Gun Storage Check Week begins June 1 and runs through June 7, an industry reminder for gun owners to review their storage practices. This is the outreach program’s second year, and it’s sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and industry partners.
“Securely storing guns when they’re not in use can save lives. It’s really that simple,” said Joe Bartozzi, president and CEO of NSSF, when the safety-focused week launched last year. “No one wants their gun in the hands of an unsupervised child, a person in crisis, someone who does not understand how to safely operate firearms, or a thief. If something bad happens because your gun isn’t stored securely, you’ll regret it, probably forever.”
The Gun Storage Check Week campaign’s slogan is “Make Sure It’s Secure,” and it’s the ideal time for parents to make sure firearms are not accessible to children during their summer break from school.
“Hiding a gun on top of a refrigerator or a closet shelf or in some other location is not a substitute for secure, locked storage,” Bartozzi emphasized. “Even if a firearm is kept for home security, there are devices such as lock boxes that allow readiness and at the same time deter unauthorized access.”
The website offers tips that address storage at home and in a vehicle storage. Owners should consider lock boxes or safes, but if they are not an option due to finances or space, the cable locks supplied by manufacturers with nearly every firearm are a solid option. They are a budget-friendly method of minimizing the chances of unauthorized access. Owners who have lost or misplaced theirs can receive a free cable gun lock in thousands of law enforcement agencies that have partnered with NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program. To find one near you visit this webpage.
“Periodically, all gun owners should review their firearm storage practices because people’s lives change—a child grows older and becomes more curious, a teenager or adult happens to be going through a rough patch in life,” said Bartozzi. “These and other situations might require a change in storage habits or devices.
Owners are also encouraged to visit the Gun Storage Check Week website (linked above) to enter their name in a drawing for safety equipment and firearm storage units from Regal Products, Vault Pro and ShotLock—sponsors of this year’s giveaway. A winner will be selected every week. Watching the safety videos on that webpage increases a person’s number of entries. Some of the gear being given away is valued up to $499.
