In the United States alone, there are about 393 million firearms owned by civilians, and firearm safety is THE most important aspect of being a responsible gun owner. Make sure you have an acceptable gun safe and/or locked box that you can use to safely store your gun. If you have children in the home, be sure to explain to them the severity of handling a gun without proper knowledge and training on how to use it, and be sure that any minors in the home do not have any type of access to your firearm. Serious damage can be done if your firearm gets into the wrong hands.
In addition to proper storage, it is also important to practice responsible firearm ownership by following the 4 Universal Gun Safety Rules.
Universal Gun Safety Rules
Rule #1: Treat every gun as loaded. Even when dry firing, practicing grip or stance, or lining up your sights with your target, always treat any gun as if it were loaded. Treating a gun as if it were always loaded will help you be more mindful when handling a firearm.
Rule #2: Never point the gun at anything you do not want to destroy. Accidental discharges can and do happen. If you avoid pointing a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy, you will significantly decrease the chance of destroying something you never intended to.
Rule #3: Keep your finger off the trigger and outside of the trigger guard until you’re on target and ready to shoot. This can prevent an accidental discharge from occurring. Keep your finger alongside the frame of the gun until you are ready to fire.
Rule #4: Be sure of your target and what’s beyond. If you are not sure where the bullet will go, do not fire. It is important to make sure what is beyond your target as well because a bullet could pass through something and go where you never intended it to go. Damages could be caused or a life lost if you are not sure of your target and beyond. Think first, fire second.
Lastly, training is a continuous process that should be practiced regularly to maintain knowledge and skills. Practicing on a regular basis not only helps you maintain knowledge and skills, but it will also give you confidence in your ability to properly use your weapon should the need ever arise. If you have never owned or handled a firearm before, take one of our Beginner Handgun classes at our center in Menomonee Falls to gain confidence and receive proper knowledge and training.
