The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) does a lot of advocacy and good works within the firearms community, that is no doubt. One of their premier initiatives has been Project Childsafe. For 20 years now that program has increased awareness of safe firearms handling and storage practices among millions of gun owners, helped reduce accidental firearms deaths to historic lows and become an indispensable firearms safety education resource for partners in every state and the U.S. territories.

One thing that they are most notably known for is providing free gun locks to organizations and groups who also do good works within their communities. In fact, they have eclipsed over 38 million free gun locks having been given away to groups such as these:

• Law Enforcement
• Fish & Wildlife Agencies
• Conservation Groups
• Firearms Retailers & Gun Ranges
• Faith Communities & Tribal Organizations
• Boy Scouts of America & 4-H Chapters

The NSSF’s Project Childsafe program works with a lot of other groups as well, but those are the most recognizable ones. Steve Sanetti, the CEO of the NSSF, has stated that, “The No. 1 objective of Project ChildSafe has always been saving lives by urging gun owners to store their firearms responsibly when not in use, and giving them the tools to do it.” The positive results of Project Childsafe are not just conjecture either. There is actual, qualitative evidence of the boots on the ground work that has been accomplished.

• In a 2017 report, the GAO concluded that providing free locking devices positively influenced behavior to store firearms more safely.
• In 2018, Project ChildSafe was named a finalist for the National Safety Council’s Green Cross for Safety Awards, in the category of “Excellence in Safety.”
• In 2019, the RAND Corporation (conducting research for the National Institute of Justice), noted that Project ChildSafe is the only program that offers freely available gun locks at a national level, and in the context of the GAO findings, concluded that Project ChildSafe is a “noteworthy component of national efforts to improve safe storage.”

So while a lot of our politicians might espouse on things that must be done or should be done in regards to firearms safety, Project Childsafe of the NSSF has been getting things done for 20 years! Thank you to them and all of the efforts that they have accomplished. As always, we turn the discussion back to you, our readers, and ask what do you think? Let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.