Safe @ Home        

                                                    Firearm Safety Training

I have been using Safe @ Home since 1987,  SAH is not part of  Homeland Security, however I am a member. I' am a CT. State & Nationally N.R.A. Certified Firearms Instructor in Bail-Enforcement GC, Security BC, Firearm Safety, Home Firearm Safety, Basics of Firearms, Personal Protection, Shotgun, and attended the Burlington County State Police Academy.

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B.E.L. Johnson
Branford, CT ct.bea@safeathome.us
Pistol, Shotgun, Home Firearm Safety, Personal Protection,  Security Officer Blue Card, Bail Enforcement Agent Firearm Training.   N.R.A. & Connecticut. Certified Instructor

 

Note: Some of the below text was published by NRA and may have been updated.  Please check with NRA.  We are not responsible for text taken out of contains, or changes.

Q. 1     THE  TWO  MOST  COMMON  TYPES  OF  PISTOL

ARE ?

 

A.     REVOLVER  AND  SEMI-AUTOMATIC    

Q. 2     THE  THREE  MAJOR  COMPONENTS  CONTAINED  IN 

BOTH  OF  THE  ABOVE  PISTOLS  ARE  THE ?

 

A.     FRAME,  BARREL  AND  ACTION

Q. 3      THE_____________ IS  A  GROUP  OF  MOVING  PARTS

USED  TO  LOAD,  FIRE  AND  UNLOAD  A  PISTOL ? 

 

A.     THE  ACTION

Q. 4      WHAT  IS  THE  DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN  A 

SINGLE-ACTION  REVOLVER  AND  A  DOUBLE -ACTION

REVOLVER ?

A.     IN  A  SINGLE -ACTION  THE TRIGGER  PERFORMS  A

SINGLE  TASK.   RELEASING  HAMMER

      IN  A  DOUBLE-ACTION  THE  TRIGGER  PERFORMS

TWO  TASKS.  COCKS  HAMMER  AND RELEASE  HAMMER.

         

Q. 5    WHERE   ARE  THE  CHAMBERS  LOCATED  ON  A 

REVOLVER ?

 

A.     THE  CHAMBERS  ARE  LOCATED  IN THE  ROTATING

CYLINDER  BEHIND  BARREL

Q. 6     WHERE  IS  THE  CHAMBER  LOCATED  ON  A 

SEMI-AUTOMATIC  PISTOL ?

 

A.      THE  CHAMBER  IN  LOCATED  BEHIND  THE  BARREL

AND  ABOVE  THE  MAGAZINE. 

Q. 7     DESCRIBE  THE  ACTIONS  IN THE  FOLLOWING  TYPES

OF  SEMI-AUTOMATIC:

SINGLE-ACTION

DOUBLE-ACTION

DOUBLE-ACTION-ONLY

A.      IN  A  SINGLE-ACTION  THE  TRIGGER  PERFORMS  A

SINGLE  TASK .  RELEASING  THE  HAMMER.

          IN  A  DOUBLE-ACTION  THE  TRIGGER  PERFORMS

TWO  TASKS  COCKS  HAMMER  AND  RELEASE  HAMMER

          IN DOUBLE-ACTION-ONLY  THE  TRIGGER  WILL  COCK

AND  RELEASE  HAMMER  ON  FIRST  SHOT.

 

 

 

Q.1     THE  FOUR  BASIC  COMPONENTS  OF  A  PISTOL 

CARTRIDGE  ARE  THE ?

 

A.     BULLET,   CASE,   POWDER  CHARGE  AND  PRIMER.

Q.2     THE  BASIC  DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN  A  RIM FIRE 

CARTRIDGE  AND  A  CENTER-FIRE  CARTRIDGE  IS  THE

LOCATION  OF  THE ?

 

A.     PRIMER.

Q.3     DESCRIBE  THE  WAYS  TO  DETERMINE  THE  PROPER

CARTRIDGE  FOR  YOUR  PISTOL ?

A.      CHECK  THE  BARREL,  FRAME,  OR  SLIDE

          CHECK  BOTTOM  OF   CARTRIDGE

          CHECK  BOX  OR  CARTON

          READ  AND  CHECK  PISTOL  INSTRUCTION  MANUAL

    

Q.4     DESCRIBE  THE  PROPER  WAY  TO  STORE 

AMMUNITION ?

A.     ALWAYS  KEEP  AMMUNITION  IN  THE  ORIGINAL

FACTORY  MARKED  BOX  OR  CARTON.

         STORE  IN  A  COOL,  DRY  ENVIRONMENT  AND  NOT

ACCESSIBLE  TO  UNAUTHORIZED  PERSON  ESPECIALLY

CHILDREN. 

        

Q.5     DEFINE  THE  FOLLOWING

MISFIRE,  HANG FIRE  AND  SQUIB  LOAD ?

A.     MISFIRE            A  FAILURE  OF  A  CARTRIDGE  TO  FIRE

         HANG FIRE        A  DELAY  IN  THE  IGNITION  OF  A

                                      CARTRIDGE.

         SQUIB  LOAD   DEVELOPMENT  OF  LESS  THAN 

                                      NORMAL  PRESSURE  OR  VELOCITY

 

Q. 1     ACCIDENTS  INVOLVING  GUNS  GENERALLY

RESULT  FROM  ONE  OF  TWO  CAUSES ?

