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Tips to Prevent Gun Theft, from Sportsman’s Insurance

Whether you’re traveling to San Antonio for the World Skeet Championships or National Sporting Clays Championship, or just to your local club, your trip is officially ruined if your gun is stolen! One moment of carelessness can leave your shotgun vulnerable to thieves. We asked our friends at Sportsman’s Insurance Agency, Inc. to share some tips on how not to be a victim of gun theft.

We’re looking forward to your arrival in San Antonio to participate in the World Skeet Championships and National Sporting Clays Championship. Sportsman’s Insurance has been providing insurance to NSSA-NSCA and its members for over 30 years. What follows are suggestions we’ve shared with our customers to help them protect their firearm investment and lower their risk of theft.

Before starting, we’d like to stress that “situational awareness” is the most important concept for protecting yourself as well as your firearms. Situational awareness is being aware of what is happening around you in terms of where you are, where you are supposed to be, and whether anyone or anything around you is a threat to your health and safety.

ONSITE STORAGE:

The safest option is to take advantage of the onsite storage service offered by the National Shooting Complex. The fee is $5 per day, per firearm, which is far less expensive than the cost to replace your firearm.

Secure onsite storage means you have less worries, freeing you to enjoy after-hours activities, eliminating the concern of theft from your vehicle or hotel room.

LEAVING THE GUN CLUB:

The majority of firearm thefts are from vehicles. If you choose not to store your firearms, we recommend that when you leave the club you drive directly to your hotel room to secure your firearms and shooting-related items before attending evening activities.

STORING YOUR GUNS IN YOUR VEHICLE:

If circumstances prevent you from going directly to your hotel, we recommend prior planning for protecting your firearms. For example, we know from experience that your firearm is NOT secured when lying exposed on the back seat of your vehicle. Prior to leaving the club, store your firearms on the floorboard or at the rear of your SUV, where the windows might be tinted. In addition, toss a blanket over the firearms, trying not to make it obvious that something might be underneath.

Note: Your shooting vest is not a good substitute for a blanket.

If eating at a restaurant, we recommend that you try to park your vehicle in sight. Also, choose a well-lit section of the parking lot to park your vehicle. Lastly, don’t forget to remove the NSSA-NSCA hangtag from your rearview mirror.

MAINTAIN A LOW PROFILE:

We recommend that you take an objective look at your vehicle to determine what message you’re sending to thieves, who are looking for crimes of opportunity. We’ve seen vehicles where bumper stickers and decals literally turn the vehicle into an advertising billboard, teasing potential thieves that firearms might be inside.

A thief will view your vehicle as an opportunity for a smash and grab. In as little as 60 seconds, you’ll lose everything.

CLEANING YOUR FIREARM:

It’s not uncommon to see someone cleaning their firearm on their truck tailgate, just before leaving the gun club. While you’re cleaning, this is an excellent time to exercise your situational awareness skills to help you spot potential problems.

Pro tip: It’s never a good idea to clean your firearm in the parking lot of your hotel.

LEAVING FOR HOME:

While it might be tempting to load up your vehicle with as much as possible before you turn in for the night, we recommend you consider an alternative. Load your firearms and shooting-related items just before your morning departure.

Hopefully you’ll find these tips useful no matter where travels take you.

For your convenience, Sportsman’s Insurance Agency agents will be available onsite, in the NSC clubhouse, during each event.
 

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NSSF, Project ChildSafe Call for Responsible Gun Storage

Project ChildSafe®, the nationwide firearms safety education program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), is urging all gun owners to make responsible firearms storage a priority — and providing the tools to do so — with the launch of its sixth annual “S.A.F.E. Summer” campaign.

Launched in conjunction with “National Safety Month” every June, S.A.F.E. Summer emphasizes the importance of storing firearms responsibly when not in use, especially during the summer months when children are home and more likely to be unsupervised. “S.A.F.E.” serves as an acronym for Store your firearms responsibly when not in use; Always practice firearms safety; Focus on your responsibilities as a firearms owner; and Education is key to preventing accidents.

“Summer is an important time for firearms owners to make sure they’re properly securing their firearms, both in the home and in their vehicles, as children may be spending more time unattended in these locations,” said NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti. “NSSF and Project ChildSafe encourage firearms owners and non-owners alike to talk with their families about firearms safety to help prevent firearms accidents, thefts and misuse.” Secure storage of firearms also can play a role in helping to prevent suicide by placing time and distance between an at-risk person and a firearm.

Through Project ChildSafe, firearms owners can obtain free firearm safety kits, including a gun lock, at local law enforcement agencies across the country. Project ChildSafe also offers a variety of educational resources free on its website. These include a S.A.F.E. Summer Quiz, information on safe storage options, brochures and a video series. New videos for 2018, developed in partnership with the National Crime Prevention Council, feature McGruff the Crime Dog, and teach children the four important steps to remember if they find a firearm or if someone they know brings one to school. Another video offers guidance to help parents talk about gun safety with their kids. Also available is the AFSP-NSSF Firearms and Suicide Prevention brochure developed by NSSF and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

NSSF launched Project ChildSafe (originally known as Project HomeSafe) in 1999 as a nationwide initiative to promote firearms responsibility and provide safety education to all gun owners. While children are a primary focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help children and adults practice greater firearms safety. Through partnerships with more than 15,000 law enforcement agencies, the program has provided more than 37 million free firearm safety kits to gun owners in all 50 states and the five U.S. territories, which is in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included with new firearms sold since 1998. Project ChildSafe was also recognized as one of three finalists in the National Safety Council’s 2018 “Green Cross for Safety” Awards.