Tips for responsible firearm owners

JACKSON, Tenn. –You may have purchased or received a firearm over the holidays.
Whether it’s your first or fifth, we have some tips from a gun safety expert on responsible gun ownership to decrease the chance of an accident at home.

The easiest step to take in becoming a safer and more responsible gun owner is to get in touch with local law enforcement and see if they offer free cable locks for your firearms.

In Madison County, you can get them at the Driver Services Center at 100 Benchmark Circle, the Jackson Police Department at 234 Institute Street, or at the Tennessee Highway Patrol headquarters at 336 Smith Lane.

“These are really easy to use as the cable runs through either the barrel or the action of the firearm, preventing it from being fired and they either require a key or a combination to unlock them. although these are great, they are only a deterrent”, said Kristy Titus with the International Hunter Education Association.

While cable locks are widely available, they are best utilized in tandem with either a gun case, lock box or ideally a gun safe so the firearm is not easily accessible. Titus also shares ways to safely store ammunition.

“Always store your ammunition in a locked container or case that’s in a completely separate location from your unloaded firearms,” said Titus.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions says 55% of gun owners with children in the home do not practice safe gun storage.
82% of adolescent suicides involve a gun belonging to a family member and 1 in every 3 children live with one or more guns in the home.

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