A.     IGNORANCE   AND/ OR  CARELESSNESS

 

 

Q. 2     THE  THREE  BASIC  ELEMENTS  OF  GUN  SAFETY

ARE ?

A.     POSITIVE  ATTITUDE,   KNOWLEDGE  AND  SKILL

 

 

Q. 3     THE  THREE  FUNDAMENTAL  GUN  SAFETY  RULES

ARE ?

A.     ALWAYS  KEEP  GUN  POINTED  IN  A  SAFE

DIRECTION.

         ALWAYS  KEEP  YOUR  FINGER  OFF  TRIGGER  UNTIL

READY  TO  SHOOT.

         ALWAYS  KEEP  THE  GUN  UNLOADED  UNTIL  READY

TO  USE.

   

Q. 4     DO  ALL  GUNS  OPERATE  THE  SAME  WAY ?

A.     NO!  ALL  GUNS  DO  NOT  OPERATE  THE  SAME  WAY

 

Q. 5     THE  GOLDEN  RULE  IS ?

A.     A  SAFE  DIRECTION.

 

Q. 6     PARENTS  HAVE  A  RESPONSIBILITY  TO ?

A.     EDUCATE  THEIR  CHILDREN  IN  GUN  SAFETY

 

Q. 7     WHAT  THREE  THINGS  SHOULD  YOU  TEACH

YOUR  CHILDREN  IF  THEY  SEE  A  GUN ?

 

Q. 8     PARENTS  SHOULD  NEVER ?

A.     STOP  DON'T  TOUCH,  LEAVE  AREA  AND

TELL  AN  ADULT.

 

A.     ASSUME  A  CHILD  KNOWS.

 

 

 

 

 

PART  ONE

THE BASICS OF PERSONAL PROTECTION

 

CHAPTER 1

KNOWING YOUR HANDGUN

 

Q. 1     WHAT  ARE  THE  TWO  COMMON  TYPES  OF  HANDGUNS

AND  NAME  THEIR  ASSEMBLY  GROUPS ?

A.     REVOLVER: A. GRIP,  B. FRAME,  C. CYLINDER,  D. BARREL

         SEMI-AUTO:  A. GRIP,  B. FRAME,  C. SLIDE,  D. BARREL

 

Q. 2     BRIEFLY  DESCRIBE  THE  FUNCTION  OF  THE  HAMMER ?

A.     CAUSES  THE  FIRING  PIN  TO  STRIKE  THE  PRIMER,

CAUSING  THE  CARTRIDGE  AND  GUN  TO  FIRE

 

Q. 3     THE  BORE  SIZE  IS  CALLED  THE ?

A.     CALIBER

 

Q. 4     THE  END  OF  THE  BARREL  WHERE  THE  BULLET  EXITS

IS  THE ?

 

A.     MUZZLE

Q. 5     BRIEFLY  DESCRIBE  THE  FUNCTIONS  OF  THE 

MAGAZINE  AND  CYLINDER  AND  HOW  THEY  DIFFER ?

A.     A  CYLINDER  IS  PART  OF  A  REVOLVER  WHICH

HOLDS  THE  CARTRIDGES  IN  IT'S  CHAMBERS  AND  REVOLVES

WHEN  FIRING  A  CARTRIDGE,  PLACING  ANOTHER  CARTRIDGE

IN  FRONT  OF  THE  FIRING  PIN.

        A  MAGAZINE  IS  A  PART  THAT  HOLDS  CARTRIDGES  AND

FITS  IN  THE  HANDLE  OF  A  SEMI-AUTOMATIC  HANDGUN,

LOADING  THE  CHAMBER  WITH  A  NEW  CARTRIDGE  AS  THE

USED  CARTRIDGE  IS  BEING  EJECTED.  

  CHAPTER 2

AMMUNITION

Q. 1     CARTRIDGES  ARE  MADE  UP  OF  WHAT  FOUR

COMPONENTS ?

 

A.     A. CASE,   B. PRIMER ,  C. POWDER ,  D. BULLET

Q. 2     THE  TWO  BASIC  TYPES  OF  CARTRIDGES  ARE ?

A.     CENTER FIRE:  THE  PRIMER  IS  LOCATED  IN THE  BOTTOM

END,  CENTER  OF  THE  CASE.

         RIM FIRE:  THE  PRIMER  IS  LOCATED  IN  THE  BOTTOM

END,  IN  THE  RIM  OF  THE  CASE.

 

Q. 3     DESCRIBE  HOW  YOU  COULD  DETERMINE  WHETHER

YOUR  AMMUNITION  AND  GUN  ARE  COMPATIBLE ?

 

A.     CHECK  THE  BOTTOM  END  OF  CARTRIDGE  AND

MANUFACTURER'S  CONTAINER  OR  BOX

         CHECK  THE  SLIDE  OR  BARREL  OF  THE  HANDGUN  AS 

WELL  AS  READING  THE  OWNER'S  MANUAL.

 

Q. 4     THE  MOST  COMMON  CALIBER'S  USED  FOR PROTECTION

ARE ?    

A.     THE  38  SPECIAL  AND  THE  9MM.

         I RECOMMEND  A  357 

 

Q.  5     BRIEFLY  DESCRIBE  SOME  OF  THE  KEY  POINTS  OF

PROPER  AMMUNITION  CARE ?

