With 673 gun-related deaths in Arkansas in 2020 alone, the need to know the basics of firearm safety is necessary. With considerably relaxed gun laws in Arkansas, owning a firearm in North Little Rock has become easy and has increased the number of accidental deaths and injuries. 

Hence, if you own a firearm, you must know the basic safety tips to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Moreover, if you plan to buy a gun without any combat background, head over to a Firearms Simulator in North Little Rock, AR, for some practice.

So, what are these safety tips being mentioned here? What must you do to keep your firearm from going off at the wrong place and time? Read on to find out!

Top Firearm Safety Tips You Must Know About 

If you are a firearm owner, there are some safety tips you must keep in mind at all times.

• Keep the muzzle pointed away from yourself and in a safe direction.

This is the first and the most important rule you must know. If you wield a firearm, make sure that the muzzle always points in a safe direction. This means it must be away from you or anyone standing around you. 

Keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction is the first step to avoiding firearm-related accidents. Always remember that you must never point your gun at something you have no intentions of shooting. This is especially true when you load or unload the firearm since most accidents happen then. 

Take into consideration penetrable walls, ricochets, etc., and then calculate the safest possible direction.

• Unload your firearm when you aren’t using it 

Never keep your firearms loaded if they aren’t in use. They must only be loaded when you are about to shoot, i.e., at a gun range or a target shooting area. Make sure that all the ammo is stored in a safe space, away from the hands of unauthorized adults or kids.

Unload it and store the ammo back in the safe space as soon as you are done using the gun. Another tip to remember is to open and check the action as soon as you pick up a firearm or hand it to someone. Check the chamber for any ammunition, and after making sure it is empty, go ahead and load it carefully.

• Don’t rely too much on the gun “safety”.

Gun safety is a feature provided to prevent the gun from going off by mistake. But at the end of the day, it is mechanical in nature and might be rendered inoperable at the worst time. 

So while wielding a firearm, even if the safety is toggled on, make sure you don’t pull the trigger. Keep your finger away from the trigger, and you are safe. 

• Handle the firearm with care if it doesn’t go off on pulling the trigger

At times, your firearm might not go off on pulling the trigger, and this is risky. There is a chance the gun itself might blow up since the chamber is jammed. If the gun is still intact, handle it with extreme care and unload it. 

Remember that the gun can go off at any time. So keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and unload the ammunition.

Wrapping up 

Handling a firearm is not as easy as pop culture glorifies and must be used with extreme care. Head to a Firearms Simulator in North Little Rock, AR, to have a more hands-on experience before picking up a gun.

Keep these top tips in mind to have a safe experience with firearms, and keep yourself and your loved ones away from danger.