Gun Safety Guidelines

I was exposed to guns early in life. I have a godfather who love guns and when I was still young, he used to bring me to the firing range and see him shoot. This is perhaps the reason why I seem to have a liking for guns.

I played with plastic guns when I was a child and dreamed of having a real gun when I grow up. Well, I guess now, that dream has been fulfilled since I now have a a gun of my own. The great thing is my guns are license and I make sure that I have sufficient permit to carry if there is a need to bring it out of my house.

In the Philippines, owning a gun is allowed for as long as you have a license to posses. But carrying it outside the house is a different story. One should have the permit to carry firearm outside residence commonly known as PTCFOR.

Some people say that guns are toys for the big boys... I agree and disagree. I agree to the fact that guns are for the big boys since one should be mature enough to own a gun, but disagree to the fact that guns are toys. I do not play with my gun and I carry it for protection and handle it with care.

There are many variations otithe rules of gun safety. Perhaps gun enthusiast are familiar with the one introduced by Colonel Jeff Cooper, which are:

• All guns are always loaded.
• Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
• Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
• Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

The natonal rifle association also provides similar set guidelines:

• ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
• ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
• ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

The Canadian Firearms Program uses the concept of The Four Firearm ACTS or otherwise known as The Fours ACTS of Firearm Safety

• Assume every firearm is loaded.
• Control the muzzle direction at all times.
• Trigger finger off trigger and out of trigger guard.
• See that the firearm is unloaded.

Now that you have an idea about gun safety, it is important to remember and follow them at all times. After all, anything done without considering safety will always lead to accident. As I have told earlier, a gun is not a toy. It is given respect and should be handled well. A gun in the wrong hands will lead to disaster. But a gun in the right hands will give you joy and protection.

For what use is the gun if it does not fire and you do not know how to shoot. Many people thought that hitting a target is easy. This is simply because of what we normally see in the movies. Firing a gun is of course as easy as pulling the trigger. But hitting the right target is a different story. Ask a law enforcement officer as to how many times they shoot in a month to harness their shooting skills. You will be amazed as to how many hours they spend in the firing range and how many rounds they consume.

In my case, I visit the firing range every month and shoot a couple of rounds. In between, I do dry firing at home.... pulling the trigger aiming at a target without a live ammunition. It really helps in improving your shooting skills.

Make sure your clean your gun after every use. Most especially if it is a pistol since they have plenty of moving parts. During every fire, gunpowder residue will stick on the parts and may be difficult to remove later on. This may cause a jam which is a technical term used by shooters for malfunction.

Dont forget also to keep them in a place unreachable by children.... In other words keep it out of reach of children.