Staying familiar with ANY type of weapon you might rely on is imperative for your own safety. Knife, hatchet,spear,sword, Hand gun, shotgun, long gun. You need to be able to handle it in a subconscious way if needed. It doesn't do any good if ya gotta THINK about how to operate it. By the time you've made a decision, the bad guy is using it on YOU ! It's better to NOT have anything around. Too many folks do not practice or even just 'handle' their weapons to be familiar with weight, balance, actions. Just knowing how to lock and load or flick the safety while massive amounts of adrenaline are blasting through your veins is so darn easy to forget. It MUST be a subconscious action.
And make sure firearms are cleaned regularly !!!