Many people in this country keep firearms in their home for sporting and defense purposes. Certainly, keeping a gun for the protection of your possessions and loved ones makes sense in a society in which many criminals go armed.
However, failing to secure your weapons can be just as dangerous, if not more so, than any criminal. As statistics have shown, unsecured weapons can be lethal to have around your house or office and should always be locked away from curious children, intruders and other unauthorized people.
This is why a sturdy, reliable gun safe is a necessity to any responsible gun-owner. In addition to the obvious security benefits gun safes have over other methods of firearm-storage such as a gun-rack or cabinet, gun safes have the advantage of keeping guns concealed from prying eyes. As guns represent a tempting prize to burglars, it is a mistake to leave such arms on display. Further, legislation requires any deadly weapon be securely stored. Gun safes come in a variety of sizes, from roughly the height of a fridge to handgun safes approximately the size of a briefcase. Sentry safes are used to hold a number of long guns or rifles whereas handgun safes accommodate pistols and revolvers. Another safety point to consider is that it is often wisest to store guns and their ammunition separately.
Gun safes offer various features and lock types to protect your firearms and ammunition.
You will have to decide which are appropriate to your needs. Key locks are perhaps the most basic solution and generally offer good security. However, you will have to ensure that you do not lose or have stolen your key or the security of your gun safe will be instantly compromised.
Combination locks are a great way around the necessity for a key however research has shown that such safes are usually illegally accessed by those who have discovered the owner’s combination recorded in some obvious place. It is always best to memorize your combination and keep any record of it in an impossible-to-find location. Note that electronic locks offer a further enhancement to the security of gun, sentry and hand gun safes in that the combination can be changed at any time if, for example, you suspect it may have been discovered. As to the other features of gun safes, you will have to decide whether you need protection from things other than theft and unauthorized access. As firearms often represent a significant investment it is worth considering, after consulting a pro like a locksmith, a gun or hand gun safe which is proof against fire, water and impact damage.