Resource Directory
Firearm Safety Education & Helpful Resources
A curated, non-commercial directory of official agencies and educational organizations for safety, storage, training, and legal awareness.
Safety Education Overview
No single source can teach everything. The best learning combines official information, established educational programs, and hands-on instruction.
This directory gathers links to organizations whose own websites offer reliable starting points. Every external link opens the organization's official site in a new tab. We do not list retailers, dealers, marketplaces, or affiliate offers.
In a crisis? Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. In an emergency, call 911.
Government Information Resources
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Federal agency that administers many federal firearm laws and publishes guidance for the public.
atf.gov ↗ (opens in a new tab)FBI — NICS
Official information about the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
fbi.gov ↗ (opens in a new tab)Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
Official online edition of federal regulations.
ecfr.gov ↗ (opens in a new tab)USA.gov — State Attorneys General
Directory of state attorney general offices for state-level legal information.
usa.gov ↗ (opens in a new tab)U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Federal agency information on wildlife and public lands; hunting rules are primarily set by state wildlife agencies.
fws.gov ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Safe Storage Awareness
Project ChildSafe
Program focused on safe storage education, including information about local safety kit distribution.
projectchildsafe.org ↗ (opens in a new tab)988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Free, confidential support by call or text at 988 for people in distress and those worried about someone.
988lifeline.org ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Read our own guide to secure firearm storage and household safety for practical, non-commercial guidance.
Educational Organizations
International Hunter Education Association
Supports hunter education, which commonly includes firearm safety, ethics, and responsibility.
ihea-usa.org ↗ (opens in a new tab)Civilian Marksmanship Program
Nonprofit marksmanship training and competition with a strong emphasis on safety and youth programs.
thecmp.org ↗ (opens in a new tab)USA Shooting
National governing body for Olympic and Paralympic shooting sports.
usashooting.org ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Training and Safety Resources
Hands-on training is best found locally. Good places to look:
- Your state fish and wildlife agency's hunter education program
- Local ranges and clubs with credentialed instructors
- Community safety education programs
- Marksmanship programs with structured, supervised instruction
When comparing courses, ask about supervised hands-on time, curriculum, class size, and instructor qualifications. Our Firearms Education guide explains what qualified instruction should include.
Responsible Ownership Reading
FAQs
We list official government agencies and established organizations whose own websites provide safety, education, or regulatory information. We do not list retailers, dealers, or marketplaces, and no organization pays to be included.
No. A listing means we believe the organization's site is a relevant starting point for information. Organizations have their own perspectives, and readers should evaluate each source independently.
Please let us know through our contact page. We review and update resources when we learn something has changed.
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