I am afraid that locking them up/failing to teach is the reason for many accidental shootings !! And the main reason is "I didn`t know it was loaded" !! More people have been killed with "unloaded guns" than loaded ones !! Here kids know that if they pick a gun up,,its loaded !! No question about it,, !! There are probably 15 here in my house and all are loaded !! As to locking them up,,kids are naturally curious and when you tell them not to do something or if you keep an item in mystery,,thats the first thing they are going to go for !!
I shot my first gun at age 4,, with a little parental help,, an old long tom goose gun,,!! Sent me and my dad rolling !! Not something you want to repeat when young !!