These are confusing, scary times for all of us. As the coronavirus pandemic affects all aspects of our life, it also raises a huge concern for our family’s personal safety. A knee-jerk reaction might be to run out and purchase a firearm. Any firearm owner will tell you that a gun does not magically make your family safe. The risk you or your family now have for a negligent discharge or potential suicide has gone up, especially without proper training or safe storage.
Purchasing your first firearm
Under normal circumstances, you would consider the following when purchasing your first firearm.
1. What is the right firearm for me?
2. Will this firearm be used for home defense or for concealed carry?
3. How will I store my item?
4. What training do I need and can I get it before believing that the firearm would do me any good?”
Unfortunately, some of these might be overlooked in this time of panic buying. Proper training might not even be an option due to the social distancing orders. If this is the case, we recommend taking a safety course as soon practically possible. One thing you can do is purchase a quick-access safe from the store you purchased your firearm from, or any gun shop for that matter. This is crucial if you have children in the house. Just like training to use your firearm, you can train yourself to retrieve your firearm from a safe.
Owning a firearm, especially for the purposes of self-defense, is a serious responsibility. For first-time gun buyers, you need responsible training so that you can safely and effectively operate the firearm under any circumstances. You are responsible for the safe gun storage and maintenance of the firearm.
You also need to determine if you are emotionally responsible enough to use and operate the firearm in any situation. The chances of you needing to use this firearm are very low, but the danger it poses always stays the same. Gun sales have skyrocketed in the past week, and most likely accidentally discharges resulting in injury and suicide will too. It is important to do everything you can to not contribute to this statistic by safely storing your gun and learning the four basic rules of firearm safety.
4 basic rules of firearm safety
1. Treat all guns as they are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are aligned with the target.
4. Be sure of your target and its surroundings.
If the store or person you are thinking about purchasing from is not capable or willing to teach you at least the very basics of operation and responsible use, find another resource. If you don’t know anyone, contact us at admin@wtta.org. We welcome you and all questions regarding firearms.
Personal Defense Network is a great resource for gun owners interested in being prepared to defend themselves or others with a firearm. PDN has complete online classes and several levels of membership, but you can find hundreds of free articles and videos as well as other resources to help you learn more about your gun, accessories, training, and tactics. This video is a great example, offering an overview of Armed Home Defense Concepts.