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Firearm and Range Safety

 

STOP!  THINK!

Do you think you're safe?

All firearm users must practice firearm safety to reduce the risk of firearm incidents.

There is no such thing as a firearm accident. In every case, at least one of the Firearm Safety Rules has been broken.

Responsible shooters will know and apply the basic firearm safety rules at all times and will insist that other shooters do the same.

In addition to the basic firearms safety rules, when shooting at the Melbourne Gun Club the following rules must be followed:
  • Guns, when carried on the grounds, MUST at all times be unloaded and have
    the action open.
  • Guns may be loaded ONLY when you are on the shooting position and it is
    your turn to shoot.
  • Your gun MUST be unloaded immediately after completing your turn to shoot and before leaving your shooting position.

THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THESE SAFETY RULES.
Firearms Safety Code
 
The following Firearms Safety Code, was prepared by the Firearms Consultative Committee and promotes safe firearms handling practices. You should know the eight basic safety rules before you handle firearms and insist anyone who goes shooting with you follows these rules.

Treat every firearm as being loaded
Check every firearm yourself, do not take the word of another person that a firearm is unloaded. Pass or accept only open and unloaded firearms. Never accept or pass a firearm to another person unless the breech is open and all ammunition has been removed from the firearm.

Always point firearms in a safe direction
Loaded or unloaded, always point the muzzle in a safe direction. A safe direction will depend on where you are and what you are doing.

Never have loaded firearms in the car, home or camp
Before entering a car, home or camp, completely unload your firearm. Ensure that the action is open and that there is no ammunition in either the breech or the magazine.

Identify your target and what is behind it
Make sure of your target before firing. It is not good enough just to think that what you see is your target. Your target must be positively identified before firing; if in doubt, DON'T SHOOT. The firing zone is not only the area between you and your target, but also the area beyond the target which is still within the extreme range of your firearm.

Never fire at hard surfaces or water
Consider the area in which you are shooting. Could a ricochet occur? A ricochet will almost certainly result from shooting at water or smooth flat surfaces and rocks.

Store ammunition and firearms separately
When not in use, lock away firearms and ammunition separately. Not only is this good sense but, in Victoria, there is a legal obligation on firearms owners to store firearms and ammunition separately in locked repositories or similar containers.

No alcohol or drugs when handling firearms
Alcohol and many day-to-day drugs and medicines dull and slow your mental and physical reactions. When using firearms, this is an extremely dangerous condition as the ability to recognise and react to dangerous situations swiftly and accurately is essential.

Do not climb fences or obstacles with loaded firearms
Before attempting to negotiate a fence or obstacle unload your firearm. Do not rely on safety catches. Safety catches, at best, only supplement the safe handling of firearms.

Observe this code: Insist others do the same


Remember!
Lock away firearms
and ammunition
separately.