Do you have a family member who has recently acquired his or her first firearm? Do you have friends or neighbors who keep firearms in a home with small children? It is important to know and practice the principles of firearms safety, ALL the time. Here are two well-written gun safety manuals in printable PDF format. All firearms owners, even experienced hunters and competitors, can benefit from reviewing these resources from time to time. And new gun owners, in particular, should take the time to read both these guides. The Remington Safety Manual includes the “Ten Commandments of Firearms Safety”. Here’s the First Commandment:
This can be very important — even life-saving. For example, with a hang fire, i.e. a round that does not fire immediately, it is vital to keep the gun pointed DOWN-RANGE. And with a squib load, which may have left a round inside the barrel, it is vital to UNLOAD and NOT take another shot! If you did, the gun could blow up in your hand when the second, full-charge bullet hits the trapped bullet.
The Five Topics Covered Are:
Misfeed (aka Tip-Up)
Double Feed
Stovepipe (Failure to Extract)
Misfire / Hangfire
Squib Load
1. Misfeed or Tip-Up: With any misfeed you should stop firing. With the muzzle pointed safely down-range, remove the magazine, then pull the slide back and remove the round that did not feed. Check the slide for dirt, debris, and check the round that did not feed. After re-inserting the magazine, make sure the mag is seated properly.
2. Double-Feed: This is a fairly common issue with some gun types with worn springs or cheap magazines. Again you want to remove the magazine. CTD states: “Remove the magazine and cycle the action until your double-fed rounds fall out — always keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction[.]”
3. Stove-Pipe: This occurs when the case of a fired round does not eject fully. There can be many causes — damaged extractor, low-pressure powder charge, dirty chamber, or greasy cartridge brass. In addition the issue is common with old, worn-out recoil springs. To avoid Stove-Pipes, replace the recoil spring every 4000 rounds, and make sure your chamber is clean and the extractor is not chipped or damaged.
4. Misfires and Hang-Fires: There are multiple causes for misfires (“click no bang”) and hang-fires (slow ignition). There can be a defective primer, the firing pin could be damaged, the powder many have been bad, or the case not filled properly. With a misfire, keep the gun pointed down-range at least one minute. If the case does not fire, eject it but leave it on the ground. With a hang-fire (delayed ignition after firing pin strike), keep the gun pointed down-range, then drop the magazine and eject the (new) unfired cartridge in the chamber and inspect the gun when completely empty.
5. Squib Load: A squib load is when the gun fires, but the actual case ignition is very light with little noise, smoke, or recoil. This can be because the case had a primer but no powder. Or it can be because the powder did not ignite. Squib loads can be very dangerous in rapid-fire situations. If you EVER get a squib load STOP immediately! Do NOT fire another round! This is because the squib may have left a bullet inside the barrel.
To help serve America’s many millions of new gun owners, Winchester has created a good online information site for first-time ammunition and firearms buyers as well as those just getting started in the shooting sports. Winchester’s New Shooters Site has many helpful articles plus a series of videos.
With schools closing soon for the summer and kids spending more time at home, firearms safety is more important than ever. Given that fact, the NSSF reminds gun owners to keep their guns locked up so they cannot be accessed by children. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and its partners urge gun owners to keep firearm safety a top priority and are making safety resources widely available as gun and ammunition sales increase, especially among first-time firearm purchasers.
For anyone considering buying a gun, Project ChildSafe’s Road To Responsible Firearm OwnershipMany Paths to Firearm Safety video series helps gun owners determine the best safe storage device for their home/lifestyle. You also view the Safe Storage Options chart.
NSSF encourages gun owners and non-gun owners to use the firearm safety resources available on its Project ChildSafe website. These include the McGruff Gun Safety videos for young children and this educational video explaining how to discuss gun safety with children:
“More parents are assuming the role of educators in their homes, so it’s a good to time have a talk with your kids about gun safety, even if you don’t own a gun”, states Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “If you do own a firearm, be sure your family understands the safety rules regarding firearms in your home, and always store guns responsibly when not in use.”
The NSSF named ace shooter and safety advocate Julie Golob the winner of its first-ever “Woman of the Gun Award” during the 2022 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. The award recognizes Golob’s achievements and contributions to shooting sports, as well as her work to promote the mission and message of NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program.
