Basic Firearm Safety For Hunters

Basic Firearm Safety For Hunters

Every year, hundreds of hunting accidents occur across America; just ask Vice President Cheyney. Many of these accidents could have been avoided by practicing a few basic gun safety techniques.

Know Your Weapon

If your weapon came with an owner’s manual, read it from cover to cover.  Practice taking apart your weapon and inspecting it thoroughly.  If you know what your weapon looks like normally, you will be quick to recognize any abnormalities of the weapon in the field.  If you drop your weapon or fall while carrying it, take it apart and inspect it for damage.  Make sure that the slide operates smoothly.  If you are in doubt about the integrity of your rifle, don’t fire it.

Educate yourself about the ammunition that you choose to use.  A .22 caliber bullet fired from a rifle can travel over two and a half miles.  This knowledge is necessary to line up a safe shot.

Targets That Have Taught Over Time

It's About Teach Safety and Traditions



And Knowing What Is The Ethical Shot

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So An Animal Is Never Left To Suffer

Transporting The Weapon

Always keep your weapon unloaded until you are ready to fire.  If you are going to hike to a new location, unload  before starting out.  Store the rifle and ammunition separately and, if possible, keep the storage container locked.  Never carry a loaded rifle in your vehicle or on an ATV.

Sighting Your Prey

When sighting up your intended shot, there are many things to consider before pulling the trigger.   Never shoot at a partially obscured target.  Identify your prey fully before even raising your weapon to take a shot.  If you are in doubt about what is moving, control your excitement and wait until the target can be fully visualized.  Never hunt after dusk or before daybreak.

Know what is in front of and behind your target before shooting.  Do not shoot animals that appear on hilltops and near the tops of ridges as you cannot identify what may be behind your target. If your game is near water, rocks, or buildings, keep in mind that bullets can ricochet off hard surfaces.  Do not use the gun’s scope to sight your game. Use your binoculars first, and then if the shot is clear, switch to the scope.

Proper Storage Prevents Accidents

Old Is Better Then Nothing


A Lock Box Doesn't Always Have To Look Like One



To Create A Safe Home Environment For The Entire Family

Treat Your Weapon As If It Is Loaded At All Times

Never look down the barrel of a weapon for any reason.  Keep your muzzle pointed away from yourself and others at all times.  Learn and use various safe carrying positions for transporting your rifle in the field.

Keep A Clear Head

Never go hunting or handle a weapon if you have had any alcohol or medication that may impair your judgment.  Even a sleeping pill the night before can affect your reflexes during the day.
Get plenty of rest the night before your trip and go home early if you find yourself becoming drowsy.

Sighting a big buck or a fat bird can be exciting.  It’s important to keep a level head at all times and not let your emotions cloud your judgment.  Don’t allow yourself to act without thinking through the action to determine if it’s safe first.

Wear Your Safety Gear

Bring along hearing and eye protection and wear them before shooting.  Include safety orange in your choice of head gear and upper body clothing.  This helps other hunters in the area distinguish you from the prey.

Civil War Bullet Collecting: A Hobby that Honors the Past

Civil War Bullet Collecting:  A Hobby that Honors the Past

Did you know that during the Civil War, more than 1000 different types of bullets were used?  This is one reason Civil War bullet collecting has become a popular hobby.  Another reason is that the time of the Civil War saw changes taking place in the development of firearms and ammunition.  The old round musketballs of the Revolution were being replaced with bullets in the shape we are accustomed to.  While musketballs are found on Civil War battlefields, the most common type of bullet used was the .58-caliber bullet with three rings around the base.  Many bullets found are splattered out of shape.  If you've always been fascinated by the Civil War and firearms, Civil War bullet collecting is a hobby you will enjoy.

With the advent of Internet buying and selling, Civil War bullets have become more collectible, and the prices have gone up quickly.  Not only this, sometimes sellers are not informed and ask more than the bullet is worth.  For these reasons, if you are just starting out in Civil War bullet collecting, you will want to buy a good price guide.  You can even find a price guide online if that works better for you.

Discovering The Past Today

Never To Late To Start A Collection

Sometimes You Might Even Want To Go Back Further

Great Brass Never Gets Old

Many Civil War bullet collectors also collect bullet molds and other relics from the Civil War era.  A real enthusiast might even investigate the possiblility of becoming a Civil War reenactor, acting out battles with others in towns and fields across the Southeast.

Civil War bullets can be collected by buying from other collectors, or you can begin by going directly to the battlefields to dig and search.  A metal detector will make Civil War bullet collecting easier.  You may also find buttons from uniforms, bullet molds, belt buckles, and other metal items from the battle.  Some of the bullets may be buried quite deep.  You will need to wear a headset and pay close attention to the changes in tone in your metal detector.  Hunting Civil War relics is prohibited on protected battlefields, but there are still old homesites where battles were fought.  Be sure to get permission from the owner and fill any holes you dig.

Some people have the idea that hunting for bullets with a metal detector indicates a lack of respect for the soldiers who died there.  They get this idea because sometimes bullet hunters find bones along with the bullet.  The fact is, however, that many of the bullet hunters who have found bullets this way have chronicled and mapped out there finds, resulting in many of the facts that we now know about the Civil War.

The Civil War fascinates Americans because of everything it stands for.  While everyone agrees that slavery is a terrible blot on the history of the U.S., there are some people who still discuss the issue of states' rights versus a strong central government.  Civil War bullet collecting is an iteresting hobby, though somewhat sobering at times when considering the great number of casualties.  The memory of brother fighting against brother out in the cornfields and pastures will never go away.  Civil War bullet collecting is one way to commemorate this monumental historical event.