I recently wrote a piece for The WON about running with a gun, and there is another piece of that self-protection mindset that we should make sure we cover: storage. Part of carrying a gun when you run, walk, hike, or otherwise leave your house and chose to be armed is securing it when you return home.
Sponsored by NSSF
Some people lock their guns in their safes immediately. Some continue to carry all day long. Some have a small safe or locking drawer they put their guns in. How you chose to secure your gun is as personal as how you chose to carry it. But having a plan to secure guns and know their location is important part of home safety. And we need to make sure that the way in which we secure a concealed carry gun works with our own plans for secure home. I might use my CCW as my home defense gun, if say, I live in a small apartment and do not own other firearms. Or in cases like mine, I have home defense guns in various, safe locations and safes, so my CC gun ceases to be my “go to” once I’m in my house. When I’m home, rifles and shotguns become “home defense” tools, and my little CC gun can just rest easy.
I have a much different situation than many moms: my boys are older, and they are very skilled with guns and we work with them daily. Locking my CC gun into a safe is something that if I chose not to do, there are ZERO small children here that could get a hold of it. We don’t have neighbor kids coming and going in our house. But if you live with toddlers, curious youngsters, or host the neighborhood study group, you need to be locking your firearms up.
Some women choose to make decisions about carrying guns inside the home. For example, taking a gun with them when they are home alone and showering or setting their home security alarm as soon as they get inside. These are very practical habits and depending on what area you live in, they might be necessary. How many NRA armed citizen excerpts have you read where the homeowner was otherwise occupied when someone tried to break into their house? I’m sure enough to know that a firearm accessible from the bedroom or other locations where we could be caught off guard is a good plan. Habits of self-aware and situationally-aware people create safety, not just from the fact that they are armed, but because they are aware, as well as armed.
When you’ve taken the time to plan for your own safety while out on a run or a hike, make sure that when you come home you, respect and secure that precious freedom found in your firearm. Make sure that children cannot access your CC gun. Make sure your CC gun is where you put it last and establish a pattern of safe gun storage that helps build your home into one that is gun-friendly and smart.
Home is where your heart is. So, take firearms safety to heart and love your family and freedom by securing your guns and teaching those around you to do the same. Being prepared for so many situations in life is about holding ourselves to standards. Safety standards make a home a place where we can feel safe, rested, and recharge so that we can go out and inspire others!
Becky Yackley primarily competes in 3 Gun, USPSA, Bianchi pistol, but has competed in shooting since 1989 in disciplines from service-rifle, to NCAA Air Rifle and Smallbore, air pistol and a little bit of long range rifle. She shoots guns and cameras at competitions around the country, and writes in her fictional spare time. View all posts by Becky Yackley
