As a man it is important to find something to occupy you mind. Bowling, grilling, golfing, home brewing, skiing, cycling, deep sea fishing, as well as that every Saturday afternoon pick up game with your boys are all great dude hobbies and a great way to relieve stress. Partaking in a manly hobby can also help you feel good about yourself. While there are so many hobbies to consider, recreational target shooting may be ideal if you are looking to really blow off (no pun intended) some steam. Whether you’re a seasoned shooter or new to target shooting, handling your gun in the proper way is essential to your safety and the safety of others. If you choose to get a little target practice in, below are a few tips to make sure you stay safe and be responsible.
Keep the Muzzle Pointed in a Safe Direction
You will probably hear this endlessly in training or while reading about how to use them, but it’s worth repeating. This is important just in case the gun was to ever discharge accidentally. What constitutes a “safe direction” will vary depending on the situation, but in general, it’s a direction where no one would get hurt if the gun were to fire accidentally.
Treat the Gun As Loaded
This is also a basic rule in training. Treating the gun as loaded helps keep you and others safe. It’s generally a good idea to keep ammos like bulk 22LR ammo separate before you actually are ready to start your target practice to prevent tragic accidents.
Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger
Hand-in-hand with treating a weapon as always loaded, keeping your finger off the trigger is also important. You should never have your finger on the trigger unless you’re prepared to fire.
Be Extra Vigilant if the it Fails to Fire
Sometimes while doing target practice, it may fail to fire despite there being ammo inside. If this happens, hold your shooting position for 5 or 10 seconds, then carefully unload with the trigger pointed in a safe direction.
Don’t Rely on the Safety
Don’t rely on the safety mechanism to protect you. It could be broken and could result in firing accidentally.
Fully Understand How Your Weapon Works
Read all the manuals and research information you’re unsure about. It’s important you understand exactly how things work before you use it to protect your safety.
Be Mindful of Your Target
While you’re aiming at your target, be aware of where it is so you can aim carefully and also be aware of what is beyond it in case of an accidental ricochet. Any good target range will have the proper set-up, but you should always be aware.
Aiming and Shooting
You shouldn’t aim at anything that you don’t intend to destroy. This is why you always point in a safe direction.
Disclaimer: “This is a sponsored blog; consideration was paid to us to share these safety tips.”