A.     KEEP  DRY,  COOL  AND  CLEAN  FROM  FINGER PRINTS,

SOLVENTS  AND  OILS.

 

CHAPTER 3

HANDGUN OPERATION

Q. 1     WHAT  TYPE  OF  REVOLVER  CAN  BE  COCKED  AND 

FIRED  SIMPLY  BY  PULLING  THE  TRIGGER ?   

A.     DOUBLE-ACTION

 

 

Q. 2     WHAT  TYPE  OF  REVOLVER  IS   MOST  FREQUENTLY

USED  FOR  PERSONAL  PROTECTION  AND  WHY ?

 

A.     DOUBLE-ACTION   WHY ?  EASY  TO  OPERATE  SIMPLY

AIM  AND  PULL  THE  TRIGGER,  THE  TRIGGER  WILL  COCK

AND  FIRE  THE  HANDGUN.  IN  ADDITION,  THEY  ARE  EASY

TO  LOAD  AND  UNLOAD.

 

Q. 3     THE  LOADING,  COCKING  AND  UNLOADING  PROCESSES

DIFFER  GREATLY  ON  WHICH  TYPE  OF  HANDGUN.

A.     SEMI-AUTOMATICS

 

 

Q. 4     BRIEFLY  OUTLINE  THE  STEPS  FOR  THE  LOADING ,

COCKING,  UN-COCKING  AND  UNLOADING  FOR  THE  HANDGUN(S)

YOU  WILL  USE ?

 

A.     (OPEN  DISCUSSION)

 

  CHAPTER 4

SAFETY

Q. 1     WHAT  ARE  THE  THREE ESSENTIAL  ELEMENTS

THAT  A  PERSON  MUST  HAVE  TO  HANDLE  A  HANDGUN

SAFELY ?

 

A.     KNOWLEDGE,  POSITIVE  ATTITUDE  AND  SKILL  IN 

HANDLING  IT  CORRECTLY  AND  SAFELY. 

Q. 2     OF  THESE,  WHICH  ONE  WILL  DETERMINE

WHETHER  YOU'RE  ALWAYS  GOING  TO  BE  SAFE ?    

A.    KNOWLEDGE,  REGULAR  PRACTICE

 

 

Q. 3     WHAT  IS  THE  "GOLDEN  RULE  OF  GUN  SAFETY"

AND  WHY  DO  THINK  IT  HAS  BEEN  SO  DESIGNATED

A.     SAFETY

 

 

Q. 4     WHAT  THREE  RULES  APPLY  UNDER  ALL 

CIRCUMSTANCES  WHEN  HANDLING  A  GUN ?

A.     1.  ALWAYS  KEEP  GUN  POINTED  IN  SAFE  DIRECTION

           2.  ALWAYS  KEEP  FINGER  OFF  TRIGGER  UNTIL  READY 

              TO  SHOOT

           3.  ALWAYS  KEEP  THE  GUN  UNLOADED  UNTIL  READY

              TO  USE.

 

Q. 5     IF  YOU  ARE  HANDLING  A  GUN,  WHO  IS  THE  PERSON

ALWAYS  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  POINTING  IT  IN  A  SAFE

DIRECTION ?

A.     YOU / ME 

CHAPTER 5

SELECTING A HANDGUN

Q. 1    BASED  ON  THE  LAW  ENFORCEMENT'S  EXPERIENCE,  DESCRIBE

THE  CHARACTERISTICS   OF  A  GOOD  HANDGUN  FOR  PERSONAL

PROTECTION. ?

 

A.     .38  CALIBER  DOUBLE - ACTION  REVOLVER  WITH

EXPOSED  HAMMER  AND  A  FOUR  INCH  BARREL.

Q. 2     WHERE  MIGHT  YOU  FIND   INFORMATION  CONCERNING   THE

TYPES  OF  HANDGUNS  ?

A.    SEEK  ADVICE  FROM  A  HANDGUN  EXPERT  AND

PURCHASE  YOUR  GUN  FROM  A  REPUTABLE  DEALER.

 

  CHAPTER 6

CLEANING AND STORAGE

Q. 1     WHAT  ITEMS  WILL  YOU  NEED  TO  CLEAN

A  HANDGUN ?

A.     CLEANING  ROD,  BORE  BRUSH,  PATCHES, 

CLEANING  SOLVENT,  OIL,  SMALL  BRUSH  AND  A  SOFT

CLOTH.

 

Q. 2     WHAT  IS  THE  KEY  SAFETY  RULE  FOR  CLEANING

YOUR  HANDGUN ?

A.     ALWAYS  UNLOAD  YOUR  HANDGUN  KEEPING

ACTION  OPEN  AND  REMOVE  AMMUNITION  FROM  AREA

 

Q. 3     THE  RULE  FOR  STORING  A  FIREARM  IS  ?

A.     NO  FIREARM  SHOULD  BE  ACCESSIBLE  TO 

CHILDREN  AND / OS  CARELESS  OR  UNAUTHORIZED

ADULTS.

 

Q. 4     THE  STANDARD  OF  CARE  THAT  SHOULD  BE

EMPLOYED  IN  THE  STORAGE  OF  A  FIREARM  IS ?

 

A.     RESPONSIBILITY  OF  EVERY  GUN  OWNER  WITH

SAFETY  IN  MIND.

