You have bought your first gun, you found the perfect store to purchase from, and you have successfully joined a community of proud gun owners; what’s next? 

As a member of the gun-owner community, you not only are required to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your household, you also must be committed to becoming a responsible gun owner and representative of the community.

The article aims to outline for you the steps you must take to be a responsible gun owner. By taking some or all of these action steps, you can be more confident in your knowledge of the gun you bought, the safety around using it, and the ability to protect yourself if needed.

Secure Storage

New gun owners should think about where and how they will store their new guns before buying or immediately after. 

If you recently purchased a handgun or rifle for protection purposes, you may think you want to keep it close to your bed and easily accessible in case of a break-in. However, you do not want your new weapon to be easily accessible to anyone other than yourself. As with other valuables within your house, you will want to keep your new gun out of sight and hidden from plain view. 

Investing in a quality gun safe is very beneficial for a new gun owner. This investment will give you the peace of mind that no one else can take your gun. This is especially important if you have children in your house.

Safety Classes 

For a new gun owner, it is vital to understand the steps that should be taken to safely store, use, clean, and carry your new firearm. You should search for classes near you. Most gun ranges offer lessons to new users. These classes will teach you to respect the gun and those around you when you are using it. 

Educate yourself on gear 

There is one thing all guns need to perform, ammunition! When you purchased your new firearm, the store probably offered you instructions on which ammunition they recommend for that particular gun. Make sure to do your research and discover what ammunition is best for the performance you want out of your gun. Going cheap with gun purchases and ammunition is not always the best option! [When we write the holster blog, we will add a section in here about holsters and link to the article

Practice, practice, practice  

In addition to taking safety classes, you should find a local range where you can get comfortable with your new gun. Most ranges have professional instructors who can teach you proper range behavior and how to load and fire your new gun properly. Your new gun will not help you if you cannot shoot it accurately, so go to the range and practice!

Join the community 

Now that you are a gun owner, you can start to enjoy the community of fellow owners. Check your local area for gun shows to attend or meet people at your local gun store and range! There are numerous podcasts, blogs, books, etc. out there to offer new perspectives on gun use or which gun you may want to buy next.  

Personalized Help

As a first-time gun owner, you need to have a relationship with professionals who can answer questions, make recommendations on accessories, and answer any questions you may have about your gun. Johnson’s Gun Depot is full of employees who would love nothing more than to help you along your journey. Give us a call or stop by today so that we can help you.