How To Properly Handle a Gun

By Nicole from Ready Store

1. Handle Every Gun As If It Were Loaded

It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to handling a gun. Whenever you pick up a firearm, always do a visual inspection to see if it is loaded. A great routine to get in to is to check to see whether or not it is loaded every time the gun is passed between two people.

TIP: Never purchase a gun that you don’t know how to check. Messing around with a gun could be detrimental to your safety.

2. Always Point the Gun in a Safe Direction

Gun enthusiast Mr. Young gave some great advice on pointing your gun in a safe direction.

“If you are at a range, keep it pointed downrange. When reloading, be aware of where the weapon is pointing. It should be pointing at the target, or into the ground. If your weapon is holstered, your holster should direct the muzzle downward at a relatively acute angle. Not poking out from under your arm to endanger everyone standing behind you. If you are hunting, keep your rifles pointing skyward if slung, or into the ground if carried, not aimed at your friend-in-front-of-yours butt. Don’t lean on a rifle. Don’t cowboy-twirl your single-action revolvers.”

3. Always Be Cautious of Your Target and Surroundings

It is important to know where everyone is at all times. Never point or shoot anything you cannot see clearly. Make sure that anyone who is with you is not in danger of being in range of a bullet that may ricochet or stray from the target.

4. Keep Your Finger Away From the Trigger Until You Decide to Shoot

Get in the mindset that if your finger is on the trigger, you intend to shoot what is in front of you. We’ve heard of countless tragedies where someone accidentally shoots a close friend or family member unintentionally. Loaded or not, handle your gun as if it were.

5. Use Eye and Ear Protection

We understand that keeping your eyes and ears protected when in an emergency can be difficult. However, if you’re hunting or shooting for fun, make sure to use ear plugs and safety glasses.

6. Never Leave Your Gun in an Unsafe Place

Whether you have small children or live alone, always keep your guns in a safe yet easily accessible place. A habit to get into is to keep your gun unloaded and locked away in a safe place. We recommend using a gun safety box. Any negligence on your end when a child is involved will result in you being federally liable. Never rely on just hiding a loaded gun in your home when little kids are there. Their ability to find things is underestimated. It is also important to keep your guns ammunition in a safe place.

9 years ago

Comments

Dan

9 years ago at 5:41 AM

Owning a gun is not necessary. If you're going to have a gun it should be lower on your list of preps, behind financial security, planning, supplies, building community and being healthy and fit, including exercising regularly.

Laird Cummings

9 years ago at 2:01 PM

In general, completely agree. Prepare for the most likely disaster first, then the next, and so on, in descending order of likelihood. Job loss, large dedtructive storm, stranded motorist, extended loss of power, loss of water, flooding, etc. Defensive firearms are moderately far down the list.

tulips

8 years ago at 4:41 AM

Prepping for any disaster that extends several weeks makes home defense/personal protection squarely in the mix. Now if you don't feel comfortable buying, training, owning a firearm that's another matter and state it. But to veil a political or personal dislike or devaluing of firearms is dishonest to the many people who are prepping for the potential economic collapse, EMP or war that will bring scarcities. If you think people will politely ask you to share your supplies with them, you probably are wasting your time prepping for anything.

Tulips

8 years ago at 4:53 AM

If you've watched over the past year or so the groups protesting in the streets of Baltimore, Ferguson, Dallas, Washington, Chicago, LA, etc, think how those same groups would act given the onset of scarcities resulting from any number of situations that all have increasing potential of happening. Imagine in panic response people clearing out grocery store shelves that don't seem to replenish as they routinely do. Can you honestly say you could protect yourself, family and your prep supplies when the have-nots come to your neighborhood? I'm not worried about destructive storms that cut out power, loss of a job my lifestyle has considered those contingencies. I prep for the long term situation and do have multiple firearms and ammunition as a part of that prepping. I'm a single female, whose going to protect me?

BarG

9 years ago at 6:09 AM

@Dan, I agree with your list except in order to protect what you or I have, a gun is going to be on the top of my list.

Laird

9 years ago at 2:19 PM

Now, while having a firearm isn't *absolutely* necessary in being a common-sense 'prepper,' it can be a very reasonable addition to the plan. Realistic Plana should account for the likelihood of events. A true SHTF scenario is FAR down the list. Societal unrest, OTOH, is not all that far down the list. A firearm for a prep plan should meet as many needs as possible: It needs to be credible as a defensive weapon. It needs to be easy to use for the whole family. It needs to be able to get you food. It needs to be reliable, and it needs to use readily accessible common ammunition. In my opinion, the best choice is a slide (pump) action shotgun. In the interests of being usable by the entire household, I favor 20 gauge. Brand doesn't much matter - I've yet to run across a really bad design in slide action shotguns. A double barrel shotgun is also a solid choice; the intimidation factor can't be ignored, and the are very simple and reliable. I do NOT favor 'tactical' shotguns; if you must use one to shoot a fellow human, a 'tactical' weapon can be used to paint you in a bad light in the inevitable court actions to follow. Better to have a plain sporting weapon - and use it as such; being a know sportsman makes you much less scary to a jury, and the skills are useful if you ever need to get your own food.

jon

9 years ago at 4:26 PM

I am very much in agreement with Laird. I worked for the police for 27 years. Tactical shotguns are viewed as "Bad Guns!" A 20 gauge is small and looks inoffensive. It is light enough for anyone to handle, but adequate for getting game or self defense. There are loads in bird shot and buck shot and slugs (a big bullet for use in shotguns). It will kill anything that you need to! My 10 year old uses a 20 gauge for clay birds, ducks, and turkeys.

Beano McReano

9 years ago at 10:56 PM

I recommend you understand how to handle a gun and read up on it and maybe even take classes and to practice with it. It will be your NUMBER ONE survival tool! If not for confidence, but safety also, plus you can hunt with one or if you have to forage will prevent you from being hunted.. You can't lose. There may be people around that want to make sure they are the only ones with weapons. Don't be fooled by what the tell you about it. GET ONE and LEARN to use it!

siaosi

8 years ago at 9:43 AM

I would like to be able to protect my house. I think that my best option would be to learn how to use a gun. I would also have to say that I have never owned a gun before, so this advice would help me out.

James Bergman

8 years ago at 1:54 PM

I definitely agree that guns should be stored properly. I personally think that gun safes are the best way to go. Your kids will know where the guns are, but they won't be able to get to them. The same goes for when going hunting. I always have a safe place to put my gun just in case.

Thora Curless

8 years ago at 1:48 PM

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Ben

8 years ago at 12:51 PM

Most of my life has been spent enjoying guns. I am 80 years old and was on the rifle team in Germany. I have a lot of experience with handguns, rifles, and shotguns. I thought an old established manufacturer of firearms could always be trusted. I bought a service size and a compact pistol of the same make which shot dependably. One of these auto-loaders fired after I very gently touched the trigger. I was familiar with and carefully followed the instructions but this firearm failed. I got rid of both of these handguns. Be careful and don't trust sales people completely. They may not know a lot. Even some gunsmiths don't know enough in some cases.

jon

8 years ago at 4:59 PM

The Taser stun gun is a great defense too! Non lethal.

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