  PART  2

CHAPTER 1

LEARNING THE FUNDAMENTALS

Q. 1     BRIEFLY  DEFINE  FUNDAMENTALS ?

 

A.     FUNDAMENTALS  ARE  THE  MINIMUM  "ESSENTIAL"

COMPONENTS  OF  A  FUNCTION  OR  STRUCTURE.

 

Q. 2     LIST  THE  FUNDAMENTALS  OF  HANDGUN

SHOOTING ?

A.     1.  SHOOTING  POSITION,  2. SHOT  PREPARATION,

3. SIGHT  ALIGNMENT  CONTROL,  4. TRIGGER  CONTROL

5. FOLLOW - THROUGH .

 

Q. 3     WHAT  ARE  THE  TWO  CONDITIONS  ESSENTIAL

FOR  A  GOOD  SHOOTING  POSITION ?

A.     POSITION  OF  BODY  AND  HANDGUN  DURING  THE

ACT  OF  SHOOTING.

 

Q. 4     AIMING  INVOLVES  THE  RELATIONSHIP  OF  WHAT

FOUR  OBJECTS ?

A.     LINING  UP  THE  1. EYE,      2. REAR  SIGHT,    

                                          3. FRONT  SIGHT     4. TARGET.

 

Q. 5     DESCRIBE  THE  PROPER  SIGHT  ALIGNMENT ?

 

A.     MAINTAINING  PROPER  SIGHT  ALIGNMENT  UNTIL

THE  SHOT  IS  COMPLETED,  SIGHT  ALIGNMENT  MUST  BE

SUSTAINED  DURING  A  CONTROLLED  TRIGGER  PULL.

 

Q. 6     EXPLAIN  WHY  SIGHT  ALIGNMENT  CONTROL

AND  TRIGGER  CONTROL  ARE  SO  CRITICAL  TO  HITTING

TARGET ?

A.     TO  MAINTAIN  YOUR  AIM  ON  TARGET  AND

PREVENT  ANY  INJURIES.

 

 

Q. 7     WHAT  ELEMENTS  MAKE  FOR  GOOD  TRIGGER

CONTROL ?

A.     BREATH  CONTROL,  PULLING  TRIGGER  STRAIGHT

BACK  AND  PRACTICE.

  CHAPTER 2

FIRING YOUR  FIRST SHOOTS

Q. 1     WHAT  IS  THE  ADVANTAGE  OF  PRACTICE

SHOOTING  FROM  A BENCH REST ?

A.     STEADY  SUPPORT  ALLOWING  YOU  TO

CONCENTRATE  ON  SIGHT  ALIGNMENT  AND  TRIGGER

PULL .

 

Q. 2     WHAT  ARE  THE  FOUR  STEPS  IN  LEARNING  ANY

SHOOTING  POSITION ?

 

A.     STUDY  THE  POSITION,   PRACTICE  THE  POSITION,

PRACTICE  POSITION  WITH  GUN  UNLOADED,

ALIGN  POSITION  WITH  TARGET.

 

Q. 3     WHAT  IS  DRY  FIRING    AND  WHAT  ARE  ITS

ADVANTAGES ?

 

A.     POINTING  A  UNLOADED  GUN  AT  TARGET  AND

PULLING  THE  TRIGGER,  TO  IMPROVE  YOUR  SIGHT

ALIGNMENT  AND  TRIGGER  PULL.

 

Q. 4     WHAT  IS  A  GROUP ?

A.     WHEN  5  SHOTS  HIT  TARGET  IN  A  SMALL  GROUP

 

Q. 5     HOW  TO  DETERMINE  WHEN  YOUR  SIGHTS  NEED

ADJUSTING ?

A.     FIRE  5  SHOTS  CHECK  THE  GROUP,  IF  THE  GROUP

IS  TIGHT  BUT  IS  OFF  CENTER  OF  TARGET  ADJUST

THE  REAR  SIGHT  OF  GUN.

 

Q.  6     THE  RULE  FOR  SIGHT  ADJUSTMENT  IS ?

A.     MOVE  YOUR  REAR  SIGHT  IN  SAME  DIRECTION

THAT  YOU  WANT  YOUR  GROUP  TO  MOVE.

CHAPTER 3

OTHER HANDGUN SHOOTING POSITION

Q. 1     WHAT  ARE  COMMON  HANDGUN  SHOOTING

POSITIONS ?

 

A.     TWO  HAND  STANDING,   ONE  HAND  STANDING,

AND  TWO  HANDS  POINT  SHOULDER

Q. 2     WHAT  IS  THE  DISTINGUISHING  CHARACTERISTIC

OF  THE  POINT  SHOULDER  VARIATION ?

 

A.     SAME  AS  TWO  HAND  STANDS  BUT  ARMS  AT

SHOULDER  LEVEL  NOT  EYE  LEVEL

 

CHAPTER 4

MAINTAINING YOUR SKILLS

Q. 1     WHAT  ARE  SOME  WAYS  TO  MAINTAIN  AND

DEVELOP  YOUR  SHOOTING  SKILLS ?

A.     PRACTICE  AND  QUALIFICATION  SHOOTING

 

 

Q. 2     WHAT  IS  THE  DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN  QUALIFICATION

SHOOTING  AND  COMPETITIVE  SHOOTING ?

