How to Handle a Firearm Safely

The safe handling of firearms is extremely important because it prevents serious injuries and deaths. Calgary is Canada’s leading city for gun ownership per capita which means that logically they are also hunting and shooting recreationally with those firearms. When handled safely, firearms are an incredibly useful tool that millions of Canadians rely on for either survival or for recreation.

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Find Alberta Crown Land Where You Can Hunt Or Target Shoot (Always remember to clean the crown land of all casings and clays when you finish – and practice the safety practices on this page)

Table of Contents

The Acronyms of Firearm Safety

The Firearms Safety Course produced by the RCMP as part of the Canadian firearms training program details some acronyms to help in the safe handling of a firearm.

A.C.T.S.

The ACTS process is designed to ensure that no accidental discharge occurs while handling the firearm:

1. Assume that every firearm is loaded. By handling every firearm as though it is loaded, you will handle the firearm in a much more careful manner.
2. Control the muzzle direction at all times. The muzzle should always be pointed in a safe direction that is determined to be down range and no person should enter the down range area.
3. Trigger finger must remain off the trigger and away from the trigger guard. Most accidental discharges occur because somebody has their finger on the trigger. Discipline is required to ensure that the finger stays far away from the trigger until the user is ready to fire.
4. See that the firearm is unloaded and use the P.R.O.V.E. framework to ensure that it is empty.

P.R.O.V.E that the firearm is safe

When proving that the firearm is safe, it is only proved until it leaves control by the person that ‘proved’ it. When the firearm is received by somebody else or control is regained by the original person, another PROVE should occur.

1. Point the firearm in the safest direction. Usually the safest direction is down range on a ‘hot’ range. If the range is ‘cold’ then the safest direction is generally toward the ground away from people. NEVER TOWARD ANY PERSON.
2. Remove all ammunition from the firearm. This involves removing the cartridge and any ammunition in the chamber.
3. Observe that the chamber is in fact – empty. Oftentimes when the cartridge is removed, there is another bullet already in the chamber. It is important to open the chamber up and ensure that there is no ammunition in the chamber. On semi-automatic firearms, do not place your finger into the action as these can slam shut if it slips from its notch.
4. Verify the feeding path. Sometimes there will be ammunition that ‘jams’ in the feeding path and this will need to be removed.
5. Examine the bore (barrel) for obstructions. Due to the extreme velocities and pressures inside the barrel of the firearm, any obstruction could blow the barrel apart causing injury to nearby bystanders and even the user. You can use either a cleaning rod or a visual inspection to determine that the bore is clear. Visual inspections should be done by looking into the chamber and never the other end of the firearm.

When to Load a Firearm

Firearms should only be loaded when they are ready to be used in the immediate future. They should never be preloaded or loaded anywhere that they are not allowed to legally be discharged. This means that at a shooting range (or public/private land) that you should not load the firearm until you are at your firing line. Avoid all unnecessary travel with a loaded firearm.

The firearm should always be unloaded and PROVED before being passed to another person, and that other person has the responsibility to never accept a loaded firearm.

If you have to travel with a loaded firearm, ensure to control muzzle direction, and never run or cross obstacles. If you absolutely need to traverse difficult terrain then the proper procedure is to unload the firearm and conduct a PROVE inspection before travelling. Always control the muzzle direction even after being proved.

When the firearm is idle, never lean it up against other objects because if it were to fall, there is the potential of it discharging.

Be Sure Of The Target – And What’s Behind It

Before shooting, make sure that your target is absolutely what you want to shoot. This is especially important when hunting because you need to positively identify exactly what it is you are about to shoot. Never shoot because you see movement or if you don’t have clear visual of the target. When identifying the target use binoculars or a telescope instead of a rifle scope. You do not want your firearm pointing towards any target until after you make the positive identification.

You also need to pay attention to what is behind the target because stray bullets can travel long distances and cause damage and injury. Personally, I would never shoot without a hill behind my target – even with clays.

When it comes to hills:

Target at bottom = good

Target at top = bad!

You should never shoot at any target that is atop a hill because you don’t know what is beyond the hill should you miss your shot. At the bottom of the hill, you know definitively that there is a hill behind the target. This is also one of the advantages of hunting from higher elevations & from trees – you know that you are shooting into the ground.

Lastly, avoid shooting any hard object (like metal or rocks), or water (basically concrete at high speeds) because these can cause bullets to fracture in unexpected ways essentially creating shrapnel.

