Gun Safety Gun Handling Controlling Gun Access not Gun Ownership

Most of the folks I know who own firearms (me included) don't trust politicians who want to "solve" the gun violence problem by taking guns out of the hands of honest people, these guys don't have a clue, they think guns themselves are the problem!.   Remember, the liberal politicans in Chicago and California who wanted guns registered and swore the lists wouldn't ever be used to take up guns then a few years later used the registration lists to go to peoples homes and confiscate guns!  
Actions like these are the reason why honest folk won't stand still for any restrictions what so ever, we don't trust liberal politicians.  

The argument in this country today should be "Controlling Gun Access" not "Controlling Gun Ownership".   I think we can control gun access without violating the second ammendment.   Yes, some folks won't be able to own a gun: like children, folks with mental problems, folks with a proven history of bad decisions, or criminals, but I think gun owners must show responsibility in order to keep that right.   A person who has a gun but isn't familiar with gun handling and safety procedures is a danger to themselves and everyone around them.   A gun owner must protect his or her firearms from getting into the hands of an immature, irresponsible, or untrained person.  

I believe gun safety has two components: safe gun handling, and protecting access to your guns and ammo.  

Gun Handling is covered on numerous sites and I'll only recap here.   The most important points to remember any time you handle a firearm is:

-	All guns are loaded.
-	Always keep guns pointed in safe direction.
-	Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
-	Know where the bullet is going to stop before you fire it.
-	Keep the gun unloaded until ready to use it.

Too many people go to the gun range focused on the thought of "I've got to hurry up and start shooting", or "I've got to improve my accuracy" instead of "safety first, hit the target second".    

Protecting your firearms and ammunition from unauthorized access.   No one should be allowed unsupervised access to a firearm or ammunition who isn't trained in gun safety and responsible enough to follow the gun handling guidelines.   I know some of the "Bubbas" will not agree, because they weren't raised that way and feel its a "violation of their rights".   On the other hand, some "Bubbas" got the training from their parents, but just didn't realize it at the time.   I was trained to handle guns by my grand father and great uncles but when I studied for and got my CHL, I learned a whole lot more.   Nobody has the right to (or allow some else to) act irresponsibly with a firearm.   You should also protect your stored ammunition and magazines from access by the same folks, remember a lot of folks have guns but no spare ammo, so yours could be misused in someone elses firearm.   We keep our ammo and firearms separate, both under lock and key.

Just telling your children "don't touch that gun in the closet" isn't enough in today's world of violent games, and TV shows.   How many times do we hear about some child taking his father's gun to school to show it off or because he was bullied!   The father is to blame, he didn't protect his firearm from access by children.   How about the other kids your kid invites into the house after school, are they trustworthy?   Its best to not take a chance, Keep You Guns and Ammo Locked Up, Always.   Police officers are usually required to keep their firearm locked up when they get home.   I think all gun owners should have the same requirement.

Now, how can we get gun owners to comply?
Several ideas come to mind and I'm sure lots of other folks have other good suggestions.   How about each state offering a training course in gun handling and protection, with a written test and issue an ID card after successful completion.   The ID card could be required before an ammo purchase, or allow a deduction of Xdollars from the person's local or county taxes for that year.   This course could be a subset of the Texas CHL course and it could contain the state's "castle law" explanation.   This ID would not alow the holder to carry a concealed firearm and need not have a range qualification test.   And my own little piece of prejudice, the test would only be in English, if a person is defending their home with a firearm, they should be able to understand the police calling outside thier door.  
Texas offers a state picture ID without a fee for folks who don't drive, so it can't be that expensive.  
I don't think that violates anyone's rights, the states might have to subsidise the fee, this would be an investment in gun safety.   And yes, I think people who lie on the firearm purchase form (form 4473) should be prosecuted, especially violations of question 1, buying a firearm for someone else.   I also believe that anyone carrying a loaded firearm (and unlicensed) should go to jail for a long time with no possibility of parole.

State's Carry Laws
Also, I've read about some states offering CHLs with only a 1 hour reading and minimal test on the internet, this is rediculous.   I think all states should follow Texas' lead in requiring 10 hours class time, a qualification on the range, an FBI background check, and finger printing.   Some of the things I really like about the Texas CHL class was the info on conflict resolution and responsiblities/consequences of firing a weapon.   Maybe the feds should generate a minimal standard for CHL training that must be followed by all states, with some economic penalty if the state dosn't comply, just a thought.   A little consistency would be a very good thing considering most states honor other states carry permits.   States could still opt-out of allowing carry in their state if they choose.  
Lately (in the current Texas legislative session) I have heard talk of reducing the number of hours required to get a Texas CHL.   This sounds a whole lot like the lobbyists who want a CHL to get into the capitol quicker are griping about the 10 hours and range time they must invest to gain a CHL.   Do Not reduce the course requirements, the course should remain as it is, some one thought this out previously.  

