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Family Firearms Safety FAMILY FIREARMS SAFETY . and Family Fun Shooting Competiton! 1 This course prepares instructors to provide Family Firearms Safety . This course is designed for families with kids ages 6 and up! 2 “Learning about firearms safety as a family will help gun-proof kids, but when the fun of properly shooting a firearm is experienced during a friendly fun competition amoung participating families, the spark is ignited!” —Susan and Rob, Founder/Director of SFWA . as well as conduct a family fun competition! 3 FAMILY FIREARMS SAFETY TRAINING When kids learn firearms safety at a young age, they will take it with them throughout their lives. Parents who make the decision to gun-proof their children Gun-Gun- understand the periles of trying to kid-proof ProofingProofing guns. Parents will know when the time is Kids right for their child to take their first step Kids past the “do not ever touch a gun” stage, to isis SaferSafer the “it is OK to touch a gun with mommy thanthan (or daddy) present and always following the safety rules no matter what”—the most Kid-Kid- important one, keeping the gun pointed in a ProofingProofing safe direction at all times. GunsGuns Teaching firearms safety to families will help gun-proof kids. Millie asked for her first gun before she ever when to elementary school! 4 and FAMILY FUN SHOOTING COMPETITION The focus of this course is to teach firearms safety to kids with their families in a group setting with other like-minded families—and then help them enjoy the fun of safe competition working together as a family unit as they compete against the other families. The result is introducing more children and their families to the benefits of safe firearms ownership in a serious yet enjoyable environment. Each family will work together to complete a written test (which they take home with them) with the younger kids being helped by the older family members. Each person receives a certificate of completion that also bears a “promises to always keep firearms pointed in a safe direction, obey all safety rules and never to touch a firearm unless supervised by an authorized adult” which is signed by the participant as well as the instructor. (Sample on next page.) 5 What You Will Need . • Different types and calibers of handguns and long guns • Dummy Rounds for demonstration purposes • Blood Object Lesson • Outlines for one member of each family • Air Guns (not BB guns) and a safe backstop • Targets for individual shooters and a competition target per family • Air Guns (not BB guns) and a safe backstop • Copy of test provided for each person participating • Print out certificates below for each person participating • One Family member Adult per 2 children • Competition Prizes, Ribbons or Certificates There is a line for you to print their name, the date of completion and signatures 6 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION History of Firearms and the Constitution 8-17 2 GUN SAFETY REVIEW Three Rules of Handgun Safety 18 Bobbie’s Rule 21 Safety on the Range 22 Guns Don’t Just Go Off 23 Handling Firearms 23 3 HANDGUNS, RIFLES and SHOTGUNS Revolvers Explained 24 Semi-Automatics Explained 24 Rifles Explained 24 Shotguns Explained 24 4 AMMUNITION, LOADING and UNLOADING Different Calibers and Types of Ammunition 26 Loading and Unloading Handguns 27 Loading and Unloading Long Guns 27 5 CLEANING and STORAGE Cleaning and Maintenance Overview 28 Storing Firearms Safely 29 6 HOME DEFENSE FOR FAMILIES Why Make a Plan 30 Carrying Out the Plan 30 Everyone’s Rsponsibilities 30 Away from Home 30 7 TAKING YOUR FIRST SHOTS Stance, Grip, Sights, Breath Control, Trigger Pull, Follow Thru, Hitting the Target 32 8 SHOOTING SPORTS Firearms Open A Whole Exciting World of Sports 34 9 FAMILY FUN COMPETITION The Rules and The Rewards 36 7 Introduction History of Firearms and the Constitution 1 Firearms were invented in the 14th century in China, after the Chinese had invented gunpowder in the 9th century. These inventions were later transmitted to the Middle East and to Europe. The phalanx-charging fire-gourd is one of many fire lance types discharging lead pellets in the gunpowderblast. (Left: an illustration from the Huolongjing, 14th century) Right: Hand cannon from the Chinese Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) Firearms in China The direct ancestor of the firearm is the fire lance, a black- powder–filled tube attached to the end of a spear and used as a flamethrower; shrapnel was sometimes placed in the barrel so that it would fly out together with the flames. The earliest depiction of a gunpowder weapon is the illustration of a fire-lance on a mid-10th century silk banner from 8 Dunhuang. The De’an Shoucheng Lu, an account of the siege of De’an in 1132, records that Songforces used fire-lances against the Jurchens. In due course, the proportion of saltpeter in the propellant was increased to maximise its explosive power. To better withstand that explosive power, the paper and bamboo of which fire-lance barrels were originally made came to be replaced by metal. And to take full advantage of that power, the shrapnel came to be replaced by projectiles whose size and shape filled the barrel more closely. Thus, we have the three basic features of the gun: • a barrel made of metal, • high-nitrate gunpowder, and • a projectile (which totally occludes the muzzle so that the powder charge exerts its full potential in propellant effect)—the bullet. 