Defense Articles

Common sense and good manners Ethics are defined as: “The science of morals in human conduct”. When it comes to wingshooting, the rules are both moral and pragmatic - they are there for us and our companions safety, and they are there for the benefit of the quarry (an animal, bird or fish that is hunted), the land owner and the sport. They can also change with time and place. Most rules of conduct are simply common sense and good manners. Some people have not had the chance to learn good hunting manners, others simply have grown up in a society with different values. The simple purpose of shooting etiquette is to ensure that all participants will enjoy the shoot. One individuals actions will always affect the hunting group, so be considerate.

What to wear on a shoot Always vital to dress the part - dress for the weather and terrain, therefore khakis, camouflage, etc., are the norm. It is always a good idea to check with the group leader or the landowner as to the correct gear to wear. Hunters regard hunting as a serious ‘business’, simply put, dress like a slob and you will be taken for a slob.

Use the right gun One should also consider whether or not the gun fits the occasion. Handguns and shotguns do not mix. Yet a surprising number of people carry handguns on bird shoots, and it is just not acceptable. To bring your son armed with a .22 rifle is also not only unacceptable, but highly dangerous. A bird shoot is neither the time or the place to teach a youngster to shoot a rifle.

Do not litter It is not acceptable to leave empty cartridges, can, boxes and rubbish littered the length and breadth of a sunflower field. We should be aware the damage that ingested cartridge cases can cause to wildlife and other animals, which is why it is so important to pick them up.

Put those guns away All too often some unthinking shooter leaves his loaded gun leaning against a tree or vehicle, which might accidentally fall over and injure someone. If you are not using your gun, unload it and break it or bag it. A gun slip is an inexpensive item and also helps to protect your gun.

Self-restraint and control

Hunters who beat their hunting dogs in public tend to acquire a reputation that sticks for life - so think twice before you do it. As for those so called hunters who ride up and down in vehicles and shoot at anything with feathers, well, words fail me. Any shooting from vehicles either stationary or moving, is deeply distasteful and totally unethical. Some so called sportsmen only stop shooting when they run out of ammunition, regardless of bag limits. They even shoot birds on the ground, thereby breaking the most basic rule of ethics: SHOOT ONLY ON THE WING.

Bag limits are a very important ethical issue. A really ethical hunter will always count wounded game as part of the bag. The average wingshooter expends far too little effort on recovering wounded birds, gives up far too easily and excludes them from the the total bag. Regardless of legal limits, it is important to know when to stop. Always shoot only what you will eat or use. Otherwise it is mindless slaughter. The golden rule is: Respect for Life.

HANDGUN SAFETY RULES

We’ve all heard it: firearms are not toys. Since pistols, revolvers, shotguns and rifles are really only as safe as the handler, everyone needs to know how to operate any type of gun safely. The safety rules below are recommended by EVERY firearm maker in the world and all who use pistols and rifles would do well to adhere to all of these safety rules. No one wants to turn an enjoyable outing of shooting into a terrible tragedy. So, read them well and APPLY them to your shooting experience, and above all, have fun with your gun!

ALWAYS…

1. POINT GUN IN A SAFE DIRECTION.

This rule will prevent 99% of all shooting accidents. The pistol or rifle should be pointed in a direction so that even if it goes off accidentally it will not injure anyone or damage anything. When handling the gun, it is up to the shooter to control the muzzle in the safe direction at all times (loaded or not). You need to use common sense to determine that direction whenever the gun is being handled.

2. KEEP YOUR FINGER AWAY FROM THE TRIGGER UNTIL READY TO SHOOT.

You should rest your trigger finger on the OUTSIDE of the trigger guard. Even better, keep your shooting hand away from trigger/trigger guard. Not until you are ready to fire are you to put your finger ON the trigger.

3. KEEP THE GUN UNLOADED UNITL YOU ARE READY TO USE IT.

When picking up ANY gun you must make sure the safety is ON! Then check the firing chamber by working the action back out of the way and checking the chamber visually to make sure it is empty. Remove any remaining rounds, if any, from the chamber. If you don’t know how to work the action LEAVE THE GUN ALONE! Put it down! Find someone who knows how and they can show you.

SUMMARY

In order for all to safely enjoy the sport of shooting EVERYONE must hold to these simple rules for firearm safety. Shooting is such a pleasurable sport and can be as fun as anything you do with your family or as a “solitaire” experience. So PLEASE apply these safety rules and have a good time.

Every airsoft fan has a favourite type of gun. Regardless of your preferences there’s a certain attraction to shotguns that appeals to us all - to that dark place inside us. Maybe it’s the way they’re portrayed in the movies. The shotgun was always shown as being a real tough guys weapon - you needed to get up close and personal to use it. Shotguns were always shown to be cool and airsoft shotguns are no different in that regard.