Protect your firearms from who?
Who should you protect your firearms from: your kids, adults in your house, or burglars?   You should protect firearms from all the above.  
But there are priorities:
Your kids come first, as always, they have no business at all having unsupervised access to a firearm.   If you want to take your kids to the range or woods and teach him or her how to handle and fire a gun, GREAT, you just supervise the whole thing, and teach them respect for firearms and the rules of safe gun handling, thats how we want them to learn.
Other adults in your home, if they are not trained in gun safety they don't have any business accessing your guns, yes even your spouse.   BTW, be very careful about loaning your firearms to another person, are you sure they're going to protect them as you would?   No one else needs to know you have firearms in your house, don't show them off, word gets around and you might be inviting unwanted visitors to your home.
Burglars and other criminals, if someone breaks into your home and finds one of your guns, he might use it on you, or just steal it which means he is free to use it or sell it to some other criminal.   I also think gun owners should keep a separate list of the serial numbers of their firearms, and if any are stolen, report it to the police immediately, you don't want to be held responsible if that gun is used in a crime.   Reporting gun theft not only lets you off the hook , but lets the police know that theres another firearm circulating in the black market.

Do you have a gun in a closet or drawer?   Is it still there?   When is the last time you checked on it?   Has it been moved since you last checked it?  

Ways to protect your firearms:
Gun Safes, Gun Cabinets, Lock Boxes, Closet With a Lock, trigger locks, or a locked cable through the barrel to prevent firing.   There are several levels of protection for firearms you can choose.   You usually have to make a trade off based on cost and what you want to achieve in the way of protection.   Do you want to keep everyone from even seeing or touching your firearms, or can you live with only keeping them from firing your firearms?  
Gun Safe is probably the best way, but there are a couple of different kinds of Gun Safes (the key word here is "safe" not cabinet).   In general a gun safe is heavy, the sides are made of thicker sheet metal (greater than 1/16" thick), with a steel frame, a plate steel front, continuous welds at all joints, usually has a separate lock (key or combination with 4 or more numbers), and a handle (seperate from the lock) to unbolt it.   It has multiple lock bolts in the door that engage the frame on all sides, and heavy hinges that connot be rmoved from the outside.   There are the really big ones with thicker sheet metal walls and heavy solid frames, like bank safes that are so heavy they can't be moved without tools and lots of help.   Then there are lighter gun safes that are made of someting like 3/16" steel, they can be moved by one man and a two wheeler or two men unless you attach them to the floor and walls of your house (recommended) then they are fairly secure.  
Heavy or not, Gun safes should be anchored to the floor (slab) AND lag bolted to the frame of your house.   This prevents thieves from dragging your safe off so they can open it at their convenience.   Two men should not be able to pick up your safe and carry it off.   Here are some Gun Safe Pics.   I feel a whole lot better knowing I have done all I can to keep my firearms from being used in a crime or to hurt someone else.  
Gun Storage Cabinets are OK for keeping your kids out, and maybe a burglar if you don't have the tools to open the cabinet (hammer, pry bar, drills etc.) right in the house.   The key word here is "cabinet".   A gun storage cabinet is usually made of sheet metal 1/16" or less thick, and the frame is folded from the same sheet metal.   The latch is a couple of light metal bars that engage the frame at the top and/or bottom.   The lock is usually a light key lock.   If you only have to turn a key to unlock your cabinet, you can bet the actual lock bolts aren't too substantial.   A cabinet will serve to keep a thief from breaking it open while you sleep (assuming the noise will wake you) and using your guns against you.   Gun cabinets should also be bolted to the floor (slab) AND frame of your house.   This prevents thieves from dragging your cabinet off so they can open it at their convenience.  
Gun Lock Box is another way to keep the kids out and maybe keep the burglar from using the gun on you (if he has to take it somewhere else to open it).   The gun lock box is made of sheet metal similar to the gun storage cabinet, but the lock box is small and light and can be carried easily by one person.   Don't forget, a gun lock box can be attached to your house.   The lock can be a combination of keyed and usually has a single latch point.   We use ours when we travel and have to keep a firearm in the car while we visit somplace where firearms are prohibited.   Gun Lock Boxes can also be attached to the frame or floor of your house or car to make them more secure.   Here are some Lock Box Pics.   There are lock boxes that can be mounted into a wall, these are better at protecting than the ones you can carry around.
Trigger Lock So far I am not impressed with trigger locks.   It appears you need one specially fitted to you firearm so that it goes behind the trigger, most apparently do not.  
Closet With A Lock, is easy to do, and will keep children and some adults out depending on how much time they have and how much damage they are willing to do.   Here is a link to my page on converting a closet for ammunition and firearm protection.   I really like the closet Idea for storing ammunition, remember powder only burns if you light it, it doesn't explode unless you contain it in a strong container (like a safe).   Powder and primers and loaded ammo should be kept cool and separate when stored.   We have a monitored security system, so a burglar only has a couple of minutes to get in, find and take what he steals before the police arrive.
Cable Locks and Trigger Locks, like the lock box these don't keep your firearm from being stolen, but don't allow a child (or a burglar) to fire it.   Here are some Cable Lock Pics.   You usually get a cable lock when you buy a pistol, at least from reputable gun manufacturers.  

