As important as it is to own a gun for self-defense, it is equally important to know the responsibility that comes with it. It is your ethical and legal responsibility to ensure proper and responsible gun-disposal.

History is full of tragedies resulting from irresponsible gun ownerships. So, you might think that you’re safe, but it doesn’t take much for a gun disposal to go wrong.

Your firearm is a key to your survival and your survival is important to everyone in your life. Having a gun at your home is crucial for the safety of your wife, your parents, your kids and anyone who happens to live in the same house as you. You must admit that the responsibility to guard your home and ensure its safety falls completely on your shoulders. But, what you must also realize is, you are equally responsible for the safety of your neighbors. Responsible gun ownership has to be encouraged. Therefore, every gun you own, must be properly placed, and if not needed, disposed, responsibly, and not in your trash can!

Let’s suppose you purchase a gun after reading a headline about a criminal roaming freely in your area. You are now at peace thinking you have done everything to ensure a safe haven for yourself. Now, when that criminal is caught, and jailed, and your area is safe, you might feel that you don’t need a gun anymore. Next, you might consider disposing it off.

But, what is the proper way to dispose off a gun? I’m pretty sure it does not go in the trash can!

Fortunately, a lot of people have raised concerns about proper gun disposal, and it is because of that we have come up with a list of ways in which you can safely get rid of an unwanted gun.

Turn It In at Your Local Police Department

The most convenient way of making sure that your gun is going into the right hands is to turn it into the police department. They have gun amnesty programs whereby your gun is destroyed. They also track this process for your convenience so that you can call and confirm whether your gun was completely destroyed or not.

Participate In a Buyback Program

There are several programs that are arranged to facilitate and encourage people to submit unwanted weapons for a price reward. These buyback programs have a huge role in ensuring responsible gun disposal. These can be organized by either your local police department or other law enforcement agencies working in your country. People are rewarded with cash, gift cards, and vouchers for taking a responsible action for the safety of their district.

Donate It To a Military Training Program

There are many organizations that provide gun training. Some of these organizations might be on a tight budget, so donating your unwanted gun to these places might be a good idea. This will ensure that your gun is not misused; instead it is used to serve a greater purpose.

Donate It To a Museum

If your gun is disabled, you can donate it to a museum or an art gallery where it can be displayed.

Get It Deactivated

One option is to get your gun deactivated. This will make it impossible to use, as deactivation engenders certain changes in the gun that permanently damage its shooting mechanism and other components.

Recycle It

There are many ways to recycle a deactivated gun. You can turn in your gun to organizations involved in various art projects. These organizations need tools to create art so this type of gun disposal will not only be responsible but it will also be beneficial.

All of these methods will help cultivate the idea of responsible gun ownership, and also ensure proper gun disposal. Irresponsible gun ownership can result in various crimes and accidents and these accidents have been on the rise since the past two years. This usually happens when gun owners are reckless with their weapons and dispose them off where they can be accessed by young and impulsive teenagers who are unaware of the law. Hence, care must be taken to ensure that you are disposing your gun in the best possible manner.