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Back to Chapter 2: Types of Guns & Firearms
An essential part of your shooting range experience is learning gun safety rules. If you’re not yet familiar with these rules, don’t worry! Your instructor will go over these in-depth and make sure you understand everything for a safe and exciting experience. We’ll cover these safety rules, as well as the fundamentals of shooting below:
Fundamentals of Shooting
The four fundamentals of shooting or marksmanship are the elements that soldiers are taught to use when entering the fire line. Those are:
- Steady Position
- Aiming
- Breath Control
- Trigger Squeeze
Think of it as a checklist. When soldiers focus on these four fundamentals, they are more prepared and accurate with their shooting.
Firearm Safety Rules
When you’re shooting a gun at a shooting range, you must follow the five basic firearm safety rules at all times. They are put in place for your safety and the safety of others at the gun range, so they are not optional rules or loose guidelines. Failure to follow these safety rules will result in your shooting session ending immediately.
- Always point your firearm in a safe direction.
- Treat your firearm as if it is loaded (even if you believe it’s not).
- Keep your trigger finger off the trigger until the moment you’re ready to fire.
- Be certain of your target, and know what’s in your line of fire and beyond the target before firing.
- Always wear the appropriate eye and ear protective gear when shooting or maintaining your gun.