Hunter Education Course

Chapter 1: Know Your Firearms

Rifle and Shotgun Components

Both rifles and shotguns feature a long barrel, and each is usually braced against the hunter's shoulder when fired. Each of these types of firearms consists of most or all of the following components.

Safeties

A mechanical device that, when engaged, should prevent a firearm from firing by stopping the firing pin from striking the primer. While featured in various styles according to the manufacturer, below you will find examples of the most common types of safeties.

Push-Button Safety

Located on the trigger guard, it blocks the trigger of the hammer when engaged. It may have a visible red band when the safety is in the OFF position.

Slide or Tang Safety

It features two positions of operation. In the ON position (i.e., a green colored dot or the letter "S" may be visible) it blocks the firing mechanism of a rifle or shotgun. In the OFF position (i.e., a red colored dot or the letter "F" may be visible) it enables firing of a cartridge or shot shell. A Tang safety, featured on some models of shotguns, is engaged when the letter "S" is visible on top and in the back of the receiver.

Lever or Pivot Safety

Located either on the bolt or just behind the bolt handle on the frame of the receiver, it blocks the firing pin when engaged. On some firearms, the lever safety located on the bolt will have three positions. The back position (i.e., toward the shooter), does not allow the bolt to be opened, and the firearm will not fire. In the middle position, the bolt can be cycled, but the firearm cannot be fired. In the forward position, the safety is OFF, and the firearm can be fired. Other safeties feature only two positions - ON and OFF. These types of safeties are marked either with green and red dots or with an "F" for fire or an "S" for safe.

Hammer or Half-Cock Safety

This type of safety is not as common as those listed above. It is typically found among lever action and break action firearms or antique and replica firearms. In the half-cock position, the hammer does not rest on the firing pin and the trigger is locked. When the hammer is pulled all the way back into the cocked position, the firearm can be fired. Be sure to check the owner's manual as some manufactures firearms are only safe when the hammer is in the "fully forward" position.

Rifle and Shotgun Styles

Since there are many firearm styles available for sale, your choices can be overwhelming. To help you find the right firearm to suit your needs, let's review the most common styles and looks and how each operates. Take note, however, that you must always read the owner's manual of any firearm you buy for a detailed explanation on how to operate it safely.

Bolt Action

This firearm has a reputation for high accuracy. It is the strongest action. It is operated by moving the bolt handle up and to the rear to open the action. When the bolt is moved forward, it picks up a fresh cartridge. With the bolt fully forward, push down on it to lock the bolt in place. Engage the safety and you are ready to hunt. Grasp the bolt handle after firing, lifting it up while pulling it towards you. This will eject the spent cartridge from the chamber.

Lever Action

A lever-action firearm usually has a shorter barrel, is lighter to carry, and is easy to operate for follow-up shots. A popular style of action among rifles, it is a good choice if you are hunting in thick brush (remember to cover the trigger guard to protect the trigger). Most lever-actions have a loading plate where the cartridges are pushed into a tubular magazine. To load a cartridge from the magazine, grasp the lever and swing it down and away from you. Make sure that the barrel is pointed in a safe direction. Next, swing the lever up and towards you. This releases a cartridge from the magazine, chambers the cartridge and closes the action. After you load, engage the safety if your lever action has one; otherwise, place the hammer at half-cock position. After firing the lever action, swing the lever down and away from you to eject the cartridge.

Pump Action

Used in both shotguns and rifles, pump action allows a hunter to quickly eject and chamber new ammunition. It is typically loaded from the bottom into a tubular magazine. The action is opened when the forearm is pulled back to the rear of the firearm. Pushing the forearm forward moves the ammunition from the magazine into the chamber and closes the action so that the firearm is loaded and ready to be fired. On most pump-actions, a slide lever located by the trigger guard releases the action so you can inspect the chamber or unload the firearm.

Semi-Automatic Action

This type of action is used in both shotguns and rifles. Many hunters find this firearm a pleasure to shoot due to its reduced recoil. After the trigger is pulled and a round is fired, the action opens automatically, the spent ammunition is ejected, a new round is chambered, the action closes and the firearm is ready to be fired again. This sequence repeats each time the trigger is pulled. The action remains open automatically when all ammunition stored in the magazine and chamber has been fired.

Break Action or Hinge Action

This firearm is available in single-barrel or double-barrel styles and is ideal for novice hunters due to the limit it places on shots per use. Most firearms with this type of action feature two barrels placed either side-by-side or in an over-and-under configuration. For loading, push on the action release lever and pivot the barrels down. The chamber will then be separated from the stock and firing mechanism so ammunition can be inserted. Once you close the action and release the safety, the firearm is ready for firing. After firing, press the release lever to open the action and eject the spent cartridge or shotshell. Some break-actions have automatic ejectors, others require that you manually remove the spent cartridge or shotshell.

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