and studied the papers of the writers of that time say that the documents made it clear that the citizens of this country would not be reduced to serfs. It was clearly their intention that law-abiding individuals would enjoy the freedom to own and use firearms lawfully.
While this may seem so elementary that there is no need to state it, read and follow all instructions in the owner’s manual that came with your firearm! The manual may contain information regarding the operation of your firearm that you may not know even if you are an experienced shooter. Some firearms have particular features or characteristics that may have changed so that even experience with a similar model some years ago does not necessarily mean that the latest version operates in exactly the same way. I found recently when I was having trouble with a certain rifle that consulting the owner’s manual showed me why. It was not a safety issue but rather involved convenience in operation of the rifle. In addition to information on safety, the owner’s manual will give tips on maintenance of the firearm that can lead to long, trouble-free service. Correct procedures for loading, unloading, and handling firearms are important, and the owner’s manual will give you the information you need to perform these functions correctly.
It is incumbent upon all shooters to use all means available to make the shooting sports as safe as possible. There are several rules that serve as a basis for conduct in the shooting sports, a sort of shooting etiquette. The list takes on several forms depending on who is drawing up the list, but the rules can be distilled to embody the following areas.
1. Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
Some gun handlers become sloppy when they “know” a gun isn’t loaded. However, it is the “unloaded” gun that is sometimes involved in an accident. Never assume that a firearm is unloaded when you pick it up or someone hands it to you. With many firearms, there is no way to tell at a glance that there is not a round in the chamber. It may also be that there is a round in the magazine, and working the action may place that round in the chamber unknown to the person handling the gun. If this rule were always followed, it would prevent a firearm from being handled in a careless manner. The author knows of a case where a hole was drilled through a leg of a lamp table in a living room. The shooter thought his 22 rifle was unloaded and was attempting to release the spring tension on the firing pin by snapping it while aiming at a section of the table leg. It turned out that there was a round in the chamber, and a bullet was placed squarely through the table leg. Although his aim was good, his logic was defective. This type of mistake can lead to disaster. If the tension on the cocking mechanism is to be released, first insert a snap cap before pulling the trigger. If the piece is a bolt action rifle, raise the bolt handle, pull back on the trigger, and slowly move the bolt handle to the “down” position which allows the firing pin to move forward in a controlled manner. Treating every gun as if it were loaded has been translated by some to read “all guns are loaded.” Always assume that this is so.
As a young lad, the author remembers being in the home of a relative and looking around in a bedroom. On the floor was a small revolver that did not look much different than the toy cap pistols that were so familiar at that age. However, when the revolver was picked up, the bullets in the cartridges were clearly visible from the front of the cylinder and the cartridge heads were visible at the rear. Having been around firearms a great deal it was immediately obvious that this was a real gun rather than some toy that had been left behind. Very carefully the revolver, a Smith & Wesson 32 Hand Ejector model, was placed where it was found. Someone who did not know better might have been involved in a tragic accident when finding a loaded revolver. Teaching youngsters about firearm safety (even those who live in homes where there are no firearms) is a worthwhile activity. Knowing and teaching about firearms is infinitely better than trying to isolate young, curious children so they will never have contact with a firearm. Sadly, it seems today that the approach taken by many individuals is to pretend that firearms are somehow evil and must be avoided.
It is readily apparent that this revolver is loaded. This is one advantage of the revolver over the autoloader.
Many years ago, I visited a gun shop that had handguns in a glass case. A Colt 1911 attracted my attention, and I asked to look at it. The owner handed the pistol over the case, and I held it carefully. Casually pulling back the slide, a loaded 45 ACP cartridge was ejected! With the action open, it was obvious that there were additional cartridges in the magazine. I carefully handed the pistol to the totally baffled owner. It seems as if the pistol had been placed in the case only a day or two earlier when the previous owner delivered it to the shop to consummate a trade that had been arranged earlier. Having examined the pistol at the time the trade was made, the owner assumed that the previous owner had unloaded the pistol before bringing it in for transfer. Never assume that any gun anywhere is unloaded.
2. Never allow a gun to point in an unsafe direction or point a gun at anything you would not shoot.
Firearms, especially handguns, are short enough that simply by moving an arm or turning one’s body the muzzle may be pointed in a direction in which a shot should not be fired. Realizing that the firearm being handled may be loaded (and should always be treated as if it were!), the firearm must be controlled in such a way that the muzzle is never brought to point in a line that represents an unsafe shooting direction. Handguns should be manipulated with the muzzle pointing upward, action open, and finger off the trigger until it is safe to load the piece and assume a firing position. Rifles should be kept unloaded with the actions open and the muzzle pointed upward or in another safe direction depending on the circumstances. On ranges, special racks are usually available where all rifles are held in this condition. This writer has observed instances in which someone holding a firearm was spoken to by someone else. While turning toward the speaker, the person holding the firearm allowed the muzzle to sweep through an arc which brought the muzzle in line with another person. While holding a firearm, you must always be conscious of where a bullet would go if the piece discharged at any time. It is bad enough to have a firearm discharge accidentally under any circumstances, but it is much better to have it fire in a safe direction (in the air or down range) should such an event occur.
3. Always wear eye and ear protection.
While it is by no means a common occurrence, it is possible for the case rim to rupture when a rimfire firearm is discharged. The author has had it happen several times, and when it does hot gases as well as bits of powder and brass are ejected around the bolt face of the rifle (or out of the front or rear of the cylinder of a revolver) . These are sufficiently energetic to cause eye injuries. Even when the case rim does not rupture, the gap between the cylinder and barrel in a revolver can allow bits of unburned powder or lead shavings to escape. Modern rimfire ammunition is extremely good, but the author recently had four rounds of 22 LR target ammunition from the same box misfire. Moreover, two of these rounds misfired in each of two bolt action rifles. After waiting a short time with the muzzle remaining pointed at the target, the bolt was carefully opened and the round gently removed by pulling the bolt back. In such instances, it is possible for a “hang fire” round to detonate inside the open action causing all sorts of debris to be launched in all directions. If such an event happens, the shooter had better be wearing eye protection. Depending on the type of backstop being used, it is also possible that some small particles of the lead bullet may ricochet. Eyes are delicate and it is prudent to use every precaution possible to prevent eye injury. Participants in paintball sports are certainly aware of this requirement.
Safe shooting requires the participant to wear eye and hearing protectors.
Most corrective eyeglasses are made with polycarbonate lenses which are impact resistant. If the shooter is wearing glasses, the majority of bits of debris will be deflected although most glasses do not provide any protection from the sides. Good shooting glasses need not be expensive. Some suppliers of firearms market shooting glasses under their own labels. For example, Remington and Smith & Wesson each offer several styles that are available from many