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Gun Safety

Quick GlanceThe four rules of gun safety, the everyday habits that go with them, and how to keep your home safe: storage, talking to kids, visitors, and suicide prevention.

Last checked 11/07/2026 · 7 sections

Every safe gun owner follows the same four rules, every time, with every gun. Learn them until they are automatic, then make your home just as safe for the people you love.

At a GlanceRule 1 Treat every gun as if it is loaded.Rule 2 Never point it at anything you are not willing to destroy.Rule 3 Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.Rule 4 Know your target and what is beyond it.At home A gun that is not on you or under your control should be locked up.Kids Stop. Don't touch. Leave. Tell an adult.

The Four Rules of Gun Safety

These are known as The Four Rules. If you follow all four, an accident would take more than one mistake.

1Treat Every Gun as If It Is Loaded

Even if someone just told you it is empty, and even if you saw it unloaded a minute ago. Check it yourself every time you pick it up or someone hands it to you. Never assume.

Drawing: a man looks into the open chamber, finger off the trigger, to confirm the pistol is empty
For illustration purposes only.

2Never Point It at Anything You Are Not Willing to Destroy

Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction: usually down, or downrange at the range. This is called muzzle discipline. It applies when you clean, when you holster, and when you hand a gun to someone.

Drawing: a man holds a pistol pointed in a safe direction with his finger straight along the frame, off the trigger
For illustration purposes only.

3Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger Until You Are Ready to Shoot

Rest your finger straight along the side of the frame, outside the trigger guard. It goes on the trigger only when your sights are on the target and you have decided to shoot. This is called trigger discipline.

Drawing: a hand holding a pistol with the trigger finger straight along the frame, off the trigger
For illustration purposes only.

4Know Your Target and What Is Beyond It

A bullet can go through or past what you are aiming at. Be sure of what you are shooting at, what is behind it, and what is around it. At the range, that is what the backstop or berm is for.

Drawing: a shooter checks what is at and beyond his target before firing
For illustration purposes only.

Everyday Safety Habits

Good Habits

  • Check it yourself. When you pick up a gun, or someone hands you one, check that it is unloaded before you do anything else with it.

  • Hand a gun over open and empty whenever you can, with the action open and the magazine out.

  • Use only the correct ammunition for your gun. The right caliber is marked on the barrel or slide.

  • Never mix guns with alcohol, drugs or medicine that makes you drowsy.

  • Wear eye and ear protection whenever you shoot.

  • Holster with care. Keep your finger out of the trigger guard and your clothing out of the holster. See our Holsters and Carry guide.

  • If a gun does not fire when you press the trigger, keep it pointed in a safe direction, wait, and then follow your training or the range officer's instructions.

  • Get trained. A good class is the fastest way to build safe habits. See our Training page.

Safety at Home

Drawing: a small quick-access handgun safe with a keypad, for home storage
For illustration purposes only.
Keep Your Home Safe

  • Lock it up. A gun that is not on you or under your direct control should be in a gun safe, a lock box, or have a gun lock.

  • A quick-access safe by the bed or in a closet keeps a home-defense gun ready for you, and locked away from everyone else.

  • Keep keys and codes private. Children are very good at finding hidden keys and watching you type a code.

  • Store ammunition locked as well, especially if children live in or visit your home.

  • When you take your carry gun off at night or when you get home, put it straight into the safe. Don't leave it in a drawer, a coat or a bag.

  • Know who can get in. Think about everyone who lives in or visits your home, including teenagers, guests and workers.

Talking to Kids About Guns

Drawing: a father talks with his family about gun safety at home
For illustration purposes only.

Children are curious. Locking your guns up is the first layer of safety. Teaching your children what to do is the second, because they may find a gun somewhere else: at a friend's house, in a park, or on the street.

If You See a Gun
Stop.Don't touch.Leave.Tell an adult.
Tips for Parents

  • Start early, in simple words, and repeat it often. Ask them to tell it back to you.

  • Explain that real guns are not toys, and that guns on TV and in games are pretend. Real guns can hurt people.

  • Make it OK to tell you. Praise them for telling an adult, even if they touched it first.

  • Answer their questions. Curiosity fades when it is answered. Some parents choose to show an older child their gun, unloaded and under supervision, so it is no longer a mystery.

  • Practice. Role-play what they would do if a friend showed them a gun.

Visitors and Guests

When People Come Over

  • Before guests arrive, especially guests with children, check that every gun is locked up or on you.

  • Guests who carry should keep their gun on them or locked in their car or a safe. A gun should never be left in a coat, a purse or a bag on the bed.

  • When your children visit other homes, it is fine to ask politely: "Are there guns in the house, and are they locked up?" Most parents appreciate the question.

  • Babysitters, cleaners and workers: assume they may open drawers and closets. Keep everything locked.

