When it comes to owning a firearm and keeping it around the house for home defense, there is more to consider than just what model you want and which rounds to load it with. When we first shop for a gun to conceal, it’s easy to dive deep into ammunition, holsters, belts etc. What about when the gun isn’t on you? This is an often overlooked topic that is important to have good equipment for. Your firearm needs to be locked in some sort of way so it can’t be easily accessed. This can avoid potential tragedy — like if children were to stumble across a loaded firearm — and in some cases it can prevent theft. Beyond having the gun locked away, you need to consider what condition the gun is left in.

If you are asleep at night and an armed robber breaks into your home, you will have to retrieve your gun in a hurry. Because of this, it’s best to keep your firearm in a location near you. If it’s on the other end of the house in your garage, or buried deep in a guest-room closet, you won’t be able to access it when you need it most. This is why keeping it stored in a central area, ideally the room you are most likely to be in the house.

Keep Your Firearm Quick to Access

When tension is high it leaves a lot of room for error. Having your firearm ready for action in storage will prevent you from forgetting to charge the weapon. Our advice is to leave your home defense firearm with a fully loaded magazine and a round in the chamber. Having your firearm in your Tulster holster gives an additional layer of security and peace of mind. Keeping a handful of additional magazines around it is also beneficial, and these can be stored in Echo Carriers or NeoMags to keep them easy to access. This will ensure you are prepared and that you don’t miss anything as you prepare to spring into action.

If you leave your firearm in this loaded state, you can’t just lay it in your underwear drawer, hoping no one will find it. We strongly advise you to get a gun safe. We also recommend you not use the cable lock that was provided by the manufacturer when you purchased your gun. These cable locks are only meant to be used in a pinch when you don’t yet have a safe, or the firearm can not be securely stored in some other manner.

Keep Your Gun Stored Securely

If you only have one pistol for home defense or everyday carry, there’s no need to drop thousands of dollars on a massive safe that can store tons of firearms. Instead, it’s much more efficient to get a small single pistol safe like the Vaultek 10 series safe. It has quick keypad entry and can be purchased with a biometric scanner option for faster entry. We also using a tether cable to tie it around furniture or a structure for extra security. A small safe like the Vaultek would also make a great TSA-approved travel companion for taking your EDC on your vacations.

To recap, it’s best to store your gun loaded, charged, and with backup loaded magazines. If the gun is stored this way, it needs to be under lock and key. Last but not least, your home defense gun needs to be stored in the room you spend the most time. Keeping these small tidbits in mind will make all the difference when you are faced with a situation where you must use your firearm.

DISCLAIMER: This content is for general educational and informational purposes only. Readers and viewers are responsible for knowing and understanding all appropriate local, national and international laws relating to self-defense, reasonable force, and the use of any and all weaponry, acting in accordance with all applicable laws, at all times. Neither Gunspot or Tulster assume any responsibility for the use or misuse of information or instruction. We encourage all firearm owners to seek out professional in-person instruction. No video or blog replaces in-person training with qualified professionals to ensure you learn and train safely.