Top
A straightforward guide to being smart with your firearm
With gun sales at an all-time high in the U.S., easy-to-understand advice on storing and possessing guns safely is at an all-time premium. Safe Gun Ownership For Dummies paves the way for new and novice gun owners to learn the basics of firearm ownership in a non-partisan tone. This book helps gun owners thoroughly explore the rules of gun safety and adopt the habits of savvy firearm aficionados. Written by a firearms expert and analyst who has reviewed hundreds of firearms along with gun safety and storage options, this guide helps you develop a safety mindset and apply practices to assure you and your family avoid harm.
When it’s time to start training on your new firearm and the safety rules of gun ownership, Safe Gun Ownership For Dummies is at the ready with everything you need to know to make safety your aim.
Greg Lickenbrock is a senior firearms analyst and technical advisor for the largest non-profit organization dedicated to gun violence prevention and safety in the United States. He previously spent nearly a decade serving as an editor and writer for several outdoor and firearm-related publications.
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: Getting Started with Gun Safety 5
Chapter 1: The Basics of Safe Gun Ownership 7
Common Reasons to Own a Firearm 8
Gaining a sense of security 8
Hunting and recreational shooting 9
Taking part in history 9
Things to Consider Before Purchasing a Firearm 10
How will you secure it? 10
Who will have access to it? 11
When will you attend a training course? 11
The Four Rules of Gun Safety 12
Rule 1: Treat all guns as if they are loaded 13
Rule 2: Never let your muzzle cover anything you aren’t willing to destroy 13
Rule 3: Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re on target and ready to shoot 14
Rule 4: Be sure of your target and what is behind it 14
Knowing other important rules to follow 15
Checking Whether a Gun is Loaded 15
Checking semi-automatic pistols 16
Checking revolvers 17
Checking rifles or shotguns with detachable magazines 17
Checking rifles or shotguns with internal magazines 18
Chapter 2: Legally Speaking 19
Understanding U.S Federal Gun Regulations 20
The Second Amendment and its interpretations 20
The National Firearms Act of 1934 21
The Federal Firearms Act of 1938 23
The Gun Control Act of 1968 23
The Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 23
The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 24
The federal assault weapons ban of 1994 24
The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005 26
Breaking Down Landmark Supreme Court Decisions 26
United States v Miller 26
District of Columbia v Heller 27
McDonald v Chicago 27
New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v Bruen 27
Navigating State and Local Laws 27
Recognizing significant laws 28
Finding helpful sites and resources 30
Looking at Gun Laws Outside the United States 31
Canada 31
Switzerland 32
United Kingdom 32
Australia 33
New Zealand 33
Chapter 3: The Three Main Types of Firearms 35
Taking a Quick Trip through History: Cannons, Muskets, and More 36
Understanding early naming conventions 36
Sizing down for individual soldiers 37
Tracing 1800s innovations to today’s guns 39
Going the Distance with Rifles 42
Understanding bolt-action basics 42
Leveling up with lever actions 44
Gaining speed with semi-autos 46
Sorting Out Various Types of Shotguns 51
Simplifying shotgun shells 51
Breaking down break actions 52
Moving from levers to pumps 54
Sizing up semi-auto scatterguns 55
Getting Hands on with Handguns 56
Grasping the revolver revolution 56
Charting the rise of semi-autos 58
Chapter 4: Purchasing Your Firearm 65
Your First Trip to the Gun Store 66
What to expect from salespeople 66
Deciding on the type of gun to buy 67
Trying before you buy 69
Knowing the Purchase Requirements 72
Filling out the required paperwork 73
Understanding holds and wait times 75
Part 2: Building a Gun Safety Mindset 79
Chapter 5: Introducing a Firearm into Your Household 81
Having “The Talk” with Your Family 82
Addressing your partner’s concerns 82
Explaining gun safety rules to children 83
Teaching children what to do if they encounter a firearm 84
Entering those dreaded teen years 85
Letting Other People Know You Own a Gun 86
Understanding the Dangers of Overpenetration 87
Chapter 6: Safe and Secure Firearm Storage 91
Understanding the Locks (Sometimes) Included with Guns 92
The Child Safety Lock Act of 2005 92
How to use a cable lock — and why it isn’t enough 93
The problems with trigger locks 95
Investing in Sturdy Steel with Gun Safes and Vaults 96
Factoring in size, construction, and more 97
Breaking down the various lock types 100
Avoiding less traditional storage options 102
Grasping the Importance of Storing Ammunition Separately 103
Chapter 7: Manual Labor 105
Looking Inside Your Firearm’s Manual 106
Using the safety 106
Loading and unloading the gun 107
Disassembly made easy 108
Learning the warranty information 109
Watching Out for Other Warnings 110
Avoiding the wrong ammunition 110
Finding the right balance of lubrication 111
Keeping the Record Straight 112
Chapter 8: Cleaning and Maintenance 113
Caring for Your Gun between Trips to the Range 114
Gathering the right tools and supplies 114
Taking your gun apart 116
Scrubbing the barrel 116
Inspecting the interior 118