Safe Storage of Firearms

Not in Use? Lock it Up

The goal of safely storing firearms is to make it as difficult as possible for someone to steal, use, and gain access to firearms and ammunition. The Firearms Owner is responsible for their firearms at all times and can be prosecuted for unsafe storage if they fail to ensure that the firearm is inaccessible by unauthorized people – including their kids.

Unsafe storage of firearms is a criminal offense in Canada!

A firearm may be stored only when it is PROVEd to be safe, rendered inoperable though locks, or disassembled by removing the bolt. The firearm should then be locked in a opaque container or a room/safe that cannot easily be broken into. The ammunition should be stored separately.

Exceptions: Firearms used for predator control may be temporarily stored in an unlocked container provided that it is unloaded and ammunition is not easily accessible. It can also be stored in the open, unloaded provided it is in a remote area where hunting occurs.

Safe Transport of Firearms

Non Restricted Firearms

Non-restricted firearms must be transported unloaded. The firearm can be left unattended in the vehicle provided that it is locked in a compartment out of sight such as a trunk or pickup truck bed with a locking tonneau cover. When left unattended, non-restricted firearms should always be kept out of sight.

In remote areas, non-restricted firearms may be kept unloaded inside of canoes, kayaks, and snowmobiles provided that it is out of site and rendered inoperable by a lock or by removing the bolt. In some rural areas, there are exemptions in place for firearms used for predator control. You will want to check with a firearms officer to see exactly what these exemptions entail.

Firearms can be transported on aircraft subject to CBSA, CATSA & Airline policies. Here is the pages for Canada’s major airlines: WestJet, Air Canada, Flair Airlines, Air Transat, Lynx Air

Restricted & Prohibited Firearms

These types of firearms can only be transported directly to and from a designated shooting range and the user’s home. Authorization from the RCMP is also required to move restricted and prohibited firearms.

To obtain an “Authorization to Transport” – Call 1-800-731-4000

Knowing & Following Range Commands

Every range should have a Range Safety Officer (RSO) who knows and is aware of all of the range commands. They command the range and it is the duty of the firearms user to both be knowledgeable of and obey their commands.

Ranges all have their own unique commands but they are generally the same. Make sure to familiarize yourself with any particular range’s terminology. Here are some range commands and how to respond:

“Cease Fire” – This is one of the most important range commands and it means that shooters are to immediately stop shooting and freeze. Many people will take this opportunity to unload the firearm – this is incorrect. You are supposed to stop shooting and moving and await further instruction from the RSO. This is a fairly universal command.

“Range is Cold” – This is usually the follow up to the “cease fire” command and the firearms user is responsible for unloading and PROVE the firearm before setting it on the bench and stepping away. Nobody handles a firearm when the range is cold.

“Ready on the Right/Left” – The RSO will use these commands to confirm that everyone is ready for the range to return to ‘hot’ status. This is the opportunity to inform the RSO if you are not ready and they can delay the return to ‘hot’ status.

“Ready On The Firing Line” – The RSO will scan both the right and the left to ensure that everyone is in a safe position, away from the downrange areas. This is the opportunity for the shooters themselves to tell the RSO that they are not ready.

“Range is Hot” – This is the opposite of a ‘cease fire’ and when this is called, shooters may load their firearms and begin firing downrange. The range officer will look for any unsafe practices occurring and will call a cease fire if they spot any.

