Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
Let's start with the general rules for gun safety. Sometimes phrased differently, they boil down to these...
Treat all firearms as loaded.
Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
Do not put your fingers near the trigger or inside the trigger guard until you mean to shoot.
Be aware of not only what may be near your target but beyond it.
Any questions?....
Next, some shotgun specific ones,and commentary.
Use only the ammunition for which that shotgun was designed for. No Magnums in 2 3/4" chambered shotguns. No 16 gauge in 12s and so on.
Be advised that if a 20 gauge shell is dropped into a 12 gauge chamber, it'll move forward far enough for a 12 gauge shell to be chambered behind it, and fired. Shotguns and hand grenades have similar working pressures, and the thing will blow up between your face and front hand. Same thing will happen in a 10 gauge with a 16 gauge shell.
If one is shooting and an odd sounding report is heard, do NOT fire another round until the barrel is checked for an obstruction. Sometimes on a "blooper" round, loaded without powder, the wad will still be in the bore. Same results if fired as with the situation in the above paragraph. Matter of fact, check the bore for obstructions before shooting.
Hearing loss starts with the first unprotected shot, and despite what Lee Majors may tell you, there's no bionic replacements for eyes.
Use eye and ear protection religiously.
Wash your hands thoroughly after shooting and before eating, drinking,smoking, etc. Not only is there some lead contamination, but the free radicals left after combustion probably won't do your organs a bit of good either.
In the field, take no shots close to your companions, or dogs. Nobody will rag you about passing these up. When in doubt, do not shoot.
All for now, any questions?
Treat all firearms as loaded.
Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
Do not put your fingers near the trigger or inside the trigger guard until you mean to shoot.
Be aware of not only what may be near your target but beyond it.
Any questions?....
Next, some shotgun specific ones,and commentary.
Use only the ammunition for which that shotgun was designed for. No Magnums in 2 3/4" chambered shotguns. No 16 gauge in 12s and so on.
Be advised that if a 20 gauge shell is dropped into a 12 gauge chamber, it'll move forward far enough for a 12 gauge shell to be chambered behind it, and fired. Shotguns and hand grenades have similar working pressures, and the thing will blow up between your face and front hand. Same thing will happen in a 10 gauge with a 16 gauge shell.
If one is shooting and an odd sounding report is heard, do NOT fire another round until the barrel is checked for an obstruction. Sometimes on a "blooper" round, loaded without powder, the wad will still be in the bore. Same results if fired as with the situation in the above paragraph. Matter of fact, check the bore for obstructions before shooting.
Hearing loss starts with the first unprotected shot, and despite what Lee Majors may tell you, there's no bionic replacements for eyes.
Use eye and ear protection religiously.
Wash your hands thoroughly after shooting and before eating, drinking,smoking, etc. Not only is there some lead contamination, but the free radicals left after combustion probably won't do your organs a bit of good either.
In the field, take no shots close to your companions, or dogs. Nobody will rag you about passing these up. When in doubt, do not shoot.
All for now, any questions?
Last edited: