Many people have given up on watching the news because of the violence and crime that has become so prevalent in society today. Even those of us who choose to carry protection and guard our homes with security systems and neighborhood watch programs have become worried about the rising number of break-ins and crimes that occur in the home.
When I am at home I almost always have some form of protection within reach. I also have a concealed weapons permit, so when I am running errands I still feel safe.
But what do you do with your personal belongings after you settle in for the evening? Do you leave your firearm lying around on a counter or sitting on a table? If you have children, this is not a safe practice. As responsible gun owners, it’s our duty to properly secure and store our firearms when they are not under our direct control.
I used to remove my sidearm, a small .380 pistol, and lay it on my kitchen table or counter. If I didn’t put it there, I wouldn’t remember where I put it or I would forget to grab it on my way out the door.
There are ways to be a responsible gun owner while also keeping fast access to our firearms in the home. One of my favorite ways to store my gun these days is inside of a Covert Cabinet. I chose a shelf from the company, and it looks like a normal shelf on the wall that you would sit decorative things on. With a swipe of a magnetic key, the bottom portion of the cabinet opens to reveal a hidden compartment. In all, opening the cabinet takes a couple seconds.
When I am at home, I put my sidearm, my wallet and my valuables inside of my cabinet. I have one next to the bed, and I have one in the hallway that leads to the front door.
One night a while back I was at home alone and my dogs began alerting me that someone or something was outside. In my pajamas and in a dark house, I made my way into the hallway and opened my Covert Cabinet. There is a motion sensor light inside, so as the bottom of the cabinet drops down, I can easily see my firearm sitting inside. I grabbed it, and then I stood where I could see my front door.
Everything was fine that night. My dogs heard something, but it turned out to be nothing. My sense of safety was only disrupted for the few seconds it took for me to access the closest firearm.
I know that I could hide a gun under my mattress, in the couch cushions, or even up on a shelf out of reach. But there is something nice about knowing that if someone comes into my house, he won’t find a firearm around.
A while back, I worked on a project for an organization called “Project ChildSafe.” The National Shooting Sports Foundation started this program to help educate gun owners on how to be more responsible and to practice safe storage of firearms. They provide gunlocks to be handed out and they inspire all of us to think about how and where we store our firearms. This project opened my eyes to the benefit of adding quality tools to my life that ensure that I’m doing everything possible to be a responsible gun owner.
My collaboration with projects such as Project ChildSafe and Covert Cabinets is meant to educate and motivate other gun owners to do the same things. It only takes a few seconds to do the responsible thing and safely and properly store your firearms. We owe it to ourselves, our families and anyone else who may gain access accidentally to our firearms to take these additional steps to put safety first.
