5 Gun Safety Tips You Have to Remember

In 2020, more than 45,000 people died because of a preventable firearm accident. It goes without saying that buying a gun can be dangerous if you don’t make sure to learn the best gun safety tips.

Shooting a gun safely has nothing to do with experience or the firearm you use. Handling a gun the right way is an exercise you’re better off being taught than learning on your own.

In this article, we’ll discuss all of the safety tips you need to know before owning a gun.

1. Always Handle a Gun Like It’s Loaded

This is the number one gun safety rule for a reason. You should always treat a gun as if it’s loaded, even if you know it isn’t.

The first step to gun safety is understanding that a gun is never fully safe. When you’re handling a gun, keep your finger off the trigger and point the gun in a safe direction. A safe direction is usually up or down, but it depends on the situation.

2. Keep the Gun Unloaded Until You’re Ready to Use It

If you’re not ready to shoot, keep the gun unloaded. An unloaded gun is much safer than a loaded one.

When you’re ready to shoot, load the gun and then make sure the safety is on. The safety mechanism is a device that prevents the gun from firing. Don’t put your finger on the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.

3. Always Use the Right Ammunition

You should always use the right ammunition for your gun. If you’re not sure, be sure to ask your local expert at a gun store. Using the wrong ammunition can damage the gun and make it unsafe to shoot. It can also cause serious injury or death.

Here are some other things to keep in mind about ammunition:

• Never reuse ammo
• Never use damaged ammo
• Store ammo in a cool, dry place
• Check the expiration date on packaged ammo before using it
• Learn more about the ammo dealer you’re doing business with

To put it simply, guns are not like computers. You can’t retrofit a gun with ammo it wasn’t designed to carry.

4. Always Check Your Line of Fire

Before you shoot, always check your line of fire. Make sure there’s nothing in the way of the bullet. This includes people, animals, buildings, and anything else that could be harmed by a stray bullet.

You should also be aware of what’s behind your target. A bullet can go through a target and hit something else. Be sure that there’s nothing and no one behind your target.

5. Don’t Panic

If your gun jams or misfires, don’t panic. Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction and carefully unload the gun. Once the gun is unloaded, you can inspect it to see what went wrong.

A gun jam or misfire is not a reason to panic. It’s simply an inconvenience. With a little patience, you can figure out what went wrong and fix it.

Make Sure to Follow These Important Gun Safety Tips

As you can see, shooting a gun the right way doesn’t totally rely on common sense. Many of these gun safety tips aren’t immediately obvious to beginners.

With that said, do you want to read more interesting articles? If so, check out our blog for more helpful articles.