Firearms safety

• Basic Rules Of Firearms Safety
• Hunting Safety
• Transporting Firearms

Basic Rules of Firearms Safety 

1.  Know your gun and how to use it safely.  Read your gun's 
instruction manual and become familiar with all aspects of it's 
safety features.

2.  Treat every gun as though it were loaded.  Never engage
 in horseplay with a gun.

3.  When you pick up any gun, make sure it is unloaded. 
 Open the action and check to be certain there is not a 
round in the chamber or magazine.

4.  Keep the muzzle of the gun pointed in a safe direction. 
 Never point or sweep your gun at any person, or anything 
you do not intend to shoot.

5.  Leave the gun unloaded and the magazine open until you
are ready to use it.

6.  Be sure the ammunition you use is designed for your gun.

7.  Carry only one caliber or gauge of ammunition at a time. 
 This will help avoid inadvertently chambering an incorrect 
round in your gun.  

8.  Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.

9.  Keep the safety on until you are ready to shoot.

10. Be sure that the barrel and action are clear of obstruction. 
 If you have reason to believe the barrel or action are obstructed,
 do not look up the barrel to verify it. Unload the chamber and action,
 break the gun down and clean the barrel and action.

11. Always keep your guns clean and in working order.

12. Never leave a gun where unauthorized hands can get hold of it. 
  Store guns and ammunition separately, beyond the reach of children.

13. Don't mix alcohol and drugs with guns.

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Hunting Safety
Hunting in a group

1.  Decide who takes which position and maintain them until each member 
of the group agrees upon new ones.

2.  Establish each member's field of fire and muzzle direction.

Hunting side by side with 3 persons

Left person - muzzle left, fire left
Right person - muzzle right, fire right
Center person - muzzle down and forward, fire forward

Hunting in a line with 3 persons

Front person - muzzle forward, fire forward
Middle person - muzzle right, fire right
Rear person - muzzle left, fire left

3.  Be sure of your target before you pull the trigger.

a.  Positively identify your target as the game animal
 you are hunting.Obstacles such as trees can obstruct 
the full view of your animal, making identification difficult. 
 Avoid the temptation to shoot until you know for sure. 
 The tip of an antler could be another hunter rattling in a buck. 
 Or a patch of brown may be a person's coat, unaware of the 
hunting season.

4.  Never climb a tree or cross a fence or other obstacle with 
a loaded gun.

a.  Unload the chamber and magazine, and leave the action open.
b.  If you are hunting with a partner, pass your gun to your partner,
 muzzle up.
c.  Cross the fence or obstacle and have your partner pass the gun 
to you.
d.  If hunting alone, place the gun in a safe position, cross, then 
retrieve the gun with the muzzle up and pointed away from your body.

5. Know your target and what's behind it.

a.  Never shoot at a hard flat surface or the surface of water.
b.  When target shooting, make sure you have a safe backstop.
c.  Never shoot toward a house or building structure.
d.  Never shoot from or across a public road.
e.  Check your local shooting regulations.
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Transporting Firearms

Transporting a gun by automobile

1.  Check state and local laws of each area you will be traveling
 to or through.

2.  Unload the chamber and magazine.  If possible leave the 
action open.

3.  Keep the gun's safety on during transportation.

4.  Separate the gun from any ammo you are carrying.

5.  As much as is possible, separate the gun from you and
 other passengers.

6.  Lock your gun case.


Transporting a gun by airline

1.  Check with the airlines you will be traveling on.

2.  If traveling out of the country, check with your government 
and the embassy of the country you are traveling to.

3.  Unload the chamber and magazine.  If possible leave the 
action open.

4.  Keep the gun's safety on during transportation.

5.  Ship your ammo separately.

6.  Lock your gun case.