DUMB PASS Principle Of Gun Safety For Shooting Ranges.
People frequent shooting ranges for various reasons, primarily to hone their new firearm skills. But regardless of the safety precautions at even the best ranges, if you’re a newbie or in the cross-hairs of a negligent user with a possibly defective weapon, accidental gunshot injury. Period.
The adage says, ‘not every man can hold his liquor.’ Sadly, that applies to guns too. If supervised spaces like shooting ranges can’t anticipate the inevitable when newbies mishandle firearms, then the folk ought to exercise gun safety on an individual level. Eagle Arms, your gunnie in arms delivering in Breinigsville, can nudge your muzzle in the right direction by telling you the DUMB PASS principle of gun safety!
Direction
If it is a shotgun, rifle, carbine, SMG, basically anything with a long barrel, point your barrels to the ground but don’t shoot your toes off. Keep your handguns, revolvers, & pistols holstered when not in use. Never finger a weapon’s trigger unless you are absolute about firing.
Unload
Even if you take a 3-minute break, unload your weapons of any live ammo and entrust them to a licensed adult. Do not leave a loaded gun lying around at a shooting range with bolt, pump, or lever action.
Misfire
If you pulled the trigger, but nothing went pop, immediately point the firearm to the ground & carefully unload the weapon, making sure you are protected & away from the crowd. Dispose of the ammo safely.
Barrel
Always look through your firearm’s barrel before beginning a session at the range to ensure there are no obstructions in there. You have no idea how the teeniest amounts of contaminants like mud or oil can affect the barrel pressure, causing bulging or bursting.
Protection
High-caliber firearms can exude quite the deafening shot while delivering an equally shoulder-displacing recoil. Be sure to gear up on earplugs, mufflers, grip gloves, and goggles to protect yourself against auditory damage & firearm breech malfunction.
Ammo
Every firearm is forged, tested, & calibrated to specified calibers, deviating from which can cause undue damage to your weapons. Familiarize yourself with your gun at the range, read the ammo warnings, and stick to specified bullets/shells/pellets/slugs. If you are testing hand-loaded ammo, maintain a safe distance from your peers.
Safety
Never assume your gun’s safety is a reliable feature (Well, it is! But you need to adopt a constant ‘What If?’ stance). If the safety malfunctions, and it does with a poorly handled gun, you might be in a lot of trouble.
Scout
Don’t just look at the cardboard target and assume that is the limit. If you miss the mark by too wide a berth, you might end up shooting someone within your peripheral range but beyond your vision. Agreed it is a shooting range, but there is no excuse for not studying your environment before firing.
Only Let Professionals Mod Your Guns!
Dear parents & teens, do not attempt to bring an experimental & untested, ‘modded’ firearm to the shooting range unless you know what you are doing. If you want to alter or mod your guns, come over to Eagle Arms main shop in Breinigsville, and gain a thorough tutorial on gun care, handling, safety, & maintenance.
Feel free to check our online store and let us know of a firearm you want. And remember, don’t be too DUMB to let PASS a lapse in gun safety!
