Which gun safe to choose?

A gun safe for hunters and gun enthusiasts is an integral part of proper gun storage. Choosing the right gun safe and using it correctly not only ensures the safety of weapons, but also guarantees compliance with Latvian national legislation. Every gun owner, whether a hunter, security guard, shooting range owner or sportsman, is responsible for keeping their guns safe and secure at home or at work. Carefully choosing a gun safe and following all safety requirements in accordance with regulatory enactments can significantly reduce the risks of storing weapons.

In this article, we'll look at how to choose the right gun safe and what regulatory requirements you should pay the most attention to when storing a gun at home or in a business.

Gun safe safety and compliance with legislation

Special attention should be paid to the storage of weapons, especially in Latvia, where there are strict regulations regarding the storage and safety of weapons. Before purchasing a gun safe, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with Cabinet of Ministers regulations no. 210 "Rules on circulation of weapons and ammunition". The rules are available here: https://likumi.lv/ta/id/307488-noteikumi-par-irocu-un-municijas-apriti.

The main requirements for gun safes:

• Metal thickness of the safe: The thickness of the walls of the metal safe or metal cabinet (metal box) intended for the storage of firearms, their interchangeable essential components, firearm components, ammunition or high-energy pneumatic weapons is at least 2.5 mm;
• Lockable door: The safe can be locked with a lock that can only be unlocked by the gun owner;
• Strengthening of the gun safe: If the safe is smaller than 1500 x 400 x 300 mm, it is strengthened by connecting it to the floor or wall;
• Ammunition Storage: Hunting or sporting firearms and high-energy airguns are stored unloaded with no ammunition loaded in the chamber. The self-defense firearm can be stored as a hunting and sporting weapon or with a loaded cartridge feed mechanism, ensuring that the cartridge chamber is empty of ammunition. Ammunition for hunting and sporting long-barrel-threaded firearms is stored in a safe from the weapon in a separate lockable compartment or in a separate safe.

How to choose a gun safe?

Material and construction of gun safes

When purchasing a gun safe, the material and construction of the safe should be considered. Most often, safes are made of at least 2.5 mm thick steel or metal, which ensures greater durability and safety. It is important to make sure of the strength of the structure and the quality of the joints of the parts.

GUMI offers various types of gun safes that can be adapted to your needs.

Dimensions and volume of gun safes

The second aspect is the size and volume of the safe. They are available in different sizes and for different number of weapons, so the safe should be chosen according to the volume of its contents - the size should be such that all weapons, ammunition and other related things can be safely stored in it. In addition, the size of the safe should be adjusted depending on the storage space and its secure attachment in the room.

Security aspects of gun safes

Third, attention should be paid to safety aspects. The safe door mechanism must be resistant to external forces. Gun safe doors must be lockable. Many safes are equipped with code, key or biometric switches, but the best option is to combine several levels of security for maximum protection.

The gun safe is an integral element of the gun storage system in Latvia. Choosing the right gun safe and using it correctly not only ensures gun safety, but also guarantees compliance with national legislation. Every gun owner is responsible for keeping their guns safe, and a gun safe is one of the most important things to ensure they are properly stored and prevent access to unwanted people and small children.

Keep your guns safe!