A.     QUALIFICATION  SHOOTING  IS  SHOOTING  TO  MEET

A  MINIMUM  SCORE  AND  TO  ADVANCE  AT  YOUR

OWN  PACE

         COMPETITIVE  SHOOTING  IS  SHOOTING  TO  ACHIEVE

A  MAXIMUM  SCORE

 

Q. 4     HOW  COULD  YOU  FIND  A  SHOOTING  RANGE

IN  YOUR  AREA ?

A.     CHECK  WITH  NRA  OR  A  LOCAL  GUN  DEALER.

 

PART 3

CHAPTER 1

AVOIDING CRIMINAL ATTACK

 

Q. 1     LIST  MEASURES  YOU  CAN  TAKE  TO

DISCOURAGE  CRIMINAL  ENTRY  IN  YOUR  HOME ?

A.     GOOD  LOCKS,   OUTER  LIGHTS  AS  WELL  AS  LIGHTS

ON  AT  NIGHT,  A  WAY  TO  SEE  WHO's  AT  YOUR

DOOR  WITHOUT  UNLOCKING  IT  A  WIDE-ANGLE  DOOR

VIEWER.

 

Q. 2     WHAT  STEPS  CAN  YOU TAKE  TO  AVOID  CRIMINAL

ATTACK  ON  THE  STREET ?

 

A.     AVOID  WALKING  ALONE,  IF  YOU  SUSPECT  YOU'RE

BEING  FOLLOWED  CROSS  THE  STREET  OR  GO  IN  A

OPEN  BUSINESS,  WALK  CONFIDENTLY,  BRISKLY  AND

BE  ALERT,  BE  SUSPICIOUS  OF  PEOPLE  LOITERING  AND

BE  ALERT  WHEN  APPROACHED  OR  APPROACHING  A

CAR  WITH  A  PERSON  IN  IT,  KEEP  YOUR  CAR  DOORS

LOCKED  AND  VALUABLES  OUT  OF  SIGHT

 

Q. 3     WHAT  ARE  SOME  RUSES  A  CRIMINAL  MAY  USE

TO  ENTER  YOUR  HOME ?

A.   AS  A  UTILITIES  PERSON  ASK  TO  SEE ID.  IN  VIEWER

ASK  THEIR  NAME  AND  CALL  THE  COMPANY.  SEE  PAGE  98 

  CHAPTER 2

CONTROLLING A VIOLENT CONFRONTATION

 

Q. 1     HOW  WOULD  YOU  PREPARE  YOURSELF  TO

SUCCESSFULLY  AVOID  A  CRIMINAL  ATTACK  IN  YOUR

HOME ?

A.     PLAN  AHEAD  BE  PREPARED.  SEE  PAGE  104

 

 

 

Q. 2     WHAT  FIVE  POINTS  SHOULD  YOU  REMEMBER  IF

A  STRANGER  IS  IN  YOUR  HOME ?

A.     KEEP  YOUR  HEAD,   ASSESS  THE  SITUATION,

CALL  POLICE,   GO  TO  SAFE  PLACE,  

LAST  RESORT  USING  FORCE     SEE  PAGE  104-107

 

Q. 3     WHY  DOES  THE  CRIMINAL  GENERALLY  HAVE  THE

ADVANTAGE  OVER  AN  ARMED  CITIZEN  DURING  A

CRIMINAL  ACT ?

A.     REACTION  TIME  IS  SLOWER  THAN  ACTION

SEE  PAGE  108

 

 

Q. 4     HOW  COULD  FIRING  CONDITIONS  BETWEEN  AN

ARMED  CONFRONTATION  AND  A  SHOOTING  RANGE

DIFFER ?

A.     DURING  A  HIGH - STRESS  SITUATION

SEE  PAGE  108

 

Q. 5     WHAT  ARE  THE  FIVE  MENTAL  STAGES

INVOLVED  IN  A  CRIMINAL  CONFRONTATION ?

A.     COMPLACENCY,   AWARENESS, 

EARLY  WARNING  SIGN  OF  DANGER,

IMMINENT  USE  OF  THE  HANDGUN,

ACTUAL  CONFRONTATION    SEE  PAGE  108-109

 

Q. 6     WHAT  DOES  JAM  MEAN ?

A.     JEOPARDY,     ABILITY,     MEANS    SEE  PAGE  110

  CHAPTER 3

FIREARMS AND THE LAW

Q. 1     AMONG  THOSE  THAT  FEDERAL  LAW  PROHIBITS

FROM  OWNING  OR  POSSESSING  A  FIREARM  ARE ?

A.     PERSONS  WHO  HAVE  RENOUNCED  THEIR

AMERICAN  CITIZENSHIP,    DISHONORABLE  DISCHARGED,

CONVICTED  FELONY,   NARCOTICS  ADDICTS,  CERTAIN

TYPES  OF  MENTAL  ILLNESS  AND  ILLEGAL  ALIENS.

SEE  PAGE  115

 

Q. 2     TO  WHAT  MUST  YOU  ATTEST  WHEN 

PURCHASING  A  FIREARM ?

A.     YOU  MUST  SHOW  PROOF  OF  D.O.B,  BIRTHPLACE,

RESIDENCE,   AND  YOU  DO  NOT  FULL  UNDER  ANY

OF  THE  OWNERSHIP  LAWS.  SEE  PAGE  115

 

Q. 3     SUMMARIZE  STATE  AND  LOCAL  REGULATIONS

WHICH  MAY  BE  ENFORCED  WHEN  YOU  PURCHASE  A

FIREARM ?

