There is so much to think about and consider when you first start getting into guns and concealed carry. First and foremost, you have to think about the gun. Do I want a full-size or a compact? What chambering? Once you select your gun, you have to start thinking about ammo. What load best fits my needs, and does it shoot well in my selected firearm? Does it function in it reliably?
And don’t forget the training. You need to know how to handle the gun before taking the next steps to legally carry it in your state. Once you know how to shoot it and are ready to carry it, you need a holster or five so you can carry it in any situation.
Once you have done all this you are now ready, right? Well, not exactly. You must think about safe storage of your guns, as it is a paramount part of being a responsible gun owner. You must make sure you know where it is and who has access to it at all times.
Practical Considerations
Storing a gun properly is very important and, in some states, required by law. Let’s start within your own home. I always recommend having a few different safes in your home, depending on the type of firearm you are trying to store.
If this gun is just a “range toy” or a hunting rifle, I always recommend a quality stand-up safe with some good fire rating and a solid lock. Some people prefer old-school dial combination locking mechanisms, but I personally like electronic because they are easy. They can fail, though, so always make sure your safe has a manual override or back-up key that will gain you access in the case of locking mechanism failure.
However, these types of safes are not designed for quick access, so I do not recommend storing a gun in these that has the sole purpose of self-defense. For a self-defense gun, I recommend a smaller safe with a biometric lock on it. Biometrics sound expensive, but they really aren’t anymore. Plus, the technology has come a long way over the years.
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I highly recommend one of these style safes because of how quickly and easily you can access your gun from them in a defensive situation. They are quick to access for the designated user, but will not allow access to anyone else. The most important thing to remember is that your gun is always somewhere, and it’s your responsibility to know who might have access to it — even in your own home.
Going Mobile
This same mentality transfers over to your vehicle as well. If you are going to carry a gun in your vehicle for self-defense, first make sure you know the laws in your state but then make sure you have a way to store that gun properly and safely when you are not in the vehicle and the gun may need to be left unattended.
A nice, padded lock box with a cable that can lock it to the seat post is a great, and affordable, option. I love my LifePod vault from Vaultek for this job. It fits under my seat perfectly and keeps everything secure. They also have center console lock boxes that mount right inside your existing center console, so there’s virtually no modifications required to your vehicle.
Tuffy Security Products makes an awesome one that is easy to install and turns your center console into a full vault. If you are like me and keep a SHTF (Stuff Hits the Fan) gun in your vehicle, you will also need a good way to lock that one up. Depending on your vehicle, this can be very easy or a bit tougher.
I drive a truck. Although the back seat is big, I utilize the floor space often for work, so I needed something that didn’t take up a crazy amount of space. I ended up finding a lock box that mounts under the rear seat from Tuffy Security Products that works perfectly to lock everything up when I am not in the truck. They make lock boxes and vaults for several different vehicles as well.
Conclusion
The most important thing to remember as a gun owner is that you are responsible for your firearm and who has access to them. Make sure you properly store your firearms so that no one who shouldn’t have access to them does.
Proper and safe storage is our responsibility. I always beat it into my students’ heads, and I will say it again before I am done here — YOUR GUN IS ALWAYS SOMEWHERE. It’s your responsibility to know where it is and who has access to it.
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