This Is Not About Guns

Well actually, it’s not about gun ownership, pro or con; it is, of course, about gun safety.

Not that long ago I had a real estate listing. My client was an older man, nice guy. I was at his home going over the sales contract when the subject of guns came up. He told me he had a World War II German P-38 that had been made by the Japanese. That’s a rare find indeed and I asked to see it. He went off and returned a short time later, pistol in hand. Well, as I would do with any weapon, I checked to make sure it was empty. Imagine my surprise when I dropped the magazine to find it was loaded, and when I pulled the slide back a live round popped out. He had no idea it was loaded, just forgot.

Having been in law enforcement for 50 years I have seen a few mistakes with firearms and as an NRA pistol instructor and NRA range officer, the subject of gun safety is one I am familiar with. I want to talk about gun safety and a plan for keeping a safe firearm in your home and your car if you decide to be a gun owner. But first, let’s go over the four rules of basic gun safety.

1. All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are!

2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy!

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target!

4. Identify your target and what is behind it!

Number One is an ironclad rule and as you can see from the example above, it served me well that day. So of course, the number one question is, how will we store our guns and ammunition in our home? Guns loaded or unloaded, ammunition with the guns, or stored separately? I feel the main question here is who has access to your weapons? If you have small children in your house or many guests, I would consider a gun safe. Frankly, regardless of the family dynamics, a gun safe in my opinion is a must. If you are a target shooter, a competition shooter, or a hunter, keeping all your weapons locked in your gun safe is a fine option. 

Now, the question of having a loaded firearm in your home and carrying a firearm out in public raises a whole new set of questions and responsibilities. If you decide to keep a loaded weapon in your home for home defense and at times remove the firearm from the home to carry it concealed, it must be safe and secure both in your home, in your car, and on your person. For this article let’s just discuss a defensive car and home weapon. First, this weapon will most likely be loaded, and with many firearms that have robust safety features with a round in the gun chamber, which is a safe option. Really, the question is where will you store the gun in your house? There are many options where you can safely conceal a gun in your home. There are many gun storage options. Some of my favorites are fake books that you set in a bookcase, fake table clocks, and just a simple magnet. With any of these options, consider placing the storage safe as high as possible, on a shelf or with a magnet mounted high on a wall or door frame. If there is any chance you could have children in your home visiting this is a major safety issue. 

Now, regarding your vehicle. If you decide to carry a weapon in your car, there is nothing more irresponsible than leaving your gun unsecured in your vehicle, even for a minute to run into a store. If you have an unsecured gun stolen out of your vehicle, say after you left it in the center console overnight, and that gun is later used to commit a crime or even worse a murder, that death is on you. I have a cabled gun box in both my cars. I use that for example when I go into someplace like the gym where I really can’t carry it. These steel car safes retail for about $35 on Amazon and it’s the responsible thing to do. 

That last thing and one of the most important things to consider if you do decide to own a gun is training! In our area, there are several professional training centers. Two that come to mind are the Alamo gun shop in Naples and Jeff Street’s Step by Step Gun Training. As always, I like to go to the experts and get a professional opinion on the subject at hand. I contacted both Jeff Steet, owner of Step by Step Gun Training, and Michelle Elliott, Director of Training at the ALAMO, and asked them.

Jeff, you have been teaching classes for a long time. What would be the top training needs a new gun owner should consider first?

Gun handling skills need to be learned and practiced. I see too many fingers on triggers at inappropriate times. I see poor muzzle awareness (people pointing guns at themselves and others without realizing it. 

For all gun owners, what do you feel is the best way to keep your weapons in your home and in your car?

At home, guns need to be secured away from the 3Cs: the children, the clueless, and the criminals. Wear your gun and it’s always within your reach. In the car, wearing your gun is the best practice. When I go to jury duty I stop at a parking lot and move my gun to a lock box in the trunk, then I drive into the courthouse gun-free. 

For those people who decide to carry a weapon in public, what would be your suggestions on how they should carry a weapon concealed? And what are the main worries and concerns about carrying in public?

The first rule for me is whenever possible/legal, carry a gun. The second rule is keep it concealed. People need to learn to draw a gun safely and how to get the gun put back in the holster safely.

Lastly any other suggestions and ideas on gun safety? One thing I hear about is getting a membership in an insurance group to protect yourself if heaven forbid, you ever find yourself in a deadly force situation.

Lumping these programs together and calling them insurance is ok but not accurate. Some are prepaid legal services and others are different models. The one I belong to is like a club of like-minded responsible, trained carry practitioners. You need to investigate and find the one that fits your needs.

Michelle, what would be the top two training needs a new gun owner should consider first?

Gun handling and basic manipulation. Safely handling and operating the controls of your firearms must become second nature. Most safety violations with firearms do not occur as the gun is being pointed and fired at a target. The gun handling and manipulation of the firearm (including holstering and re-holstering) is usually where safety issues occur.

For all gun owners, what do you feel is the best way to keep your weapons in your home and in your car?

Bottom line is for everything you get, you’ve got to give something up. For example, the more secured your firearm is (lockbox, locked console, or glovebox, etc.), the less accessible it is for immediate use. The more immediately accessible your gun is, the more vulnerable it is to theft or unqualified people getting their hands on it. A few considerations

Are you the only person in the car?

Do you share your car?

Are there ever kids in the car? 

Is your car parked in a secure area at home and work?

What kind of neighborhoods are you driving and parking in?

FACT – The greatest resource for stolen guns is from vehicles.

For those people who decide to carry a weapon in public, what would be your suggestions on how they should carry a weapon concealed? And what are the main worries and concerns about carrying in public?

DO NOT carry a firearm on your person until you are well trained on gun safety and handling, shooting fundamentals, deployment of that weapon from your holster, and re-holstering

Invest in a quality holster made of reliable, high-quality materials. Make sure the holster is made for your gun model and that the trigger is completely protected.

Know the pros and cons of what condition you carry your gun in - round in the chamber vs. no round in the chamber. Train accordingly.

You would not buy any other tool or vehicle, boat, or plane without learning how it can be safely used, it's no different with a gun. Train and become familiar with all your gun operations. You also might consider an occasional range day, both the Alamo (indoor) and Lou Land out at Port of the Isles (outdoor) are good practice ranges. There are also several amateur competitions that are held in our area. For example, on Thursday nights out at Lou Land there is a steel plate competition. I call it the “old man bowling league” - no one wins anything but it’s great practice and camaraderie. And check out Step by Step’s Saturday Scoot and Shoot, a public range day out at Lou Land for steel target practice, plus Jeff and his wife Robyn, are there for hands-on instruction.

If you decide to own a gun, do it the right way, be responsible with its storage and become comfortable with using it. Practice and be safe. 

For your training needs Jeff Street can be reached at  239-641-6140

HTTPS://StepByStepGunTraining.com 

Michelle Elliott at the ALAMO at 239-631-8563  https://alamorange.com/training/