The National Rifle Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, The Well-Armed Woman, and Fox News all speak to the vital importance of storing guns safely. Why then does the NRA oppose child access prevention and safe storage legislation that would only impact irresponsible gun owners whose carelessness results in the injury or death of children?

NRA GUN SAFETY RULES
http://training.nra.org/nra-gun-safety-rules.aspx

ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.
 Many factors must be considered when deciding where and how to store guns. A person’s particular situation will be a major part of the consideration. Dozens of gun storage devices, as well as locking devices that attach directly to the gun, are available. However, mechanical locking devices, like the mechanical safeties built into guns, can fail and should not be used as a substitute for safe gun handling and the observance of all gun safety rules.

NRA GUIDE TO STORING GUNS WHEN EXPECTING GUESTS
https://www.nrablog.com/articles/2015/11/are-your-guns-safely-stored-for-the-holidays/

It is important to always properly and safely store your firearms but even more so when you invite others into your home.

Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons. Many factors must be considered when deciding where and how to store guns. A person’s particular situation will be a major part of the consideration.

FROM THE NRA – EDDIE EAGLE GUN SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAM
https://eddieeagle.nra.org/parents/

Make sure all firearms cannot be reached by anyone who should not have access to them without your consent. Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons, especially children.

Keep ammunition securely stored where a child or any other unauthorized person cannot reach it.

In a home where guns are kept, the degree of safety a child has rests squarely on the parents and gun owner. Parents who accept the responsibility to learn, practice and teach gun safety rules will ensure their child’s safety to a much greater extent than those who do not.

THE WELL-ARMED WOMAN BLOG ON CHILDREN AND SAFE STORAGE OF GUNS
http://thewellarmedwoman.com/guns-and-your-children

If you choose to keep a gun in your home, the safety of your children and the children that visit your home is your responsibility and only yours. Guns and your children is a subject you cannot avoid or postpone. If dealing with the issues of guns and children is not one you can take seriously and take the steps necessary to protect them, than do not have a gun in your home. That means the safe storage and use of guns and the safety of your children must be your top priority.

NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION BROCHURE ON GUN SAFETY AND SAFE STORAGE
http://www.nssf.org/safety/lit/FRITH.pdf

As a firearms owner, you are responsible for knowing how to properly handle your firearms and how to secure your firearms in a safe manner in your home.

Always make absolutely sure that firearms in your home are securely stored out of the reach of children and other unauthorized persons. Unloaded firearms can be secured with a firearm locking device to make them inoperable. Unloaded firearms also can be stored in a locked cabinet, safe, firearm vault or storage case.

Always store ammunition in a locked location separate from firearms and out of the reach of children.

You are responsible for making certain the firearms in your home are not casually accessible to anyone — especially curious young people.

Firearm accidents in the home can be prevented simply by making sure that firearms are kept unloaded and safely stored, with ammunition secured in a separate location.

Keeping a firearm to defend your family makes no sense if that same firearm puts family members or visitors to your home at risk.

In keeping a firearm for home security, your objective should be to have the firearm readily available to you, yet not accessible to others. Special lockable cases that can
be quickly opened by authorized individuals are options to consider.

You must exercise full control and supervision over a loaded firearm at all times. This means the firearm must be unloaded and placed in secure storage whenever you leave your home. Secure ammunition separately.

Fatal home firearms accidents can occur when children discover firearms that adults thought were safely hidden or out of reach.

Your most important responsibility is ensuring that children cannot encounter loaded firearms. The precautions you take must be effective. Anything less invites tragedy and is a serious violation of your responsibility as a firearm owner.

Firearms are securely stored in a location inaccessible to children and other unauthorized persons.

Ammunition is stored under lock and key, separately from firearms.

FOXNEWS.COM ARTICLE ON SAFE STORAGE OF FIREARMS
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/04/26/how-to-store-guns-safely-in-your-home/

If you decide that keeping a gun at home is imperative to you and your family’s safety, you must ensure that it is properly and securely stored. Taking the necessary precautions is vital, particularly if you’ve got children or adolescents at home, but you must ensure that your weapon can be easily accessed should the time ever come when you need to retrieve it. Here are five key safety measures for storing your firearm at home.

The safest way to store a gun is within a well-concealed lock box or gun safe. This will prevent unauthorized access to the weapon, while also ensuring that you have it close at hand. While some owners may choose to keep their gun safe in the closet or under the bed, it is safest to install a hidden one whenever possible. A sturdy lock box may also be adequate, though you must ensure that it is well hidden to protect your weapons from potential intruders.

The National Rifle Association notes that safe and proper gun storage includes using a secure locking device. Two of the most common mechanisms are trigger locks and cable locks - the former is affixed around the weapon’s trigger to lock it in place, while the latter is a long steel cable that is looped through the action of the firearm to block its operation.

However, owners should never rely solely on mechanical locking devices, like the mechanical safeties built into guns, the NRA warns, as these can fail and should not be used as a substitute for safe gun handling and the observance of all gun safety rules. Always remember that, while these devices prevent the weapon from being loaded or fired, they will not stop it from being stolen. That’s why it’s so important to use it in conjunction with a proper storage device.

The NRA recommends that gun owners should always keep their gun unloaded until it is ready to use. This is particularly important when you are storing your gun at home. Keeping your firearm unloaded at all times will help prevent accidents and injuries, even if it does accidentally fall into the wrong hands. It’s also good practice to store your bullets separately from your weapons.

Teach safety and responsibility
For both children and adults, guns can be a matter of great curiosity. That’s why any gun owner, but particularly those with children, should instill a mindset of safety and responsibility in all members of the family from the outset.