September 4, 2026

There’s Still Time to Participate in Gun Storage Check Week

Washington, D.C. — NSSF^®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, encourages firearm industry organizations and the gun-owning community to participate in Gun Storage Check Week^® as it reaches the midpoint of its second semi-annual observance. Held at the beginning of National Suicide Prevention Month (Sept. 1–7), Gun Storage Check Week reminds firearm owners to take a moment and review their storage practices to “Make Sure It’s Secure^®.”

“Whether you’re a range operator, manufacturer, law enforcement agency, veteran or individual gun owner, there’s still plenty of time to take part in Gun Storage Check Week and ‘Make Sure It’s Secure,’” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “We invite you to engage with this safety message — examine your secure storage practices when your firearm is not in use and share Gun Storage Check Week resources with your community. These practices can save the life of someone in a moment of crisis, as well as prevent accidents, thefts and misuse.”

Resources for Industry Companies

Whether you’re a retailer, range or industry-related company, there are many ways to participate in Gun Storage Check Week and utilize resources available to you.

• Share Gun Storage Check Week messaging with your community and followers. A comprehensive promotional toolkit is freely available with assets to help amplify the reach of the “Make Sure It’s Secure” message to the public. Shareable graphics, public service announcements, press release templates and more are available.

• “Have a Brave Conversation.” NSSF’s “Have a Brave Conversation” toolkit is available for firearm retailers, shooting ranges and others to train staff and educate customers about prevention suicide. The toolkit and replenishment of its contents are free. In addition, NSSF has partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has developed a separate toolkit to assist U.S. veterans.

• Practice what you teach. As you engage customers during Gun Storage Check Week, make sure you emphasize the importance of secure storage among employees, as well. Encourage them to take a few minutes to assess their secure storage practices as well. There are tips below for how individual firearm owners can get involved in Gun Storage Check Week. Share these with your team.

Resources for Law Enforcement

As a law enforcement agency, you can share the “Make Sure It’s Secure” message with members of your community.

• Share Gun Storage Check Week messaging with your community. Assets in the promotional toolkit are freely available to assist social media posts and announcements.

• Organize a lock distribution event. If you partner with Project ChildSafe^®, NSSF’s nationwide firearm safety education program, utilize the cable-style gun locks available to host a lock distribution event. This can be done throughout the year to encourage firearm safety. Law enforcement agencies can contact Project ChildSafe to request gun locks — this is a resource freely available.

Resources for Everyone

For everyone — any company or organization involved in the firearm industry or individual/prospective firearm owner — there are numerous ways to engage with Gun Storage Check Week.

• Check how your firearms are stored when not in use. This is the core message of Gun Storage Check Week and can be accomplished in just a few minutes. Firearms should be secured when not in use to prevent access from children or under unauthorized individuals. Take a moment to check your safe, lock box, cable locks or other locking devices and confirm they’re functioning properly and being used as intended.

• Ask what has changed in your household recently. Secure storage will look different across households and life stages. Are your kids getting older and more curious? Do you have roommates? As the holidays approach, will family be staying with you? Use Gun Storage Check Week to confirm your secure storage solution works for your lifestyle.

• Know what options are available and adjust as needed. Securing firearms is one of the most effective methods of helping to reduce suicide, accidents and theft. There are a variety of secure storage options to fit any firearm, household and lifestyle. Take a moment to review your secure storage setup. If any changes are needed, adjust accordingly. Options abound in every price category, including free cable-style gun locks available through Project ChildSafe partners. Project ChildSafe has law enforcement partners in all 50 states and in five U.S. territories.

• Remember the importance of “Time and Distance.” The September observance of Gun Storage Check Week aligns with National Suicide Prevention Month for a very important reason: More than half of all firearm fatalities are suicide deaths. Nearly three quarters of suicides among veterans involve a firearm. When a firearm is securely stored when not in use, it provides “time and distance” between a person in crisis and a lethal means. This pause allows time for immediate thoughts of suicide to pass and gives someone in crisis an opportunity to seek support. NSSF encourages everyone to remember the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 988 is the number to call/text/chat if you or someone you know is struggling.

• Engage with safety content, enter sweepstakes. Through Sept. 7, visitors to GunStorageCheck.org can enter a sweepstakes to win a Lodestar LNK9 Kit — a user-authorized firearm. Additional entries to win can be earned by watching any of the firearm safety or suicide prevention videos after completing the entry form.

Continue the Conversation

As Gun Storage Check Week nears its conclusion, the conversation surrounding firearm safety and secure storage is a regular routine for gun owners. These practices prevent access by unsupervised children, individuals in a moment of crisis and others who shouldn’t have access to firearms.

Established by NSSF as a national awareness campaign in 2024, Gun Storage Check Week has two annual observances: June 1–7, coinciding with National Safety Month, and Sept. 1–7, in recognition of Suicide Prevention Month. Gun Storage Check Week has reached millions of gun owners with its “Make Sure It’s Secure” message and industry outreach.

Gun Storage Check Week will return in 2027, June 1–7 and Sept. 1–7.

About NSSF

NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

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