The home of Shooting Times and Sporting Gun


20 golden gun safety rules

Some gun safety handling rules that cover what to do and what not to do when you've a gun in your hands.

shooting in field

Do you know where the other shooters are?

  1. Always know where your fellow shooters are
  2. Have a quick glance around as you walk onto the stand – it could save a life
    checking gun barrels

    Check to ensure there is no obstruction in the barrels

  3. If anyone hands you a gun (and they’re stupid enough to hand it closed), check to see if the chambers are empty and the barrels clear
  4. Always treat guns as if they are loaded
  5. The only truly safe gun is an unloaded gun
  6. On a shooting ground your gun should always be broken and unloaded when not in use
  7. Only load the gun when you’re actually on the stand
  8. Load the gun when you’re ready to fire – with the muzzles pointing ahead to the firing zone
  9. Don’t make U-turns. Inexperienced shooters sometimes fire the first shot then turn to advice from fellow shooters. A big NO.
  10. Never turn on a stand with a loaded gun.  Break it first and unload it.
    broken gun

    If it’s not in its slip, you always have your gun broken and unloaded when walking between drives

  11. On the shooting ground, all over-and-unders and side-by sides should be broken at all times
  12. The exception is when an unloaded gun is safe in its gun slip.
  13. Make sure your gun is unloaded and carry it in its gun slip whenever possible
  14. If a gun’s not in a slip, make sure it’s broken
  15. Never leave cartridges in the gun when it’s not being used
  16. To be doubly safe, break the gun as you are taking it out of the slip
  17. It’s hard for other shooters to tell if a semi-auto or pump action is loaded or not.
    love semi-autos

    Many owners of semi-autos put safety flags in the loading slot to show the gun is safe

  18. When not in use and out of the slip, these guns should always be open at the breech and held with the muzzles pointing straight up or at the ground
  19. Never point a gun at anyone
  20. Even accomplished shots know it’s safety first, last and always.

Cleaning a gun

The risks of a dirty gun

A shotgun is an investment that needs to be cared for to look beautiful, but also perform to its full potential. So where…