I don't post this to be insulting, and you are probably already well aware of these rules. It's just that we all need a reminder once in a while—even those of us who are experienced and familiar with firearms, and firearms safety.The fundamental NRA rules for safe gun handling are:
1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
This is the primary rule of gun safety. A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage. The key to this rule is to control where the muzzle or front end of the barrel is pointed at all times. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances.
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
When holding a gun, rest your finger on the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. Until you are actually ready to fire, do not touch the trigger.
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
Whenever you pick up a gun, immediately engage the safety device if possible, and, if the gun has a magazine, remove it before opening the action and looking into the chamber(s) which should be clear of ammunition. If you do not know how to open the action or inspect the chamber(s), leave the gun alone and get help from someone who does.
I understand what led your husband to do this. I help my wife with her guns too. But, the one thing I do is stay out of her purse. Who knows what dark mysteries lurk therein, and I have a healthy fear of it.
But, I do clean her guns for her after range trips, and I do reload two of them for her when the cleaning is finished. However, I hand the unloaded purse gun (a S&W 642 revolver) and its cartridges back to her and she loads the gun and puts it in her purse. Her other guns consist of a bedstand Glock 19, a Kahr CW9 which is about to enter her carry rotation as soon as she practices some more with it, and an AR15. I always put the Kahr back into its Mitch Rosen holster, and I set the Glock on her bedstand. I specifically tell her that the pistols are loaded as soon as I put them in their assigned places, and her AR15 carbine is stored unloaded in the safe.
Now, but now you must have figured out that we don't keep all of our guns unloaded......but there is a method to our madness. The guns in the safe are unloaded, because we are not using them. The guns on the bedstands and elsewhere are loaded, because they are prepared for use—whether "use" means for carry, or for defense of the home. We assume them to be loaded, and handle them accordingly.
We are empty-nesters and have the advantage of no children running around the house.