Ethical Obligations of the Firearm User

1. Firearms must be stored properly. By keeping the firearm out of sight (and out of mind), and locked up – the firearms owner is able to ensure that only authorized and trained people are able to obtain access to the firearm.
2. Firearms safety should be communicated to all members of a household. In households where firearms exist, the owners must communicate firearms safety to all other people in the household.
3. Firearms should be removed from any situation with potential violence. Violence and firearms do not work together. As soon as disputes occur, a responsible firearms owner should begin locking up and putting away any firearms in the area. If any physical assault occurs, the police should be informed.
4. Act Sensibly and Responsibly Around Firearms. Accidental discharge is one of the largest risks of firearms ownership and horseplay definitely increases the likelihood of accidental injury and death occurring. A responsible firearms owner is always in control of their firearms.
5. Drugs, Alcohol, and Firearms Do Not Mix. Drugs, alcohol, even a lack of sleep all can impair your ability to think rationally and you are more likely to handle a firearm dangerously. Put firearms away before doing any kind of substance or if you haven’t slept well the night before.
6. Always Obtain Permission Before Shooting On Someone’s Property. Aside from it being extremely rude to be firing off your 12-guage near someone’s home unexpectedly, it is also illegal to trespass or shoot over the property line.
7. Do Not Handle Firearms With Poor Eyesight. Firearms recreation is a very eyesight-dependent activity and the firearms handler should be able to easily identify targets and what is behind those targets.
8. Maintain Your Firearm Well. Much like saw blades or kitchen knifes, a maintained firearm is a safe firearm. The firearm should be regularly inspected for any damage that may occur, and this damage should be professionally repaired prior to usage. Failure to maintain a firearm can result in explosive barrels.
9. Do Not Fire Near Roads or Buildings. You want to ensure that you are only shooting away from areas where there are people. Even pointed away from buildings and roads, a bad ricochet could endanger other people.
10. Know and Respect Local Firearms Laws. Each municipality and county in Alberta has their own unique firearms regulation and it your responsibility as a firearms owner to both know and respect these laws.
11. Use Personal Protective Equipment – And Ensure That Those Around You Have Theirs. The love for firearms just isn’t worth endangering your senses over. All it takes is one piece of hot brass the eye to blind yourself, or the wrong acoustics to damage your eardrums. Make sure that prior to using a firearm, you ensure that everyone nearby is wearing their PPE.

Conclusion

In conclusion, firearm safety if the responsibility of anyone that is handles or is near those firearms. Firearms owners are responsible for the safe handling, transport, and storage of firearms in Canada.

Firearm recreation is truly an incredible and fun experience that I wish every Canadian had the opportunity to enjoy – safely.

References

This article is based on the RCMP firearms training handbook and may change based on legislation changes.

Other Firearm Related Posts:

• How to Handle a Firearm Safely
  The safe handling of firearms is extremely important because it prevents serious injuries and deaths. Calgary is Canada’s leading city for gun ownership per capita which means that logically they are also hunting and shooting recreationally with those firearms. When handled safely, firearms are an incredibly useful tool that millions of Canadians rely on for either survival or for recreation.
• Exploring Alberta’s Crown Land: Ghost – Public Land Use Zone
  Ghost is a Public Land Use Zone (PLUZ) found in Southern Alberta. Like other PLUZ, Ghost is a popular place for backcountry campers and off-road enthusiasts. For people in north Calgary (or Cochrane/Airdrie) this is the most accessible PLUZ. Due to its large size, cool terrain, and wide range of activities – Ghost has long been a favorite for people looking to enjoy our gorgeous crown land (Ghost is my personal favourite PLUZ).
• Exploring Alberta’s Crown Land: Livingstone – Public Land Use Zone
  Livingstone Public Land Use Zone (PLUZ) in Southern Alberta represents a diverse and enchanting ecosystem offering varied outdoor adventures including camping, off-road activities, hiking, horse riding, cross-country skiing, hunting, and fishing. It is distinguished for balancing environmental conservation with outdoor recreation. A Public Lands Camping Pass is required for access from June 1, 2021. Amid rich natural beauty, the site provides a unique backcountry camping experience and sustains varied wildlife. Livingstone PLUZ allows only regulated and responsible recreational activities to maintain its relentless spirit.
• Exploring Alberta’s Crown Land: Porcupine Hills – Public Land Use Zone
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• Exploring Alberta’s Crown Land: Kananaskis – Public Land Use Zone
  Kananaskis is a Public Land Use Zone (PLUZ) found in Southern Alberta. Like other PLUZ, Kananaskis is a popular place for backcountry campers and off-road enthusiasts. Kananaskis is probably the busiest PLUZ in Alberta due to its close proximity to both Calgary and to Banff. It has some of the most famous mountains and hikes in Canada.
• Exploring Alberta’s Crown Land: McLean Creek Off Highway Vehicle – Public Land Use Zone
  McLean Creek PLUZ is a Public Land Use Zone (PLUZ) found in Southern Alberta. Like other PLUZ, McLean Creek is a popular place for backcountry campers and off-road enthusiasts. McLean Creek and Ghost are generally the go-to places for Calgarians looking to enjoy some off-road recreation (This is more accessible from south Calgary whereas Ghost is more accessible from north Calgary).