Everyone
knows children and guns can be a disastrous combination. Any of our gun-owning
readers who have children, or who have children that visit their homes, need to take certain
precautions: safe firearm storage, early introduction to firearms, and proper education & training.
Safe Storage
This is possibly the simplest element, so I’ll start here. Please note that while it’s the simplest doesn’t mean that it’s simple.
Preventing
unauthorized access to firearms is one of the most important responsibilities
of any firearm owner. Regardless of whether that unauthorized person is a
burglar, a visitor, another resident, or a child, it’s always the gun owner’s
job to secure their firearms.
There are
a number of options available for secure firearm storage:
- A dedicated gun safe. There are a wide variety available in different
sizes, with various features, and from a number of manufacturers. The downside
is that a quality safe is expensive, heavy, and takes up as much space
as a refrigerator, if not more.
- Gun owners
who only have a few firearms to secure may be well served by a small locking
case. Many of these come with steel cables for securing to furniture or an
interior element in a car. If there are plans to fly with a firearm, some are
also TSA approved.
- The
manufacturer’s case that came with the gun may have the ability accept a lock,
but they usually aren’t sturdy enough to prevent unauthorized access.
- If it's a home
defense handgun, there are quick access lock boxes available as well. Some have
tap code or biometric locks in addition to traditional keyed or combination
locks.
- Most new
firearms come with an adjustable or flexible hasp lock that runs through the
open action of the firearm, rendering it inoperable. These are also available
from Project Child Safe, a program introduced in the 1990s by the National
Shooting Sports Foundation.
- Trigger
locks are an additional option often used in conjunction with some type of
storage container. Trigger locks are not viable on every firearm or firearm
type; lever action rifles are a specific example where trigger locks generally
don’t work.
None of
these options are perfect, and the best option for one person may well be
different than that chosen by another. Additionally, none of these security methods work
if we don’t use them and use them consistently.
Don’t
forget about the ammunition, either. Unless it’s a home defense gun, it’s recommended
that ammunition be secured separately from firearms. If necessary, the ammunition can be locked
up as well.
Early Introduction to Firearms
I frequently have parents ask me “What’s a good
age to introduce my child to guns?” There is
no one-size-fits-all answer here, as it depends
on several factors. Most important is the maturity level and mental focus of
the child. After that is the physical ability to handle the firearm safely, followed
closely by the capability of the parent (or other chosen adult) to pass information
on in a way that the child can process.
One thing
that often works is to let the child know that any time they want to look at the
guns all they have to do is ask. If this precedent is set, make sure it's
always followed.
This
recurring visit to the gun safe is also a good time to reinforce the four rules
of safe gun handling. Children follow our example more often than our verbal
instructions.
The NRAs
Eddie Eagle program has been a valuable tool in teaching gun safety to children
for over 30 years. Its four
precepts of “
Stop! Don’t Touch, Run Away, Tell a Grown-Up” a
re easy for kids as
young five years old to remember and follow. If this program is not offered locally,
look into changing that.
Another useful element is to reinforce how dangerous guns can be if not handled properly. If an outdoor range is available, a gallon jug filled with water and food coloring can be a vivid example of the destructive power of a firearm. If this method is tried, make sure an appropriate cartridge is selected; the higher velocity the better.
Once the
basics are thoroughly covered, further training can follow; it's generally a
better idea to gun-proof your children than to child-proof your guns. Make sure
to check state and local laws regarding minimum age for handling a firearm or
any other legal requirements.
Education and Training
Not everyone is capable or comfortable teaching, in which case
a source of training will be needed. Proper
early education and training can be provided by parents, friends, or certified
instructors either individually, or as part of an organization. The most
important attributes for an instructor are patience and the ability to explain
things in a way a child is more likely to understand.
- Operation Blazing Sword has volunteer firearms educators all across the country. While not all of
these trainers will be comfortable instructing a child, it never hurts to ask.
- Another
good place to start may be your state's youth hunting license program. These
programs require a hunter safety course that nearly always involves a firearm
safety element.
- The 4-H program has provided quality youth firearms training for over one hundred
years. The National Shooting Sports Foundation now runs the firearm training
element of the 4-H program.
- At the
national level, the NRA has their National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program. They offer resources, programs, and training to assist youth
organizations, such as Scout troops, JROTC units, 4-H clubs, commercial summer
camps, and more. The local NRA state affiliate organization is also likely to have youth shooting activities.
- As their
skill and interest grows, another source of training and education is Project Appleseed. This program provides history and context in combination with
firearm training and shooting events to fulfill their goal of building a nation
of riflemen and, as they say on their website, “to show that many of the values
that our forefathers relied on to win our independence are still very much in
demand today.”
- Back in
the 1950s and even later in some places, schools had riflery teams and taught
firearm safety as part of their regular curriculum. More recently, there’s been
a movement to reintroduce that type of safety training back into the school
system. Look into where that’s going locally, and if no one has started this
process, maybe step up and start it yourself.
While this
is in no way a comprehensive list, I think I've shown there are many ways to
securely store firearms and safely introduce children to the shooting sports.
Remember that children are our future, so teach them well.
