Handgun safety is not rocket science. With extra care and use of common sense you can handle your handgun safely.
One of the most cri
tical duties is to keep your handgun safe and stable. It’s a full-time role with a lot of responsibilities. Do keep the handgun and firearms locked away from children and those who shouldn’t have ties to them.
Hold the handgun unloaded and secured while not in service. You must always lock and store your handgun in a way that prevents unwanted access to ensure your protection and the safety of others. Talking about handgun safety there are some basic rules to follow.
HANDGUN SAFETY RULE 1: REMAIN CONSCIOUS OF THE DIRECTION At WHICH THE MUZZLE IS POINTED.
This is the most fundamental law of defense. If everybody treated their weapons with enough caution that the muzzle never pointed at anything they were not intending to fire, there will be almost no handgun injuries. It’s as plain as that, and the option is entirely yours.
Never aim your pistol at something you have no intention of shooting. This is especially critical when loading or unloading a handgun. No damage is possible in the case of an unintended firing as long as the muzzle is pointed in a protected direction.
A secure trajectory is that in which a bullet cannot potentially hit someone, taking ricochets and the possibility that bullets will reach walls and ceilings into consideration. In certain times, the safe course is “up,” and on others, it is “under,” but never at someone or something that is not meant as a goal. And if you are “dry firing” with an unloaded firearm, you can never aim the weapon at a dangerous target.
Make it a habit to still be aware of the direction your gun’s muzzle is pointed, and to ensure that you have hold of the direction the muzzle is pointing, even though you trip or slip. This is your duty, and you alone have the ability to control it.
HANDGUN SAFETY RULE 2: While NOT IN ACTUAL USE, HANDGUNS SHOULD BE UNLOADED
Handguns can be armed only while the shooter is in the region, on the goal range, or in a firing location. When not in service, weapons and cartridges should be stored separately in a secure location. It is your duty to keep weapons and firearms out of the hands of children and illegal adults.
Once done, immediately unload your rifle. A loaded firearm has no position in or around a vehicle, truck, or structure. When you are done firing, quickly unload your weapons before bringing it into a vehicle, camp, or house.
Whether handling a handgun or passing it to another, always automatically open the action and visually inspect the chamber, receiver, and magazine to ensure they are empty of bullets. Maintain open acts when not in service. Never presume a pistol is unloaded — always verify! This is regarded as a sign of an accomplished firearms handler!
Never attempt to scale a barrier, ascend a branch, or take some other inconvenient activity when carrying a loaded firearm. When in the sector, common sense and the fundamental principles of handgun protection would dictate that you unload your pistol for full safety. Never aim a loaded handgun at yourself or another human. There is never a reason for carrying a concealed firearm in a scabbard, an unworn belt, or a cartridge case. When in question, deactivate your firearm!
HANDGUN SAFETY RULE 3: NEVER ASSUME THAT ANY GUN IS SAFE
Assume that any gun is capable of firing at any moment. Any gun’s “security” is a mechanical mechanism that, like any other device, will fail to operate at the worst possible moment. Additionally, the protection can be “off” while you believe it is “on.” The protection supplemented good weapons handling but cannot possibly replace common sense. Never carelessly treat a pistol or presume that it would not shoot simply because the “safety is on.”
Never strike a handgun’s trigger unless you want to fire. If loading or unloading, keep your fingers away from the button. Never pull the trigger of a handgun with the safety set to “open” or somewhere between “safe” and “rocket.” The gun can shoot at any moment, or even later when the safety is released, without you ever touching the trigger again. Never leave the protection in an intermediate location, as a half-safe is dangerous. Maintain the protection “on” position until you are certain you are ready to shoot.
Regardless of the protection location, any blow or jar hard enough to actuate a gun’s firing mechanism will trigger it to explode. This may occur even though the trigger is not touched, as when a firearm is lost. Never rest a loaded gun on something, since it is often possible for it to be jarred or slip out of place and crash with enough force to discharge. The only way you can be confident a gun would not shoot is when the action is fully extended and the chamber is entirely clean. Again, never depend on the protection of your firearm. You and the secure gun handling techniques you’ve mastered are the key safeguards for your gun.
HANDGUN SAFETY RULE 4: FIGURE OUT JUST WHERE YOU ARE AIMING AND KNOW WHAT LIES BEHIND THAT
Nobody is capable of retaliating. If a pistol is discharged, you lose complete influence of where the projectile will go and what it will hit. Never fire until you are certain of the goal. Ascertain that the bullet would not cause injury to someone or anything other than the intended target. Disregard for the wellbeing of others is shown by firing at a direction or a disturbance without being aware of what you are aiming at. No goal is so vital that you cannot find the time necessary prior to pulling the trigger to be entirely confident of the target and the point of impact.
Bear in mind that even a 22 short bullet will fly for 1 1/4 miles, whereas a high speed cartridge, such as a 30-06, will propel the bullet for 3 miles. Shotgun pellets have a diameter of 500 yards, whereas shotgun slugs can fly more than half a mile.
You should consider the distance traveled by a projectile if it misses its designated destination or ricochets in some other route.
HANDGUN SAFETY RULE 5: HANDLE WITH CAUTION IF The HANDGUN DOES NOT FIRE WHEN THE TRIGGER IS PULLED!
At times, a cartridge may fail to shoot when the trigger is pulled. If this happens, maintain a healthy muzzle angle. Maintain a safe distance between the face and the breech. Then, unlock the action cautiously, unload the handgun, and dispose of the ammunition safely.
When a cartridge is in the magazine, the pistol is primed and able to fire regardless of what you attempted to aim and it did not go off. It can go off at any moment, so always note Rule #1 and keep an eye on that muzzle!
Discharging firearms in inadequately ventilated environments, cleaning handguns, and handling ammunition can expose you to lead and other substances known to trigger birth defects, reproductive damage, and other serious physical injury. For all times, maintain proper ventilation. Post exposure, carefully wash your face.