Gun Magazine

BB gun safety is extremely important. You have probably been told more than once that BB guns are not toys. And yet, many people still treat them as such. Has no one seen the ill-fated scene in the movie "A Christmas Story" when Ralphie fails to heed the warning of "You'll shoot your eye out?"

Does no one remember that he did, indeed, practically shoot his eye out with his Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle? Of course, if he had followed basic BB gun safety rules, he would have been fine. Had he been wearing protective eyewear, instead of just his glasses, he would have been much better off. Had he not shot at a surface with such potential for ricochet... well, you get the point.

Anyhow, movies aside, BB gun safety truly is extremely important. Many people do not realize how easy it is to injure someone (or even potentially kill someone) with a BB gun. The same gun safety rules must be followed when using BB guns as when using any other type of gun.

This is especially important if you are training your child on a BB gun before you allow he or she to shoot a real gun. Make sure they learn BB gun safety, and subsequently basic gun safety, right off the bat.

Here are some of the most important BB gun safety rules:

· Treat all guns as though they are loaded. Never assume that a gun is not loaded.

· Never point your BB gun at anyone. It does not matter if it is not loaded!

· Check out both local and federal laws and regulations. Different states have different BB gun safety laws and rules. Certain guns are not allowed in certain places.

· Do not fire at a target unless you know everything surrounding the target. Do not shoot if there is a potential that someone is behind or on the sides of the target... you might miss!

· Keep your finger off of the trigger until you are ready to fire.

· As stated above, in the "A Christmas Story" incident, always where protective eyewear. Also wear a protective mask.

· Realize that BBs can ricochet. Be aware of the type of surface you are shooting at. BBs ricochet more easily off of certain surfaces. Flat surfaces, hard surfaces, and the water all surfaces that BBs may ricochet off of. Also make sure that the target is not at an angle.

· Start out shooting at a shooting range. It is a good and much safer place to learn how to shoot.

· Do not allow minors (persons under 18 years of age) to shoot any type of gun (not even a BB gun) with out active adult supervision.

· Now that BB guns are made to look more and more realistic, some people can mistake them for real guns. This makes them potentially dangerous! If someone (including and especially a policeman) thinks you have a real gun, he or she may act differently around you. You could be putting yourself and others in danger. Do not carry your BB gun in a public place. Doing so may actually be illegal in your state.

· Do not alter the color of your BB gun. If it has a fluorescent orange tip, that is for a reason! Policeman have been known to shoot and fire upon children who have removed the safety orange color form their guns, because the policemen could no longer recognize the guns as anything but real guns.

· It is not recommended that children under the age of 16 are allowed to operate a high velocity BB gun. Take a look at the velocity type of your BB gun or air rifle before using. The warning will likely say, "May be dangerous up to 350 yards," as well as other warnings. Be sure to follow all warnings.

· Always check to make sure the gun is not loaded. Point the gun away from people and animals and squeeze the trigger (again, avoid pointing it at things that it might ricochet off of.

· Do not carry a loaded BB gun when climbing over fences or up trees or even when jumping. Doing so could cause the gun to go off.

· Keep care of your gun. A damaged or dirty gun is more likely to cause injury.

· One rule of BB gun safety that is too often overlooked is that you should always use new ammo in your BB gun. It does not matter if it is expensive. Not doing so is dangerous and can degrade your gun more quickly.

Be sure to follow these rules of BB gun safety. Also, teach BB gun safety to anyone that you see who is not properly following these important rules!

Guns are primarily used by many gun owners to provide protection. Guns can be your safeguard when it comes to trouble and dangers that may threaten you or your family. Guns are also used to provide protection for properties. Guns can provide you the security against intruders, burglars and people with unlawful intentions. However, if guns are not used properly or if guns are not stored properly, they may cause danger and threats to the people you love most. Accidents caused by accidental firing of guns or when guns are played with by children can cause injuries and even deaths.

Owning and having a gun safe at home can lessen the risk of any untoward gun accidents that may be damaging to one's health and security. At home, gun safes can be very useful instruments to prevent children from playing and taking hold of your guns. Children are known to be curious with guns and their use especially if they see their parents use them. In many cases of gun shooting accidents, children usually imitate those actions that they see at home or from television. Keeping guns in gun safes can ensure that your family is protected and that no accidents can occur with storage negligence. Having gun safes at home lessens the risks of such accidents and improper use of weapons.

Gun safes are developed in order to provide storage for guns. Of course, gun safes as storage vaults also ensure that guns are kept and used safely and not lead to any kind of threats. Gun safes are developed in a way that only the owners would know the lock combination or key to open the gun safe if needed. Having a safety storage place for guns brings not protection for the guns themselves but also from unnecessary use. With its different kinds of locks and security features, you can be assured that your guns cannot be accessed by other people especially children and burglars.

Gun safes not only serve as gun and ammunition storage but also a great storage place for other valuables. Important documents, cash, jewelry, and other valuables can be kept safe and stored in gun safes. Most of the gun safes available for sale these days are water protected and fire-proof. These additional safety features provide extreme protection for your valuables.

These days, there is no reason why you should not have a gun safe at home. Gun safes double your security and safety against others but also provide protection against misuse of the guns themselves.