Owning a handgun is a responsibility that must be taken seriously. Practicing the basic safety rules for handling and storing your gun is a must. You must also know how your specific type of handgun operates. It’s important for handgun owners to continuously remind themselves about the following safety principles, brought to you by the firearms safety education professionals from Gun Safety Training Pros, your premier choice for expert gun training online.
Avoid Careless Aiming
The first basic rule is to always point the gun in a safe direction, even if you think it isn’t loaded. When practiced consistently, this safety practice may prevent injuries. Treating the gun as if it’s always loaded is part of best safety practices. Whether with others at the gun range, at home, or outdoors, handle and carry the gun in such a way that it’s never pointed at another person.
Use Trigger Finger Discipline
Next, always keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot. Even if the gun you’re using has a safety feature and it’s on, remember it’s a mechanical piece and could fail at times. When you’re not yet ready to shoot, rest your trigger finger against the gun above the trigger guard. When you’re ready to shoot, you may bring your finger to the trigger and squeeze, maintaining control of your aim while shooting.
Be Aware of What’s Behind Your Target
Always be sure what your target is, and always make sure you know what’s behind the target as well. This means being aware of your surroundings so you won’t make a bad judgement call when shooting. While target practicing outdoors, check for people or animals wandering beyond the target. In a self-defense situation, you want to have a clear shot at the perpetrator without harming others in the process.
Be Familiar with Your Weapon
As a handgun owner, you should be very familiar with the parts of your gun and what each component does. Practicing shooting at an indoor or outdoor range is very helpful in gaining experience with the handgun and getting comfortable using it. Having the correct ammunition for the gun is also important for safety. Always check the caliber written on the side of the gun, and then match it to the same caliber of ammo. There are various types of revolvers as well as semi-automatic handguns, and each operates a bit differently.
Know How to Store Your Weapon Properly
When storing handguns, keep them out of reach of young children. Guns should be stored unloaded, and the ammo should be stored in its original box. A handgun for personal home defense should only be loaded if it’s kept in a locked gun safe. Make sure your gun is unloaded before cleaning it. With a revolver, make sure the cylinder is empty. With a semi-automatic, you need to remove the magazine and make sure there’s no round in the chamber.
Follow the Gun Safety Rules
- Always treat every gun as if it is loaded.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
- Know your target and what is beyond.
- Do not point your gun at anything you are not willing to shoot.
Whether you already own a firearm or you’re considering purchasing one, it’s essential to know how to use it safely. Gun Safety Training Pros is dedicated to providing the finest firearms training available. If you’re looking for high-quality firearms training online, we have everything you need. Contact us today at [email protected].
