6 Fire Arm Safety Tips You Need to Know

There is more to safe handling of firearms than secure storage. You’ve been told a thousand times that keeping your firearm away from the ammunition can save lives. You know very well that you must never store your firearm when loaded or unlocked. The following are six firearm safety tips every responsible gun owner must know.

Don’t Ever Point Your Firearm at a Target You Don’t Intend to Destroy

There are many well-known instances when accidental trigger pulls caused undeserved deaths. As a firearm owner, you’re never advised to keep your finger on the trigger not unless you’re ready to shoot. When holding a loaded or unlocked gun, you must never point it to anything you wouldn’t want to destroy. It’s strongly advised that when you’re not firing down, your weapon should be kept pointing down, away from people. The rule is to keep the gun pointed down in a holstered muzzle-down direction.

Understand Safe Gun Handling Basics

Safe gun handling isn’t one of the things you can learn on your own. You can study the gun manually and learn some basic handling tips, but you can’t learn everything on your own. Study each part of your gun, knowing how to close and open the gun action. Get high-quality and durable gun safes for sale from trusted vendors to store your firearms. When buying a safe gun, consider the capacity, safety level, design, and durability. Get a gun safe that can withstand scratching, frequent use, and forceful access by unauthorized people.

Wear Eye and Ear Safety Gear

Gunshot sounds can have serious effects on your ears. Getting exposed to gunshot sounds for an extended period will often lead to ear problems later as you get older. Using your gun without protecting your ears is not recommended as it may lead to hearing loss in the long run. As you operate your gun, you should as well wear eye protection. When fired, guns emit hot gas and debris, which can seriously hurt your eye health. Long-term exposure to debris and hot gas can also lead to partial or total eye loss. Keep your ears and eyes safe by wearing earplugs and safety glasses whenever you’re using your gun.

Don’t Take Drugs or Alcohol Before Using Your Firearm

Never use drugs or alcohol before you use a firearm. Alcohol is known to impair the safe handling of equipment and tool, leave alone guns. Handling guns when drunk is not only a safety hazard but also unethical. Likewise, never take over-the-counter or prescription medicine before you use a firearm. Some of these medications can cause dizziness and headaches, which can alter your accuracy in handling firearms. Before you take any medication, take time to inquire from your pharmacist or doctor about the possible side effects.

Use the Right Ammunition on Your Gun

Every model of gun is designed to work with a unique cartridge or caliber. It’s only when you use the caliber or cartridge recommended for your weapon you will have safe handling experiences. Every gun will come with the specified ammunition caliber printed on its slide or the barrel. Some gun owner’s manuals have details about the cartridge types you can use on your gun, as well.

If you don’t find this information on the owner’s manual or printed on the gun’s barrel, you can check the cartridge box or cartridge head. You’ll likely find the necessary information printed on any of them, depending on your gun type. Remember, the wrong ammunition can damage your gun or even hurt you. Always confirm if you are using the right ammunition before you fire your weapon.

Keep Your Firearm Serviced

Altering the design or functionality of your gun is wrong. Guns are uniquely designed to function adequately if used as they are. Changing the function or design of your gun will always void the warranty and ruin it completely. By trying to alter any mechanism of the firearm, including the trigger, you’re simply putting yourself and those around you at risk.

If you think your gun requires some modification, you have to talk to an expert. Get your gun frequently serviced by a professional, too. Handling a gun isn’t totally a safe adventure unless you know how to handle it and observe all safety precautions safely. The aforementioned are safety precautions you should never ignore when using a firearm.