Debra Maciel Did you know that 32% of Americans own guns? Firearms are inextricably tied to American culture.
However, despite their prevalence, a concerning amount of gun owners still aren’t familiar with basic firearm safety tips. That’s why we made this article.
In it, we’ll go over the most important safety tips that every person should know before they even pick up a firearm. That way, you can enjoy guns without unintentionally harming yourself or others. Let’s get started!
1. Always Treat Your Gun Like It’s Loaded
This is the cardinal rule of weapons safety. It doesn’t matter if you’re 100% sure that your gun is unloaded. You need to treat it as an active weapon. That means that when you aren’t aiming your firearm, it’s pointed in a safe direction.
Typically, this means at the ground. However, it can also mean pointed in the air. You want to make sure that if the firearm accidentally discharges it can’t cause any injury.
And depending on where you’re shooting that can mean different things. You don’t want any bullet to ricochet off the wall or ground and hit someone.
Most importantly, you never point the barrel at something you don’t intend to shoot. Muzzle awareness is key here.
So, make it a habit to know where your muzzle is pointed at all times. What’s more, you shouldn’t rely too heavily on your weapon’s safety features.
A gun’s safety is a good failsafe, but it isn’t a substitute for firearm safety rules. It’s so easy to mistakenly have your safety on when you think it’s off.
Even if you know your safety is on, you should never put your finger on the trigger of a gun until you’re ready to discharge it.
2. Know Your Target and What’s Beyond It
Whether you’re hunting or defending your home, you need to have target awareness before you take a shot. First, that means being 100% of your target. This is easy in a hunting context.
But, it gets more complicated in home defense situations. If you believe someone is in your home, you should yell at them to identify themselves before you even think of firing.
This is especially true if you live with friends or family members. When it’s dark it can be hard to be positive about your target. Second, you should make sure that when you discharge your weapon you won’t hit anything that is beyond it.
When you’re hunting, that means other people who might be behind or near the animal. In home defense situations, that means making sure that bullets don’t hurt anyone else in the building.
Remember it’s easy for ricocheted bullets to go through walls and hit people in other rooms. So, if you aren’t careful you could unintentionally harm a family member or neighbor.
3. Check Your Equipment Before Firing
You should always perform an equipment check before discharging your gun. First, check your ammo type. Make 100% sure that it’s the right ammo for your firearm.
If you load incorrect ammo into your gun, it will backfire and destroy the gun. It will likely also cause serious injury to the person holding the weapon.
So, check the specifications on your gun and double-check that the ammo you have corresponds. You should also equip eye and ear protection when you plan to fire a gun.
In the event of a misfire or target practice, eye protection can prevent shards of things from entering your eye. And, hearing protection can save your eardrums from hearing loss.
4. Store It Properly
When you aren’t using your firearms you need to make sure they’re stored with their 9mm ammo nc in a place that’s only accessible to you, or designated members. If you have children, you must invest in a location with some kind of lock.
Gun safes, vaults, or locked cabinets are all good choices for these needs. What’s more, you should also consider storing ammunition in a separate location.
If you’re using your firearm for self-defense purposes, you might be worried that you can’t access it fast enough in the event of a home invader.
If you fall in this category, you might consider just using a cable lock to keep people out of it. But, the safest option is always to secure in a locked area.
Bonus Tip: Choose a Firearm Your Feel Comfortable With
When shopping for a firearm you want to choose the weapon that makes you feel most comfortable when handling it. Ultimately, the purpose of the firearm will play a big factor in this.
The criteria for hunting a firearm and a self-defense one are vastly different. But you should also take into account things like your size.
If you’re on the smaller size, it’s probably not the best idea to purchase a high-caliber firearm with a lot of kickback. This will feel awkward for you both when you carry it and fire it.
Instead, select a gun that’s ideally suited for your frame. If you aren’t sure, visit or contact a supplier for advice.
We recommend you shop secure.arnzenarms.com if you want good customer service and a great selection of firearms to choose from.
Appreciate Learning About Firearm Safety? Keep Reading
We hope this article helped you learn the most important firearm safety tips. If you’ve never handled a gun before, and you want to purchase one along with ammo largo fl, the best thing to do is take your time.
Enroll in a gun safety class. That way, you get some hands-on experience before you dive into ownership. The more experience you have with shooting, the more confident you’ll be when you handle a firearm.
Did you learn something from this article? Keep exploring our website to find lots of other educational guides.
