BASIC FIREARM KNOWLEDGE GUN OWNERS SHOULD KNOW

BASIC FIREARM KNOWLEDGE GUN OWNERS SHOULD KNOW

The last few weeks have seen an explosion in gun sales around the country. Many of those sales seem to be to brand new gun owners. Excellent! However, there are a few things you’ll want to know about guns before you head off to the range. Each topic could be its own post, so this is just a high-level look.

GUN SAFETY RULES

The most important thing to know about firearms is the basic safety rules. These rules will ensure that your time with guns is fun and safe.

1. Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction.

2. Always keep your finger off the trigger until you are on target and ready to shoot.

3. Always keep your firearm unloaded unless it is in use.

4. Always be aware of your target’s background and foreground.

STORAGE

How you store your firearm is extremely important. At some point, even an every-day-carry gun will come off your body. The most common storage method is a gun safe. Whatever access method you choose (key, combination, biometric, etc) it is important to limit access to only those whom you trust with your firearm.

AMMUNITION

There are two types of ammunition. Ballpoint and hollow point. Ballpoint ammunition is more common and is mainly used for training and practice. The rounded nose is more likely to penetrate its target, so it is not the best choice when it comes to self-defense. Hollowpoint ammunition has a cavity in the nose of the bullet that forces the round to open upon penetration, reducing the chances it will go through its target. So practice will ballpoint, but carry a hollow point.

FIRE ARM MAINTENANCE

How much or how little to clean your gun is up to you. You will want to lubricate the gun each time you take it out to make sure that everything continues to function properly. Beyond that clean the gun whenever you’d like. If you start to experience a greater-than-normal number of malfunctions, then you’ll want to give your gun a good cleaning.

BASIC FUNDAMENTALS OF SHOOTING

When it comes to static range shooting there are two fundamentals that are very important. Those are sight picture and trigger control. If your sights are not aligned properly, the rounds will not go where you are aiming. So you’ll want to make sure that the front sight is aligned in the middle of the rear sight notch, and that the sights are flat across the top. You’ll then want to focus everything you’ve got on the front sight. Once your sights are lined up, all you need to do is move the trigger without moving the gun. Seems simple, but it is one of the most important skill to work on each time you go to the range.