Christmas 2024 has come and gone, and people are still reeling from their amazing gifts. Many times, the gift of choice is a firearm. This is especially true for a preteen or teenager. Giving an adolescent a firearm seems to be a rite of passage for some families. Many gun enthusiasts enjoy passing down their love of firearms to younger family members.
Unfortunately, giving somebody a firearm also brings on a huge responsibility for both giver and receiver. Unintentionalfirearm deaths and injuries occur. Studies show that there are approximately 500 unintentional firearm deaths annually, and over 27,000 injuries.
Multiple reasons can factor in for the deaths and injuries. Some of these reasons include handling a firearm while under the influence, playing with the firearm, hunting, mistaking the firearm for a toy, incorrectly believing that the firearm is not loaded and accidentally firing the gun while cleaning it.
The deaths and injuries are often preventable if one learns gun safety. The National Firearm Industry Trade Association gives 10 rules for gun safety.
Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Even though this rule seems like one of the most basic rules, it is still important. If the muzzle of the gun was always pointed at the ground and never pointed at something a shooter didn’t intend to shoot, there would bewaylessfirearmaccidents. This is especially important when loading or unloading a firearm because there is always the possibility of an accidental discharge.
Firearms should only be loaded while in use. Don’t have a loaded firearm unless one is hunting or at the firing rangeandreadytoshoot.Ammunition should be removed from the firearm when not in use and stored in a safe place.
Don’t rely strictly on the safety feature of the firearm. It is important to treat every firearm as though it can fire at any time. It is easy to assume the safety is on preventing the firearm from engaging when in fact, the safety is off, making it dangerous. Also, never pull the trigger assuming that the safety will keep it from firing.
When shooting a firearm, be aware of the target and anything beyond it. Don’t fire the gun unless absolutely sure where the bullet is going to land. Be aware of the ammunition and its capabilities, as well. A 22 short bullet can travel over one mile and a 30.06cansenditsammomore than three miles.
Be sure to use the correct ammunition for the firearm. Be sure to read and obey all warnings that appear in the gun’s instructional manual an on the ammunitions box. If a shooter uses the incorrect ammunition, it can damage the firearm and make it even more dangerous. Be sure to inspect every cartridge before placing it in the firearm and never use damaged or substandard ammunition.
If the firearm fails to fire after pulling the trigger, be sure to handle it with care and caution. If a cartridge refuses to fire, keep the muzzle pointedinasafedirectionand keep your face away from the breach. Only when it is safe, should the shooter open the action, unload the firearm and dispose of the damaged cartridge.
Theshootershouldalways wear eye and ear protection when shooting. Exposure to the noise from shooting the firearm could damage hearing. Similarly, the shooter could receive damage to their eye from any projectiles or falling twigs. It is also important to keep the eye protection on when disassembling and cleaning the gun to prevent the possibility of springs or solvents from contacting the eyes.
The shooter should also be sure their barrel is clear of any possible obstructions before shooting. Before loading the firearm, open the action to make sure there is no ammunition in the chamber or magazine. Also, be sure it is clear of any obstructions. Even the smallest amount of mud or excess oil or grease can be dangerous. Make it a habit to clean the bore and check for obstructions with a cleaning rod before shooting.
Don’t alter or modify the firearm and have it serviced regularly for optimal usage. Due to all the moving parts, firearms should only be worked on by an expert. Be sure to have the firearm serviced regularly since it is subject to wear.
Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the firearm. Not all firearms are made the same. Some firearms have different characteristics and should be handled as such. It is important to become familiar with thefirearmandlearnthebest way to handle it.