Safe firearm handling
Safe firearm handling
With firearm ownership also comes a great responsibility:
The weapon must not fall into the wrong hands.
The weapon shall be handled safely.
An equally old as good basic rule is to always handle a weapon as if it is both loaded and not on safe.
You don’t need to be a sharpshooter (we’ll come back to why later), but you must never handle a weapon incorrectly.
This applies not only to future hunters but is the completely overriding principle in sport shooting, at shooting ranges, and in all contexts where firearms are present.
48 dead in 25 years
Safety routines within the hunting community have improved significantly since the hunter’s exam became mandatory.
However, this has not prevented 48 people in Sweden from being killed by accidental discharges between 1983 and 2008 – nearly two people per year.
A smaller portion of these accidents were due to the shooter mistaking game for a person, and 6 of the 48 were non-hunting individuals.
In summary, the typical accidental shot during hunting is a hunter who shoots either themselves or their hunting companion.
Overall, one can also say that almost all accidents could have been prevented with better safety routines.
Basic rules
There are a few simple safety routines in the actual handling of the weapon that – if followed – mean the risk of accidents becomes almost nonexistent.
These are things that everyone taking the hunter’s exam must demonstrate during the practical tests.
Never load until it’s time to shoot – that is, when you have reached your hunting stand and the hunt has begun.
Accordingly, you must unload and open the weapon (break open the shotgun or pull back the bolt on a rifle) when leaving your position.
Always open the weapon when you meet another person, or (if you are at the shooting range) when you are done shooting.
Show and check that the weapon is unloaded by having the bolt pulled back, the shotgun broken open, or the semi-auto cocked with a visible plug.
Break open or unload the weapon when you are about to cross an obstacle, such as a fence or a thicket.
Never jump around among logs and rocks with a loaded weapon on your back or in your hand.
Never shoot unless you know what is behind the target.
Never leave a loaded weapon unattended.
If you are hunting on the move with a rifle (for example as a dog handler), you should not have a cartridge in the chamber.
That means, admittedly, a second longer to fire, but the safety gain is enormous.
Never store or transport a weapon that is loaded or has rounds in the magazine (this is also illegal).
Never trust the weapon’s safety. The safety is a safety feature – not a guarantee.
Weapon maintenance – important safety work
Indirect safety routines include weapon maintenance and training.
Take care of your weapon, clean it, oil it, and submit it for service if any part is malfunctioning.
Cleaning prevents both malfunctions and changes that can lead to too high gas pressure and, in the worst case, a weapon explosion.
A malfunctioning weapon is a major safety risk because it means the shooter has to inspect the fault.
In such situations, dangerous moments can arise.
Practice brings safety
Target practice also means training safety at the range – during storage, loading, unloading, movement, and so on.
You drill the safety routines – and as a bonus, you become a better shooter.
Practice shooting usually leads to discovering technical faults at the range instead of “in real situations” during hunting.
Make it a habit to check the barrel of the weapon every time you load or unload.
Check the same thing if you stumble or bump the weapon, because snow or mud can easily end up in the barrel (risk of barrel explosion).
You can also prevent this with a small piece of tape placed over the muzzle.
Fact box: Maintain your weapon for the sake of safety
Weapon maintenance is about cleaning and oiling the weapon to prevent rust, avoid malfunctions, and increase lifespan.
Poor weapon feel may be an underlying cause of handling mistakes and accidental discharges.
Poor maintenance can also cause problems with the weapon.
Moisture and water can make the wooden stock swell against the barrel, which affects precision and point of impact.
The barrel is cleaned by running a cleaning rod through it, equipped with cloth patches or brushes.
There are special cleaning agents, such as powder remover and solvent, that dissolve deposits from the bullets.
In extreme cases, deposits can become a safety risk.
Always finish by dry-pulling – never leave cleaning fluid in the barrel.
The barrel should be cleaned from the chamber end, to protect the crown/muzzle.
Wiping the barrel and spraying on a little oil (don’t overdo it) can be done after every hunting day – depending on the weather and how the weapon was used.
Water is never good.
Let the weapon dry in an airy position, wipe it off and oil it after a rainy day in the forest.
The mechanism, receiver, action, bolt, and magazine should be cleaned and oiled a few times per year.
A toothbrush is often helpful. Otherwise, cloths and cotton swabs work well.
Reassemble and oil all parts thoroughly after disassembly.
The stock (if made of wood) benefits from being oiled occasionally.
There is special stock oil, but linseed oil also works fine.