FUNDAMENTALS OF FIREARM SAFETY

Hunting and target shooting are among the safest of all sports. Part of the reason is that young and new shooters are introduced properly by responsible adults.

SAFETY FIRST

The following 10 rules for firearm safety are passed along from shooter to shooter and keep us all safe in the field. Please join us in passing this tradition along.

  1. Always keep the muzzle pointed In a safe direction.
  2. Firearms should be unloaded when not actually in use.
  3. Don`t rely on your gun's "Safety".
  4. Be sure of your target and what`s beyond it.
  5. Use correct ammunition.
  6. If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, handle with care!
  7. Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting.
  8. Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before shooting.
  9. Don`t alter or modify your gun, and have guns serviced regularly.
  10. Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the firearm you are using.

Federal Ammunition is a proud supporter of the International Hunter Education Association and the National Rifle Association's Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC.)

AMMUNITION SELECTION FOR USE IN LIGHT WEIGHT REVOLVERS

Read the Owner's Manual for your firearm.

Due to the light weight of some firearms, inertial forces when firing can possibly unseat the bullet from its crimp in the cartridge case. When selecting your ammunition for both training and personal carry, it is recommended the following steps be accomplished at a range or other suitable location.

  1. Measure the Cartridge Overall Length also known as COAL (bottom of the case to the top of the bullet). Note that length and mark the case head with a permanent marker so it can be readily identified.
  2. In a suitable location to shoot safely, load the cylinder to capacity and index the cylinder so the marked round would be the last to fire.
  3. Fire all of the rounds in the cylinder EXCEPT the marked round in accordance with the gun manufacturer's instructions. Remove all of the fired cases and the unfired round. On the live round, visually inspect for bullet movement and again measure the COAL to determine if the measurement exceeds the original by more than 0.015".

If bullet movement, over 0.015", is discovered, those rounds are not suitable for personal protection/ carry and the test should be repeated with another type, bullet weight or non+P ammunition. Understand that even the rounds which did not meet the requirement for personal protection/carry are suitable for use when loaded two or three rounds in the cylinder at a time.

Read the Owner's Manual for your firearm.

FIREARMS SAFETY TRAINING

Every state and province has some hunter education training requirements in order to hunt within their jurisdiction. To find out more about hunter education classes in your area, please visit our partners websites.

Federal Ammunition is a proud supporter of the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA), the National Rifle Association's Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) and other partners who tirelessly work to pass the shooting sports tradition to new shooters.

IHEA USA Logo

International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) offers classes for youth and new shooters across North America. Find a class near you.

NRA Logo

National Rifle Association (NRA) has a number of training programs ranging from introductory firearms handling to expert marksmanship. Find how you can participate.

EDUCATION. SAFETY. RESPONSIBILITY.

Federal Ammunition is a proud supporter of the National Shooting Sports Foundation and its Project ChildSafe. The program promotes firearms responsibility and provides safety education to all gun owners. We encourage all shooters to participate in the organization's Own it. Respect It. Secure It. initiative. Watch the PSA with Federal Ammunition spokesperson Julie Golob.