Objectives

  • 3 NRA Rules of Safe Gun Handling
  • 3 Major Components of a Shotgun & Function
  • Safely Load and Unload Shotgun
What is the primary concern when handling firearms?
What are the major causes of gun accidents?
  • Ignorance - A lack of knowledge of firearm safety or operation
  • Carelessness - Failure to apply one's knowledge when handling guns

NRA Rules of Safe Gun Handling

  • ALWAYS Keep Your Shotgun Pointed In A Safe Direction
  • ALWAYS Keep Your Finger OFF The Trigger Until Ready To Shoot
  • ALWAYS Keep Your Shotgun Unloaded Until Ready To Use

Situational Awareness

What is a safe direction?
When are you ready to shoot?
How do you verify the gun is unloaded?
Practical Exercise - Pass a shotgun to the person next to you

Shotgun Parts: Major Components

  • 1. Stock
  • 2. Barrel
  • 3. Action

Stock Parts

  • Butt - Rear portion of the stock that fits against the shoulder
  • Comb - Top portion of the stock where shooter rests the cheek
  • Grip - Area where the hand grasps the stock when firing the shotgun
  • Fore-end (or forearm) - Part of stock that extends underneath the barrel, when detached from stock it is called a "forearm"

Barrel Parts

  • Bore - Inside of the barrel, size specified in "gauge"
  • Breech - The rear of the barrel
  • Chamber - Part which holds the shotshell at the instant of firing
  • Muzzle - The front end of the barrel where the shot pellets exit
  • Choke - A constriction in the bore near the muzzle
  • Bead - Mechanism used to help the shooter mount and point the shotgun

Action Parts

  • Receiver - Backbone to which all other parts attach
  • Bolt/breech block - Closes over chamber to hold shotshell in place for firing
  • Trigger - When pulled, activates the firing mechanism to fire the shotgun
  • Trigger guard - Protects the trigger to reduce unintentional firing
  • Magazine* - Holds cartridges for feeding into the chamber
  • Action Release* - Allows a closed action to be opened
  • * - Not All Shotgun Types Have These Features

  • Safety - Mechanical device designed to reduce unintentional discharge

    THE SAFETY IS A MECHANICAL DEVICE THAT CAN FAIL!

Practical Exercise - Show and tell parts of a shotgun

Shotgun Operation

  • Loading
  • Unloading

Practical Exercise - Load a non-primer round into a shotgun and unload it

Can You:

  • Name 3 NRA fundamental rules of safe gun handling?
  • Name 3 major components of a shotgun and explain their function?
  • Load and unload a shotgun?