Safe Storage at Home: Locks, Lock Boxes and Safes
By Weapons.com Editorial Team · Published
The main ways to secure firearms and ammunition at home, what each is good for, and where to find your state's storage rules.
Project ChildSafe, a program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, calls secure storage the number one way to help prevent firearm accidents, thefts and misuse, and notes it plays an important role in suicide prevention. The goal is simple: a firearm should only be in the hands of someone you've authorized to use it.
The main options
- Cable or trigger locks. Inexpensive devices that block the action or trigger. Project ChildSafe distributes free gun locks through local partners.
- Lock boxes. Small, sturdy containers, often sized for one or two handguns. Useful in a bedroom or for temporary storage.
- Gun safes and cabinets. Larger containers for several firearms. They vary widely in construction, so compare locks, steel thickness and fire ratings rather than relying on the word "safe."
- Locking storage in vehicles. If you transport a firearm, a locking container secured to the vehicle is safer than a glove box or console.
Store ammunition separately
SAAMI recommends storing ammunition separately from firearms and making it inaccessible to unauthorized persons, in a cool, dry place away from solvents, heat and open flames. See our ammunition storage guide.
Talk about it
Project ChildSafe encourages families to talk about firearm safety often, not once. Make sure young people in your home understand the safety guidelines, and that guests know firearms are secured.
Check your state's storage rules
Some states have specific storage or child-access requirements; others don't. Those rules change, so we keep them in one place instead of in articles. See state firearm laws for storage topics.