MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) – Several states have laws that require gun locks, South Carolina is not one of them.
707 Gun Store Owner Robert Batista told News 13 he doesn’t need a law to tell him the rules of owning a firearm.
“Common sense kicks in,” stated Batista.
According to Batista, the first rule to remember is never point a gun at something you’re not willing to destroy. Some people think it’s okay as long as the safety is on, but Batista said that’s not true. A gun’s safety can be easily switched off, or it can fail.
“Relying on a [gun’s safety] to protect your child is ludicrous,” says Batista.
A study from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence reports 73% of children under the age of 10 living in homes with guns, know the location of their parents’ firearms.
Batista said parents should take responsibility.
“If you’re using your gun for self defense, it should be on your person,” he said.
When not using a gun, Batista recommends unloading it and putting it in a lock box. Owners can also use a gun lock. 707 Gun Shop has several options, some go over the trigger and others disable the magazine.
“Some guns even have a lock built into the gun,” said Batista.
Batista said there’s really no excuse for someone to leave a loaded gun lying around.
“If you leave a loaded gun laying around, all you have is a land mine. It’s just waiting for someone to pick it up and get hurt, whether it’s a child or an adult,” predicts Batista.
The federal government requires that gun shops provide locks to customers upon request. 707 Gun Shop gives gun locks away for free, as well as Conway Police Department and Horry County Sheriff’s Office.
