Do You Need a Safe to Buy a Gun?

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Although activities, such as hunting and sport shooting, are certainly valid reasons to own a 

firearm, the most common justification cited by gun owners is personal protection.

Do you need a safe to buy a gun? 

It’s a simple reality: If you own a firearm, you are most likely concerned about your family and loved ones’ safety and that of their visiting friends. Learn how a gun safe enhances your ability to defend your household and make an informed decision on the best way to protect what matters most to you.

Protect Your Guns

The most obvious benefit of a gun safe is the ability to protect your firearms, ammunition, and other items from theft, unauthorized access, or damage resulting from a house fire, flooding, or natural disasters.

A high-quality gun safe should use heavy-gauge steel parts in its construction, such as thick solid steel plates and bars, to resist tampering and brute-forcing. Twelve-gauge is the minimum recommended wall thickness, although 10-gauge and 7-gauge are even better because they make the safe more resistant to drilling and brute force. Your safe should also be fire tested and rated to withstand multiple hours of protection against high temperatures.

Consider purchasing a gun safe or a small gun cabinet with secure locks and access systems, such as biometric readers or electronic keypads. If you prefer a more traditional locking mechanism, such as a dial lock, make sure it meets the military specification FF-L-2937, a DoD standard certifying your lock is GSA-approved for protecting guns, weapons, and ammunition.

Protect Your Children

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Another advantage of having a gun safe is the ability to protect your children from accessing your guns, potentially leading to tragedy. Even if you do not have children of your own, a gun safe can prevent other people’s children from accessing your firearms.

Do you need a safe to buy a gun? The answer may be yes. Although it is a reasonable safety concern no matter where you live, having a gun safe may be a legal requirement if you live in one of the states that have passed a Safe Storage or Child Access Prevention law. Check your local laws regarding firearm storage because they apply even if no children live in your house.

Protect Your Home More Efficiently

Secure storage of your firearms is essential. Still, if you end up in a home invasion or another personal defense situation, you’ll want a gun safe that lets you access your guns quickly, without having to fumble with a key or a dial.

Fast-access bedside gun safes possess specific locking mechanisms, such as RFID chip readers or biometric fingerprint sensors. These types of gun safes are designed explicitly for home defense, allowing you to keep your firearms secured while also providing unlock access within seconds when you need it.

Protect Your Other Valuables

A suitable gun safe can protect more than your collection of firearms. You can also use your gun safe as a general-purpose safe to secure your other valuables, such as cash, jewelry, important documents, keys, birth certificates, passports, and other essential items.

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If you are a concealed-carrying citizen, a gun safe is an ideal location for storing your concealed carry accessories, such as your firearm, holster, magazine carrier, and concealed carry permit.

Carrying a Concealed Weapon?
Make Sure You Have the Necessary Concealed Carry Accessories

The Bottom Line

Every responsible gun owner should store their firearms in secure purpose-built gun safes. They protect your guns from theft, unauthorized access, or disasters, and they shield you and your rights more efficiently.

At The Home Security Superstore, we are committed to helping you keep your home and family safe. We offer an extensive selection of gun safes, alarm systems, home security and surveillance systems, and a wide selection of self-defense and survival equipment.

FAQs

Why can’t I use a regular safe to protect my guns?

Generic safes may not offer the same protection against theft or fire damage as a dedicated, purpose-built gun safe.

Where should I place my gun safe?

Finding a location for your gun safe can be challenging. An ideal location is out of sight, away from windows, such as a closet or a dedicated room.

Are there other advantages or incentives for using a gun safe?

Specific states and localities offer tax rebates when purchasing a gun safe. Buying a gun safe can also provide you with a degree of legal protection.