Shooting safety

Stories of men going hunting and getting into various trouble, either by shooting their fellow man or themselves, are regularly in the headlines of almost every media outlet. And it is not surprising - having taken a gun in his hands, not everyone knows how to handle it correctly and not to harm himself and people in the vicinity. One careless action can be enough to cause serious trouble.

That is why, before you start using a shotgun, you should take some time and familiarize yourself with the rules of behavior with this type of weapon. Let's consider the basic rules that should be adhered to when going hunting or to another place where firearms will be used.

Safety precautions when handling a shotgun

The very first rule is to store the gun where it cannot be reached by children, an angry wife or mother-in-law. Access to this device should have only its owner, who knows how to use the gun correctly and knows how to do it. It is best to store it in a disassembled state, with the ammunition hidden separately in a well-protected place.

In a populated area, whether it is a small village or de major city, the use of firearms is strictly prohibited. It is also necessary to be very careful and alert if there are people, children, pets and other objects in the vicinity that could potentially be seriously harmed.

If shooting is to be done, it should be done either in a special place for this purpose, or where there is some natural and reliable fence for the flying bullet - a ditch, ravine and similar places. It is also possible to shoot in an open area where everything is clearly visible, but it is strongly recommended to post guards and warning signs around the perimeter of the shooting area.

It is strictly forbidden to use a defective shotgun.

Handle the firearm as if it were always loaded and ready to fire. Even an unloaded shotgun must never be pointed at people, animals or buildings. It should be loaded only with the barrel up or down, never pointing it at people, fellow hunters, etc.

It is not permissible to transfer your firearm to another person without first inspecting and discharging it. It is also worth remembering that the trigger must not be cocked in advance and the safety must not be left open.

If the hunter moves by any vehicle, he must keep his weapon in a special case, naturally in an unloaded state. If the move is carried out within one site or for a short distance, it is possible for the weapon to be packed, but it must in any case be unloaded and on the safety.

If a person with a weapon has to overcome difficult obstacles, wade through difficult conditions, it is better to unload the weapon in order not to accidentally shoot in an uncomfortable situation and cause harm. If the hunter decides to make a break, he should hook the weapon on a branch that is higher than his height, muzzle to the top and in an unloaded state.

Shooting safety

1. If hunting in bushes or thickets, you can only shoot at a bird when it has risen at least 2.5 meters, otherwise there is a danger of shooting into an unviewable area and hitting another hunter or a bystander.
2. Shooting at unexplained sounds, rustles or noises is strictly prohibited.
3. When shooting buckshot or large shot, be especially careful not to aim at people or pets.
4. Bullets are dangerous at a distance of about 1 km, buckshot - up to half a kilometer, shot - about 300 meters. But here you must also remember about ricochets and the presence of various obstacles.
5. When working in a group with other hunters, you need to keep in contact with them and choose your shooting direction carefully to avoid hitting a person.
6. If the shotgun has fallen or the hunter has fallen with it, it should be immediately unloaded and checked for continuity. It is important to evaluate the barrel - there should be no dirt there. If a shot is fired with a barrel clogged with earth or snow, there is a possibility of bullet breakage and injury to the shooter.
7. If the shotgun is double-barrelled, it is strictly forbidden to fire both barrels at once. This can lead to trouble.

These safety rules are by no means the only ones. There are a huge number of rules for the most different cases of hunting, it is simply impossible to list them all. The most important thing to always remember is that firearms are dangerous things with which you need to be extremely careful and attentive. It is better to check the condition of the gun once more than to accidentally cause serious harm to yourself or another person.