9 The earliest depiction of a gun is a sculpture from a cave in Sichuan dating to the 12th century of a figure carrying a vase-shaped bombardwith flames and a cannonball coming out of it. The oldest surviving gun, made of bronze, has been dated to 1288 because it was discovered at a site in modern-day Acheng District where the Yuan Shi records that battles were fought at that time; Li Ting, a military commander of Jurchen descent, led foot-soldiers armed with guns—including a Korean brigade—in battle to suppress the rebellion of the Christian Mongol prince Nayan. Firearms in Southeast Asia The first record of firearms in Vietnam is the death of the Champa king in 1390 who was killed by a volley of firearms known in Chinese as Huochong (Fire Gun, see previous page). Firearms in the Middle East The Arabs obtained firearms in the 14th century. Al- Hassan claims that the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260 saw the Mamluks use against theMongols “the first cannon in history” gunpowder formulae which were almost identical with the ideal composition for explosive gunpowder. However, Khan states that it was invading Mongols who introduced gunpowder to the Islamic world and cites Mamlukantagonism towards early riflemen in their infantry as an example of how gunpowder weapons were not always met with open acceptance in the Middle East. 10 Firearms in the West One theory of how gunpowder came to Europe is that it made its way along the Silk Road through the Middle East; another is that it was brought to Europe during the Mongol invasion in the first half of the 13th century. English Privy Wardrobe accounts list “ribaldis,” a type of cannon, in the 1340s, and siege guns were used by the English at Calais in 1346. The first mention of firearms in Russia is found in the “Sofiiskii vremennik” chronicle, where it is stated that during the 1382 defense of Moscow from Tokhtamysh’s Golden Horde, Muscovites used firearms called “tiufiaks” which were of Eastern origin; this word derives from Turkic “tüfeng”, meaning “gun”. The earliest surviving firearm in Europe has been found from Otepää, Estonia and it dates to at least 1396. Around the late 14th century in Europe, smaller and portable hand- held cannons were developed, creating in effect the first smooth-borepersonal firearm. In the late 15th century the Ottoman empire used firearms as part of its regular infantry. Early modern age During the Early modern age, these hand-held cannons evolved into the flintlock rifle, then the breech loader and finally the automatic weapon. 11 Early firearms had to be cocked and caught by the “sear”, which holds the hammer back, before each shot. Pulling the trigger allows the hammer or striker to fly forward, striking the “firing pin,” which then strikes the “primer,” igniting an impact-sensitive chemical compound (historically, first fulminate of mercury, then potassium chlorate, now lead styphnate) which shoots a flame through the “flash hole” into the cartridge’s propellant chamber, igniting the propellant. As ignition devices, matchlocks, wheellocks, snaplock, flintlocks and percussion caps were used in turn. The paper cartridge was introduced in 1586, and the bayonet came to use in 17th century France. Hand grenades, thrown by grenadiers, appeared around the same time. The Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts became important to the history of firearms during the 1850s, when it debuted the Springfield rifle. Springfield rifles were among the very first breech-loading rifles, starting production in 1865. By that time, metallurgy had developed sufficiently so that brass could be worked into fixed ammunition. Previously, each round was custom made as needed: the shooter poured loose powder down the barrel, used leather or cloth for wadding if time allowed, selected a suitable projectile (lead ball, rocks, arrow, or nail), then seated the projectile on top of the powder charge by means of a ramrod. Performance was erratic. Fixed ammunition combined a primer, the 12 pre-measured charge, and the projectile in a water-resistant brass cartridge case. Most importantly, the soft brass expanded under pressure of the gas to seal the rear end of the barrel, which prevented the shooter from being maimed by escaping high- pressure gases when he pulled the trigger.
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