With the right of gun ownership comes certain responsibilities. Let’s talk about the top three mistakes that gun owners make and how to avoid them.
#1 Not Knowing Firearms Laws
How can you expect to follow laws if you don’t know what they are?
How do you legally carry your firearm in Pennsylvania?
What to do if you’re traveling out of state?
What to do in the event that you have to use your firearm in a use of force event?
Not knowing what to do in these situations could land you in jail. So if you’re going to carry a firearm, make sure you know what is legal to do and what is not. Always be an educated gun owner.
#2 Lack of Proficiency with Your Firearm
A firearm is not a compliance tool that you wave in the air to get your way. It is a weapon and if you intend to carry a firearm you must know how to use it and how to use it well.
If you don’t know how to use your gun you will not be effective in defending yourself. You should be familiar with your firearm from all aspects. You should be able to load, aim, and fire accurately. You should be able to reload quickly and clear a jam. You should be able to do all these things without having to think about it because if you’re in a crisis situation, trust me you will not be thinking clearly. If you have to stop and think about how to clear a jam and reload and get confused it will be too late. The only way to get proficient is to spend time familiarizing yourself with your weapon system and practice, practice, practice.
If you’re going to be a gun owner it’s important to talk to your whole family especially your children about firearm safety. When you have guns in the house you want to store them in a place where small children won’t have access. Once your kids get older you can teach them about proper and safe firearm handling. You don’t want your children to be afraid of guns but they also need to respect the weapons and understand that they are completely off limits when they’re little and when you’re not around. Safety and education should always be our number one priority.