Adding lube and other finishing touches 118
Dealing With the Usual Wear and Tear 119
Identifying common wear points 120
Replacing parts — and knowing your limits 121
Troubleshooting Two Larger Issues 122
Clearing bore obstructions 123
Removing light rust 124
Chapter 9: Getting to Know Ammunition 127
Making Sense of Rifle and Handgun Ammunition 128
Getting acquainted with cartridge components and naming conventions 128
Looking at the basics of ballistics and barrel rifling 132
Understanding today’s handgun bullets 134
Recognizing various rifle bullets 137
Sorting Out Shotgun Shells 140
Discerning shell components and naming conventions 140
Defining shotshells by use 142
Chapter 10: Today’s Firearm Accessories 145
Carrying Your Gun 146
Choosing handgun holsters 146
Selecting a sling for your long gun 148
Using Common Shooting Aids 150
Zeroing in with sights and optics 150
Holding steady with monopods, bipods, and more 153
Powering up with lights, lasers, and combination units 155
Customizing Your Gun 159
Upgrades you can do at home 159
Upgrades that require gunsmithing 161
Looking at Other Helpful Accessories 163
Chapter 11: Leaving Home with Your Firearm 165
Transporting a Gun in a Vehicle 166
Understanding relevant laws 166
Examining vehicle storage options — and their risks 167
Crossing State Lines with a Firearm 170
Traveling by road 170
Traveling by air 171
Carrying a Firearm on Your Person 173
Getting to know your state’s carry laws and off-limit locations 174
Recognizing common carry positions 176
Avoiding injury while unholstering 178
Part 3: Discovering How to Use Your Firearm 181
Chapter 12: Basic Training 183
Understanding Why You Need to Attend a Training Course 184
Knowing What to Expect from a Training Course 186
Breaking down the types of courses 186
Considering three major factors: cost, time, and format 187
Understanding common course requirements 188
Evaluating course options 190
Finding a Training Course Near You 193
Range Safety Fundamentals 194
Explaining common range rules 195
Dressing appropriately 196
Protecting your eyesight 197
Protecting your hearing 197
Preparing for All Types of Weather 199
Continuing Your Education 200
Chapter 13: On the Mark 203
Learning the Basics of Accurate Shooting 204
Establishing a firm grip on a handgun 204
Holding onto a rifle or shotgun 207
Getting into position 207
Sighting in 213
Breathing for better accuracy 217
Controlling the trigger 217
Practicing Your Shooting Skills Safely 218
Maximizing your range time 218
Diagnosing your results 220
Overcoming Cross-Eye Dominance 222
Chapter 14: Reloading and Clearing Malfunctions 225
Dissecting the Anatomy of a Detachable Magazine 226
Reloading a Pistol Three Different Ways 227
The empty reload 228
The speed reload 231
The retention reload 232
Safely Unloading a Gun 233
Troubleshooting Common Pistol Malfunctions 234
Clearing a failure to eject 234
Fixing a failure to feed 235
Dealing with double feeds 236
Diagnosing ammo-related problems 236
Part 4: Think Carefully before You Shoot 239
Chapter 15: Hunting and Sport Shooting 241
Preparing to Hunt with a Firearm 242
Getting to know your state’s wildlife agency 242
Attending a hunter education course 243
Becoming an ethical hunter 244
Breaking down various types of hunting 246
Gathering helpful hunting gear 249
Going for Gold at Shooting Matches 251
Learning popular shooting disciplines 251
Collecting helpful competition gear 254
Attending your first match 256
Chapter 16: Firearms and Self-Defense 257
Before You Reach for a Gun 258
Protecting your home from the outside 258
Protecting your home from the inside 260
Understanding the Castle Doctrine 262
Interpreting the castle doctrine today 263
Knowing the limits of the law 263
Creating an Emergency Plan 264
Understanding Self-Defense with a Firearm Outside the Home 266
Part 5: The Part of Tens 269
Chapter 17: Ten Common Myths about Firearms 271
Myth: “The Wild West Was Full of Gunplay” 272
Myth: “A Gun Will Make Me Safer” 272
Myth: “Guns Don’t Kill People; People Kill People” 273
Myth: “Polymer Guns Won’t Set off Metal Detectors” 274
Myth: “The Only Thing That Can Stop a Bad Guy with a Gun Is a Good Guy with a Gun” 275
Myth: “Millions of People Defend Themselves with Guns Every Year” 275
Myth: “Guns Can Blow You Away” 276
Myth: “Every Gun Sale Already Requires a Background Check” 276
Myth: “Blame Video Games, Not Guns” 277
Myth: “I Love Guns — They Make Me Who I Am” 277
Chapter 18: Ten (or More) Gun Terms You’re Using Incorrectly 279
Saying “Clip” Instead of “Magazine” 280
Bullets, Cartridges, and More 280
Accuracy versus Precision 282
The Two Meanings of Pistol 282
Semi-Automatic versus Automatic 283
Assault Rifles and Assault Weapons 283
Why Suppressors Aren’t Quite Silencers 284
Standard and High Capacity 285
Grip and Handle Defined 286
Chapter 19: Ten Steps to Restore a Classic Gun 287
Unload and Inspect the Firearm 288
Research the Make and Model 288
Decide What You Want to Do with It 289
Carefully Disassemble and Clean It 290
Remove Light Rust from Metal Surfaces 290
Replace Any Missing or Damaged Parts 291
Refinish the Metal — or Not 291
Restore the Wood 292
Clean, Lubricate, and Reassemble It 293
Have a Gunsmith Back Up your Work 293
Index 295
The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.
The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.
Need Help? Copyright © 1999-2026
