Storing guns away from home during an at-risk period is the safest option to prevent injury or death. Guns can be temporarily stored with friends or relatives, in a self-storage facility, or at a police department, pawn shop, gun shop, or shooting range.
Cable locks are simple devices that run a cable through the parts of an empty gun so that the weapon cannot be loaded and fired. The cable runs through the barrel, into the chamber, and through the bullet magazine, and is locked with a small padlock.
Trigger locks are small devices placed over the gun’s trigger guard that prevent the weapon from being fired—although the locks do not prevent the weapon from being loaded.
Biometric safes are often used by gun owners who want quick access to their weapons in emergencies. The safes use a fingerprint instead of a traditional combination, password, or physical key, and can be opened in seconds.
Safe storage is an approach focused on preventing unauthorized people, such as children, from accessing firearms. This can be accomplished through a variety of tools, including cable locks, firearm safes, or lockboxes. Critical components of the gun, such as the slide or firing pin, can also be removed. Ammunition should be stored in a separate and securely locked container.
