Protecting our children is the fundamental reason many of us own and carry our firearms. Securing those firearms in our homes is just as important as understanding how to use them in the outside world. Let’s take a look at the laws in your state regarding securing firearms from children.

Many states have laws that prohibit storing firearms in a place where children can get ahold of them. The state of Missouri does not have any specific laws that dictate where you need to store your firearms or how you need to store your firearms. The best place to keep firearms is in a locked safe. If you don’t have a locked safe, we recommend having a trigger lock or a gun lock of some kind that’s going to keep that gun safe if it were to fall into the wrong hands.

What if a child gets ahold of your firearm?

Is there going to be any criminal liability on you if your child gets ahold of your firearm? The answer to that question is no. However, let’s say your child gets ahold of the firearm and uses that firearm to injure or kill someone else. You may be held civilly liable. That’s one of the reasons it’s so important to store your firearms in a safe place.

There is a provision under Missouri law that makes it illegal to lend or give a firearm to a minor child. You need parental permission to lend a firearm to a minor child. A piece of advice from Independent Program Attorney John Schleiffarth? “Don’t lend your firearms to a minor child. It’s a bad idea.” However, if you keep your firearms stored safely, you should be able to keep yourself clear in most situations from any run-ins with the law and from civil liability.

If someone is shot or killed with one of your firearms, people are going to be looking to find some way to attach liability to you. They’re going to want to sue you, and they’re going to want to find a way. You can avoid that by being very careful with how you store your firearms. Again, a locked safe is the best thing to do, but if you don’t have a locked safe, make sure you store that firearm in a safe place.

If you have any questions about the legality of storing your firearms, call U.S. LawShield and ask to speak to an Independent Program Attorney.