What do you teach your children about safe handling of firearms?
We start with picking up the gun. Check to verify the chamber is clear and that no rounds are in the magazine. Never point the gun in someones direction loaded or not. Before loading we make sure the safety is on and we dont load the gun while someone is down range setting up or checking targets. Firearm safety also means selecting a target and hitting it, starting with the safety on and finger off the trigger until ready to fire.
On another note, guns in the house are not taboo. There is no mystery and therefore the kids dont feel any need to investigate. We get guns out any time they want to see them and they know they only have to ask and that I have to be with them. In fact theyre out enough that the guns have become common place and even boring.
Another aspect of safety is understanding the parts and workings of the gun they handle, including how to break it down and clean it.
Anything else?
We start with picking up the gun. Check to verify the chamber is clear and that no rounds are in the magazine. Never point the gun in someones direction loaded or not. Before loading we make sure the safety is on and we dont load the gun while someone is down range setting up or checking targets. Firearm safety also means selecting a target and hitting it, starting with the safety on and finger off the trigger until ready to fire.
On another note, guns in the house are not taboo. There is no mystery and therefore the kids dont feel any need to investigate. We get guns out any time they want to see them and they know they only have to ask and that I have to be with them. In fact theyre out enough that the guns have become common place and even boring.
Another aspect of safety is understanding the parts and workings of the gun they handle, including how to break it down and clean it.
Anything else?