A.     SOME  STATES  REQUIRE  YOU  TO  OBTAIN  A

PERMIT  BEFORE  PURCHASING  FIREARMS,  SOME

REQUIRE  REGISTRATION,  SOME  REQUIRE  WAITING

PERIOD   SEE  PAGE  116

 

Q. 4     WHOM  COULD  YOU  CONTACT  IN  YOUR  COMMUNITY

FOR  THE  SPECIFIC  LAWS  PERTAINING  TO  HANDGUN

OWNERSHIP  AND  USE ?

A.     LAW  ARE  SUBJECT  TO  CHANGE.  SO  CONTACT  A

COMPETENT  LOCAL  ATTORNEY.  SEE  PAGE  118

 

 

There is no such thing as an "unloaded" gun.

Always point the muzzle of your firearm in a safe direction.

Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

Always wear ear and eye protection when firing a gun.

Always check three times to see if a firearm is unloaded.

Pass or accept only open and unloaded firearms.

Always keep firearms secured from children.

If you own a bolt action or a semi-auto rifle, lock the bolt and ammunition in a separate place.

Store firearms in an unloaded condition.

Either use specialty gun locks or a safe to secure firerms.

If you cannot find a trigger lock or a mechanism lock, a simple padlock behind the trigger usually does the trick.

Make sure nothing is obstructing the barrel of a firearm before shooting.

Always unload a firearm before leaving a shooting area.

Never carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle unless you are carrying one for self-defense, in which case it must be legal to do so in your state or municipality. If this is the case, your firearm should be secured with safety on in a holster, case or other conveyance so that it cannot accidently fire.

Do not carry or discharge a firearm while intoxicated or while on medication.

Never lean a firearm against a vehicle or wall where it can accidently fall and discharge.

Don't rely on safety catches alone. They can wear and break over a period of time.

Never hop a fence or hedge with a loaded firearm.

Never jump a stream or walk over slippery rocks with a loaded firearm.

Always thoroughly check a firearm before cleaning and disassembly.

Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations or owner's manual when disassembling a firearm.

Keep flammable cleaning fluids away from open flame or heat source. Make sure your cleaning area is well-ventilated.

Don't wear clothing that will catch or interfere with the operation of your firearm.

Don't use a holster or sling that will interfere with the operation of your firearm or cause a dangerous carrying situa tion.

When loading black powder, always use a measure.

Never smoke while loading a black powder firearm.

Always put the cap on last after loading a percussion firearm.

Never fire a black powder firearm near exposed black powder or open black powder containers.

Always make sure you use a patch or grease the chambers of a black powder revolver to prevent multiple discharges.

Never fire smokeless powder from a muzzleloader.

Never mix smokeless powders with each other or with black powder.

Never put black or smokeless powder in unmarked containers. Keep it in the original containers.

Always store black and smokeless powder in a cool dry place.

When reloading, always follow a recognized, well-established reloading manual and never exceed recommendations.

Always check the condition of metallic cartridge casings and plastic shotgun shell hulls before reloading.

Always store primers in a cool dry place and never directly handle them as moisture and oils will interfere with their proper function and cause misfires.

In case of misfire, always point the firearm in a safe direction and follow the procedures recommended in the gun's owner's manual.

Fire only the caliber or gauge ammunition that is marked on the firearm.

Never fire ammunition that is marked different than the box or container it is in.

  

I. The Fundamentals of Firearm Safety

The three basic general rules of safe gun handling.

  1. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction; never point a firearm at anyone or anything you don't want to shoot.
  2. Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
  3. Keep the action open and the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.

II. Additional specific rules of safe gun handling

Safety Rules Related to the Shooter and His Behavior.

  1. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
  2. Never pass a firearm to another person, or accept a firearm from another person, until the cylinder or action is open and you've personally checked that the weapon is completely unloaded.
  3. Before handling any firearm, understand its operation.
  4. Never rely on any mechanical device for safety.
  5. Think before shooting: once you pull the trigger you can't take back the shot you've just fired!
  6. Never joke around or engage in horseplay while handling or using firearms.
  7. Be alert at all times; never shoot if you're tired, cold or impaired in any way. Don't mix alcohol or drugs with shooting.
  8. Don't sleep with a loaded firearm in your bedroom if you sleepwalk, have nightmares, sleep restlessly or have other sleep problems.
  9. Safeguard your sight, hearing and health. Always wear eye and ear protection. Endeavor to limit your exposure to heavy metal particulates and gases, and minimize your contact with aromatic organic solvents (such as those commonly used in gun cleaning products).
  10. If you see unsafe behavior any time when firearms are being handled or used, speak up and take action to correct the unsafe behavior at once.
  11. Receive competent instruction from a qualified person before beginning to shoot. If questions arise later, after you've been shooting for a period of time, get answers to those questions from a competent authority.

Safety Rules Related to Your Target.

  1. Positively identify your target and the threat it poses before firing at it.
  2. What's behind your target? Always make sure that a stray shot, or a bullet which penetrates its intended target through and through, will be safely stopped.
  3. Never shoot at a hard surface, or at water -- your shot may glance off, ricochet and injure someone.
  4. Never shoot at glass bottles, living trees, or inappropriate targets which would create a hazard for other persons or damage the environment.
  5. Never shoot a rifle or handgun directly upwards, or at a high angle of elevation. Even a rimfire .22 bullet fired at an angle into the air can have enough energy a mile and a half away to accidentally kill someone!
  6. Never shoot across a highway or other roadway.
  7. Never vandalize a road sign (or other public or private property) by using it as a target.
  8. Never poach a game animal out of season, or shoot any game animal you don't intend to eat.

Safety Rules Related to Your Firearm.

  1. Make sure your firearm is in good mechanical condition before firing it. Periodically have your firearm checked for signs of erosion, cracking, or wear by the factory, by a qualified armorer, or by a factory certified gunsmith.
  2. Never try to fire a gun which may have a plugged or partially obstructed barrel.
  3. Insure that any modifications made to a firearm are made by a qualified individual, and that those modifications don't interfere with your firearm's safety features.
  4. Be sure all accessories, such as holsters and grips, are compatible with the firearm and won't interfere with its safe operation.
  5. Remember: a backup firearm carried about your person may be highly valuable to you in the event your primary firearm is ever rendered inoperable or is taken from you by an assailant.
  6. It is your responsibility to insure that your firearm is always either about your person and under your personal control, or positively secured from access by children or other unauthorized parties. Prevent tragedy: lock down your firearms when they aren't in use.
  7. When storing a firearm for a long period of time, consider storing the slide, bolt, or other critical components of the firearm separately under separate lock and key.
  8. Never carry a single action revolver with a round under the hammer unless that revolver is a modern transfer-bar type, equipped with an inertial firing pin.
  9. Never carry a pistol with a round in the chamber unless the pistol has an automatic firing-pin block and/or an inertial firing pin.
  10. Generally avoid carrying or storing an external hammer-type firearm with its hammer cocked. Exercise extreme care in decocking any external hammer firearm: it is very easy to experience an accidental discharge while doing so if your thumb slips off the hammer.
  11. Generally avoid unloading a firearm by working the cartridges through the action one-at-a-time; drop the magazine and then eject the round which may be left in the chamber, instead, if possible.
  12. Never use a scope mounted on a firearm as a general purpose spotting scope: while observing an area you may end up accidentally aiming your firearm at fellow hunters, or other non-targets.
  13. Avoid trying to catch a live round (while unloading a semiautomatic pistol) by cupping your hand around the ejection port while retracting the slide; doing so may result in an accidental discharge.

Safety Rules Related to Ammunition.

  1. Be sure your gun and ammunition are compatible. Shooting incorrect ammunition in a firearm may cause it to be damaged or even make it blow up.
  2. Relying on ammunition which doesn't feed reliably in your particular firearm may make your firearm malfunction at a critical juncture: get experience with a particular lot of ammunition in your firearm before relying on it for defensive purposes.
  3. Use only ammunition recommended for your firearm by its manufacturer. Never fire ammunition which exceeds industry standard pressure specifications. Over-pressure ammunition will reduce the service life of your handgun, and puts you and those around you at risk of a catastrophic firearm failure.
  4. Use reloaded ammunition judiciously. Be aware that many firearms manufacturers specifically forbid the use of reloaded ammunition in their products, and will void their product's warranty if you elect to use reloaded ammunition in contravention of their instructions.

    Also remember that a cartridge which has: the wrong powder, no powder charge, or too large a powder charge; an inverted primer, mis-seated primer, the wrong type of primer or an inert primer; a mis-seated, inverted, or mis-sized bullet; a collapsed, weakened, improperly sized or mis-crimped case; incorrect overall length or any of a host of other defects may seriously jeopardize your safety, the safety of those around you, and/or the reliability of your firearm in a defensive situation.

    Many shooters prepare and safely use reloaded ammunition each day, and it can be an economical way to stretch your ammunition budget, but the safety of that reloaded ammunition directly depends on the care, components, equipment, and practices used in preparing it.

     

  5. Carry only one caliber of ammunition when shooting. Accidentally grabbing the wrong ammunition while shooting can result in a shooter or third party being injured, or damage or destruction of a firearm.
  6. Insure you carry sufficient spare ammunition for your defensive firearm, and make sure you carry it in a readily employable fashion (such as in spare magazines or in speedloaders).
  7. Store ammunition that isn't being used under lock and key, inaccessible to unauthorized parties and children.
  8. Dispose of unwanted ammunition safely.

Safety Rules Related to Your Firearm's Holster and Ammo Carrier.

