from National Shooting Sports Foundation
Hunting and target shooting are among the safest of all sports. This article is intended to make them even safer by emphasizing the basics of safe gun handling and storage and by reminding you that you are the key to firearms safety.
You can help meet this responsibility by enrolling in hunter safety or shooting safety courses. You must constantly stress safety when handling firearms, especially to children and non-shooters. Beginners, in particular, must be closely supervised when handling firearms with which they may not be acquainted.
Don’t be timid when it comes to gun safety. If you observe anyone violating any safety precautions, you have an obligation to insist on safer handling practices.
Develop safe shooting habits, and remember, firearms safety is up to you.
The first rule to abide by when participating in shooting sports is to know where your muzzle is pointed.
This is the most basic safety rule. If everyone handled a firearm so carefully that the muzzle never pointed at something they didn’t intend to shoot, there would be virtually no firearms accidents. It’s as simple as that, and it’s up to you.
Never point your gun at anything you do not intend to shoot. This is particularly important when loading or unloading a firearm. In the event of an accidental discharge, no injury can occur as long as the muzzle is pointing in a safe direction.
A safe direction means a direction in which a bullet cannot possibly strike anyone, taking into account possible ricochets and the fact that bullets can penetrate walls and ceilings. The safe direction may be “up” on some occasions or “down” on others, but never at anyone or anything not intended as a target. Even when “dry firing” with an unloaded gun, you should never point the gun at an unsafe target.
Make it a habit to know exactly where the muzzle of your gun is pointing at all times, and be sure that you are in control of the direction in which the muzzle is pointing, even if you fall or stumble. This is your responsibility, and only you can control it.
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[…] Hunting and target shooting are among the safest of all sports. This article is intended to make them even safer by emphasizing the basics of safe gun handling and storage and by reminding you that you are the key to firearms safety. Last week, we talked about the importance of always having the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. […]