Manual

5
6th COMMANDMENT
If Your Firearm Fails to Fire When You Pull the Trigger, Handle With Care.
If for some reason the ammunition doesn’t fire when you pull the trigger, stop and remember the 1st
Commandment of Firearm Safety – always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Keep your face away
from the breech, then put the safety on, carefully open the action, unload the firearm and dispose of the cartridge
safely. Remember that anytime there’s a shell in the chamber, your gun is loaded and ready to use. Even if you
tried to shoot and your gun didn’t fire, treat your firearm as if it could still discharge.
5th COMMANDMENT
(cont’d)
Finally, when reloading or handloading concentrate on what you’re doing at all times. Do not be distracted by
talking to others, listening to the radio or watching TV while reloading. Never reload after consuming alcoholic
beverages or drugs of any kind. You are working with extremely hazardous materials and you can’t risk even a
few seconds of distraction. Remember, if you reload, you are the ammunition manufacturer and you are
responsible for the performance and safety of your reloaded ammunition.
7th COMMANDMENT
Always Wear Eye and Ear Protection.
Your sight and hearing risk injury from shooting and should be protected at all times. Wear protective shooting
glasses to guard against falling shot, clay target chips, powder residue, ruptured cartridge cases and even twigs
and branches in the field. Also be sure to wear eye protection when you’re disassembling or cleaning a gun so
that tensioned parts (like springs) and cleaning solvents don’t come in contact with your eyes. Continued
exposure to shooting noise can permanently damage your hearing. On the range, where shooting volume is the
loudest, be sure to use the maximum protection of a headset. And learn to use ear protection in the field,
especially in confined locations like duck blinds.
8th COMMANDMENT
Be Sure the Barrel is Clear of Obstructions Before Shooting.
Before loading your gun, open the action and make sure there’s no ammunition in the chamber or magazine.
Check the barrel for any obstructions or debris. Even a small amount of snow, mud, excess lubricant or grease
in the bore can dangerously increase pressure and cause the barrel to bulge or burst when firing.
Use a cleaning r
od and patch to wipe away anti-r
ust compounds or any other r
esidues or obstructions in the
bar
r
el. Never tr
y to shoot out an obstruction by loading another shell and firing!
When firing rely on your instincts. If the noise or recoil of your firearm seems weak, stop everything, unload your
fir
earm and be sure nothing is lodged in the barrel. Remember the 12/20 burst? That’s what can happen when
the barrel is obstructed. So always be sure you’re using the correct ammunition in your firearm and that it’s free
of obstructions.