Every member of your family should be familiar with and comfortable around firearms. Use all appropriate safety precautions with firearms but make sure that each member of your family is comfortable cleaning, loading and unloading and firing both pistols and rifles.

In general, you should own several rifles, a shotgun and pistols appropriate for each member of your family. Depending on the individuals' stature and comfort with pistols, a .22 caliber pistol is perfect for children or people who have small frames.

Larger caliber pistols will have more stopping power so a .45 or a 9mm pistol would be ideal if you are going for stopping power.

 

Training- 

In case of any weapon, appropriate training is always a good idea. If possible, become licenses to carry. I’m not recommending that you carry your weapon daily but the extra training and familiarity with firearms will help you and the extra license will make it easier to transport and carry your weapon to and from the range.

 

Active Self-Defense

The following checklist can be used for active self-defense of you and your family:

 

• Shotgun

• One or more rifles

• Pistols appropriate for each member of your family

• Ammunition

• Training and licensing for the firearms

• Tasers/Pepper spray for each member of your family

 

 

Passive Self-Defense Checklist

This checklist includes a list of things you should do for your home:

 

• Secure locks (deadbolts) with lock-plates on all outside doors

• Research and install an alarm system that does not require a central call center. This should include motion sensors, door and window contact sensors and impact sensors with a loud siren. Make sure your family is familiar with the alarm and has a reaction plan in case it goes off.

• Pre-cut plywood covers for each downstairs window. This also applies as storm protection so this is a good idea regardless of the type of disaster.

 

 

                                                                                  TIPS

• Always keep the firearm's muzzle pointed in a safe direction. A "safe direction" means that the gun is pointed so that even if an accidental discharge occurred, it would not result in injury.

• Always keep your finger off the trigger until you actually intend to shoot. When handling a gun, rest your finger outside the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. Don't touch the trigger until you are actually ready to fire.

• Firearms should be unloaded when not actually in use. Whenever you pick up a gun, such as when removing it from or returning it to storage, remember to point it in a safe direction and make sure it is unloaded.

• Be sure you know how your firearm operates: read the manual on your firearm, know how to safely open and close the action of the firearm and know how to safely remove any ammunition from the firearm and its magazine.

• Store your firearms in a locked cabinet, safe, gun vault or storage case when not in use, ensuring they are in a location inaccessible by children and cannot be handled by anyone without your permission.

• Store your ammunition in a locked location separate from firearms.

• Use a gun locking device that renders the firearm inoperable when not in use. A gun lock should be used as an additional safety precaution and not as a substitute for secure storage.

• Make sure young people in your home are aware of and understand the safety guidelines concerning firearms. Have them sign the Project ChildSafe Pledge for young people (www.projectchildsafe.org/safety/safe-storage) - a reminder that if they find an unattended firearm in their home or a neighbor's to not touch it, and tell an adult.

• Always unload, clean and place your firearms in their secure storage location immediately after returning from a hunting trip or a day at the range.

• Educate everyone in your family about firearms safety. Visit the Project ChildSafe website (www.projectchildsafe.org) for safety information and to find out where to get a free firearm safety kit in your area.