General Precautions when Handling Your Airgun

General Precautions when Handling Your Airgun, Airgun 101 – So you’ve just bought your first Airgun. What now? Well, first off, you’re going to want to know how to safely handle it. First of all, it is important to understand that Airguns are not toys and should not be treated as such. While airguns may not have the power to kill someone outright, they definitely have the ability to seriously injure or maim, and as such, should be handled with the utmost care. Furthermore, you should follow a number of rules regarding the loading and unloading of any airgun – including handling and taking care of it.

Do not demonstrate the gun in front of a large crowd, as this may mislead those around you if they mistake it for a real firearm. Before using a gun, read all instructions and remember that you must follow all of them (handling & possession). 90% of all air gun accidents are caused by careless handling – particularly the mistaken belief that a gun is not loaded when it is and aiming at an inappropriate target. All of these incidents are avoidable if a shooter uses a weapon responsibly and correctly.

Throughout this blog you will find a number of pointers regarding airgun safety. We’ve heard a number of horror stories in the past – so while some of them may seem like common sense, we wanted to ensure that everything was covered!

GENERAL PRECAUTIONS

1. Handle the gun as if it is loaded – just like you would handle a firearm.
2. Always aim with intent and keep the barrel pointing in a safe direction. Choose only a target that cannot be shot through and make sure that pellets will not bounce off it if it is a hard surface. Never shoot into water, even if you are in your own backyard. Never point your gun at people or animals, or anything else that you are not planning to shoot.
3. Keep your grip safety-activated until you are ready to shoot. Do not pull the trigger when the grip safety is activated (a pellet can get stuck in the barrel). As in any mechanical device, the grip may fail. Even when the grip safety is activated, handle it with caution. Never point the gun at anyone or at anything you do not want to shoot.
4. When you take the gun from someone or from a safe, check if it has been discharged and if the grip safety is activated.
5. Do not touch the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
6. Use protective goggles while shooting.
7. If you wear eyeglasses, put the goggles on top of those.
8. Always use .177 (4.5) calibre pellets.
9. Never reuse pellets.
10. Keep the trigger locked during storage.
11. Keep your gun in a safe place at your house, and unload all pellets and CO2 cylinders.
12. Before storing the gun, make sure it is discharged and secured.
13. Do not forget that any repair of the gun is to be carried out only in special workshops.
14. Never let a loaded gun out of your hand.
15. An air gun, together with its instructions, may only be handed over to persons over 18 y/o and who are familiar with the principles of handling weapons.
16. Do not modify your gun. Changes may not be compatible with the design of the gun and will be contrary to these instructions. The use of such weapons can cause serious injury or death. It will also void the warranty on the gun.
17. If you have dropped your gun, inspect and check it carefully before using it again. If something has changed, like the stroke of the trigger, it could mean damage to or destruction of parts of the gun. If this happens, contact a service department.

LOADING AND UNLOADING OF PELLETS

When firing air guns, we would recommend using .177 (4.5) calibre diabolo pellets with a maximum length of 6.5 mm. For rifled barrels, do not use BB (metal balls), darts, or other unsuitable projectiles. The use of non-standard bullets may result in injury to you or your weapon. Bullets should never be reused.

Inserting the pellets:

• Examine the grip safety.
• Point the gun away from you.
• Load the pellets according to the instructions on your air gun.
• Make sure the slide is pushed forward and locked before shooting.
• Discharge by shooting is the easiest way to remove a pellet. Shoot in a safe direction.

Discharge without shooting:

• Activate grip safety.
• Pull the slide back and open the barrel.
• Insert a suitable size brush into the barrel. The barrel may be damaged if you use an incorrectly sized brush.
• Push the pellet into the pellet ejection port direction.

If a pellet does not come out of the gun, it does not mean that there are no more of them in the magazine. Shooting with insufficient CO2 pressure may cause a pellet to stuck in the barrel. If it is not possible to make a shot, it could be due to a dud.