Staying on Target at a Gun Range
By MS. ALLISON ELLIOT, STAFF WRITER
The first time I went to a shooting range I was excited and scared, but I was also prepared, thankfully. My cousin, a military veteran, had instructed me—at length—on the basics of shooting a gun, including the safety protocol. I soon learned that these basics are not something everyone understands before going to a shooting range for the first time. This lack of teaching can lead to gun-related accidents, injuries, and deaths.
To combat the rise of gun-related incidents, the Air Force has developed firearm safety principles that should stay on everyone’s mind when they enter a shooting range.
According to an article on the Minot Air Force Base, ND, website,1 there are four basic rules for shooting a gun safely.
- Treat every gun as if it is loaded.
- Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
- Never point at anything you do not intend to shoot.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until the gun is lined up on a target.
Guns should be respected for the damage they can do. That is why it is essential to err on the safe side and treat them as if they are loaded. As you may know, a bullet can still be in the chamber even if you take the rest of the ammunition out of the firearm.
At a shooting range, the second rule should be simple. A professional range will have targets set up for use and ensure that a bullet cannot penetrate the wall behind it. This is less simple when you are hunting or shooting outside at an outdoor range. Make sure other shooters in the area are not about to walk in front of where you are for whatever reason and that you have plenty of space to get into a shooting stance without being disturbed.
Remember when I said I soon learned that other people did not have the basics of gun safety taught to them? My first time at a shooting range, there was another shooter there who was a beginner. During my time there, he held his gun to the side and showed it to a friend while talking. Meanwhile, that gun was pointed at the other people down the line from him. My cousin rushed over and redirected the weapon to the floor. The rule is to never point a gun at anything you do not intend to shoot. Not only was he a beginner who may not have had this rule drilled into him, but he simply was not thinking about what he was doing. It was a bad combination that could have led to an accident.
Most guns have a safety feature that locks the trigger mechanism so that it is unable to fire. Specific handguns may not have a traditional safety but, instead, have a trigger safety that is depressed when you put your finger on the trigger. For a beginner, however, a safety mechanism looks like any other part of the gun. For this reason, it is best not only to treat every firearm as if it were loaded but also to keep your finger off the trigger until you are lined up on a target. Absolutely do not carry the gun with your finger on the trigger, even if you think the safety is on. Keep your finger straight along the gun and grip it with your other fingers.
Owning a gun comes with a set of responsibilities for not only the owner but also other people who live with the owner. You will often read a headline about a toddler who found a gun and the terrible things that happened afterward. It is something you may not have thought about when you bought the gun but keep it in mind as your household grows, whether that’s marriage, having kids, or having grandchildren.
Recently, the Air Force started a campaign to give out 150,000 cable locks to firearm owners to prevent these sorts of tragedies from happening.2 These cable locks are an excellent measure to prevent inexperienced people in your household from experimenting with a gun. It is also essential to keep the firearm locked in a gun safe for this same reason.
Guns require clear-headed judgment, focus, and training. For this reason, it is never a good idea to mix intoxicants like alcohol with handling a weapon. It may seem like a fun idea to break out the beer and shoot in the backyard with your friends, but respecting a gun means not lowering your inhibitions while handling it.
If you seek the thrill of shooting a gun, go to a shooting range and try it out. It is an exciting feeling. Make sure, however, to respect the basics of gun safety and keep them in mind when you go.