Firearm Safety
What
You Should Know | Safety Rules
| Accepting a Firearm | Unloading
and Loading Firearms | Safety
Mechanisms | Cleaning Firearms
| Storage | Final
Quiz
Safety Mechanisms
Most guns have a safety. They are usually located near the firearm's action as shown below. Common types include the slide, lever, wing, hammer (half cock position), trigger block and button safeties.
Depending on the firearm, a safety's
on or off position may be etched next to the safety mechanism. Some firearms
use a button safety that is red in color when the safety is off and they
are ready to be fired. Consult the owner's manual if you are unsure about
how your firearm's safety works or how to tell when the safety is in the
on or off position! As a general rule, always keep your safety on until
ready to fire your gun.
Most safeties block the trigger but not necessarily the gun's firing mechanism.
A hard blow in the right place can still discharge a firearm. Safeties
also wear out and break. Never depend on a safety to prevent a gun from
firing!
