Make sure your firearms are stored securely. The NSSF’s Gun Storage Check Week runs September 1-7, 2025. This national awareness campaign is intended to ensure gun owners store their firearms securely, both to prevent theft and to reduce the risk of misuse and suicide.

Secure firearm storage is the most effective way to help prevent firearm accidents, suicides, and theft. Many secure storage options are available, including lock boxes, cable locks, and full-size safes, to secure firearms when not in use in homes and vehicles. When firearms are not under your direct control, you should place them in locked storage. We recommend large, heavy gun safes for rifle and shotgun storage. It’s best to buy a larger, heavier gun safe than you may think you need initially. We recommend your read our Gun Safe Buyers Guide.

We can do more to help prevent firearm-related accidents, suicides and thefts. During Gun Storage Check Week you should review storage practices and make changes, as needed, to prevent unauthorized access. “No one wants their gun in the hands of an unsupervised child, a person in crisis, an individual who lacks knowledge of safely operating firearms or a thief”, says Joe Bartozzi, President and CEO of NSSF.

Opportunity to WIN a FREE Winchester Gun Safe

Those who visit GunStorageCheck.org will have chances to win firearm storage units and other safety equipment thanks to the generous support of Gun Storage Check Week sponsors — Winchester and ShotLock. For the week of September 1–7, one Winchester Bandit 19 Gun Safe (valued $1,319) will be given away. Then, from September 8 through the 30th, one ShotLock CCW Solo Vault will be given away each week, with one winner per week. The Sweepstakes restarts each week, so come back to re-enter. Note: Firearms are NOT included in giveaway.

The NSSF websites GunStorageCheck.org and ProjectChildSafe.org offer firearm safety education resources, including Firearm Storage Options and Tips for Firearm Safety in your home.

Make sure your firearms are stored securely. The NSSF’s Gun Storage Check Week runs September 1-7, 2024. This national awareness campaign is intended to ensure gun owners store their firearms securely, both to prevent theft and to reduce the risk of misuse and suicide.

Secure firearm storage is the most effective way to help prevent firearm accidents, suicides, and theft. Many secure storage options are available, including lock boxes, cable locks, and full-size safes, to secure firearms when not in use in homes and vehicles. When firearms are not under your direct control, you should place them in locked storage. We recommend large, heavy gun safes for rifle and shotgun storage. It’s best to buy a larger, heavier gun safe than you may think you need initially. We recommend your read our Gun Safe Buyers Guide.

We can do more to help prevent firearm-related accidents, suicides and thefts. During Gun Storage Check Week you should review storage practices and make changes, as needed, to prevent unauthorized access. “No one wants their gun in the hands of an unsupervised child, a person in crisis, an individual who lacks knowledge of safely operating firearms or a thief”, says Joe Bartozzi, President and CEO of NSSF.

Opportunity to WIN a FREE Hornady Lock Box

Those who visit GunStorageCheck.org will have the opportunity to win one of many Lock Boxes donated by Hornady. The NSSF will award gun safe prizes not only during September 1-7 but each week during the month of September during National Suicide Prevention Month.

The NSSF websites GunStorageCheck.org and ProjectChildSafe.org offer firearm safety education resources, including Firearm Storage Options and Tips for Firearm Safety in your home.

The NSSF, as part of its ChildSafe Program, has just released a 26-page PDF document covering all aspects of firearms safety and safe storage. We recommend that new gun owners review this Safety Brochure. In addition, NSSF and Project ChildSafe offer a variety of other educational materials and resources:

1. Safety infographic for First-time Gun Buyers
2. Tips for Firearms Safety in the Home
3. A brochure and two videos highlighting Firearms Safety in Vehicles
4. An infographic detailing Safe Storage Options
5. A guide for parents to help Understand Youth Mental Health
6. A resource for military families for Veteran Suicide Prevention

Message from the NSSF:
“With the holiday season upon us, the National Shooting Sports Foundation reminds Americans to practice responsible safety measures at home, including safe and responsible firearm handling and storage. “It’s important to remember that the holidays can be a challenging time of year for many, and that may be especially true this year — particularly for those who are unable to see loved ones due to the pandemic, or who may be feeling isolated or alone for other reasons,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “We want to ensure families are practicing safe firearm storage habits to reduce the chance of a firearm accident this holiday season.”

SAFETY QUIZ — NSSF has created Firearm Storage and Safety Assessment Quiz. This walks gun owners through questions related to safe handling and storage of firearms. Click Link below to take the Quiz.

Take Gun Storage and Safety Quiz »

With suicide accounting for nearly two-thirds of all firearm fatalities annually, the topic of suicide prevention deserves our attention. In recent years NSSF has worked with the Veterans Administration, the State of Utah, and mental health agencies to help educate gun owners and the public on how to keep firearms safely out of reach of those who, during a period of despair, decide to do themselves harm.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Data:

1. Nearly half of all suicides were by firearm in 2014.
2. Suicide accounted for almost two-thirds of gun deaths in 2014.
3. 90 percent of suicide attempts with a firearm are fatal.

The NSSF has committed to broaden its efforts, in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Recently, NSSF and AFSP announced a partnership to embark on a first-of-its-kind national plan to build and implement public education resources for firearms retailers, shooting ranges, and the firearms-owning community about suicide prevention and firearms.

Experts say that suicide results from the culmination of several health and life factors, with the decision to act often being made in minutes. Keeping firearms securely stored puts space between the period of risk and the means to act, and sometimes that … can help save a life.

AFSP has commenced a four-state pilot program that will involve firearms retailers and shooting ranges. This pilot program employs AFSP/NSSF jointly-developed strategies and resources to inform firearm owners about warning signs, prevention resources and secure firearms storage options. The NSSF also supports AFSP’s Project 2025, an initiative to reduce the annual suicide rate 20 percent by 2025. You will be hearing more about AFSP and NSSF efforts in this area.