What exactly is safe storage for a hand gun and what is safe storage for a rifle or shot gun?
Are you driving with your eyes open or are you using The Force? - A. Foley
Here in Canada, the laws are:
- Rifle and shotgun: assuming both are non-restricted weapons, they must be stored unloaded, and rendered inoperable by a lock device such as a trigger lock or stored in a securely locked container, receptacle, or room that cannot be easily broken open or into;
further, the ammunition for above weapons may not be stored with the firearms, unless in a separate sturdy, locked container that may not be easily broken open or into.
The only exceptions (other than law enforcement and military on manoevres), is in remote areas (i.e. the boonies), non-restricted firearms may be stored in the open, but unloaded.
- Handguns (all of which are either restricted or prohibited weapons in Canada):
same as above, except that if they are not rendered inopertive by trigger lock or cable lock, they must be stored in a securely locked vault, or purpose-built room.
Launcher may train without warning.
Rodd Hill, Is a locked glass front cabinet considered okay? In the TV westerns/semi westerns, the ranchers reach for the shotguns/rifles in glass fronted cabinets…the locks of which are often tiny brass keys, look as effective as file cabinet locks.
Jois
legally or morally?
Before I had a safe (no kids or irresponsible adults around) I would remove parts from my guns if friends brought their kids over to visit. Takes about 30 seconds to remove the slide/barrel from a 45 automatic or to remove a bolt/fireing pin from a rifle.
It is too damn easy to make guns safe to not do so.
Jois, the Canadian Govt. has been deliberately vague (when are they anything else?), but I suspect that a glass-front case would be ruled to be “too easy to gain access to.”
The instructor I had on the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (a prerequisite to getting a Permit) was a retired cop, and he said that the generally accepted defn was in a locked trunk, steel locker, etc.
However, if the room itself is secure enough, apparently you can put them in a wall rack, as long as they are rendered inoperable, etc. Go figure. No more rifle racks though, except in remote areas.
Launcher may train without warning.
The glass-fronted case or open rifle rack is acceptable IF the guns are further disabled by trigger locks, cable/chain restraints, or similar disabling devices.
Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity!
SavageNarce is this Canadian, too?
I saw Tom Arnold on CNN - a trio men discussing guns and safety on Larry King Live. Yes, not the event of the century.
Whatever the others said, I forget.
However Arnold said he was sure every boy considered it his duty to get into his dad’s gun case (cabinet, storage, shelf) and play with the gun(s).
Something about the way he said it really struck home with me and I tried to think of how I’ve seen guns and rifles stored. Where would the keys be kept? Would I break the glass so I could do my duty and play with the forbidden guns?
It just seems too easy.
Are you driving with your eyes open or are you using The Force? - A. Foley
Jois: Yes, but other jurisdictions may also agree.
Here’s a link to the Canadian federal regulations on storage: Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations, SOR/98-209
As Rodd noted, “restricted” firearms are essentially handguns.
and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe
Thanks! Looks pretty good to me. Wish we could do something like that!
Are you driving with your eyes open or are you using The Force? - A. Foley
Well, here’s how you can legally store them in the state of Washington, but. . .
Ray (The gun situation in the US is so fouled up, somebody must be orchestrating these news events, which seem follow regularly – all to spur an effective change.)
back to the OP - Are you asking about storing a firearm safely and still be able to use it quickly in an emergency, or do you want to know how to store a firearm for a long time, or are you interested in keeping firearms in storage in a manner so that you can use them occasionally? In all cases, of course, the most important thing to do is render the firearm incapable of operation by anyone except those persons you designate. I won’t go into the entire ‘smart gun’ debate here, but suffice it to say that I believe there is some merit to the use of new technology to make firearms safer. If you want to have a handgun readily available for emergencies, many semi-auto pistols are made safe by removing the magazine; the pistol will not fire until you re-insert the magazine. In other words, you can put a fully-loaded magazine into the pistol, work the action to load a round into the chamber, remove the magazine and the pistol will then be incapable of firing the round in the chamber. This is due to the presence of a mechanical device in the pistol called the ‘magazine disconnector’. If a situation arises that requires the use of the pistol, merely inserting the magazine will bring the pistol back into an operable condition. This is the only instance in which I can recommend storing a loaded firearm, unless some form of locking device is attached to the firearm itself. This would be in addition to any safe, cabinet, drawer, chest, etc., with a separate and additional locking device. Rifles, shotguns, semi-auto pistols, and revolvers can be locked with a variety of devices which make them very safe indeed, but these devices make them very difficult to bring into operation in an emergency situation. As an aside, I was taught many years ago that there are five safeties associated with the Colts 1911A1-style pistols: the slide disconnector, the thumb safety, the half-cock notch, the grip safety, and…the shooter. I bet you’re expecting a long tirade about gun safety right about now - well, I won’t do it.