors. These products include trigger locks, cable locks, safety blocks, gun jackets and other attachable products. While most of these products are designed for key access, some devices have a combination lock. Some devices are also equipped with an alarm.

An alternative to attaching a locking device to the gun, and usually the more expensive option, is to keep the gun secured inside of a locked unit such as a gun safe, lock box or gun cabinet. These products range from small moderately priced models that hold one or two handguns to large gun safes and other units that are designed to hold several long guns (rifles and shotguns) or a combination of long guns and handguns.

In some cases, a higher level of safety can be achieved by using more than one safety device. For instance, a gun that has a trigger lock attached to it can be locked inside of a gun safe. While the use of two safety devices may seem excessive, the additional safety measure could make a difference in some cases. Some states have laws with specific requirements for storing a gun (either loaded or unloaded) in a home.

A gun owner who either does not have, or does not intend to use one of the safety devices mentioned above, can reduce the risk of gun injury or death by following either of these recommendations:

1) Store the gun in a locked desk, storage cabinet or other furniture item that contains a lock. The furniture item should not be something that a person could easily pick up and carry away. Consider the safest place to keep the keys to the lock.

2) Store the gun in a locked room such as a bedroom, closet or home office. Make sure that the lock on the door is a type of lock that is not easily breached. While a gun that is stored in a locked room certainly reduces risk, consider a second layer of safety by storing the gun in a way that it is not openly visible or easily accessed by a child or an intruder. For instance, a gun kept in a locked room can be stored in a furniture item that contains a hidden shelf or compartment, or in some type of diversion product such as a diversion book safe. Diversion products resemble normal household items such as books, but contain hidden compartments. Most diversion products are equipped with locks.

A thorough internet search can produce a variety of diversion products that are readily available. While diversion book safes are relatively inexpensive, other diversion products can be much higher in cost. It is important to note that use of a diversion product alone is not necessarily a safe situation.