Before buying a gun, you should know how to handle it in the first place. This is for your safety, the safety of others, and the reputation of gun owners in general. The last thing we need is another irresponsible gun owner accidentally shooting someone and getting himself in prison for his major mistake. News stories like that just give more ammo to the people who would like to ban guns altogether. We are going to discuss some mistakes new gun owners often commit.
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- Forgetting Safety Check
This one is pretty obvious: Whenever you pick up a gun in your hand, Never, ever forget to check the chamber or cylinder to confirm that it isn’t loaded. This needs to become an unbreakable habit. Be sure to safely check a gun even when the individual who hands you the gun just checked it themselves. Better safe rather than dying. You’ll be putting your own and others’ lives in serious danger if you make this silly mistake.
- Pointing Gun At Wrong Direction
This is another obvious one. Even if you’ve already safely checked the weapon, you should still treat it as if it’s loaded and keep the muzzle in a safe direction at all times until you’re ready to fire. Some people might think this is a little paranoid, but a lot of accidental shootings happened when someone was convinced the gun wasn’t loaded.
- Not Indexing
This is another important gun safety technique that we’ve all been taught but that too few people abide by. There are many firearm accidents that could have been prevented had the user of the gun remembered to keep their finger above the trigger rather than on it.
Never wrap your finger around the trigger until the weapon is pointed downrange and you’re ready to fire. Make it a habit to index every time.
- Wrong Storage
It’s idiotic to store your guns out in the open where kids or thieves have easy access to them. You can just keep your weapons locked in a safe or at the very least, hidden somewhere no one will see them. Of course, you might want a firearm in an easy-to-reach location in case there’s a home invasion. The quick and easy solution is to carry your gun around your house while you’re awake and keep it on your nightstand while you sleep. I have a Gunvault next to my bed because it’s easy to open in the dark.
- Putting Faulty Ammo
It’s actually shocking how many accidents happen a year simply just because people use the wrong type of ammunition in their firearms. Firing the wrong ammunition can potentially lead the firearm to explode in your hands. It’s also very crucial that you know the differences between different variations of the same diameter of bullet. For example, .45 ACP, .45 GAP, and .45 Long Colt are NOT interchangeable because although they’re the same caliber, the casings are different.
- Using Cheap Holsters
You should never use a cheap, two dollar holster for a five hundred dollar or more gun. A cheaply made holster might not be able to protect your gun and will fall apart very quickly. In addition, confirm that your holster is made for your same make, model, and caliber of gun. For example, sometimes holsters are different for 9mm and .45 versions of the same gun because the frames of the guns are different. If you use an incorrect holster, it’s possible to accidentally fire a shot while trying to wrestle your gun out of it. Conduct plenty of research before buying a holster for your gun.
- No Ideas About Firearm Law
It’s your responsibility to research the local, state, and federal gun laws that are relevant to you. If you plan on concealed carrying your new gun, find out what it takes to obtain a concealed carry license. Additional laws that are your responsibility to find out include whether your state is a stand your ground state, whether your state has any prohibitions on certain guns or magazine capacities, how many guns your local city allows its inhabitants to own, and so on.
Remember, wielding a gun comes with some important responsibilities. It is a tool of death and destruction. Better use it wisely. Have a good day.
