Firearms are, expensive, fun, and potentially dangerous. Properly storing your firearms will protect your weapon from the elements. Proper storage will also protect people from abusing firearm. We’ve all heard horror stories of children having accidents. Snooping for Christmas presents is always fun! Except when a child finds what they think is a cool toy. Here are 5 storage commandments to prevent accidents from happening and to keep your firearm working smoothly.

1. Store Your Gun Clean.
Residue and dirt trapped inside your gun before storage can over time begin to corrode, or, trap moisture which will form rust inside your gun. To keep this from happening:

• Make sure to remove any ammunition and break apart your gun following your manufacturer’smanual then carefully wipe down each part.
• Lightly oil your gun, preferably with a wipe that targets the build up of grime and forming of moisture. These are easy to find in a quick google search or your experts will advise you in your nearest gun store.

2. Keep Your Guns Rust-free.
When putting your guns away for an extended period of time, a sneaky thing called rust will creep up on you. Rust is harmful because, it will corrode the inner mechanisms in your weapon. To prevent it from forming on your gun (even in the safe)

• Buy a safe that is a snug fit for the weapons you own, ideally one that is compartmentalized because, larger safes will allow in more moisture.
• Purchase a small dehumidifier rod that will keep everything dry.

3. No-one Fires But You

To ensure that not a soul will fire the gun except for the person responsible (you) there are a variety of options to render the gun temporarily not usable:

• Trigger locks are a great way to stop unwanted use. The trigger lock clamps around your trigger housing and prevents the trigger from pressing. They are around $15.
• Metallic gun cases and strong boxes offer a snug fit for your firearms and can offer very advanced locking mechanisms. New case technologies can even include fingerprint scanners and voice activation. Good quality gun cases will generally cost somewhere around $250.
• Locked gun safes are another foolproof way to discourage use. Just like it sounds, this is a storage for your gun that locks, keeping the gun in a safe place. Gun safes are pricier the locks and generally will set you back at least $500.

4. Safe Position.
So you’ve cleaned your gun, and invested in a good storage box, many who get this far forget one crucial but easily overlooked bonus protection… Your safety! The safety is there to prevent accidental discharge so be sure to engage it before placing your gun inside of your storage unit.

5. Don’t Forget the Ammunition!
Ammunition is often not mentioned when talking about gun storage, but, it is just as important. When stored properly, your ammunition can have an incredibly long shelf life. Just like with your gun moisture can be the doom of your ammo. Inside your casings condensation can form and cause your ammunition to be inoperative. To make sure this does not happen to you, store the ammo in a snug case or safe.

Caring for and storing your guns can be quite easy if you make the necessary preparations and have the essentials. Following this quick and proper etiquette will add years to the life of your firearm.
Sources and Citations:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_(firearms)
http://mikedale.hubpages.com/hub/proper-storage-conditions-for-a-gun
http://www.hawaiirifleassociation.org/product-news-and-reviews/9-keeping-your-gun-rust-free-in-hawaii

How To Store Your Guns In The Off-Season

http://www.homegunsafety.com/images/Properly%20Storing%20A%20FirearmV1I8.pdf
http://www.gunsandammo.com/home-featured/ga-basics-how-to-store-your-gun/
http://www.exploreproducts.com/handgun-safes.htm
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Store-a-Gun-Safely/