“Julie is a mom, veteran, hunter, and one of the most decorated handgun shooting champions in the world,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF’s President and CEO. “For more than a decade, she’s also been an invaluable partner to our Project ChildSafe program, giving of her time, her talents and her energy to promote firearm safety education.”
Julie’s career in competitive shooting started when she took top honors in several matches as a junior competitor, leading up to her recruitment by the U.S. Army Shooting Team. Since then, she earned more than 150 major championship titles, including more than 50 world and national titles, over the past 20+ years. She is also the first woman in history to win U.S. Practical Shooting Association Championships in all seven handgun divisions.
Golob began working with NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program in 2013, lending her name and expertise to a host of firearm safety education efforts, including guests columns, social media campaigns, public appearances, and videos—including a feature video on how to talk to kids about gun safety.
“As a mother, I know full well how challenging this conversation can be,” Golob said. “It’s crucial that parents set an example and teach their kids about firearm safety so children don’t learn about guns solely from what their friends say or what they see on video games and TV.”
“Too often, children don’t know what to do if they find a gun,” said Steve Sanetti, President and CEO of NSSF, which developed and sponsors the Project ChildSafe firearm safety education program. “This video opens a door for honest conversation and empowers parents to be the authority on gun safety for their kids, whether they have guns in their homes or not.”
Julie — pistol champion, Army veteran, wife and mother, is also an accomplished author, who has written about the shooting sports in many publications, newswires, and internet blogs. Her book, Shoot: Your Guide to Shooting and Competition, serves as both an introduction to firearms for novices and a primer to help experienced shooters improve their skills.
The NSSF has a new Share Center webpage, with key information and graphics that gun owners can easily share through social media. Second Amendment advocates now have access to a growing library of shareable facts with infographics. These can be shared directly to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as well as blogs, forums, and websites. In addition, the graphics can easily be attached to emails.
Topics include hunting, gun safety, modern sporting rifles, background checks, conservation and more. The NSSF plans to regularly add more shareable materials to the NSSF Share Center.
The NSSF states: “The firearm industry needs your help to correct misinformation and misconceptions about the firearm industry and gun owners to ensure that our freedoms remain protected. The new NSSF Share Center makes it easy for anyone to lead discussions on social media and beyond.”
Here are some of the available infographics. To see all Share Center materials, go to NSSF.org/share.
June is National Safety Month. In summer, when children are home from school and more likely to be unattended, it’s especially important to store firearms securely. The No. 1 way to help prevent accidents is to securely store your firearms when they’re not in use. The NSSF says: “Whether you own a gun or not, firearm safety is your responsibility. Take a moment to watch the videos below on how to safely handle and store firearms.” Along with these videos, the NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program offers a host of gun safety materials on its resources webpage.
Firearm Safety: First, Last, Always
There are Ten Key Rules for Firearm Safety and the first four are the big ones. Remember, while at the shooting range or anywhere you handle a firearm, safety always comes first.
This is a Good Video that Covers the Key Principles of Gun Safety. Worth Watching:
Storing a Gun Safely and Securely
For those who have guns in the home, this video reviews a variety of gun storage options. To learn more about storing firearms safely and securely, visit ProjectChildSafe.org.
Message from the National Shooting Sports Foundation
The last thing any gun owner wants is for their firearms to fall into the hands of an unsupervised child, a thief or someone going through a difficult period in their life. That’s why we urge individuals to store firearms responsibly when they’re not in use. [That is] the number one way to help prevent accidents, thefts and misuse –including suicides. The vast majority of gun owners are safe and responsible, which is why fatal firearms accidents are at historic lows. We’re proud that our safety programs, including Project ChildSafe® have contributed to that decline.
… We provide gun safety resources for all ages through our award-winning Project ChildSafe program and our new suicide prevention program. We remind gun owners there’s a storage option that will fit into their lifestyle, such as a fast-opening lock box for those who keep a firearm for home security.
To support the growing community of new shooters and hunters, Nosler has released a useful, informative video that can help prepare beginners for their first experience at a shooting range. This video was filmed at the Redmond Rod & Gun Club in Central Oregon.
Editor: Regular readers — if you have a friend or family member who is new to shooting, have them watch this video. It does a good job outlining important range etiquette along with safe practices.
