In today’s uncertain world, many women are looking for ways to protect and defend themselves in life-threatening situations, so it’s not surprising that increasing numbers of women are purchasing handguns. For all people who carry handguns, both men and women, it’s essential that they learn how to handle and shoot them safely. The firearms safety education professionals from LTC Austin, a premier provider of online LTC classes, offer these tips for women to keep themselves and others safe around their handguns.
Understand Your Handgun & How to Handle It Properly
When you first get your handgun, take the time necessary to understand how it works and how to handle it correctly. Learn how to safely clean, load, and unload it, and practice these actions so you get comfortable with them. It’s also essential to get firearms training and to practice shooting at the range so you’re familiar with how to stand correctly as well as the proper techniques for holding and shooting your gun.
Don’t Handle Your Gun Until You’re Ready to Use It
Avoid handling your gun unless you’re loading it, unloading it, cleaning it, training, or getting ready to fire it. Don’t rest your hand on top of your gun if you’re carrying it in a holster. When getting ready to fire your gun, rest your finger against the side of the gun until you’re prepared to pull the trigger. Never leave your finger resting on your gun’s trigger.
Always Assume a Weapon Is Loaded
You may be extremely careful about unloading your handgun after each time you practice with it, but humans make errors, and it’s possible to forget just once and leave your gun loaded. The safest practice is to always assume a gun is loaded. Doing so can prevent negligent discharges and even save your life or the life of another person.
Never Store Your Handgun Loaded
If you think you might need to access your weapon quickly at home, store it loaded in a lockbox only you have access to. If you don’t have a lockbox or safe, store the gun unloaded in a location that isn’t accessible to anyone who shouldn’t have access.
Be Mindful of Where You Point Your Gun
You should always be aware of where your gun is pointing. Never point your gun directly at anything or anyone you don’t plan to shoot at. Even the most experienced gun owners can be negligent on occasion, so make sure your gun’s muzzle is never pointed toward anyone or anything you don’t intend to shoot.
Be Aware of What’s Behind Your Target
If your bullet hits your intended target and continues on, or if you miss the target altogether, you could shoot someone or something you don’t intend to. Knowing what’s behind your target can keep you from firing toward an object that could cause your bullet to ricochet in an unwanted direction.
No matter why you’re choosing to carry a firearm, it’s essential to make sure you learn how to do it safely. License to Carry Austin is committed to providing the best firearms training possible. Whether you want to take an Austin online LTC class to get your carry permit or you simply want to learn how to shoot and handle a gun safely, LTC Austin has what you need. Give us a call today at 512-766-3039.