Safety tips for compressed air guns

Air gun safety is extremely important. You have probably been told more than once that air guns are not toys. And yet many people still treat them as such. Has no one seen the unfortunate scene in the movie “A Christmas Story” when Ralphie didn’t heed the warning of “Will you shoot yourself in the eye?”

No one remembers that he actually practically shot himself in the eye with his official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred-shot scope model air rifle? Of course, if you had followed the basic safety rules for air pistols, it would have been fine. If he had been wearing protective goggles, instead of just his glasses, he would have been so much better. If I hadn’t fired at a surface with so much bounce potential … well, you get the point.

Anyway, apart from movies, airgun safety is really extremely important. Many people don’t realize how easy it is to hurt someone (or even potentially kill someone) with a BB gun. The same firearm safety rules must be followed when using air pistols as when using any other type of weapon.

This is especially important if you are training your child with a BB gun before allowing him to fire a real pistol. Make sure they learn air gun safety, and later basic gun safety, right away.

Here are some of the most important safety rules for air pistols:

Treat all weapons as if they were loaded. Never assume that a pistol is not loaded.

· Never point your air pistol at anyone. It doesn’t matter if it’s not loaded!

· Check local and federal laws and regulations. Different states have different laws and safety rules for air guns. Certain weapons are not allowed in certain locations.

Don’t shoot a target unless you know everything around you. Do not shoot if there is a possibility that someone is behind or to the sides of the target … you could miss!

Keep your finger away from the trigger until you are ready to shoot.

· As stated above, in the “A Christmas Story” incident, protective goggles were always worn. Also wear a protective mask.

· Realize that BBs can bounce. Be aware of the type of surface you are shooting at. BBs bounce more easily off certain surfaces. Flat surfaces, hard surfaces, and water are all surfaces that balls can bounce off of. Also make sure the lens is not at an angle.

· Start shooting at a shooting range. It is a good and much safer place to learn to shoot.

· Do not allow minors (persons under the age of 18) to fire any type of weapon (not even a compressed air pistol) without the active supervision of an adult.

Now that air pistols are made to look more and more realistic, some people may mistake them for real pistols. This makes them potentially dangerous! If someone (including and especially a police officer) thinks they have a real gun, they may act differently around them. You could put yourself and others in danger. Do not carry your air pistol in a public place. Doing so may be illegal in your state.

Do not alter the color of your air pistol. If it has a fluorescent orange tip, it’s for a reason! Cops have been known to shoot and shoot children who have removed the safety orange color from their guns, because cops could no longer recognize guns as anything other than real guns.

Children under the age of 16 are not recommended to operate a high-speed air gun. Take a look at the speed type of your air pistol or air rifle before use. The warning will likely say, “May be dangerous up to 350 yards,” as well as other warnings. Be sure to follow all warnings.

Always check to make sure the gun is not loaded. Point the gun away from people and animals and pull the trigger (again, avoid aiming at things that it may bounce off of.

· Do not carry a loaded air pistol when climbing fences or trees or even when jumping. Doing so could trigger the pistol.

· Take care of your weapon. A damaged or dirty gun is more likely to cause injury.

An all too often overlooked airgun safety rule is that you should always use fresh ammunition in your airgun. It does not matter if it is expensive. Failure to do so is dangerous and can degrade your weapon more quickly.

Be sure to follow these air gun safety rules. Also, teach air pistol safety to anyone you see who is not following these important rules correctly.