Last Updated: by Jeffrey Huber
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A gun must be handled with the uttermost care. If you own a gun, you are responsible for taking care of it to the extent that there will be no accidents the whole time it is in your possession. Keeping it in a safe place is extremely important so that any unauthorized person and children cannot get hold of it.
Gun safety courses play a crucial role in educating gun owners regarding safe handling and usage of guns. As with all firearms, there are inherent threats if they are not used properly. Moreover, it is a smart idea to attend a gun safety class, preferably before you buy one for yourself.
Gun safety is imperative because it can prevent people from being killed or injured, avoid gun-related accidents, prevent people from killing themselves, and prevent the gun from being stolen and used for committing crimes.
Always Treat Any Type Of Gun As A Loaded One
There is no safe gun. It is a significant concept to understand. It does not matter if your firearm has been disassembled for several weeks. It also makes no difference even if the safety is on. And, it does not matter if they have already stopped making ammunition for that specific model some time ago. Keep in mind, and every firearm is loaded and ready to shoot all the time. It is one particular rule in which overkill is needed for basic safety.
Naturally, a gun can't fire when it is unloaded, the bolt is removed, and the safety is on. Then again, if you have a habit of treating a weapon in this case as being loaded, you are more inclined to treat one that is really loaded with the same extreme caution. This is definitely a rule that you must take seriously. There are numerous gun-related accidents year after year because the shooter was positive that the weapon was not loaded.
Store Your Gun In A Gun Safe At Home And In Your Car
One way to avoid unauthorized use of your gun is to store it away in a safe place. There is no safer place than to keep your firearms in a proper gun safe. Buy your gun safe large enough so you can use it to store other valuables like jewellery, documents or money.
Don’t forget to keep your gun in a car gun safe when you have to take your gun with you. Don’t have it laying around but keep it locked and stored safely while travelling.
These simple and basic solutions will make your area a lot safer already for you and your loved ones around you.
Only Aim A Gun At Something When You Are Ready To Fire
It is the most basic gun safety principle. The idea here is that if the gun is aimed at something you will want to destroy, any sort of accident cannot occur, no matter what the situation is. It simply means that when walking around, the firearm should be pointed at the ground, since a small spot of earth is a safe place to direct your weapon. It also means that when removing a gun from a vehicle, point it down toward the ground.
A high percentage of gun-related incidents take place as a result of negligence, irresponsible handling, or lack of knowledge with regards to using it. Here are some safety tips for responsible gun ownership.
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Do not touch the trigger if you are not ready to fire.
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Learn about bullet calibers and how far it can ricochet. Determine what sort of ammunition your weapon needs, and learn how to correctly load your gun.
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A gun is a mechanical tool that can have mechanical issues. So, it is not smart to depend blindly on the safety mechanism of your gun, as it will not always work.
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Familiarize yourself with how your weapon works, what every part is for, how to treat each of them, and also how to load and remove the bullets. Read and understand its instruction manual thoroughly.
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Have a qualified expert check your weapon to ensure all the parts are in perfect condition.
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Wear eye and ear protection while doing practice target shooting.
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Take full control of all yourself when shooting. Never carry a gun after drinking. In fact, it is much better to stay sober. Get plenty of rest, as fatigue can also cloud your judgment.
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Use some common sense. Do not play with a loaded or unloaded gun. Do not carry a loaded firearm when you are climbing a tree. Never aim it at anything playfully. Guns may accidentally discharge.
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Keep your gun in a place where children and unauthorized people cannot easily access it.
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Teach the children in your household not to touch a gun should they find one. They should leave the place and inform an adult immediately. Remember, though, teaching kids about it is not enough. Preventing access to weapons is the best way to avoid tragedy.
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Always make sure you know what you are firing at. You must clearly identify your target and also what is beyond it. It is not impossible to miss your mark and hit another thing or person instead. It is not wise to shoot at a sudden movement, sound or even a patch of color.
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Use the right cleaning chemicals and lubricants for guns.
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Clean the weapon before and after use. The debris in the barrel could potentially cause it to explode.
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Only load the firearm before you are going to use it and then unload it right after usage. Check if there is no ammunition in the device chamber or magazine. Do all of these before passing it to another person.
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Never attempt to modify or alter your gun. It had been designed by specialists to meet the safety requirements. Experimenting with that can only endanger your safety or everyone else.
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It is best to keep the weapon unloaded when you are not using it. Do not carry a loaded gun in its case. Never store loaded firearms.
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Keep the action of the gun open whenever not in use.
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Store the bullets away from the gun. Find another place for your ammunition.
See to it that everyone in your acquaintance who also owns a gun are familiar with gun safety.
- If you have a child, make sure to ask if there are weapons in the area, and if the rules of gun safety are observed before you send your kid over to his playmates.
The majority of those gun-related accidents could have been prevented if basic rules of gun safety had been implemented. There should never be any compromises about gun safety rules. If you cannot or are not willing to follow them, then you are certainly not someone who should own or have access to any weapon at all.
Jeffrey is a 35-year-old self-confessed gun nut who enjoys guns after the very first trip to the shooting range when he was 17 years old. Currently, he works in the firearms industry while in his free time shares his knowledge with everyone who desire to find his perfect gun.