New to Safe Firearm Storage? Start Here
Safe Firearm Storage: the few things that matter most, and the mistakes that catch people out early.
Storing firearms in ways that keep them out of reach of children, teens and anyone at risk of harming themselves or others.
Key takeaways
- Safest storage: unloaded and locked, with ammunition locked separately
- Locking devices: gun safes, lockboxes and cable or trigger locks
- Most useful single change: Lock up every firearm, every time it is not in your direct control.
- Commonest mistake: Relying on hiding places instead of locks.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Why bother
Children can find guns that adults think are hidden, and access to a firearm raises the risk that a suicide attempt will be fatal.
Start here
These two first. Everything else is easier once they are habit.
- Lock up every firearm, every time it is not in your direct control
- Ask about firearm storage before your child visits or stays at another home
Then add these
After that, these.
- Teach children to stay away from a gun they find and tell an adult right away
- If someone in the home is in crisis, consider temporarily storing guns outside the home
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Safest storage | unloaded and locked, with ammunition locked separately |
| Locking devices | gun safes, lockboxes and cable or trigger locks |
| Keys and codes | should be kept where children cannot find them |
| Visiting other homes | it is reasonable to ask whether there are guns and how they are stored |
Common early mistakes
- Relying on hiding places instead of locks
- Storing a loaded gun in a nightstand or car
- Assuming children are too young to find or fire a gun
Related topics
- The Evidence on Men and Mental Health, Without the Hype (Men's Health)
- Storing Medicines: What Published Guidance Supports (Medicines Safety)
- Teen Mental Health and 988: What Published Guidance Supports (Teen Health)
- Child Safety at Home: What Published Guidance Supports (Children's Health)
Where to go next
- Safe Firearm Storage, Explained Without the Jargon
- The Safe Firearm Storage Checklist: What to Do and What to Skip
- Safe Firearm Storage — the reference entry
- Injury Prevention: The Complete Guide
- Bike and Helmet Safety: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- What the Guidance Really Says About Poisoning Prevention at Home
When to speak to a doctor
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and move firearms out of the home if you can. Call 911 for any gun injury or if someone is in immediate danger.
Where this comes from
- American Academy of Pediatrics — Safe Storage of Firearms
- CDC — Firearm Injury and Death Prevention
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Get Help
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.
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