When it comes to firearms there are rules to follow. You should already know the cardinal rules of gun safety, but in case you're new to this world, let's cover them.
1.) Treat all guns as if they are loaded
2.) Never aim at anything you're not willing to destroy
3.) Keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot
4.) Be sure of your target and what's behind it.
Have you ever thought about gun safety outside of those four rules? I'm talking about things like where are you going to store your gun. How are you going to control who has access to it? People like children, grandchildren, visitors, babysitters, friends, housekeepers, etc.? How will you keep it safe from things like theft or fire? Most people don't think about these things right away. Or by the time they think about it, it could be too late. Today, we want to help you address some of these concerns and avoid a bad situation. Let's start with something simple like ownership rights.
Your 2nd Amendment rights: Our rights allow us to own and use firearms. I am not going into detail about what firearms you can own in your state and all the state laws surrounding guns. I'm going to be speaking in a general sense here. There are TONS of anti-gun groups and people in government trying to take away our right to own and use firearms. The most significant way they start these campaigns is with scare tactics using data surrounding firearms, from accidental shootings to intentional shootings, crime rates, and more. If your guns are locked up and secured, you can't be one of those statistics they refer to. Locking your guns up is a surefire way to protect your 2nd amendment right by being a responsible firearm owner.
Protecting your children: As a parent, your priority is your children and their safety. All of our kids here at Blue Ridge Safe are familiar and proficient with guns and love shooting. Nonetheless, we know how curious and sneaky kids can be. We store our firearms safely and away from them. Storing your firearms in a safe place that is out of reach of children is always the best option. Not only for their safety but for the liability aspect of it, too. Laws are ever-changing; more and more parents are being held liable for things they didn't even know would happen, accidental or not.
Complying with Child Access Prevention Laws: Here in North Carolina, where we are located, there is a law 14-315.1. Storage of firearms to protect minors. This law basically states that you are obligated to store your firearms in such a manner that a minor cannot access them. Failure to do so could result in being charged with a felony. These laws protect you, your children, and any children visiting your home.
Protection from Fire: In the event of a house fire, you're more than likely going to lose a lot of valuable things. With a safe, you can significantly reduce or eliminate the loss of your gun collection, other collections, or other essential documents like house deeds, titles, passports, etc. Some safes have a fire rating of 30 minutes, while others have a 2+ hour fire rating and 30 minutes more for document storage pockets like the cool pocket. That means while everything is burning up, what's in your safe will be safe. There are many things to consider when discussing fire protection, but that's for another blog on another day. Stay tuned for a blog and video about fire protection.
Protection from Theft: If you buy firearms or jewelry, you know how much money you have invested in these items. If you've inherited any of the items mentioned above, you know how irreplaceable they are. Firearms, jewelry, and money are the first things crooks go after during a burglary. If you have a safe, you can significantly reduce your risk or eliminate the loss of these things. Safes come equipped with locking mechanisms, steel construction, secure locking systems, they are large and heavy enough that people typically don't just walk out with them. Let's talk about one more thing that people don't think about when they are victims of theft of a firearm. That is, you are responsible for your firearm. And even though some low life stole it, you follow all the proper procedures in reporting it stolen. If that low life kills someone with that firearm and that family hires a lawyer and they track it back to you. If they find out that you weren't storing your firearm correctly, they can sue you for not properly storing it! The odds are that lawsuits or civil suits won't hold, but you still have to go through the stress of it and will end up paying pretty penny in lawyer fees fighting it.
Quick Access: If you don't have a safe, odds are you're storing your gun somewhere you think is safe. Are you going to remember exactly where you put it? Or is it going to be like the keys you lose daily or the cell phone you lose while you're talking on it? I know I always lose my stuff when I am in a hurry or frustrated. If you have a safe, you're not going to have to remember where you put your firearm or have to go through other obstacles to get to it. They are all going to be in one spot with quick access. With today's technology, you can have your safe open within just a few seconds.
Concealed Carry: Did you know that with your concealed carry permit, there are laws you have to follow when you're not carrying? Again, I can't go into all the state's laws, so you must research the laws for your state. Let's sum them up in general by saying that when you take that gun off at the end of the day, it has to be put up somewhere safe. Put it in a safe! Even if it's just a nightstand safe or a portable safe, you can carry it with you.
Insurance: Did you know you can get an insurance discount for having a gun safe? Most insurance companies have guidelines on what safes get what discounts, so talk to your insurance representative before purchasing your safe to see if you qualify. Another thing you want to make sure of is that your insurance will pay out on your claim. Certain insurance companies will not pay out on a claim if your firearm was not correctly stored. So, even though you'll get a check for your other valuables that were taken, you won't get it for your firearm. Or if they do replace it, you might get a partial value of how much it was worth.
We hope this blog helped you think about the things you might not have considered surrounding firearm ownership or protecting your collection and family. We are happy to help you pick the safe that suits your needs and even offer in-home consultations to ensure you're getting the right safe! Remember, here at Blue Ridge Safe, we've got your safe, and we deliver.