As mentioned in the New Gun Owner Guide, figuring out how you will store your gun safely should be at the top of your list after deciding to buy your first gun. There’s no definitive answer for every gun owner on the best option. It really depends on a number of factors.
Key Factors
What are the laws where you live?
Different states may have varying requirements when it comes to safe gun storage. I will be adding a section about gun laws by state, but for now, please look into the laws where you live and plan accordingly.
Who lives in your home?
I would consider this first after determining your legal storage requirements. Is it just you in the home or do you have other adults or kids living with you? With other adults, you have a bit more leeway, but if there are kids in the home, you need to consider your safe storage options carefully. That is for safety reasons and also possibly for insurance purposes. Along with checking your local legal requirements, see if your homeowners insurance might have any requirements as well. In general, having a way to safely lock up your gun to keep it out of the hands of any person who shouldn’t have access to it is a good practice.
Who visits your home regularly?
Similar to the question above, don’t forget to consider who visits you. You may not have kids, but if family likes to come by with their kids, you should take that into consideration with your storage plans.
Is your gun to be used for home defense?
If you really only want to have access to your gun when you go hunting or for a planned range trip, your storage options may differ from those if you want easy access to it in a home defense scenario. A not atypical option for home defense would be to have the firearm stored near your bed, so you can get to it quickly in the middle of the night. But, that might mean you need to find a storage solution that fits under the bed or in the nightstand. If you don’t need easy access, you might just keep it in a safe in your basement. So, this is an important factor to consider.
Is theft a concern?
If you have concerns about someone breaking in and stealing your firearm, you may want to consider storage solutions that can’t be easily removed from your home. A large gun safe fits the bill, but there are also options for single handgun storage that can be secured to a piece of furniture or otherwise made difficult to remove without tools and time.
Do you need to store your firearm securely in a vehicle?
Vehicle storage adds another element to the entire scenario. But, there are lots of companies that make a variety of storage options for your car or truck.
Do you need to travel with your gun?
Traveling with a gun (especially on an airplane) adds yet another element to your safe storage situation. For this one, you’ll want to check with the airline you fly to understand their process and requirements. Do not just show up at the airport expecting to figure it out at check-in. Please research this one very carefully and follow the rules to the letter. It will make your flying experience a whole lot better.
Do you plan on purchasing more firearms in the future?
Last up is just deciding if you’re getting one gun and you’re done or if you might end up with a small (or large) collection at some point. If you’re planning to buy multiple firearms (rifles, shotguns, handguns, etc.) then some form of decent sized gun safe is likely in your future.
Storage laws vary by state and change often. Verify current requirements with an official source, and see our Disclaimer.