General Safety

• Treat all firearms as though they are loaded.
• Firearms do not mix with alcohol and drugs. Never handle a firearm after using alcohol or drugs.
• Carry all firearms in a safe and cautious manner at all times with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
• Know your ammunition.
• The safest cartridge is a commercially manufactured one, produced by professional munitions dealers.
• Know your firearm, including nomenclature and normal function of the parts.
• Learn to recognize worn, broken or missing parts. These may warn of impending malfunction that can cause serious injury.
• Beware of poor quality firearms, conversions, and firearms of unproven construction.
• Never practice dry firing except in a safe place, and then, only after complete and thorough inspection of the firearm.
• Remember, safeties do not replace human care and intelligence.
• Obtain proper instruction in the use of your firearm.

• Never assume that the firearm is unloaded, even if it was checked several minutes ago, even by you.
• Keep firearms and ammunition out of the reach of children.
• Maintain strict control of the firearm within the home.
• Avoid distractions when handling, cleaning and loading your firearm.
• Train all competent adults at home in firearms safety measures.
• Do not display your firearms to casual acquaintances or others whose competency, maturity or honesty is unknown.
• Never use alcohol and/or drugs when handling or about to handle firearms or ammunition.
• Long arms, such as rifles and shotguns, should be stowed securely in racks or cabinets and preferably locked.
• Standing a long arm in a closet corner is inadequate.
• Handguns should be stored in a locked cabinet or drawer.
• Locked storage is particularly important if there are children in the home. Keeping a handgun in an unlocked desk is inadequate.
• Never leave a loaded firearm lying around where someone may have access to it.
• Never leave a loaded firearm in the house unless it is under lock and key.
• If the firearm is not under lock and key, separate ammunition from the firearm and place in a safe location.
• If proper storage facilities are unavailable, trigger locks should be purchased and installed. Be aware that trigger locks do fail.
• Store unloaded firearms and ammunition in a cool, dry location.
• Keep a list of all serial numbers and descriptions of your firearms separate from your firearms.

• All firearms should be transported to the range unloaded.
• All firearms should only be pointed down range.
• Only shooters should be on the firing line.
• Never place your finger in the fingerguard until ready to fire.
• Fire only at designated targets.
• Be sure of your target, identify it, then hit it.
• Be familiar with your backstop when target shooting. A ricocheting bullet can be fatal.
• Never place a cocked firearm in a holster, unless the safety locks of the gun and holster are applied.
• No firearms should be handled behind the firing line.
• Never leave a loaded firearm unattended.
• On a supervised range, unload, load and fire only on command of the range officer or master.
• On an unsupervised range unload, load and fire by mutual agreement and understanding.