Storing Home Defense Firearms, information on how to store a gun (or guns) for quick access in home defense.  

UNDER CONSTRUCTION
You want to keep a loaded firearm, easily accessable to you, in your home, but how do you keep the kids or visitors from getting their hands on it?  
The primary problem here is keeping children and other adults from easily accessing a loaded firearm and still having it available in an emergency.   You can't hide stuff from your kids, they're curious and when your not looking they explore.   All firearms should be in your lockup at night except the one you keep by your night stand, just be sure to lock it back up when you get up.  
Magna Trigger
A special revolver safety which makes it unable to fire unless the person holding the gun has a special magnetic ring which unlocks the safety.  

Gun Hideouts
There are several ways to "hide" handguns in your house so they'll be quick to access.   I have seen mantel clocks with hidden compartments for handguns and false books with the center of the pages removed making room for a handgun.   These hideout guns should be placed in the lockup every night while your asleep.   Remember, the best way to prevent children and other adults from getting your firearm is to keep it locked up.
Gun Vault or Biometric safe
The gun vault is a small gun lock box with a keypad that looks like your hand print.   You unlock it by placing your hand in the print and pressing a rapid sequence of keys (some time multiple keys at a time).   some of these are small enough to fit into a drawer.
Automatic with magazine safety and magazine in your pocket
Some automatics have an internal safety that will not allow the gun to fire if the magazine is removed even if there is a round in the chamber.   You can have one of these for home protection, in reach, with a round in the chamber, but the magazine in your pocket or very nearby.   The magazine acts as a "key" to unlock the gun to fire.

Betty, just in front of our gun safe.   Notice its in a corner, with bolts into anchors in the slab and lag bolts into the studs.   You must have the safe open to access the securing bolts.   Even a small lag bolt, high up on the safe, anchored into a stud, makes it hard to use the safe as a long lever to pull up the slab anchors.   You'll have to drill the extra mounting holes up high in the safe's back and side, which will take time if the safe is a good one.   There is no safe that can't be broken into, but it takes a lot of time and tools, and we have a monitored alarm so the police are on the way.

The hinges are external with no external attachment (bolts or screws), but the door can still swing open 90°.   Being in the corner allows lag bolts into walls and studs in two directions in addition to the concrete anchors in the slab.   This safe cost a little less than a handgun and will hold shotguns, rifles and handguns.   I could have put this in a closet, but ours are all pretty full, so the office is the next best thing.   A hammer drill works well for mounting to the slab. The barely seen black box on top is a sort-of fire resistant box for stuff we need to keep safe.

I cut away the base mould so the safe could be moved up against the wall and bolted directly to the studs in addition to concrete anchors in the floor.

A lock box as it appears when locked, thats a 12" ruler laying on top.   This one came from WalMart for about $30, it has a backup key for when the battery runs down.   This is where my carry gun stays when were traveling.   There are other types of electronic locks that are quicker to unlock in case this is where your loaded home defense firearm stays.

They usually have a padded interior.

Here is an M&P40 in it's gun rug, in the lock box.

Or a fanny pack concealed holster containing a compact .45ACP, with a M&P357c in it's gun rug.   Don't forget, you can double your protection by putting the cable lock on the gun then place it in a lock box or safe.

Here is a cable lock with a S&W M&P .40.   You'll note there is no magazine in the pistol, I store them, unloaded, with the ammo and magazines in another secure place.   One other note: an automatic may still have a round in the barrel capable of firing even when the magazine is removed, open the slide and check it!   FWI, some (but not all) automatics have an internal safety that prevents the gun from firing when the magazine is removed, I have even read about folks "locking" their home protection firearms that way, keeping the magazine in their pocket.

When you unlock it it looks like this.   You pass the end, at the bottom of the pic, through the barrel and back into the lock.

Now nobody can fire the gun until you unlock and remove the cable.   These are an XDm 9mm, and a .45ACP revolver (1917).   Both of these cable locks have a plastic sheath over the cable (the XD cable is clear) so it doesn't scratch the inside of the barrel while inserting or removing it.

Another way to run the cable, but either should do the trick.   This is a S&W M&P .45ACP.   This technique can also work for rifles that have a removable clip.