Do You Need a Gun Safe if You Don’t Have Kids

Gun safes are part of responsible gun ownership, and we’re not just saying that because we manufacture them. They are for your protection as much as they are for protecting your firearms.

So yes, you do need a gun safe even if you do not have kids because:

  • Some states require them by law
  • You may have guests over for a celebration and they may bring their kids
  • Intruders entering your home and finding your firearm because it was left out
  • Having a muscle memory based protective routine helps you function in threat situations
  • Dehumidifiers can be used to help control corrosion if you live in humid areas

Restricting and Preventing Access

You may not have kids, but friends and family may bring theirs over for a holiday dinner or a BBQ. Whether it is children playing in your home or a guest who had a little too much to drink and goes exploring, neither should be able to access a firearm.  

Chances are you don’t carry your handgun on you 24/7 while you’re at home, and rifles can be eye-catching so people want to pick them up. Nothing good can come from the two scenarios above, which is why putting your firearms into a gun safe vs. thinking you do not need one because you don’t have kids is always a best case scenario.

Protection from Intruders

There are two main ways a gun safe can protect you and your loved ones from intruders. The first is, not having firearms accessible while you’re sleeping or out running an errand. Being in the habit of locking your guns in a safe vs. leaving them out is vital if there is an intruder breaking into your home.

If you leave your firearm out because nobody was home and you only needed to run a quick errand, that is when it matters most. If the intruder was watching and thinks you’ll be gone longer, they may see it right as you’re coming home and catch you off guard. They have the upper hand here and your firearm.

The same applies to you taking a nap and your firearm being in the other room. If they’re in the middle of their burglary and you wake up, a firearm within their reach escalates the situation.  They may not have known you were home, and you may live alone and have left it a few rooms over. If they get to it first, you’re at a potentially deadly disadvantage.

Although most burglaries happen during the day while people are at work, some happen at night. No matter what, you don’t want your firearms laying out near the threat if an invader comes in, and there are set places and points of entry burglars go first.

One of the best ways to defend yourself is to have muscle memory and routines built into your response. Hearing a crash in the middle of the night can throw you off guard if you were asleep. Being able to jump into action using muscle memory to hit the keypad correctly, access your firearms for defense, and either escape or get into protective positioning is vital.

It’s something everyone from security training facilities to the United States Marine Corps relies on, which they outline here. Building good habits can keep your body and brain responding to keep you safe, even when anxiety and stress hits.

It May Be the Law

Not all states require firearms to be locked up when not in use, and other states have laws about preventing people under a certain age like 18 in Hawaii (it was raised from 16 years old in 2021) and 17 in Texas from having access to them. These laws can change at any moment, including after we published this post, so check with your state’s laws for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

By having a gun safe and using it properly for storage, you can reduce the chances of accidentally breaking a storage law and prevent others from taking the gun. This document from the Department of Justice shares that at least six states including Colorado, New Jersey, and Michigan can hold you liable for actions taken by someone that stole your firearm and used it.  

Some of the states may require you to report the stolen firearm as soon as you discover it missing, which may or may not remove some of your liability, but again, these laws can change at the drop of a hat, including while we wrote this post and before we published it.  

Protect the Firearm from Corrosion

If you live in humid environments, your firearms could be exposed to excess moisture causing firearm corrosion. This leads to them needing more regular maintenance because of a lack of proper storage. The longer they sit in humid settings, the more they are exposed and need to be cared for.

If you’ve invested in a gun room, make sure it is climate controlled to keep excess humidity out.  Gun safes can come with built in dehumidifiers helping to prevent premature rusting and corrosion. Gun safes are another great alternative, even when they have vents. Yes, vents can let moisture in, but they also allow for circulation which may help reduce corrosion.

Even if you do not have kids, you may need a gun safe to prevent intruders from accessing your firearms during a threat situation, it could be the law where you live, and to help protect your firearms from humidity and corrosion.

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