Despite not being the most popular of sports, target shooting is a favorite pass-time of many. It goes without saying that shooting sports can be quite dangerous and are not for the faint at heart. Here are three safety tips for every shooting sport enthusiast.
Mind Your Muzzle
The muzzle is the most important part of a gun when it comes to safety. Gun-fire accidents occur when an individual points their gun muzzle at something they didn’t mean to.
As a responsible target shooter, you should see to it that your muzzle always points in a safe direction. Safe in this context refers to the direction in which bullets will cause no harm if you fire them accidentally.
When determining a safe direction for your muzzle to face, you need to remember that bullets have the ability to penetrate through ceilings and walls, as well as possible ricochets.
The safe direction can either be up or down depending on the nature of the situation and the immediate environment.
Always Use The Correct Ammunition
The type of ammunition you use on your gun also has a great bearing on how safe you are handling the gun. It is your responsibility as a shooting enthusiast to ensure that the type of ammunition you use matches those specifications outlined in your gun’s user manual.
For example, rimfire ammo should only be used with rimfire guns and so on.
In addition to this, you need to ensure that the cartridges on your gun are of the right caliber and gauge. Failure to do this will put you at great risk of personal injury if you damage the firearm as a result of using improper ammunition.
Do Not Modify Your Firearm On Your Own
Guns are not nearly as simple as they may look. They are expertly designed to work well in their original condition. Making changes or modifications to your gun can make it a very dangerous weapon.
This is for the simple reason that you lack the expertise required to make such modifications or alterations. Any modifications on your firearm should be undertaken by a licensed expert.
You need to remember that your safety and that of other shooting enthusiasts (and any other third parties), is in your hands. Though not very common, target-shooting accidents are often fatal.