• Store your guns properly for safety and preservation.machine gun image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com
  
  Proper gun storage is important for many reasons. First and foremost, you want to keep the guns out of the hands of your children. You also want to store your guns in such a way that an intruder can't get at them during a break-in at your home. Good storage practices can also help to protect your guns so that they last a long time.
  
  

Cleaning Guns Before Storage

• Always clean a gun before storing it, including the barrel, the ammunition chamber, the exterior of the gun and the trigger. Be sure that the gun is unloaded before you begin cleaning. Use proper gun-cleaning tools and materials, and always dry your gun off before putting it in storage.
  
  

Glass Cases

• If you have multiple guns or a collection, glass cases are decorative, but they can also put your guns on display to anyone who visits your home, or breaks in. Be discreet about your guns to avoid making them targets for criminals. Use cabinets without full-length glass doors so you can control who sees your collection.
  
  

Safety Locks

• Make sure you guns are stored with the safety locks on. If your children get at your guns, this can protect them from accidental discharge and serious injury. You can also use a locking cable or trigger lock controlled by a key to help prevent accidental or unauthorized firing.
  
  

Ammunition Storage

• Do not store your ammunition with your guns. Use a wall or floor safe for storage, preferably in a location away from your weapons. The greater the separation between bullets and guns, the less likely someone can put the two together and cause serious injury.
  
  

Wrap Your Guns

• When storing multiple guns on top of each other in the same case, wrap each in a thick cloth to protect them from getting scratched or otherwise damaged. Remove your rifle scopes and wrap them as well.