Unlocked, loaded guns more common among parents who give kids firearm lessons

Gun-owning parents who teach their kids how to responsibly handle and shoot a gun are less likely to store those deadly weapons safely, according to a survey-based study published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics.

The study, conducted by gun violence researchers at Rutgers University, analyzed survey responses from 870 gun-owning parents. Of those, the parents who responded that they demonstrated proper handling to their child or teen, had their kid practice safe handling under supervision, and/or taught their kid how to shoot a firearm were more likely than other gun-owning parents to keep at least one gun unsecured—that is, unlocked and loaded. In fact, each of the three responses carried at least double the odds of the parent having an unlocked, loaded gun around, the study found.

The survey responses may seem like a paradox for parents who value safe and responsible gun handling. Previous studies have suggested that safe storage of firearms can reduce the risk of injuries and deaths among children and teens. A 2005 JAMA study, for instance, found lower risks of firearm injuries among children and teens when parents securely store their firearms—meaning they kept them locked, unloaded, and stored separately from locked ammunition. And as of 2020, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death among children and teens in the US.

Still, earlier surveys of gun-owning parents have hinted that some parents believe responsible gun-handling lessons are enough to keep children safe.

Safe handling, unsecured storage

To add data to that potential sentiment, the Rutgers researchers collected survey responses from adults in nine states (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Minnesota, Florida, Mississippi, Texas, Colorado, and Washington) who participated in an Ipsos poll. The states span varying geography, firearm ownership, firearm policies, and gun violence rates. The responses were collected between June and July of 2023. The researchers then analyzed the data, adjusting their calculations to account for a variety of factors, including military status, education level, income, and political beliefs.

Among the 870 parents included in the study, 412 (47 percent) said they demonstrated proper firearm handling for their kids, 321 (37 percent) said they had their children practice proper handling with supervision, and 324 (37 percent) taught their kids how to shoot their firearm.

The researchers then split the group into those who did not keep an unlocked, loaded gun around and those who did. Of the 870 gun-owning parents, 720 (83 percent) stored firearms securely, while 150 (17 percent) reported that they kept at least one firearm unlocked and loaded. Compared with the 720 secure-storage parents, the 150 parents with an unlocked, loaded gun had adjusted odds of 2.03-fold higher for saying they demonstrated proper handling, 2.29-fold higher for practicing handling with their kids, and 2.27-fold higher for teaching their kids to shoot.

“Consistent with qualitative research results, these findings suggest that some parents may believe that modeling responsible firearm use negates the need for secure storage,” the authors concluded. “However, it is unknown whether parents’ modeling responsible behavior is associated with a decreased risk of firearm injury.”