Fundamentals of Firearm Safety

The Fundamentals of Firearm Safety

• Always assume all guns are loaded. The only unloaded gun in the entire world is the one that you have in your hand and have personally verified as unloaded. If you set it down and take your hand off from it, it becomes a loaded gun again.

• Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.

• Control the muzzle - Don't point the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy. Never point a firearm at yourself or others.

• Know your target and make sure you identify what you are shooting at and know what lies in front of and beyond it.

• Never climb a tree, fence or wall while carrying a loaded gun.

• If you are going to store a gun, make sure it is unloaded and secured in a properly in a certified safe.

• Never take alcohol, drugs or medications immediately before or during shooting.

• Never shoot at flat hard surfaces or water which causes ricochets.

• Check ammunition to see if it is the right size.

• Should a gun fail to discharge after the trigger is pulled, keep the gun pointing at the target for at least 30 seconds.

• Never take a gun out of a vehicle by pulling it toward you by the muzzle.

• Secure your guns so they are not readily accessible to unauthorized users.

• Always wear ear plugs or muffs to protect your hearing.

• Shooting glasses should be used to protect your eyes from gas blow back, unburned powder and shrapnel.

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Safety Rules Related to the Operator/ Shooter and his Behaviour.

We should pay close attention to various aspects of safety. The operator is the most important component in the safety chain. The operator should adhere to the following safety rules:

• Keep the action open and the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.

• Never pass a firearm to another person, or accept a firearm from another person, until the cylinder or action is open and you've personally checked that the weapon is completely unloaded.

• Before handling any firearm, understand its operation.

• Never rely on any mechanical device for safety.

• Think before shooting: once you pull the trigger you can't take back the shot you've just fired!

• Handling firearms is dangerous - Never joke around or engage in horseplay while handling or using firearms.

• Be alert at all times; never shoot if you're tired, cold or impaired in any way. Don't mix alcohol or drugs with shooting.

• Don't sleep with a loaded firearm in your bedroom if you sleepwalk, have nightmares, sleep restlessly or have other sleep problems.

• Safeguard your sight, hearing and health. Always wear eye and ear protection.

• If you see unsafe behaviour any time when firearms are being handled or used, speak up and take action to correct the unsafe behaviour at once.

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Safety Rules Related to Your Target.

The handler should never operate the firearm without close attention to his target. Safety rules include:

• Identify your target and the threat it poses before firing at it.

• Ask yourself - What's behind your target? Always make sure that a stray shot, or a bullet which penetrates its intended target through and through, will be safely stopped.

• Never shoot at a hard surface, or at water -- your shot may glance off, ricochet and injure someone.

• Never shoot at glass bottles, living trees, or inappropriate targets which would create a hazard for other persons or damage the environment.

• Never shoot a rifle or handgun directly upwards, or at a high angle of elevation. A bullet fired at an angle into the air can have enough energy to accidentally kill someone far away!

• Never shoot across a highway or other road.