Beginners Tips: Gun Safety Mechanisms, by Jay Chambers

It’s no surprise to see so many people interested in handling their firearms. After all, guns are known to be part of the culture of America. So, if you’ve never handled a gun before, you’re probably trying to learn how to do so and how to keep things safe at the same time. Well, you’ve come to the right place – below, we’re going to offer some tips for beginner gun owners to keep their guns safe and maintain the safety of those around, including themselves. Let’s get started!

1. The Gun Should Be Unloaded

When not in use, the gun should always be unloaded. It’s safer that way – otherwise, there’s the possibility of accidents happening. If you want to make sure you’re safe in case of a burglar, then keep the ammunition close enough to the gun, thus making it possible for you to load the gun and ensure your safety.

This is something you should apply if you keep your gun in a drawer or on the dresser. It’s not an issue if you store it inside a gun safe.

2. Check to See If the Barrel has no Obstructions

There are chances of the barrel having obstructions, and you certainly don’t want that to cause issues for you. You should never fire your gun without making sure there’s no obstruction. If you dropped your gun or something fell on it, then there may be dirt inside the barrel. This is the reason why checking it is crucial. However, make sure you don’t point the gun at your head when inspecting.

3. Get a Big Enough Gun Safe

Gun safes are great for storing guns, especially when you want to protect the weapons while they’re not being used. A large accommodation may be required if you own a rifle, for instance, and want to store ammunition inside too. An amazing safe would be one that offers fireproof features and has a secure locking system. The best fireproof gun safes will also be assault-proof and will be built from strong materials to resist any kind of damage and keep the gun safe as a result.

For a more customized experience, you can pick a gun safe that also has modular internal racks and shelves, so you can store as many things as you need for your guns. The bigger the safe, the more space you will have to store the ammunition too, so you can instantly load your gun in case of an emergency.

4. Don’t Fully Rely on the Gun’s Safety

You already know that guns come with safety mechanisms, and they are very useful as they prevent accidental discharge from happening. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t depend solely on it. Although it’s helpful, you should still be careful and use other safety measures to provide more protection.

For instance, you shouldn’t dry-fire a weapon only because there’s a safety mechanism in place. You should still check it because it may be loaded and you risk causing accidents.

1. Keep the Finger Off the Trigger when Not Firing

Never keep your finger on the gun’s trigger unless you’re about to fire it. It might be tempting to do it whenever you’re holding a gun, but it might be too dangerous. The same goes if you’re running your finger on the trigger. You risk clenching your finger by mistake and firing the gun, and you certainly don’t want to fire by accident, especially if there are other people nearby. Keep the finger off the trigger when you don’t have to fire your weapon.

2. Check for Expired Ammunition

Even if most of the time ammunition has a long life, you should still make sure it’s not expired, as this may happen under certain conditions. You can prevent ammunition from expiring by storing it in a proper environment. This could be a dry and cool area, such as a sealed container. This is useful for survival situations, when you may only have older ammunition at your disposal.

3. Know How to Handle Misfires

Misfires can happen sometimes. In order to prevent them, you should always keep your gun aimed at the target for at least half a minute. This will make sure the problem is not a delayed fire. Afterward, take the faulty ammunition out and look for any malfunction signs. Moreover, you should check for any barrel obstructions that could also be causing this problem.

4. Fire Proper Ammunition

Depending on the type of gun that you own, you can only use certain ammunition. Therefore, don’t expect just any type of bullets to work with your firearm. There are guns that can fire multiple types of rounds at the same time, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the case. Get to know your gun before purchasing any ammunition.

5. Don’t Alter the Gun

The mechanisms of the gun have been designed by professionals, so you should never try to interfere with those mechanisms unless you’re an expert yourself. If you make any alterations, it may cause malfunctions, and this is extremely risky. If there are issues with your weapon, take it to a specialist who knows how to deal with it.

Final Thoughts

Safely operating a weapon is crucial, as the last thing you want is harming yourself or others by accident. Hopefully, these tips will help you start your life as a gun owner the right way.