When handling, using, or storing any type of firearm, safety must be your first concern. Gun safety rules must be understood and applied in all situations involving firearms. Jim who is Carryconcealed.net's Senior Technical adviser is shown on a local range. Notice that he also has shooting glasses and hearing protection.

The five fundamental rules of gun safety must always be applied simultaneously when handling or using a gun:

1. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.

2. Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

3. Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use, and ready to kill in defense if the situation requires.

4. Get training and practice.

The following gun safety rules should also be observed when using or storing a gun:

• Know your target and what is beyond.
• Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
• Know how to use the gun safely.
• Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.
• Wear hearing and eye protection as appropriate.
• Never use alcohol or drugs before or while shooting.
• Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.

5.Everyone claims that an accidental shooting happend with an unloaded gun.

Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.

Types Of Guns And Gun Actions
The two basic types of firearms are pistols (handguns) and long guns. The most common types of pistols in use today are revolvers and semi-automatics.
To understand how a firearm works, it is first necessary to understand the firearm's action. The action is a group of moving parts used to load, fire, and unload a gun. A gun is usually identified by its type of action. Various gun actions and unloading techniques are described here. When unloading a gun, always eject the cartridges into your hand or onto a soft, clean surface.

Semi-Automatic Action
Semi-automatic actions are opened by pulling the bolt handle straight to the rear. Some semi automatics have tubular magazines, while other models use box-type magazines.

To Unload:

1. If the gun has a detachable box magazine, remove it.
2. If the magazine is tubular or non detachable, see "Magazines" above.
4. Open and partially close the action several times by pulling the bolt handle to the rear to be sure that all cartridges are ejected.
6. Inspect the chamber (plus the action and any tubular or non-detachable magazine) to be sure that the gun is empty.

Hinge Action
Hinge actions are opened by moving a release lever to one side, and then moving the hinged barrel(s) downward. Hinge-action guns do not have magazines.

To Unload:

1. Activate the release lever and move the hinged barrel(s) downward.
2. Opening the action may cause the cartridges to be ejected from the firing chamber(s).
3. If the cartridges are not ejected, remove them from the chamber(s) with your fingers.
4. Inspect the chamber(s) carefully to be sure that the gun is empty.

Revolvers:
A revolver is a pistol with a revolving cylinder that holds cartridges in individual chambers. Each time the hammer moves to the rear, the cylinder turns and brings a chamber in line with the barrel and the firing pin. When the hammer falls, it causes the firing pin to strike and fire the cartridge. In single-action revolvers, the trigger performs only one action - releasing the hammer. The trigger does not cock the hammer. The hammer must be cocked with the thumb, and will stay in a cocked position until it is released by pulling the trigger. In a double-action revolver, the trigger performs two tasks. When it is pulled, it will cock and release the hammer. Most double-action revolvers can also be fired in a single-action mode by manually cocking the hammer with the thumb.

To Unload Single Actions:

1. Hold pistol in left hand by cupping hand so that the trigger guard is in the palm of the hand with the left thumb on the left side of the cylinder, and the index and middle fingers on the right side of the cylinder.
2. With your right thumb, open the loading gate. (*If the cylinder now turns freely, SKIP the next step.)
3. Use the right thumb to pull the hammer back two clicks.
4. The cylinder should now turn freely.
5. Grasping grip with right hand, use left thumb and fingers to align a loaded chamber with the loading port by turning cylinder.
6. Elevate muzzle in a safe direction; using left hand, push cartridge out of chamber with ejector rod.
7. Continue process until all chambers are empty.
8. SLOWLY rotate cylinder with left thumb and fingers while inspecting each chamber to be sure that all cartridges have been removed.
9. Close loading gate.
10. Place right thumb on hammer spur.
11. While controlling hammer with right thumb, pull trigger with right index finger to release hammer, using right thumb to gently lower hammer completely.

To Unload Double Actions:

1. Use right hand to place pistol in palm of left hand.
2. Operate cylinder release latch with right thumb; push cylinder out with the two middle fingers of left hand.
3. Place left thumb on ejector rod and elevate muzzle in safe direction.
5. Use left thumb to push ejector rod completely to rear, removing cartridges from chambers.
6. Inspect all chambers to be sure that they are empty.

Semi-Automatics:
A semi-automatic is a pistol that has only one chamber located at the rear of the barrel. Cartridges are held in a storage device called a magazine. When the pistol is fired, the slide moves to the rear, ejects the empty case, and usually cocks the pistol. On its return movement, the slide picks up a cartridge from the magazine and pushes it into the chamber.

To Unload Semi-Automatics:

1. Hold pistol in right hand.
2. Activate magazine release, and remove magazine from gun. (Magazine release locations vary - consult instruction manual or knowledgeable individual.)
3. Grasp rear portion of slide with left hand, and move slide completely to the rear, ejecting the cartridge from the chamber.
5. If the pistol has a slide stop, use it to keep the slide open.
6. Inspect chamber to be sure it is empty.

Muzzle Loading Guns:
1.Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
2.Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
3.Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

A muzzleloading gun is so named because it is loaded through the muzzle. It does not use cartridges; instead, it is usually loaded by pouring a measure of black powder into the barrel, and pushing a cloth patch and lead ball into the barrel on top of the powder charge. Muzzleloading firearms are available in long gun and pistol models.

Due to the construction of a muzzleloader, it is not easy to tell if it is loaded. Don't try to determine this yourself; instead, have a knowledgeable person make sure that the gun is unloaded.

Contact the NRA Training Department at (703) 267-1430 for a list of instructors in your area. For more information on firearm safety, contact: NRA's Education & Training Division at (703) 267-1500. The National Rifle Association (NRA) provides a variety of courses in its Basic Firearm Training Program. These courses are conducted by NRA Certified Instructors and are available in the following subject areas: pistol, rifle, shotgun, home firearm safety, personal protection, and muzzleloading.