There’s a wide variety of shotguns available to the airsoft fan. Everything from the old reliable double barrelled shotguns to far more current styles. The double barrelled model is often sold in a gas variant model and is one of the very few gas powered airsoft shotguns available on the market today.

Some of the most popular airsoft shotguns are the old pump action style (which are spring powered) and these have the advantage of allowing you to fire bbs in rapid succession. The vast majority of airsoft shotguns are spring powered and tend to be the tactical style - used by the police and military although you can get many other styles and models.

There is also the option of choosing from the full stock or cutaway model of airsoft shotgun. The cutaway models have a pistol type grip and no stock to put against your shoulder. There’s an even share of this type of gun available to airsoft fans. What suits you most will depend on the style of shotgun you like and your own personal shooting preferences when it comes to buying your airsoft shotgun.

Despite the fact that many of these guns are spring-powered pump action models they can hold 40 or more rounds. This allows for rapid reloading and for you to get back in the fight quickly. This offers a distinct advantage over an airsoft rifle where you need to cock it from a non-firing position. The shotgun allows you to fire from the hip in a rapid firing pump action style. Airsoft shotguns are probably more suited to close quarters airsoft games - maybe a type of urban combat simulation although they would still be useful in most types of airsoft combat.

Storing your guns in a gun safe is an easy way to prevent a tragic accident in your home. Safes also keep your guns away from thieves, and the cost of buying a safe is cheaper than the lawyer bills if your guns end up in the wrong hands.

Gun safes made of steel are the best, but there are different types of steel available. More steel and higher quality steel equals stronger protection. However, attaching a thick-steeled safe to the floor is more difficult because it is hard to drill holes through the thick steel.

Most safes are fire-resistant, not fireproof. If you have a valuable gun collection, it may be worth the extra money to buy a fireproof safe. Fireproof ratings are usually listed by the amount of heat the safe can withstand and for how long.

The size of the safe you should buy depends on your gun collection. Larger safes generally cost more than smaller safes of equal quality. If you only have pistols, you should buy a smaller safe. You can move or remove the shelf in the safe to best arrange your pistol collection. Smaller safes can be easily hidden underneath a bed, in a closet, or in a dresser. Bigger safes for shotguns and rifles, however, are harder to move, which is an added security. Smaller safes should be bolted to the floor to keep them in their place.

Most sporting goods stores that sell guns also sell gun safes. You can also shop online. Most companies will ship anywhere in the United States. If you buy your safe from a wholesaler and have to pay for shipping, you may still get a cheaper cost than if you bought the safe at full price. Don’t be afraid to comparison shop or talk to gun owners about the safes they recommend.

The Shooting Industry Masters will held Sept. 24-27 at PMC’s Desert Lake Country Club in Boulder City, Nev. The event, in its second year, supports the Step Outside Program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Last year, 72 industry shooters competed in pistol, rifle and sporting clays to raise money for the program. This year, the number of shooters is expected to double.

“We’ve had a lot of companies that weren’t here last year, tell us they’re going to be at this year’s event,” said David Shaw, PMC’s vice president of marketing, who is also the event’s match director. “We could more than double the number of shooters. It will add to the fun of the shoot, and the amount of money raised for Step Outside.”
To increase the amount of money raised, firearms and accessories were raffled off at last year’s match. That will happen again this year.

“We’re looking for donations right now for the raffle.” Shaw said. “We will sell tickets at the event, but we’ll also send tickets to companies once they sign-up for the match. That way, they can sell tickets to those who will not be able to attend.”

Last year, raffle donations came from Charles Daly, Columbia River Knife & Tool. DPMS, FMG Publications, Para-Ordnance, Rossi Firearms, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Stapel Knives, Taurus and Verona Shotguns.
The First Annual Shooting Industry Masters was a lot of fun, and this year’s match is shaping up to be even better. FMG Publications, publisher of Shooting Industry, GUNS and American Handgunner will field our team again. But don’t let our extraordinary shooting skills discourage you from forming a team and joining us for this great event in support of a great program.

B.C. Outdoors, a subsidiary of PMC/El Dorado Cartridge, is importing the Verona line of overand-under shotguns from Italy. The three categories of superimposed shotguns are the Hunting (pictured above), the Sporting and the Competition. All three offer Gold models with various options. Standard features include gold-plated, single selective trigger, steel receiver, ejector, ventilated top rib, coil spring-operated firing pins, checkered, oil-finished Turkish walnut stock, Verona Interchoke system (except on 28 and 410 gauges) and a combined barrel selector and safety switch.