Thanks everyone for responding to this post -some great feedback and clearly "different strokes for different folks"!
I do believe to the letter of the law for Non-Restricted Firearms in Canada at this time, the only legal requirement for home storage is a secure locking device (trigger lock, removal of bolt, cable lock etc.) so that the firearm(s) cannot be fired and that ammunition be stored separately. Common sense (it can't be taught, you either have it a birth or you don't) however, dictates that all classes of firearms and their associated ammunition be locked in a container or room which cannot easy be broken into. Even the theft of a cheap non-PAL class gun is cause for great concern, because your weapon is no longer under your care and control, and such a theft would need to be reported immediately to your local police department ..... not too sure I'd like to be in the position of having to explain my lapse in judgement and lack of responsibility to Officer Friendly, or wondering where and how my stolen airgun might be used. When I'm at home, and my airguns are beyond arm's length, at the very least they'll have trigger locks installed and be secured in a display case. When I exit the premises, they are always locked in a gun safe.
Personally, I like these inexpensive plastic locks on my airguns at all times, the are small, lightweight and relatively indiscreet, not some monstrous thing covering the entire trigger guard. This ensures that no matter who is handling the firearm, it cannot be accidentally discharged, and this is a real concern with all my PCP rifles, as in a sense, whenever the air reservoir is charged, the gun is "loaded". Even without a pellet in the chamber, this poses quite a safety hazard, as high pressure air exiting the muzzle can still do some serious damage to eyes and ears. I have a feeling very few PCP owners completely bleed off their HPA reservoirs prior to storage -it's difficult enough to keep a PCP firearm within the ideal operating pressure range, and counter intuitive to waste all that air pressure prior to securing your gun. Personally, I don't like taking chances, so the only time a trigger locks is off one of my weapons, is just prior to shooting. The 60 seconds or so of my time to remove one of these cheap plastic locks really isn't a deal breaker for me, and given I have half a dozen air rifles, it's very cost effective.
Cheers!
Avianmanor
_________________ *Air Arms S510 Extra*Artemis M11 MK II*CZ 200S*Benjamin Marauder*Brocock Concept*Cometa Orion*Daystate Huntsman*Daystate Revere*FX Dreamline*FX Streamline*Hatsan BT65*Kral Puncher*Reximex RPA*QB78D*Weihrauch HW100S*Artemis PP700SA*PP750*Snowpeak CP1-M*
|