A Firearm’s “Safety” Mechanism

1. A Firearm’s “Safety” Mechanism • Don’t be afraid to ask if you don’t know how a firearm works • never trust the safety mechanism • safety prevents the gun from firing • safety could fail

2. Damascus Barrel • Older or custom made barrels which were typically made before the turn of the century • weaker than modern barrels

3. Airguns ( three kinds) • Pneumatic- use a pump system • CO2 powered-use compressed CO2 contained in a steel cylinder • spring- involves a spring that is compressed by a lever

4. Rifles and Shotguns • Uses expanding gas from burning powder to force a bullet or shot out of the muzzle • main difference in shotgun and rifle is found inside the barrel • shotgun bore(inside of barrel) is thin and smooth • rifle bore are thicker and have grooves that spiral around the bore

5. Rifles and Shotguns • Grooves are called rifling • spins the bullet making it more accurate • caliber of a rifle is determined by measuring the width of the bore • shotgun sizes are given in gauges • gauge is usually marked on the rear of the barrel

6. Rifles and Shotguns • Always use the correct gauge shell in the same gauged shotgun(12-gauge shell in a 12-gauge shotgun • rifle and shotguns are usually identified by their bore sizes and action designs. • Action is the part that moves cartridges or shotshells into the chamber( loads, unloads and ejects ammunition)

7. Rifles and Shotguns • Stock, action and barrel are 3 main components of guns • there are five categories of actions • break action • pump action • lever action • semi-automatic • bolt action

8. Dominant or Master eye • The one you should look through when sighting • keep both eyes open when shooting a shotgun • usually close one eye when shooting a rifle

9. Rifles • Sights are important parts of rifles • three general classes • open sight-least accurate • peep or aperture sights • telescope sights- most accurate

10. Rifle positions • Four standard positions • standing-most difficult • kneeling-forms tripod • sitting-forms tripod • prone-most stable

11. Rang/Distances • .22 caliber bullet (rimfire) can be dangerous at a mile or more • centerfire bullets(.30-30, .30-06, etc.) can be dangerous at more than 3 1/2 miles

12. Firing Techniques • Hold breath, gently squeeze trigger with steady pressure until the gun fires. • Never jerk the trigger or slap the trigger

13. Shotguns • Several gauges • 10,12,16,20,28 and .410 are most common • smaller the number the larger the bore

14. Shotgun Position • Almost always fired from a standing position.

15. Shotgun Choke • Determines the spread or pattern of the shot after it leaves the barrel • Three kinds: • full- most constricted • modified- less constricted • improved cylinder- less than modified • cylinder choke- no constriction, shot spreads quickly

16. Shotgun Range • Not a long range gun • depends on the shotshell • average is within 45 yards

17. Ammunition • Divided into two categories • cartridges- handguns and rifles • shotshells- shotguns • Primary components of cartridges • case • primer • centerfire or rimfire • smokeless powder • bullet

18. Ammunition • Primary components of shotshells • case • primer • smokeless powder • wad and shot

19. Handguns • The safest way to carry a handgun is with no round in the chamber