Many families in the United States have firearms inside of their homes. In fact, around 34% of children in our country live in a home with at least one firearm present, and 69% of these homes have more than one firearm within them. Gun safety is an important topic for any family that already has or is looking to include firearms in their homes, as the consequences of inadequate safety measures can lead to tragic accidents. Below are some of the most common practices you should be implementing to ensure your family and firearms hold a harmonious co-existence.
Know How to Use Your Firearms Safely
Before handling any gun, it is imperative to learn and understand how it operates. Even if you are an avid shooter and simply bringing a new type of firearm home, be sure to understand the basic parts and functionality. You should be able to confidently open and close the action, add and remove ammunition from the gun and/or magazine, clean and maintain the various parts, and know how the safety precautions function. If you have firearms present around children, it’s important to ensure that they also know the basic functions of safe practices around firearms. While the level of use is different for every family, no child should operate a firearm without detailed training and understanding. Young children should be kept away from firearms until they are able to demonstrate safe and controlled handling.
Never Use Alcohol or Drugs (Including Prescription!) Before or While Shooting
One of the most important rules for gun safety is to never operate any firearm while under the influence of any substance that impairs normal physical and/or mental functions. This can even include over-the-counter drugs that contain ingredients that cause drowsiness or dizziness. Operating firearms while in an altered mental state is one of the most common causes of tragic firearm accidents. It is also extremely important to emphasize this important message to any children in your household, especially as they reach their teenage years. No one in your family should ever have access to firearms while alcohol and/or drugs are present in the environment.
Store Firearms Safely Inside Your Home
There are many factors to consider when deciding where and how to safely store firearms inside of your home. There are many gun storage devices available, as well as locking mechanisms that connect directly to the gun, rendering it inoperable until the mechanism is removed. However, always keep in mind that safety mechanisms can always fail, so continued safe handling is always important. Always be sure that firearms are kept out of reach from children. Additionally, firearms should never be stored while loaded.
Arizona Gun Safety Courses
At C2 Tactical, we offer the best shooting courses in Arizona. With professional and experienced instructors to lead the way in our group and private shooting classes, you can feel confident knowing that you will gain the experience and knowledge to help you be a responsible firearm owner. Find the right course for you and start learning with C2 Tactical!