1

Secure firearm storage

Overview

Secure storage of firearms is an important part of responsible firearm ownership and can prevent misuse, like a curious child playing with a firearm, or an intruder stealing one. Secure storage means locking firearms in a safe or lock box or using a device like a cable lock or trigger lock to keep others from accessing them. It can also include unloading firearms and/or storing ammunition separately from firearms. Firearms that are “hidden,” or stored out-of-sight or out-of-reach, should not be considered securely stored, and they may still be accessible to children or unauthorized adults. Firearm storage needs and preferences can change over time.

In 2022, 21% of U.S. adults reported having at least one firearm stored, loaded, and unlocked in their home. In Colorado, 29% of adults reported keeping at least one firearm loaded and not locked.

Secure firearm storage is especially important to consider when children are present in a household. In 2022, one-third of U.S. households with children also had a firearm in the home. In Colorado, nearly half (44%) of households with children also had a firearm in the home. Children often know where firearms are hidden, the passwords to locks, or the combinations used by adults. In Colorado, nearly half (44%) of households with children also had a firearm in the home. In 2023, 1 in 3 (31%) middle and high school students in Colorado could get and use a loaded firearm without an adult’s permission; 64% could do so in under one hour. A national study also showed that more than 1 in 5 children whose parents believed they did not have access to a firearm said they could get one in under five minutes.

How to promote secure firearm storage

  • The most secure storage method is to store all firearms locked and unloaded, with ammunition stored separately. Any locked room, cabinet, or device that limits access is better than leaving firearms unsecured and easy to find.
  • There are many secure storage options available. See Pause to Protect’s secure firearm storage solutions, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical
  • Firearm instructors and businesses can be leaders in secure firearm storage and provide education directly to their customers and communities. For more information, refer to the firearm business partnerships webpage.

  • The best way to securely store firearms depends on the type, number, and purpose of the firearms, as well as your budget and household makeup. It is important to review your secure storage plan regularly since preferences and needs can change over time (for example, if a child or someone with mental health issues or an older adult with dementia becomes part of your household). Pause to Protect offers a checklist to help you assess and track your household firearm practices.
  • Resources from Project ChildSafe and the National Shooting Sports Foundation can help you figure out the storage options that are right for your lifestyle.
  • Firearm owners may also consider temporary out-of-home firearm storage when a household member is in crisis, planning a long trip, on military deployment, renting their home, or having visitors or family members who should not have firearm access.

  • The video tutorial “How to Use Common Firearm Locking Devices” by the University of Colorado Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative shows how to use locking devices such as trigger locks, cable locks, and gun safes (locking, biometric, combination, and quick-release) with revolvers, handguns, and rifles.
  • Local firearm retailers and safety instructors are also great resources if you have questions about how to properly install and use firearm locking devices.

  • If you have a child and they are going on a playdate or staying at a family member’s home, gently ask about unlocked firearms in the home and request that they be locked and unloaded during your child’s stay.
  • Just like it is okay to directly ask about family or friends who you are concerned might be at risk for suicide, it is also okay to ask about their firearms and how they are storing them during times of crisis. You can watch a video on “How to Talk About Guns and Suicide” or use resources from the Overwatch Project or from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that focus on veteran suicide prevention and encourage loved ones and friends to ask the right questions at a critical moment and to talk about their plan for their firearms if in crisis.  
     

Evidence supporting secure firearm storage

Storing firearms securely at home can prevent firearm-related harms both in and outside of the home. It reduces the risk of accidental discharges, keeps firearms away from unauthorized users or people at risk of harming themselves or others, and helps prevent theft. Research has shown that leaving firearms unsecured increases the risk of suicide, interpersonal violence, and unintentional shootings, especially among children. 

  1. Azrael, D., & Miller, M. (2020). Access to firearms, homicide, and suicide: Role of the mortality multiplier. American Journal of Public Health, 110(10), 1456–1457. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305876
  2. CDPHE (Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment). (n.d.). Healthy Kids Colorado Survey Dashboard. https://cdphe.colorado.gov/healthy-kids-colorado-survey-information/healthy-kids-colorado-survey-dashboard 
  3. COFIPS (Colorado Firearm Injury Prevention Survey). (2023). Preliminary analysis. Retrieved February 22, 2025, from https://rpubs.com/klittle/COFIPS_prelim4
  4. Haasz, M., Johnson, R. L., Simonetti, J. A., Betz, M. E., Cafferty, R., Brooks-Russell, A., & Wright-Kelly, E. (2024). Perceptions of firearm safety and youth suicide among adults with a child in their home. Pediatrics, 154(4), e2024066930. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-066930    
  5. Kivisto, A. J., Kivisto, K. L., Gurnell, E., Phalen, P., & Ray, B. (2021). Adolescent suicide, household firearm ownership, and the effects of child access prevention laws. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 60(9), 1096–1104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2020.08.442 
  6. Lee, L. K., Fleegler, E. W., Goyal, M. K., Doh, K. F., Laraque-Arena, D., Hoffman, B. D., & Injury Violence and Poison Prevention, C. O. (2022). Firearm-related injuries and deaths in children and youth. Pediatrics. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-060071
  7. Miller, M., & Azrael, D. (2022). Firearm storage in US households with children: Findings from the 2021 National Firearm Survey. JAMA Network Open, 5(2), e2148823. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.48823 
  8. Salhi, C., Azrael, D., & Miller, M. (2021). Parent and adolescent reports of adolescent access to household firearms in the United States. JAMA Network Open, 4(3), e210989. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.0989