Training at a gun range is critical to building foundational firearms skills. Unfortunately, this process can be intimidating for new shooters who are unsure of what a trip to the range fully entails. In this video Randy Newberg (Nosler Pro-Staffer) illustrates key points to help shooters feel safe and confident at any range.
The 7-minute First Trip to the Shooting Range video covers key considerations that apply to all ranges: necessary equipment, firearm safety, range commands, and range etiquette. Differences between indoor and outdoor ranges, as well as range restrictions to consider before your visit are also covered. Newberg also notes: “Before you leave your house, double-check to make sure your firearm is empty”. (Editor: Yes we’ve seen people open their gun cases only to discover their rifle, pistol, or shotgun WAS loaded!)
Important Firearms Safety Rules at the Range
Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
Always keep your gun pointed in a safe direction.
Never point your firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot.
Always keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and you are ready to fire.
Always be sure of your target and what is beyond it. (Do NOT shoot unless you know exactly what your shot is going to strike.)
Always comply with ALL Range Commands (and make sure you can hear commands).
Experienced Shooters Should Help Newcomers Learn Safe Procedures
Nosler’s video includes a call-to-action for experienced hunters and shooters to help mentor those new to the sport. As a seasoned shooter you can accompany a new shooter to the range, showing him or her the right procedures. This includes placing rifles on the bench, setting up targets during cease-fires, and properly unloading and clearing weapons. As a mentor, you can also share educational resources that benefit newcomers, and share your effective/safe reloading methods.
This article based on story by Jason J. Brown, EditorNRABlog.com
Americans are purchasing firearms at historically high levels, with more than 7 million new gun owners in 2020 and gun sales setting new records. There were over 2 million NICS-adjusted gun buyer background checks in January 2021, a 75% increase compared to January 2020.
Gun ownership is a great responsibility, entailing not only a well-formed understanding of the basic rules of gun safety while shooting, but at all times. Gun safety is never more important than inside your own home. Gun safety isn’t just for gun owners — it’s a critical skill for everyone.
In the Home Firearm Safety Course, students will also learn about gun parts, ammunition, basic gun cleaning and care, and provide hands-on training on how to safely unload select types of guns. Each participant receives the NRA Home Firearm Safety handbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure, Basic Firearm Training Program brochure, and a course completion certificate.
The NRA’s network of more than 128,000 NRA Certified Instructors delivers the Home Firearm Safety Course at locations nationwide. To find a course near you or learn about other NRA Training programs, visit the NRA Training portal.
In school districts in many states, public schools remain closed due to concerns over COVID-19. That means kids are home, and in the Northern States with snow on the ground, those kids are stuck inside all day long. With more gun owners at home with their kids for extended periods, firearms safety is more important than ever. Given that fact, the NSSF reminds gun owners to keep their guns locked up so they cannot be accessed by children.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and its partners urge gun owners to keep firearm safety a top priority and are making safety resources widely available as gun and ammunition sales increase, especially among first-time firearm purchasers.
“During this stressful time and with children spending more time at home, the firearm industry reminds gun owners that protecting yourself and your family includes making sure your firearms are stored securely when not in use”, said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “The last thing any firearm owner wants is to have their gun fall into the wrong hands, particularly those of a child or someone at risk of harming themselves.”
For anyone considering buying a gun, Project ChildSafe’s Road To Responsible Firearm OwnershipMany Paths to Firearm Safety video series helps gun owners determine the best safe storage device for their home/lifestyle. You also view the Safe Storage Options chart.
NSSF encourages gun owners and non-gun owners to use the firearm safety resources available on its Project ChildSafe website. These include the McGruff Gun Safety videos for young children and this educational video explaining how to discuss gun safety with children:
“More parents are assuming the role of educators in their homes, so it’s a good to time have a talk with your kids about gun safety, even if you don’t own a gun”, Bartozzi said. “If you do own a firearm, be sure your family understands the safety rules regarding firearms in your home, and always store guns responsibly when not in use.”
The NSSF named ace shooter and safety advocate Julie Golob the winner of its first-ever “Woman of the Gun Award” during the 2022 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. The award recognizes Golob’s achievements and contributions to shooting sports, as well as her work to promote the mission and message of NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program.