  1. Always use a holster which is designed for, and which fits, your handgun.
  2. Make sure your holster covers the trigger guard of your handgun.
  3. Purchase a holster which allows you to obtain a secure grip on your handgun while it is still holstered.
  4. Be sure the thumb break, safety strap, or other firearm retention device on your holster is functional and consistently employed. A good holster should retain your firearm during normal carry and routine physical activity, but no holster can insure that a firearm will be secure against determined attempts at disarmament, or keep a firearm secure during all possible physical activities.
  5. Avoid clip-on holsters and magazine pouches. These carriers may fail to stay clipped to the belt and end up being drawn along with the firearm or the magazine they still hold, thereby interfering with use of the firearm or with timely reloading.
  6. Avoid paddle-style holsters, cross draw holsters, and similar holsters which provide poor weapon retention.
  7. Avoid ankle holsters, shoulder holsters and other types of holsters which can introduce unnecessary delays in accessing a defensive firearm.
  8. Avoid carrying a defensive firearm in a purse, pocketbook, daypack or briefcase. A firearm carried in that fashion is:
    • Typically hard to rapidly access due to the presence of slow-to-open zippers, multiple latches, etc.,
    • Often hard to find and draw amidst all the other items routinely carried, since few purses or briefcases include a dedicated handgun-carrying compartment,
    • Prone to being unavailable when needed, since briefcases, purses and other carriers are routinely set down or put away in a desk drawer where they may or may not be readily accessible and under your physical control,
    • Unusually vulnerable to being stolen, since purses, pocketbooks, daypacks and briefcases are prime targets for purse snatchers, pick pockets, muggers and thieves,
    • Prone to malfunction in an emergency since materials carried along with your handgun in a purse or brief case may gum up the firearm's mechanism and potentially interfere with its proper operation, and
    • Likely to allow your handgun to accidentally become visible to shop clerks, bank tellers or other parties while you are searching for your checkbook or locating a credit card, and that inadvertent exposure may potentially result in a tense situation or even a tragic over-reaction on the part of an individual noticing the firearm and/or summoning law enforcement officers to the scene.
  9. Never carry a handgun tucked into your belt or waistband without a holster (i.e., so-called "mexican carry''). A handgun carried in this fashion may be unintentionally dislodged, fall onto a hard surface and accidentally discharge or be damaged. Inside the waistband-type holsters will allow you to obtain the concealment of this type of carry while simultaneously providing vastly improved firearm retention.
  10. Always employ a proper magazine holder or speed loader carrier to carry your spare ammunition. Select a design that secures and protects your speed loaders or magazines while still making them readily available for use. Avoid ammunition loops and ammo dump boxes.
  11. Never put a partially empty magazine or speed loader back into a magazine carrier or speedloader pouch: only full magazines or full speed loaders belong in a carrier. Partially empty magazines or speed loaders should go into your pocket; empty magazines or speed loaders should be allowed to fall where they're used during an emergency.

    Miscellaneous Safety Rules.

    1. At a range, obey the commands of the range officers, or any individual calling `cease fire,' at once. Read, know and follow any rules peculiar to a particular range which you may be using.
    2. Be careful of hot gases and metal shavings ejected at the forcing cone of a revolver.
    3. Keep your fingers and other parts of your body away from the muzzle, the rear of the slide, and the ejection area of a semiautomatic pistol.
    4. In the event of a misfire, keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction, remove your finger from the trigger, wait ten seconds, then eject the cartridge and dispose of it properly.
    5. If you hear an unusual sound upon squeezing the trigger or feel an unusual recoil, stop shooting and investigate. You may have experienced a ``squib'' load (or under-powered cartridge), and it may have caused a bore obstruction. Keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction, remove your finger from the trigger, wait ten seconds, then unload the firearm and safely examine the barrel, checking carefully for any possible obstructions before reloading and resuming shooting.
    6. Never ---
      • Climb a tree with a loaded firearm,
      • Cross a fence with a loaded firearm,
      • Jump a ditch or ford a stream with a loaded firearm,
      • Scale or descend a steep incline or hill with a loaded firearm,
      • Climb a tree, or climb into a hunting stand with a loaded firearm,
      • Prop or lean a loaded firearm against a tree or other surface which may allow it to slide, or
      • Transport a cased loaded firearm.
    7. Always carry your firearms in a way which will allow you to control where the muzzle is pointing, should you stumble or fall.
    8. A ballistic vest may substantially improve your chances of surviving an armed encounter on the street.
    9. Always wear a thousand square inches or more of blaze orange while in the field during hunting season.
    10. Black powder (and replica black powder) firearms require additional safety precautions not discussed here. Obtain qualified instruction in the safe operation of black powder firearms before attempting to load or fire any such firearm.
    11. Circumstances may require additional safety rules unique to a particular situation.

    III. Safe Gun Storage.

    When you are not using your firearm, you should insure that it is store safely. Affirmative measures designed to prevent unauthorized access to a defensive firearm by minors, or firearm theft, include:
    1. Use of a simplex-type locking box for securing firearms which need to be kept loaded yet available for ready-access defensive use, and
    2. Use of trigger locks or padlocks to secure firearms which don't need to be kept immediately available for defensive use.
    Also note that:
    1. Gun security devices which rely solely on physical strength to secure firearms from unauthorized use are generally undesirable since ingenious children can potentially employ leverage or tools to overcome those devices.
    2. "Hiding" a firearm won't secure it from discovery and possible misuse by curious children or intruders.
    3. Metal gun cabinets or gun safes can be used to safeguard firearms from unauthorized access or theft in many circumstances and metal gun cabinets or gun safes are generally preferable to open racks or glass-front cabinets.
    4. Firearms should be stored unloaded and separate from ammunition when the firearm isn't needed for ready-access defensive use.
    5. You may want to store critical components of a firearm (such as the gun's bolt or slide) separately from the rest of the firearm when the gun won't be used in the immediate future.
    6. Consider engraving your firearms with your social security number, driver's license number, or concealed firearms license number to deter theft and facilitate return of stolen firearms which may happen to be recovered.
    7. Explore "gun-proofing" your child by proper training, and by controlled and closely supervised access to firearms to reduce your child's natural unsatisfied curiosity about firearms.

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