Gun Safety

Do you have children living in your home?
Do you have a gun in your home?

If you answered "yes" to one or both of these questions then read on: this stuff is important.

Lets start by addressing the people with kids in the house. The first rule to teach your kids is "Don't touch it! Go get an adult!"  This talk should be given as soon as your child is able to understand both key concepts of touching vs not touching and getting an adult for help.

Now if you don't own a gun you might be wondering if this is talk is needed.  And I will go ahead and say yes, yes this is important.  You may be able to control your home environment but you cannot control the rest of the world.  If your child doesn't understand that there is a difference between toy guns and real guns, and they happen into a place where a real gun is, this story could have a tragic ending.

Now if you have a gun, is it in a safe? (hint: the responsible answer is yes) Guns should be kept in a safe when not in use and ammo should be kept locked up in a different safe. These things should never be treated lightly. Stay safe, and be responsible.

Now what if you have both kids and guns?

A loaded gun in the bedside table is not going to keep your family safe.  Children love opening just about anything that can be opened and playing with things you have tried to keep them away from.  This could be deadly to a random person in your home.  (Who knows where a child might point it?)  Still want a gun by your bed just in case?  Get a small safe and attach it to something that isn't going anywhere.

Now what if you think marksmanship is important for your child to learn? When are they old enough for there first lesson?  My dad felt that 8 years old was plenty old enough but I would point out that this is more about your child's maturity level than their actual age.  Is this someone you would want to be in the same room as and trust with a loaded rifle?  And yes rifles are safer than handguns when you are starting out.   (At first people point where they look, and it is a lot easier to make sure a rifle is pointed down-range than a pistol.)

Stay safe.