Gun Safety--Rules of Safe Gun Handling

[A.Rafay]

Safety Is The Most Important Thing​

10 Rules of Safe Gun Handling

1. Always Keep The Muzzle Pointed In A Safe Direction
This is the most basic safety rule. If everyone handled a firearm so carefully that the muzzle never pointed at something they didn't intend to shoot, there would be virtually no firearms accidents. It's as simple as that, and it's up to you.
Never point your gun at anything you do not intend to shoot. This is particularly important when loading or unloading a firearm. In the event of an accidental discharge, no injury can occur as long as the muzzle is pointing in a safe direction.

2. Firearms Should Be Unloaded When Not Actually In Use
Unload your gun as soon as you are finished. A loaded gun has no place in or near a car, truck or building. Unload your gun immediately when you have finished shooting, well before you bring it into a car, camp or home.Never cross a fence, climb a tree or perform any awkward action with a loaded gun.

3. Don't Rely On Your Gun's "Safety"
Treat every gun as though it can fire at any time. The "safety" on any gun is a mechanical device which, like any such device, can become inoperable at the worst possible time. Besides, by mistake, the safety may be "off" when you think it is "on." Never touch the trigger on a firearm until you actually intend to shoot. Keep your fingers away from the trigger while loading or unloading.

4. Be Sure Of Your Target And What's Beyond It
No one can call a shot back. Once a gun fires, you have given up all control over where the shot will go or what it will strike. Don't shoot unless you know exactly what your shot is going to strike. Be sure that your bullet will not injure anyone or anything beyond your target.Be aware that even a .22 short bullet can travel over 1 ¼ miles and a high velocity cartridge, such as a .30-06, can send its bullet more than 3 miles. Shotgun pellets can travel 500 yards, and shotgun slugs have a range of over half a mile.

5. Use Correct Ammunition
Using improper or incorrect ammunition can destroy a gun and cause serious personal injury. It only takes one cartridge of improper caliber or gauge to wreck your gun, and only a second to check each one as you load it.

6. If Your Gun Fails To Fire When The Trigger Is Pulled, Handle With Care!
Occasionally, a cartridge may not fire when the trigger is pulled. If this occurs, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Keep your face away from the breech. Then, carefully open the action, unload the firearm and dispose of the cartridge in a safe way.

7. Always Wear Eye And Ear Protection When Shooting
All shooters should wear protective shooting glasses and some form of hearing protectors while shooting. Exposure to shooting noise can damage hearing, and adequate vision protection is essential. Shooting glasses guard against twigs, falling shot, clay target chips and the rare ruptured case or firearm malfunction. Wearing eye protection when disassembling and cleaning any gun will also help prevent the possibility of springs, spring tension variety of eye and ear protectors available. No target shooter, plinker or hunter should ever be without them.

8. Be Sure The Barrel Is Clear Of Obstructions Before Shooting
Before you load your firearm, open the action and be certain that no ammunition is in the chamber or magazine. Be sure the barrel is clear of any obstruction. Even a small bit of mud, snow, excess lubricating oil or grease in the bore can cause dangerously increased pressures, causing the barrel to bulge or even burst on firing, which can cause injury to the shooter and bystanders. Make it a habit to clean the bore and check for obstructions with a cleaning rod immediately before you shoot it. If the noise or recoil on firing seems weak or doesn't seem quite "right," cease firing immediately and be sure to check that no obstruction or projectile has become lodged in the barre

9. Don't Alter Or Modify Your Gun, And Have Guns Serviced Regularly
Firearms are complicated mechanisms that are designed by experts to function properly in their original condition. Any alteration or change made to a firearm after manufacture can make the gun dangerous and will usually void any factory warranties. Do not jeopardize your safety or the safety of others by altering the trigger, safety or other mechanism of any firearm or allowing unqualified persons to repair or modify a gun. You'll usually ruin an expensive gun. Don't do it!

10. Learn The Mechanical And Handling Characteristics Of The Firearm You Are Using
Not all firearms are the same. The method of carrying and handling firearms varies in accordance with the mechanical characteristics of each gun. Since guns can be so different, never handle any firearm without first having thoroughly familiarized yourself with the particular type of firearm you are using, the safe gun handling rules for loading, unloading, carrying and handling that firearm, and the rules of safe gun handling in general.

Example of safe firearm handling. The firearm is pointed at the ground and the handler's finger is off the trigger.

 

[Ghareeb_Da_Baal]

LOL, I remember I forgot one of em rules and boom went my glock 22. Wasted a $1.25 bullet and the cost of fixing the hole in the wall!.

 

[MilSpec]

II. Additional specific rules of safe gun handling

Safety Rules Related to the Shooter and His Behavior.

Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
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!
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. Endeavor to limit your exposure to heavy metal particulates and gases, and minimize your contact with aromatic organic solvents (such as those commonly used in gun cleaning products).
If you see unsafe behavior any time when firearms are being handled or used, speak up and take action to correct the unsafe behavior at once.
Receive competent instruction from a qualified person before beginning to shoot. If questions arise later, after you've been shooting for a period of time, get answers to those questions from a competent authority.

Firearm Safety

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/guns-corner/225871-handguns-info-bank.html#ixzz2HvnwInsv

 

[RescueRanger]

A great example of what happens when you have no weapon handling training:
Pakistani Security Guards Samaa oct 10 - YouTube