The key to this rule is to determine at all times where the mouth or front of the barrel is pointing. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances. Firearms should only be loaded when you are on the field or at the shooting range or in the shooting area, ready to shoot.
These rules are made to keep yourself and others safe when firing a gun. As a final note, be sure to point out anyone who handles firearms in a dangerous manner to the security guard at your shooting range. Those who do not follow proper gun safety are not only putting themselves at risk, but you and others as well. When handling a firearm, there are universal safety rules that must be followed to minimize the risk of an incident. In this article, we highlight eight cardinal gun safety rules that can keep you and your family safe. So, without further ado, here’s a list of basic gun safety rules that everyone should know about.
Whether you’re shooting or just waving your gun, never point your mouth at yourself or others. Common sense should determine which address is safest, depending on your location and other circumstances. Always point or shoot the firearm down at the shooting range. This rule is known as the “5th unspoken rule”, but is no less important than the other 4 gun safety rules. Knowing your target means that you have a positive ID or PID, that the target poses a threat, and that you are authorized to legally engage.
A weapon taken from long-term storage must be cleaned before firing. Moisture, dirt or accumulated fats can interfere with the safe operation of the gun. Cleaning firearms on club grounds is only permitted in designated areas. As a Marine Corps recruit, he gets his M16 rifle during ccw training his first week of training. You begin to get to know your gun intimately and take it with you almost everywhere you go. Your basic training begins with the rifle manual during the closed order exercise, disassembling your rifle for cleaning, and mounting your rifle after cleaning.
Never leave a firearm unattended unless it has been unloaded, locked and secured. Before loading your firearm, open the action and make sure there is no ammunition in the room or magazine. Make it a habit to clean the hole and check for obstacles with a cleaning bar immediately before firing it. If the sound or recoil at firing seems weak or doesn’t seem quite “right,” stop firing immediately and make sure no obstruction or projectile has lingered in the barrel. A safe direction means a direction in which a bullet cannot hit anyone, taking into account possible ricocheting and the fact that bullets can penetrate walls and ceilings. Safe steering can sometimes be “up” or “down” with others, but never for someone or something that is not a target.
Ammunition can be identified by the information printed on the box and sometimes stamped on the cartridge. Don’t fire the gun unless you know it has enough ammo. Most shooting safety rules are meant to protect you and the people around you, but this rule is only for your protection. In addition, protecting your hearing and eyes will make your recording easier and increase your enjoyment of shooting sports.
Proper storage prevents unauthorized use, theft or damage to firearms and ammunition. A gun safe or weapon cabinet is often used to physically prevent access to a firearm. Local laws may require specific standards for locking, for violence and resistance to cabinet theft, and may even require weapons and ammunition to be stored separately.
Rule number one is the most important rule, namely to treat each weapon as if it were loaded. A rifle is a tool to kill the enemy, simply and clearly. The first gun safety rule ensures that the rifle and each firearm are treated with due respect. This means that when you pick up a gun, you always check if the gun is loaded and if there is a bullet in the room. Keep the weapon unloaded until it is ready to work.
To ensure safe practices at home and at the shooting range, embrace these gun handling principles and become natural habits every time you wield a firearm. ADTA observes and enforces these principles at all ADTA events, from demonstrations to dry practice events to live fire events. This means that they must store their weapons in such a way that no unauthorized person has access to them. Contact Sporting Systems for information on proper weapons storage.
Never let your mouth point beyond 90 degrees upwards to the median interception of the backstop or above the top of the backstop in any direction. Stick to the 180-degree rule at all times and keep your mouth pointing downwards or in a designated safe direction when your weapon is being drawn or pulled. The NRA calls this “the primary rule of gun safety.” Specific circumstances will dictate what is a “safe direction” to aim the weapon at any given time.