Suicide Prevention and Red Flag Laws

This is a hard subject, and an important one. If someone in your home is going through a dark time, the steps in this section can save a life.

Suicide is the largest share of gun deaths in the United States. In 2024, there were 44,447 firearm deaths, and 27,593 of them were suicides: about 6 in 10. Most people who use a gun in a suicide attempt do not survive. The CDC lists easy access to lethal means, such as a gun, as a risk factor for people at risk of suicide. Putting time and distance between a person in crisis and a gun is one of the most important things a family can do.

If someone in your home is struggling, act now. You do not need to wait for a crisis.

If Someone Is in Crisis

Free, Confidential Help, 24/7

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text ⁠988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Veterans and Service Members

Dial ⁠988, then press 1, or text 838255. You don't need to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care.

Crisis Text Line

Text HOME to 741741.

Immediate Danger

If someone's life is in danger right now, call ⁠911.

Practical Steps for Your Home

If Someone at Home Is at Risk

  • Move the guns out of the home for now. Ask a trusted person, or a gun shop (FFL) that offers storage, to hold them until things are better. Transfer laws vary by state. In New York, a private transfer must go through a licensed dealer unless it is between immediate family (spouses, domestic partners, children and stepchildren). New Jersey has a similar dealer rule, with its own family exceptions. Check your state's rules before you hand a gun to anyone.

  • If the guns stay home, lock every one of them in a safe or lock box, and change the code or move the key so the person at risk cannot get to it. Out of sight or out of reach is not the same as locked.

  • Add extra locks. A cable or trigger lock on a gun inside a locked safe adds one more step.

  • Store ammunition separately, locked, in a different place from the guns.

  • Lock up medications too, and reach out: you can call or text ⁠988 as a worried family member, not only when you are in crisis yourself.

For the storage rules in your state, see our Safe Storage and Travel guide.

Red Flag Laws (Extreme Risk Protection Orders)

A “red flag” law lets a judge temporarily stop a person who is a danger to themselves or others from having or buying guns. The legal name is usually an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), though some states use other names.

How It WorksA court order A judge must grant it. It is not automatic, and it does not happen just because someone in the home once had thoughts of suicide.Who can ask In most states, police or a family or household member. Some states also allow others, such as doctors and mental health professionals (Maryland, New York), school officials (New York), or co-workers and educators (Hawaii). In a few states, such as Florida and New Mexico, only police or prosecutors can file.What happens The person must surrender their guns (or police remove them), and may not buy new ones while the order lasts.How long A short emergency order may come first, until a hearing. A final order often lasts up to one year and can be renewed, but it varies: in Vermont up to six months, and in New Jersey and Connecticut the order stays until a judge ends it.After When the order ends, the guns can be returned if the person is otherwise allowed to have them.

By our count of state laws, as of November 2026, 22 states and the District of Columbia have a red flag law (there is no single official government list). Maine is the newest; its law took effect in February 2026.

See all 22 states and D.C.

New York

New York's law is in the Civil Practice Law and Rules, Article 63-A. A petition can be filed by police or a district attorney, a family or household member, a school administrator, or a licensed health care professional (such as a doctor, nurse, psychologist or social worker) who treated the person in the last six months. A final order can last up to one year.

If you live with someone who is under a temporary or final order, New York law says you must keep your own guns locked in a safe storage container, or locked with a gun lock, whenever they are not in your immediate possession or control.

Separately, a mental health professional who is treating someone and believes the person is likely to seriously harm themselves or others must report it. That report can lead to the person's gun license being suspended or revoked.

New Jersey

New Jersey's law (P.L.2018, c.35) lets a family or household member, or police, ask the court for a temporary order. A hearing for a final order must be held within 10 days, and a final order stays in effect until a judge ends it. Either side can ask the court to end it at any time.

Connecticut

Connecticut has had a risk protection order law since 1999. Police or a prosecutor can apply, and a family or household member or a medical professional can ask the court to start an investigation. A hearing must be held within 14 days, and the person may first ask the court to end the order 180 days after that hearing. Connecticut also requires every gun at home to be in a locked box or other secure container, or kept on you, whoever lives there.

Living With Someone Under an Order

Some states have extra storage rules when a person who lives with you may not legally have a gun. New York (above) and California are examples. The rules are different in every state. ⚠️ Do your own research or speak to a local attorney.

This section is general information, not legal or medical advice. If you or someone you love is in crisis, call or text ⁠988.

Storage Laws

Some states have laws about how guns must be stored, especially when children or people who may not have guns live in the home or could get to a gun. New York is one of them. For what the law says in plain words, see our Safe Storage and Travel guide.

Gray Area

Storage rules depend on your state and sometimes your city, and they change. ⚠️ Do your own research or speak to a local attorney.

This page is general information, not legal advice.

⁠New to the terms? See the 2A Glossary.

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Last updated: 11/07/2026 · כ״ז חשון תשפ״ז

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