Whenever a new firearm owner contacts us looking to purchase a gun, they always ask the same question, “Where do I keep it?”
Storage can be a big problem when it comes to firearms. If you have several rifles, they can take up a ton of space. If you don’t have extra room in your place of residence, that can dramatically impact your enjoyment of collecting your guns. Even if you only have a single firearm, there are still many reasons why you may not want it stored in your home.
In fact, we bet we can boil the reasons down to three: kids, theft, and condition.
Kids
The reasons why you might not want firearms in your home if you have children or grandchildren are obvious, but the solutions to this problem are likely less apparent.
Kids are curious about guns, that’s a fact! Every time they turn on the TV or watch a movie, there is often fantastic, exciting gunplay. Simply put, playing with guns looks fun! Kids don’t realize the high level of responsibility involved with owning a gun or a firearm collection. In their minds, using a gun is like being in an action movie.
Sure, they show children those terrible “gun safety” movies in school, but honestly, how much of an impact did they have on YOU when you were in school? Not much, we bet! So, that means the responsibility of teaching your kids about guns is all on you.
How do you do this? Well, first, you can eliminate the mystery of guns by actually showing them to your kids or grandkids. We aren’t saying take them out shooting—although that can be fun when they get a little older! We simply mean that you can show them your firearms outside of an action movie context. If they see them, it will help decrease their curiosity about them.
Second, you want to teach them all about proper safety involving firearms. For example, why you should always keep a gun unloaded whenever it isn’t in use. These lessons will help them realize how dangerous guns are and keep them out of curious little hands.
Theft
The other big reason why you might be afraid to keep your firearms in your home is that they could be stolen.
When your firearms are stolen from your home, you lose a great deal of both monetary and sentimental value. But it can get even more serious than this. If criminals stole the firearms, there’s a chance that they could use them in future crimes. There have been cases where firearm owners have been held partially responsible for those crimes because they didn’t take proper precautions in protecting their firearms.
It also costs a lot to keep your firearms fully insured. You often need to jump through many hoops with insurance agencies to make sure that the firearms’ cash value is fully covered in the event of theft—or in the event of damage, which is what we’re looking at next.
Condition
There are so many ways that a firearm can be damaged in the home, and most of them have nothing to do with you.
First, many firearms are stored in subpar conditions. For instance, they can be left in damp basements for months on end. That can take a significant toll on the condition of a firearm. Even if it looks in great condition on the surface, there’s a chance it may have rusted or been damaged inside. That’s why keeping firearms at ideal temperature and humidity levels is so important if you want them to maintain their condition and value.
Second, what if a natural disaster hits your home? If there is a flood or fire, your firearms could be damaged beyond repair. It’s almost impossible to protect them in cases like these, but there are still steps you can take…
Two Solutions
There are two solutions to all of these problems.
First, you could invest in a firearm safe. This could be a useful way to store your firearms, but there are drawbacks. They are very heavy, meaning that where you place them is where they will stay. Unless you want to start spending big bucks, you might also be limited by the size of the safes. For example, if you have a massive firearm collection, buying several safes could be cost and space-prohibitive. You also need to consider the quality of the safe and if it will protect your firearms from the elements. Sure, the safe might keep your guns out of the hands of children and thieves, but you still need to think about whether it’s keeping your firearms in ideal conditions.
The second solution is to send your firearms to GTA Guns’ safe storage facility. Located in Newmarket, ON, our facility offers four levels of security, is fully insured, and provides a climate and humidity-controlled environment for your firearms. It’s the only one of its kind in Canada!
If you’re looking for general storage for your firearms, we can offer you a long locker (15″ wide, 18″ deep, and 72″ high with 2 top shelves) or a pistol locker (12″x12″x18″). We also offer long-term, non-accessible storage for larger firearm collections. You just need to call ahead to drop off or pick up your firearms.
We also have a brand-new storage solution: automated storage. Here, you have full access to your firearms whenever you want. They’ll be protected by two electronic and one mechanical security device to keep your firearms safe at all times!
The best thing about our secure storage facility is that you know your firearms will be kept safe by professionals who KNOW firearms. We are trusted across North America for our auctions, and now folks across the GTA are trusting us with their firearms around the clock. That’s a huge responsibility, but one that we work to live up to every day!
If you’d like to learn more about our secure storage options, our online firearm auctions, or our other services, please feel free to contact us at any time!